Wood turning question

OK, I've done a lot of turning, but nothing that needed to be drilled. I volunteered to make a replacement handle for an antique cider press. It will be cylindrical, ergonomically shaped, about 1.5 inches in diameter and about 5 inches long. PROBLEM, I need to drill a 3/8" hole the full length. What would be the best sequence of operation? My stock is 2" square and normally I would just put it in the lathe and turn it. I could stop, while it is a perfect cylinder (not yet contoured) and put it in my metal lathe to drill/bore the length. BUT back at the wood lathe my spur would still pick up the headstock end, but the tailstock would have nothing (a hole) to ride against. Suggestions heartily solicited.

Ivan Vegvary

Reply to
Ivan Vegvary
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Ivan,

You might want to post this to rec.crafts.woodturning. You'll get help here, but RCW is exclusively turning - when it's not OT. :o)

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

Ivan I think I would do just as you suggest except that after the hole is drilled I would plug 2 " on each end with a dowel and after you do the turning drill out the plugs

Reply to
O D

Drill the hole first and plug it with a dowel. Turn on the wood lathe then drive the dowel out.

Art

Reply to
Wood Butcher

Well, you can get a cone-shaped live tail center. This pointy thing fits inside the drilled out hole ini your stock.

Woodcraft has one for $15

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'm not sure if it's large enough. Larger ones may go for $40.

Harbor freight has one for $20.

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might be able to make your own since you have a lathe. Does the point of your live center come out? Turn your own and put it in. First drill a hole for a dowel, and glue. Chuck the dowel and turn a cone. A drill chuck from Harbor Freight is $10, and very useful
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can also do the drilling on the lathe. You use a lamp auger, and matching hollow center to go with your lathe. Trouble is, this costs $60+$10. The drill length is 36". I think Harbor Freight has some long augers for a lower price. I never tried it.

You can also split the wood in half, use a router w/ core box bit, reglue and shape.

I think the first option is the best (lowest cost).

Reply to
Bruce Barnett

Drill the hole FIRST, else the hole will not be perfectly centered. Drill, tap a 3/8" dowel into the hole, turn, remove the dowel. You may or may not need the dowel depending on what attachments you have available for the tail. You could hold the dowel with a Jacobs chuck fit into the head or tail.

Reply to
Phisherman

THANK YOU EVERYBODY. I will use the dowel methods suggested. Never would have occured to me. This group is great.

Ivan Vegvary

Reply to
Ivan Vegvary

I did a set of handles with a "through" hole.. I found that the easiest way was to drill the stock first, then use the drill chuck in the headstock and chuck a

3/8" piece of threaded ron in it and use it for a "mandrel" with a washer and lock nut on each end of the handles...

Another simple way to hold it is with friction, which is a lot safer....

Drill the stock first... always easier to keep true that way.. Turn a taper on 2 short pieces of 1/2" or 5/8" dowel, stick in both ends and turn between centers, using the pressure between the centers to hold the tapers in the hole..

As Lobby mentioned, check out rec.crafts.woodturning It's a great group, most of whom also hang out here at the wRECk..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

Bruce Barnett wrote in news:dgnkdn$o1e$1$ snipped-for-privacy@netheaven.com:

You beat me. Same advice as I would have given except I didn't think of the roll your own version. Hank

Reply to
Henry St.Pierre

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