How not to drill a blank

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herrwood

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Started to do my 1st pen have a drill press but no vise anyhow used lathe to drill. I could not get drill to go all the way through the blank, reversed it and redrilled from opposite end. At this point I realized that I had to cut the blank in 2 parts before drilling. I will try again with a new blank just thought I would post 1st dumb mistake to remind new comers to read directions twice.
Not unusual for me I usually measure once and cut twice :biggrin:
 
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Here is a little hint on drilling blanks that will be cut in two, if you want to keep the grain aligned and the holes centered. Mount the blank in the lathe, measure the length the first barrell needs to be and add an inch. Use a centering drill to start your hole. Next mark that length on your drill bit with a piece of masking tape. Drill to that depth. Remove the blank, mark the blank so you know the orentation, and cut your first barrel a little long to allow for squaing. Replace the remaining portion of the blank in the lathe, line up the drill bit in the remaining hole and finish drilling. Now your holes will line up and the grain or patterns on your blank will match. A little added info for new turners. You are not trying to drill the hole perfectly down the center of the blank unless you are doing some advanced segmenting where everything needs to be centered. You are only trying to drill a hole from the center point of one end of your blank to the center point of the other end. You may have a warped or twisted blank, all that matters is that the hole is straight. When you turn the blank it will become concentric to the hole that you drilled and your tubes, grains, and patterns will line up. I have never found drilling from both ends to work out well. Jim S
 
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plantman said:
A little added info for new turners. You are not trying to drill the hole perfectly down the center of the blank unless you are doing some advanced segmenting where everything needs to be centered. You are only trying to drill a hole from the center point of one end of your blank to the center point of the other end. You may have a warped or twisted blank, all that matters is that the hole is straight. When you turn the blank it will become concentric to the hole that you drilled and your tubes, grains, and patterns will line up. I have never found drilling from both ends to work out well. Jim S
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Good point Jim. Many times I intentionally drill off center to make sure I have a feature in the wood that show on the pen. For example, Heart wood with sap wood. Sometimes there isn't enough of 1 or the other if the blank is drilled in the center, but drilling 1/8 of an inch off center can change the look completely in some cases. It's also why I like to buy 7/8" blanks that are at least 5.25" long.
 
Thanks for the tips. Too hot to get in work shop today. I have a a/c unit but need to replace a sill 1st.
 
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