Drilling deep end grain holes

[Joe Pack]

How practical is it to drill end grain to a significant depth...say 16-18 inches?

I want to try my hand at building a flute. I know I can route a 3/4" to 1" diameter groove in two matching halves of wood and glue it together, but, for some of the woods I would like to try, I would prefer to have no visible line.

If drilling to this depth is practical using either an extra long bit or bit and extension, what kind of bit would be best? By hand (brace/bit) or using a drill or drill press? Woods would range from cedar to birdseye maple...very soft to quite hard.

Am I asking for trouble?

[Brian Kent]

What an interesting dilemma. I don't know if you can make a uniform enough hole to have a flute that is in tune.

However, why not try.

I would do it in stages.
Use whatever vise or jig I could come up with to get the first 4" or so started straight. That would depend on the quill travel on your drill press. Then insert a longer bit and get a few more inches - still on the drill press.

Then turn it end to end and so the same thing. I'll bet this could get within a few inches of meeting in the middle. A long spade bit, still in the drill press and jig and then you could laugh at how far out it is in the middle.

I think I would start with some really cheap wood!

[Bob Vavricka]

I haven't done anything like what you are talking about, but did a lot of research on it awhile back for another project I was thinking about. You might search for some information on gun drills and check out some musical instrument building sites. I'll see if I can find some of the web sites I looked at an post them
Bob V.

[Josiah Bartlett]

How practical is it to drill end grain to a significant depth...say 16-18 inches?

I want to try my hand at building a flute. I know I can route a 3/4" to 1" diameter groove in two matching halves of wood and glue it together, but, for some of the woods I would like to try, I would prefer to have no visible line.

If drilling to this depth is practical using either an extra long bit or bit and extension, what kind of bit would be best? By hand (brace/bit) or using a drill or drill press? Woods would range from cedar to birdseye maple...very soft to quite hard.

Am I asking for trouble?

I would chuck it in a lathe and drill it like you would a pepper mill or a large pen blank. If you are planning on turning it anyway, that way you can get it concentric.You can either use a hollow tailstock center or a chuck.

[Bob Vavricka]

Joe, I agree that the lathe would probably be the best way to drill the hole. On that deep/long of hole, the bit can still wander quite a bit even drilling on the lathe.
As I understand a gun drill, it tends to seek the center of the item being drilled. Here is a link to a website where the person makes flutes and shows his set-up for drilling.
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/making.html
Good luck on your project.
Bob V.

[Stephen Edwards]

Could you use a blank of wood and then rip it in half? Now with a half round fluting bit of the right size, cut a flute in the center of both pieces. Glue them back together and proceed from there.

I dunno, that's the first thought that came to my mind.

[Paul Atkins]

Del Stubbs used to make concert quality flutes without gluing two pieces together. He also had a custom made reamer with little undulations to perfect the tuning. "Practical?" At least possible. Also drill first and then turn.