Anyone use a morse taper extension for boring holes?

[Josiah Bartlett]

I'm working on a bunch of pepper mills for christmas presents and I'm finding that all my forstner bits are too short for boring on the lathe with a chuck in the tail stock. I always feel nervous using a drill bit extension because I find that they are never straight and they tend to flex too much.

Has anyone used a morse taper extension between the chuck and the tailstock? I guess you need your hole to be large enough that the chuck fits inside. Is it worth getting one?

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use a morse taper extension when coring bowls but haven't used one doing peppermills. I have a 3 1/2" and a 6" extension. Haven't had a problem. Got them from CSUSA.

[Ken Glass]

Josiah,
I have 6" and 10" Forstner bit extension's. That gives me all the length I need.

[Richard Bell CA]

Josiah:

I had the same concern with drill bit extensions so I made some heavy extensions out of 3/4" bar, with lengths of 6 1/2" and 12 1/2". The shank is turned down to the maximim diameter of my chuck (1/2") and the bits are held in place with setscrews. I have used this setup to bore blind holes up to 14 1/2", and would not hesitate to go deeper if the need arises (with the proper precautions, of course).

Richard

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I'm working on a bunch of pepper mills for christmas presents and I'm finding that all my forstner bits are too short for boring on the lathe with a chuck in the tail stock. I always feel nervous using a drill bit extension because I find that they are never straight and they tend to flex too much.

Has anyone used a morse taper extension between the chuck and the tailstock? I guess you need your hole to be large enough that the chuck fits inside. Is it worth getting one?

Josiah the morse taper extenders used in the metal industry are what you are talking about, they are precision machined and solid, your drill chuck goes into the front of the extender and it is like a longer tailstock spindle, depending on the size of your drill chuck, yes you can go deeper, but you can do the same now, can't you ??, I mean with the chuck going into the hole you are drilling all the way till your run out of tailstock spindle lenght, any way here's a link, go down to adapters and extended reach adapters. HTH :)

http://www.mcmaster.com/#drill-chuck-arbors/=41o6sk

[Nathan Hawkes]

Like Leo said, they are quite precisely machined. I use mine frequently; both for boring holes and for providing a bit of extra room for tool handles when I'm working between centers. I got mine from Enco tools, I think it's www.use-enco.com (http://www.use-enco.com) if I remember correctly. You need to also get a drift pin for it--otherwise you won't get your MT accessory out of it! Just don't hit it on the lathe bed to remove it, or you'll end up with a bunch of little dings in it like my lathe!

[John King]

I use a 1" COLT twinland brad point bit (http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2005566/16672/1-Fractional-Brad-Point-Bit.aspx) (http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2005566/16672/1-Fractional-Brad-Point-Bit.aspx) mounted in the tailstock with a 1/2" key chuck. I lubricate the bit with PAM or similar no stick cooking spray. I drill the body of my peppermills from the top and the bottom. I can easily drill 4 1/2" into the peppermill body with this brad point bit. This is more than enough for the size peppermill that I make.

I have also used an extension on my 1" Forstner bit, but I find that the brad point bit gives better results. Holes drilled in the peppermill body from the top and the bottom almost always align perfectly in the middle of the body. - John

[Alan Tolchinsky]

I just drill from both ends of the mill and if the holes don't meet I then just use a spade bit to connect. I usually get a smooth hole.

[Dave Ogren]

Josiah,

I used them in the metal industry for over 40 years. That is what they are made for. There might be cheap ones that won't line up but I have never seen one, the ones that I have owned, were always ground to a 32 micro inside and out and perfectly concentric.

I have never made a pepper mill so you are way ahead of me. Good Luck and enjoy,

Dave

[Aaron Wingert]

Woodcraft sells one heck of a nice forstner bit extension. It is German made and is 5/8" diameter. They also have four set screws. I bought one today and used it and am thrilled with it. Much better than the typical thinner ones that most of us are familiar with. It drills true with little or no flex.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Like Aaron I have the Woodcraft extension. It works well and yes, I used it on peppermills.

[Richard Madison]

Josiah:

I had the same concern with drill bit extensions so I made some heavy extensions out of 3/4" bar, with lengths of 6 1/2" and 12 1/2". The shank is turned down to the maximim diameter of my chuck (1/2") and the bits are held in place with setscrews. I have used this setup to bore blind holes up to 14 1/2", and would not hesitate to go deeper if the need arises (with the proper precautions, of course).

Richard

Does your bit not wander off center? My forstners are inexpensive and do tend to wander slightly.