Utility Card Handle Question

[robert hainstock]

I'm making a long, 20 1.2 in) handle for a kitchen utility cart . what is the best tool to make sure the hole is true? my expierence with twist drills has been a littletoo much wandering off center.

[Brett Baldwin]

Are you talking about a hole for a dowel or a hole that goes all the way through the handle?

[Allen Neighbors]

Robert, somebody with more expertise than I have will surely chime in here, but until they do, I'll give you this much: The surest way to get the hole to be in the center, is to drill the hole in the blank wood first... then center the piece on the lathe, using the hole as center, and then turn it.

I mounted a piece that had a 3/8" hole in it which I wanted to true up, by using a #2 MT pointed tailstock livecenter in my Compac chuck, and taping it to keep it from spinning. It worked.

[robert hainstock]

Are you talking about a hole for a dowel or a hole that goes all the way through the handle?


All the way through!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Robert.......Allen pretty well has it nailed. Start with a larger blank than necessary. Drill the wood. Use the holes for centering and turn it. Kinda like turning a big pen blank. IIRC Keith Rowley uses this method for turning lamps. I'll check his book and get back to you.

[Alex Elias]

What Allen said is what the most sence to me. The only thing though is how do you drill a 21" deep hole. Are they bit that long?

[joe greiner]

What diameter hole, and what is its function? Function question relates to how straight it must be.

For dead straight, the easiest way is likely to rip the blank, rout a half hole in each piece with a core box or round nose bit, and glue back together. Unless the grain is very, very busy, the glued joint shouldn't be noticeable. The downside is a limited variety of sizes in the bits. If a square hole is acceptable, a precise size can be achieved with a v-groove bit; set the bit height to produce the desired size of square (bit height equals half the diagonal of the square).

If a slight deviation in straightness is acceptable, aircraft drills are typically 12 inches long; and ship auger bits are usually about 17-18 inches long. In each case, drill from each end of the blank, with some overlap near the middle. It's surprisingly easy to get a near match in the middle, especially with the overlap. If you have a hollow tailstock, large enough for the drill bit, you can do the drilling on the lathe, although even the ship auger bit might not be long enough after subtracting the length of the tailstock. (Hold the bit with vise-grip pliers at the outboard end.) On a long-bed lathe, you can use a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock, but you'll need a steady rest for the blank - carve or turn a short round-ish region for the steady rest.

As said, drill first, then turn.

Joe

[robert hainstock]

What diameter hole, and what is its function? Function question relates to how straight it must be.

For dead straight, the easiest way is likely to rip the blank, rout a half hole in each piece with a core box or round nose bit, and glue back together. Unless the grain is very, very busy, the glued joint shouldn't be noticeable. The downside is a limited variety of sizes in the bits. If a square hole is acceptable, a precise size can be achieved with a v-groove bit; set the bit height to produce the desired size of square (bit height equals half the diagonal of the square).

If a slight deviation in straightness is acceptable, aircraft drills are typically 12 inches long; and ship auger bits are usually about 17-18 inches long. In each case, drill from each end of the blank, with some overlap near the middle. It's surprisingly easy to get a near match in the middle, especially with the overlap. If you have a hollow tailstock, large enough for the drill bit, you can do the drilling on the lathe, although even the ship auger bit might not be long enough after subtracting the length of the tailstock. (Hold the bit with vise-grip pliers at the outboard end.) On a long-bed lathe, you can use a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock, but you'll need a steady rest for the blank - carve or turn a short round-ish region for the steady rest.

As said, drill first, then turn.

Joe
Thanks guys for all the tips. Steve Schlumph gave me a realy nice stick of curly maple a few ,months ago. I.d like to use some of it for a handle on my kitchen cart. it will be a 1/2 in. hole. my lathe bed, (33 in) is not long enough to accomodate forty some inches of wood and bit so I won't have that to line it up. The blank is 2 1/2 in block three ft long.. maybe I should mount a 1/2 in bit in my jacobs and go as deep as i can from each end. i'll let you know how it turns out. if it goes south, i can always make pens out of whats left/ THANKS AGAIN ALL!!

[Jim Underwood]

When drilling from each end, meeting in the center will invariably never happen - even over a short distance. With a hole that long? Impossible as far as I know.

Much better to drill from one end and then turn the handle with some cone centers in the holes to line it up.

[Allen Neighbors]

Robert, I bought an electrician's 5/8" drill bit once; 18" long... a bit of the right diameter, with an extension... might do fine.

[David Fried]

How about a lamp auger? I think that might be long enough but only 3/8".

[joe greiner]

If the hole is only for attachment to the rest of the cart, it doesn't need to be full length. To assure alignment, I'd suggest mounting the blank between centers to turn a small circular spot near each end; use that the engage a steady rest for drilling a hole at one end with the Jacobs chuck in the tailstock. Or, like David suggests, a lamp auger could be used through the tailstock, without need for a steady rest. Flip the blank and drill the other end. Then remount to do the final turning. For the attachment, epoxy a threaded rod in each hole, and make the connections with decorative knobs with inside threads. Or something like that.

Joe

[Steve Schlumpf]

Bob,

I do have a 1/2" brad point bit that is 12" long - if that helps. Also - my lathe is long enough to handle any drilling that needs to be done. Let me know if I can help.

[robert hainstock]

How about a lamp auger? I think that might be long enough but only 3/8".
If I can get a hole that long through the piece, I can open it up with a 1/2 in bit in my 1/4 in extension. I will have to go through from both ends.:mad:

[robert hainstock]

Tou were next on my list. I'm goung looling for a lamp auger. couldn;t remember what to call it.:o
BOB

[robert hainstock]

When drilling from each end, meeting in the center will invariably never happen - even over a short distance. With a hole that long? Impossible as far as I know.

Much better to drill from one end and then turn the handle with some cone centers in the holes to line it up.
That has been my expierence in the past with much shorter work. Yours is good advice, and I thank all again. I will report with details when I solve the riddle

[robert hainstock]

Robert, I bought an electrician's 5/8" drill bit once; 18" long... a bit of the right diameter, with an extension... might do fine.
AAAAAAAAA bit with ectension is what I will probably go with. Thanks!:rolleyes: