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Thread: boring full length holes on a Lathe

  1. #1

    boring full length holes on a Lathe

    Sears Craftsman Wood Lathe 38 inches betwen centers. How do you drill a hole 36 inches deep on that Lathe? Hole would be 3 inches in diameter.

  2. #2
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    "36" deep - on a 38" c/c lathe" you're gonna need a bigger boat.
    Maker of Fine Kindling, and small metal chips on the floor.
    Embellishments to the Stars - or wannabees.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Clarence Martinn View Post
    Sears Craftsman Wood Lathe 38 inches betwen centers. How do you drill a hole 36 inches deep on that Lathe? Hole would be 3 inches in diameter.
    From my limited experience I think that would be a challenging task for most people. I can think of one way but not easy. With any method you'd probably need to support the wood firmly from one end which might be difficult with that lathe.

    What's the outside diameter? What kind of wood? And most important, what do you want to make?

    There may be other ways that are a lot easier, for example cut down the length, hollow each half, then glue back together. Or build it with staves if the design would permit.

    You may be able to buy a laminated tube, I understand George DeCristoforo did that for his telescope project https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....26#post2723726
    Read the whole thread here: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....97#post2564897

    JKJ

  4. #4
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    Can it be done in pieces or does the project call for a single piece of wood? Does the inside hole have to be 3" diameter or will "close" be good enough?

  5. #5
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    that would be extremely difficult especially on that lathe. Assuming you could find a bit and a shaft I would bet serious money it would not bore straight. A far better solution would be to do it in short sections and glue them together. What I would probably do would be to cut in half lengthwise and use the table saw. run it past the blade at an angle gradually increasing the height. Well actually run it through straight first removing as much as you can to get close to the shape and then try the angle thing.
    If you started with a much larger piece of wood. drilled a little, add an extension, drill more add another extension etc until you got done. Then mount this between centers using the holes as your centers. Then you could true up the outside to match the holes.

  6. #6
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    Possibly on a Shopsmith, and keep advancing the headstock after each boring stage.
    Maker of Fine Kindling, and small metal chips on the floor.
    Embellishments to the Stars - or wannabees.

  7. #7
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    I had a shopsmith. That was it's one useful feature. Well that and being able to put a sanding disc on the headstock and advancing it into the work for special operations. Other than that it was a very mediocre machine. I made a lot of things with it and had it stored in a very small space. It sure was nice to step up to stand alone machines.

  8. #8
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    Horizontal Boring is one of Shopsmith's claims to fame, but 36" x 3" diameter is a bit much to ask of any non industrial machine.
    Maker of Fine Kindling, and small metal chips on the floor.
    Embellishments to the Stars - or wannabees.

  9. #9
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    Cut the piece in half, use a router to make half of the hole in each piece. Glue the pieces back together.

  10. #10
    It would be for a solid Wood tubular fishing rod and reel case. Has to be at least 3 inches inside diameter.

  11. #11
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    I would either buy white PVC pipe or black ABS pipe and glue a cap on one end and a threaded clean-out plug on the other end. If it absolutely has to look like wood for some strange reason, consider gluing on a wood veneer over the plastic pipe and perhaps turn the end caps of wood.

  12. #12
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    I would get 9 blocks 4" thick, and drill the required 3" inch hole in the center of each one. Then I would glue them together 3 at a time. To keep the 3" holes aligned I would insert a 12" length of 3" diameter Delrin in the holes and stack them. If money is no object, I might splurge on a 3 foot length of Delrin, but at $25 a foot and being cheap I would only use 1 foot piece. After the 3 pieces are glued together, I would stack and glue one on another one with the piece of Delrin aligning the joint Then repeat for the last one.


    Use Delrin because nothing sticks to it, the Delrin can easily be hammered out of the stack of glued blocks.

    Or buy an aluminum rod case and glue the blocks directly to the aluminum case and then turn it.

  13. #13
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    I would say you don't. Glue the blank from 2 pieces that have a kerf sawn down the center and drill out the ends to the right size. Does it matter if the center is exactly the right diameter?

  14. #14
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    buy the PVC and glue veneer to it. You could turn wooden caps for each end.

  15. #15
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    Staves. Make it with staves. Glue them up. Turn od.

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