pipemakersforum.com

Does anyone see any reason why freehand drilling couldn't be done on a drill press? I do plan on getting a full sized lathe after I move this summer, but in the meantime, I'm really getting the itch to expand my horizons. Thoughts?

If you are thinking of using spoon bits in a drill press with the block clamped in a vise--no problemo. I don't know your level of knowledge as to how freehand drilling is done so forgive me if I'm preaching to the choir. Normally layout lines are drawn on the stummel and small scraps of briar are superglued onto the exterior of the stummel at the "ends" of these lines. A fairly sharp rod is inserted into the tailstock chuck and the point is brought to bear on these blocks so that force can be applied to push the stummel onto either the pilot bit or the spoon bit itself. This provides some stability and guidance during the process so that the chamber and airway will meet properly. Trying to force the stummel onto a pilot or spoon bit without this guidance could be problematic. I for one would not try to be like Ranier Barbi.

oklahoma red wrote:If you are thinking of using spoon bits in a drill press with the block clamped in a vise--no problemo. I don't know your level of knowledge as to how freehand drilling is done so forgive me if I'm preaching to the choir. Normally layout lines are drawn on the stummel and small scraps of briar are superglued onto the exterior of the stummel at the "ends" of these lines. A fairly sharp rod is inserted into the tailstock chuck and the point is brought to bear on these blocks so that force can be applied to push the stummel onto either the pilot bit or the spoon bit itself. This provides some stability and guidance during the process so that the chamber and airway will meet properly. Trying to force the stummel onto a pilot or spoon bit without this guidance could be problematic. I for one would not try to be like Ranier Barbi.

Up until now, I've only done drill first method, and my intention is to start learning shape first, so I'm not trying to chuck the block into the vise. I understand how it's normally done on a metal lathe, and I kind of have a solution for setting up a "pivot point" on the drill press table, and have the quill on the drill press "head" do the advancing into the stummel, instead of the force pushing the stummel into the cut, like the normal way. I would be holding the stummel steady by hand like the normal way though. I pretty much have it all worked out, but I just wanted to run it by everyone here to ensure there's not some hazard or something else that would make it a bad idea.

Smurf,
I do essentially that. I built a clamp with a pointed rod centered in the center and clamping points around the perimeter. I can clamp and drill the stummel, and have recently been using the set up for drilling and facing bamboo. I am not sure that I have the hand strength to hold a stummel, especially with a larger bit like the pilot for the chamber or the chamber bit itself.
I also think that clamping while drilling the mortise make a more cylindrical mortise rather than a slightly conical one produced by hand holding.
The post is in stummels, I believe, or I cam send some photos if you wish.
DocAitch

DocAitch wrote:Smurf,
I do essentially that. I built a clamp with a pointed rod centered in the center and clamping points around the perimeter. I can clamp and drill the stummel, and have recently been using the set up for drilling and facing bamboo. I am not sure that I have the hand strength to hold a stummel, especially with a larger bit like the pilot for the chamber or the chamber bit itself.
I also think that clamping while drilling the mortise make a more cylindrical mortise rather than a slightly conical one produced by hand holding.
The post is in stummels, I believe, or I cam send some photos if you wish.
DocAitch

I do recall your post. Essentially the only difference between what I would be doing and what most people do who hand drill on the lathe, is that I would be doing it on the drill press instead. And instead of the tailstock holding the pin, I would have the table vise holding the pin, or some other stable method.

The post I referred to was May 23, 2016 in Stummels. "X,Y, and Z Axis"
I had another post where I ground an arbor so that I could use my tiny lathe with the method you described.
You don't have to use the heat malleable plastic, but I think it works well.
DocAitch.

I've experimented drilling freehand on the drill press. It's much easier to find some way of clamping it similar to how Doc did it. I don't know how you'd manage facing the shank after drilling if you're not using a lathe. Unless you're doing freehand or military mount stems and you don't need a flush fit.

Yes, you can. It's the same principle as doing it on the lathe but your doing it vertically on the press. You can use a fuller counterbore to drill your mortise and face your shank at the same time. Or think of another way to face the shank like a plate of glass and sand paper.
-Josh

I drill, ream, then face with a regular counter bore. I do the same thing with facing bamboo, except the pilot is 3/16" instead of 5/16" or 1/4".
DocAitch

The only problem I see is with facing. But like mentioned, you can get around that.

I don't think any kind of clamping is relevant here, as we are talking about directly transfering the danish freehand drilling method into the vertical setup of a drill press.
Yes, it should work just fine.
Actually, I think it might even be a bit easier than on a lathe... Pushing the quill into the stummel could be more controllable than pushing the talistock towards the headstock on a lathe.

Except you have more control pushing laterally than vertically and with nothing to keep your stummel centered like the pin on the lathe, I think it's going to result in less precise holes more often.

Where's Premal with a TIAFO when we need him??

sent from my blah-dee-blah using hooty-hoo

A pin is easy. Drillpress chuck with pin clamped into it.

Yea,what Charl said. Doing it without the pin wouldn't make sense.

W.Pastuch wrote:Yea,what Charl said. Doing it without the pin wouldn't make sense.

True story

seamonster wrote:Where's Premal with a TIAFO when we need him??

sent from my blah-dee-blah using hooty-hoo

TIAFO

I do not have a drill press, but I think it would not be good to use a spoon bit on it. Sideways torque may mess up the machine and there seems to be quite a bit when using a spoon bit.