A question about bent drilling.

[brownleafbeardsman]

Hello, guys! I hope you all are well.

As you know, I've been making lots of straight billiards, and I love making them.
I feel like I am finally getting them close to their proper shape, thanks to you all.

I'd like to venture off into some other straight pipes, and also some bent egg shapes, Brandys, etc...
I started one yesterday, and I drilled up the shank. Since I am drilling on two separate axis for the mortise and the airway, there are two separate drilling points on the face of the shank.
Two questions about this;
They are not perfectly one on top of the other, one is perfectly centered, and one is a tad off center. My first thought about this, is that I might not have squared up my block correctly before chucking it up, and therefore when I repositioned in the chuck, it came off center.

Also, when we drill a block this way, and there are two separate holes, should the shank face just be left this way? Is it looked down upon if I do leave the face this way? Should there be a shank extension or adornment to cover this up? What do you guys do in this instance?

Thanks, everyone.

[Sasquatch]

I think I understand your question, and my answer is, the way most people do this, you face the shank, drill the mortise, possibly tap a pilot hole for the airway, THEN reposition the block and drill the airway. This in all but the most extreme cases will leave you with a perfectly ordinary looking shank end (possibly a little tiny keyhole nibbled out of the edge of the mortise).

So if you are seeing two separate holes on the shank end, you need to re-think your drilling operations. The problem with a shank cap as an add-on (and yes, you can do it) is that you can never put a straight tool down the pipe again, for cleaning, unclogging, etc, and that's .... kind of a big deal.

[Sasquatch]

And also yes, it's easy to get the block just not quite right and drill off center. Having really square stock to work with helps a lot, and leaving meat in the right places for chucking helps too.

[brownleafbeardsman]

I think I understand your question, and my answer is, the way most people do this, you face the shank, drill the mortise, possibly tap a pilot hole for the airway, THEN reposition the block and drill the airway. This in all but the most extreme cases will leave you with a perfectly ordinary looking shank end (possibly a little tiny keyhole nibbled out of the edge of the mortise).

So if you are seeing two separate holes on the shank end, you need to re-think your drilling operations. The problem with a shank cap as an add-on (and yes, you can do it) is that you can never put a straight tool down the pipe again, for cleaning, unclogging, etc, and that's .... kind of a big deal.

Thanks so much, Sas. That completely answered my question.
I ended up with a very very exaggerated "keyhole", and exaggerated so much that it was a completely separate hole.
Your answer has confirmed what I had initially thought; my drilling angles were completely wrong, I'll continue to work on this with more forethought.

Understood about the shank cap, I hadn't though of the extra length it would add to the shank, and how that would affect the airway.
Thanks again for your answer. It has cleared this up for me completely!

[Maddwarf69]

I realize I'm pretty new, and only have so much to offer, but here's my $.02. First thing I do with a block is sand at least the sides parallel. This gives me a much easier time of squaring it in the chuck. It also gives me a good look at the grain, and a nice surface for sketching on.

[brownleafbeardsman]

I realize I'm pretty new, and only have so much to offer, but here's my $.02. First thing I do with a block is sand at least the sides parallel. This gives me a much easier time of squaring it in the chuck. It also gives me a good look at the grain, and a nice surface for sketching on.

Thanks, maddwarf. I typically try to get it parallel by shaving a little off on the bandsaw. I will take your advice and start using my disc sander since it has a table for sitting the block on! Thanks!

[LatakiaLover]

Just for the record, know that it is entirely possible to put off drilling the chamber until after the pipe has been completely shaped.

It's done to maximize the chance of a pipe being flawless on the surface. You can keep "shaping away" flaws as they appear until you get something you're satisfied with AND has no flaws, then drill it.

Sounds impossible (as well as terrifying), but it isn't. It just takes having the right tools and practice. It's how many (most?) of the higher end Scandinavian guys learn to do it. Squaring up and drilling blocks first, then shaping around the drilling, is just how the French & (later) English did it in their factories starting in the 1860's/1870's.

[Sasquatch]

Doc Aitch (Walter) is a big "drill after" proponent. Really depends on what you are doing, how you are doing it. For me, my business model has nothing to do with chasing perfection on every pipe - I chase it where it exists and doesn't fight too much. For the hobbyist or newer carver, a guy just needs to get the basics right and understood before he gets crazy with the difficulty level.

[brownleafbeardsman]

Just for the record, know that it is entirely possible to put off drilling the chamber until after the pipe has been completely shaped.

It's done to maximize the chance of a pipe being flawless on the surface. You can keep "shaping away" flaws as they appear until you get something you're satisfied with AND has no flaws, then drill it.

Sounds impossible (as well as terrifying), but it isn't. It just takes having the right tools and practice. It's how many (most?) of the higher end Scandinavian guys learn to do it. Squaring up and drilling blocks first, then shaping around the drilling, is just how the French & (later) English did it in their factories starting in the 1860's/1870's.

Right, this would be freehand, or danish style drilling, correct?
This is how my first couple of bent pipes have been drilled. I have these posted in the gallery as well.
I'd be lying if I said pressing into a spinning spoon bit with only a chunk of briar between hand and bit isn't nerve-racking.
I do like the danish style drilling, and I can see the benefit of being able to keep shaping and sanding off flawed portions to try to maximize the amount of flawless pipes you put out.

This was the first block where I had attempted it the other way around. I'm not yet sure what I like better, so, I will keep practicing both.
Thanks, George.

[brownleafbeardsman]

Doc Aitch (Walter) is a big "drill after" proponent. Really depends on what you are doing, how you are doing it. For me, my business model has nothing to do with chasing perfection on every pipe - I chase it where it exists and doesn't fight too much. For the hobbyist or newer carver, a guy just needs to get the basics right and understood before he gets crazy with the difficulty level.

Yeah, you have been one of the main people to steer me in the direction of learning the basics first.
Wanting to try something a little more "basic" is what prompted me to want to try the drill before method. The drill after method has been a very very steep learning curve and I've missed dead center on numerous pipes.
I thought this was a bit more of a straight forward method, even if it did result in me ending up with a pipe with a surface flaw, at least it would be drilled correctly!
I will keep attempting both ways, as well as straight pipes.
Thanks, Sas!