Pics of Free Drilling

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:03 am

A few of my buddies have sent me some pictures of them drilling freehand, so I thought I'd shapre them.

The first set are from Oliver Camphausen - a real up and comer from Germany.

These second few are from Kjeld Sorensen from Red Hat pipes - another real up and comer.

I totally can't wait to try this myself.
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RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 12:11 pm

That looks scary to me.

Rad

flix · Post by **flix** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:35 pm

Scared, right there with you Rad! How much margin of error (leading to an injury) can you have! Yeah, I'm chicken alright!

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:33 am

A bit intimidating this brave new world, for sure.

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:49 am

Yikes. That takes a better man than me!!!!

TreverT · Post by **TreverT** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:10 pm

The spoon bit drilling isn't that big of a deal, that's fairly simple with the right tools. What blows my mind is the pic of Oliver drilling the bowl on his drill press with what appears to be a SPADE BIT while holding the stummel in his hands! Is this what's actually happening? How on earth does he hold onto the thing? I've tried using spade bits for freehand drilling before and all they do is lock up quick and yank the stummel out of your hand. Yikes.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:18 pm

What blows my mind is the pic of Oliver drilling the bowl on his drill press with what appears to be a SPADE BIT while holding the stummel in his hands!

After my recent incident, that's the part that looks so scary to me. I notice that he's wearing a kevlar glove, but I would hate to have my hand jerked into a spinning spade bit!

Rad[/quote]

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:19 pm

What blows my mind is the pic of Oliver drilling the bowl on his drill press with what appears to be a SPADE BIT while holding the stummel in his hands!

After my recent incident, that's the part that looks so scary to me. I notice that he's wearing a kevlar glove, but I would hate to have my hand jerked into a spinning spade bit!

Rad

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:56 pm

Yep, he uses spade bits. I was really astonished by that too. I think the guy has hands like a vice.

Heinz_D · Post by **Heinz_D** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:57 pm

Nick wrote:I think the guy has hands like a vice.

Yes, and he's a man like a bear...

I know Oliver a little bit from two pipe shows in Germany and I think he's a quick improofing pipemaker. I'll see him on march 24th and ask him about his technics.

Best regards,

Heinz_D

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:08 am

WOOOOOH Nelly! I though logo stamping made me shake !

Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:59 am

My buddy Premal tried doing a mortise that way and said it was very hard because the bit kept wanting to push the pipe the the right. I think pilot holes would be very helpful. Maybe starting with 1/16th and then gradually going to the mortise size you need. Kjeld told me this is how he does the bowl. Starting at 3 mm and then going to 4 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm and then his final bowl size.

souljer · Post by **souljer** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:28 am

TreverT wrote:The spoon bit drilling isn't that big of a deal, that's fairly simple with the right tools. What blows my mind is the pic of Oliver drilling the bowl on his drill press with what appears to be a SPADE BIT while holding the stummel in his hands! Is this what's actually happening? How on earth does he hold onto the thing? I've tried using spade bits for freehand drilling before and all they do is lock up quick and yank the stummel out of your hand. Yikes.

Hi,

What Trevor says is true. And it hurts like a motherfuqer when the shank spins around and smacks your hand or fingers a few times before you can pull your hand out of the way.

Took a break after that.

However this is what I saw Von Erck doing at the Chicago show last year (2006), except he had the pipe in a vise that he hand held and used a spiral bit. I was using a spiral bit also but in a lathe. Once it grabs onto the wood at whatever thousands of RPM, there is no way you can hold it. Yet Von Erck does and this guy seems to do fine. Amazing. It might be a matter of learning how hard -or rather, gentle- to press to avoid the lock up.

I'm hoping with the new spoon bits I'll be able to hand hold it with the lathe at a low RPM. I pilot out the draft hole then go up to my desired end size.

The second guy is doing basically what Eltang explained to me over a few beers at Chicago 2006. He had to explain it a few times and different ways as I was not getting it. However it looks like what's shown here and I've been happy with the results.

Thanx for posting the pix, btw. Very informative.

souljer · Post by **souljer** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:01 am

flix wrote:Scared, right there with you Rad! How much margin of error (leading to an injury) can you have! Yeah, I'm chicken alright!

I would say plan on ZERO MARGIN FOR ERROR. Your hands are right next to fast moving, powered machinery that does not have safety shut-off features. All clothing, long hair, etc. MUST be secured. You must respect that power if you want to use that power.

With lathe or drill press you can bash the hell out of your hand, rip and tear flesh off, or even harpoon yourself, all by accident and in a micro second. And the machine never stops. Ever. I've seen someone hit in the face by a pipe flying off the lathe because it was not secured right. Can you imagine being hit in the face by a strummel flying off at thousands of RPM? These are tools not toys. After that, I never, and I mean NEVER stand in line with the part being worked on.

That said, I must also say, that by respecting the tools and being aware of what you are doing and a little planning ahead, you can do this consistently in as safe a manner as possible. Which a lot of people seem to be able to do and indeed have done for decades.

Actually for me the band saw is the scariest tool so far. Every-time I turn that thing on I really triple check what I'm about to do and where my hands will be. Bruised or torn flesh will heal. But as in pipe-making, it's hard to put parts back on once they are cut off!

By the way, cool bit mounts!

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:44 pm

Its funny that you mention Tom Eltang in relation to the pictures Kjeld sent me. Kjeld learned from Tom, and often works in his shop. At least I think Kjeld learned from Tom. Not positive on that, but I know er works in Tom's shop and even uses the same wood.

GbpBulgaria · Post by **GbpBulgaria** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:54 pm

Hi Nick

the set from Red Hat looks better of course...
i hope my pics helps too....

I really discard drill press drilling, now I have made all by freehand. The results are better. Drill press lies but your hand and eye can feel the right position and direction. Important term is the shape to be drilled as accurately as it can be before drilling. Here is the risk. If you fall in drilling - all your work comes firewood. I have a big box….
Regards
George