Freehand drilling problems

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 4:19 pm

I have recently started shaping and then drilling. I can drill the tobacco chamber and the mortise with no problems but, I cant get the air hole/draft to line up. Does anybody have any suggestions or tips they can share?

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 4:14 am

Scott has some good shots of the process.

http://sethilepipes.com/index.php?view= ... &Itemid=68

I wonder how many stummels died in the learning curve?

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 10:29 am

That's some good stuff right there.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 12:26 pm

Thanks for the link, very helpful. I love the lazer level he is using to help with the strait lines, he makes it look easy.

Ive been drilling the tobacco chamber first but I'll try it this way now.

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:39 pm

When dilling the tobacco chamber, you need to check several times to see if you intersect the air hole, right? Now when you put the stummel back on the bit, do you introduce it while the bit is turning or turn the power on after the bit is in the hole, and what speed is safe?

kbadkar · Post by **kbadkar** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:05 pm

I use spoon bits for drilling the chamber freehand. I get the bit spinning first at around 500-800 rpm. Because of the spoon bit shape, it re-introduces itself into the chamber hole without chatter or interference and re-aligns, assuming of course that you are using your tailstock center to help feed and align. If you have a deadman's foot pedal switch to start up the lathe, you could probably start the lathe with the bit in the chamber.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:20 pm

I do check multiple times to see if I have hit my air hole.

I also have introduced the stummel into the bit while it is spinning and
tried it when the lathe is of( I notice no difference between the two).
I have my lathe speed set at 250 rpm.

I also do use the tailstock to align and feed the stummel in the bit.

I had a small break through after seeing the way Scott drills,
drilling the tobacco chamber after the draft but it came out slightly left of center.

Is it more likely that my marks are off?

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:26 pm

Oh, Scott makes me nervous. I know he likes his fingers!!

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:22 am

Hey folks,

So far I have all my fingers, and yes, Craig, they are very important to me! I've found when done correctly it's relatively uneventful. And, no briar was harmed in the filming of this method. Well, at least not so bad that I couldn't keep it for myself to smoke afterward

.

It is certainly possible to get hurt doing this, but it's not as bad as when you forget to tighten down a stummel in your chuck, or leave the chuck key in and fire up the lathe

, or many other potential hazards we face while working with tools. Thankfully I've been spared injury except one stupid move on an early pipe with a Pimo Tenon turner of all things

I've had a few chambers that were not perfectly centered on the draft hole, but they are right on the fast majority of the time. I find that while my chamber pilot bit is generally right on if my layout is correct, sometimes my chamber bit will drift and I have to correct as I go, making sure it stays right on course with my pilot hole. Laying out the stummel, especially the center line that divides the entire piece in half is critical. If that's off, your holes will not be well aligned.

I drill around 250 rpms. For the mortise and draft holes I set the bit in position first in my center punched mark, then start the lathe. I drill the mortise in one smooth pass, and the draft hole in several passes, clearing chips between, and I stop the drill for each and re-introduce it carefully with just turning the chuck by hand and making sure the drill doesn't bind. I get it close to where I'd left off and then fire it up. For the chamber I set the pilot bit before starting the lathe, then generally drill it in one pass (slow enough for the chips to clear as I go). For the chamber bits I introduce the stummel while the bit is already spinning, and I remove it often to check for drift, and depth, just leaving the bit spinning all the while.

The custom (spoon type) chamber bits are essential for this method. I would not try it with anything else.