BLOCK centering on a 4 jaw...

[TRS]

The second pipe I just finished was drilled on my lathe. I used the various bits lined up to the center points and adjusted by hand/eye until it looked good. The drilling came out almost perfect, especially compared to my first pipe. In starting another pipe I tried the same thing, but something is screwy; every time I bring the bit forward and spin the chuck by hand, one side is way out of whack. No matter how meticulously I get it lined up on the top and side, when I spin it the other side goes out of center. I adjust that side and the other side goes off of center. I'm placing the block flat back against the chuck; is this happening because my block isn't perfectly squared...?

[pierredekat]

is this happening because my block isn't perfectly squared...?

That would be my guess.

You can get away with a lot more, drilling your tobacco chamber and airway in the drill press.

But on the lathe, it's a pretty good idea to have all your sides trued-up ahead of time, particularly if you're talking about turning the outside of the bowl and/or shank on there.

I have taken to:
* sanding one side flat on the belt sander;
* milling the other side parallel and flat, using a 3/16 inch end mill in my drill press;
* squaring-up the top, bottom, front, etc., on a disk sander w/table that's been checked for square ahead of time; and
* marking a centerline all the way around using the pencil-variety of "marking gauge" similar to this one:



This probably sounds a little anal, but briar ain't cheap, and those really nice straight grain blocks only come along once in awhile.