To Drill Before Or After

[hawky454]

I have a lot of people telling me to shape the stummel before I drill. I have a problem with that because I'm drilling my pipes on my lathe so if I have a shaped stummel I have a hard time chucking it without damaging it and needless to say it's much harder to drill an accurate straight line. I would like to know peoples preferences on this subject please.

[RadDavis]

Try doing some searches on these forums.

Everything you've asked so far has been covered a bunch of times.

Rad

[taharris]

I agaree Hawky. I do all of my drilling on a lathe, so I can't finish the shape until the drilling is done.
Also, I think that the lathe is a superior way to achieve the drilling. If you make your guide lines carefully on the Briar and use a 4 jaw chuck with 2 of the jaws removed you are left with only one degree of freedom to line up your drill bit. I use the live center on the tailstock to help me line up the Briar. If, as I turn the head stock by hand, the tail stock scribes a circle in the Briar, I am not lined up. If the tail center scribes a point I am lined up for my hole. So far I have been 100% spot on with my drilling.

[hawky454]

Taharris,

Thanks for you reply! I think I will keep drilling on my lathe then as well. Yeah I don't understand how someone can shape first and then chuck it to drill....The wood is to fragile at that point.

[RadDavis]

Taharris,

Yeah I don't understand how someone can shape first and then chuck it to drill....

If you do a little searching, you'll find out.

Rad

[KurtHuhn]

There are several advantages to drilling a pipe after shaping - for folks that are already experienced in the design and execution of pipemaking. If you are not experienced enough to make a pipe without reference of pre-existing holes defining shank, stem, and bowl orientation, shaping first will prove to be quite frustrating.

Baby steps.

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

I have only made a few pipes, but in my experiance it is much easier to shape if I make chamber drilling one of my last processes. I use a compass to mark the top center of the block and the top diameter of the stummel, that way i can have a truly round stummel, even if i have to remark the circle a few times while shaping. when im down to about 400 grit i use the indentation of the compass as my center mark and drill a pilot hole and progress through untill it is big enough to finish with the chamber bit. I dont own a lathe yet, so that is my process for now. If i drilled first i would never get it perfectly round. my 2 cents, but as the pros have said you can find both the benefits and drawbacks by searching for freehand drilling in the forums.

[hawky454]

Thanks to those who had something helpful to say. Baby steps....I need to remember that. My time is important to me. Between my work, family and social life, I hardly have enough time to work in my shop let alone browse the internet.

[Nate]

I had found this entry: Shaping THEN Drilling

[Nate]

Recently found this one: Shaping Then Drilling

[e Markle]

Thanks to those who had something helpful to say. Baby steps....I need to remember that. My time is important to me. Between my work, family and social life, I hardly have enough time to work in my shop let alone browse the internet.

Rad was trying to help you.

The short version is that you can drill on the lathe (after shaping) using spoon bits, and this allows you some flexibility within the block/shape. You don't chuck the shaped stummel; you just hold it in your hand and push it up to the bit. No reason to do so early on. Just learn to make pipes however you can.

[RadDavis]

Thanks to those who had something helpful to say. Baby steps....I need to remember that. My time is important to me. Between my work, family and social life, I hardly have enough time to work in my shop let alone browse the internet.

So, you expect everyone else to take THEIR time to help you out?!! You can't be bothered with browsing the internet!!??

That's the most selfish thing I've ever read. How old are you?

Most of the questions you've asked have been asked and answered about a hundred times on this forum. Search for them, you self-important BOZO!

Don't ask others for help if you can't be bothered to help yourself.

Rad

[Sasquatch]

I'm the self important bozo around here, and don't you forget it.

[hawky454]

Ouch. Okay, you win. Delete this post if your are so inclined. Very sorry to bother you Rad.

Best regards,

David J. Miller

[RadDavis]

Ouch. Okay, you win. Delete this post if your are so inclined. Very sorry to bother you Rad.

Best regards,

David J. Miller

Sorry, I got pissy there for just a little bit.

Rad

[hawky454]

Rad,

I apologize. I understand your point of view and I read the post for new pipe makers before I started so i should have known better. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me. I'm sure it gets old seeing the same basic questions being asked over and over again. I have been working real long hours and in my down time I want to be working in my garage (shop) and from time to time I get stumped, so i do a quick search and when I don't find the answer within the first few minutes I get frustrated and end up posting a basic question. In the future I will be more patient and try my best to do a thorough search before I go posting something like this again. So please, lets not be enemies, I'm very eager to learn and make new friends here in this forum.

For the record, I know I'm a bozo, I hear it from my wife all the time. I would also like to tell you that I browsed your site and you do some truly fine work. I hope to gain knowledge from folks such as yourself.

Truce?

David.

[RadDavis]

No Worries, David.

Rad

[samg]

I hate to say it but this kind of BS is exactly why I stay away from posting on forums.
Cheers.....

[Sasquatch]

And threadomancy to make a useless comment is valuable. Thanks for your time, Samg.

[e Markle]

And threadomancy to make a useless comment is valuable. Thanks for your time, Samg.

lol