# Unusual project help needed



## fudgekitten (Feb 28, 2009)

I turned a 4 1/2" wide rocketship shape in solid cherry and now I need to bore a 2" hole through the center of it, 12" total length to receive a copper tube. I'm stumped as to the best way to clamp it to my drillpress, but also the press will only go down 3 inches from each end. How do I get the center 6 inches bored? Any suggestions? 

Here is the full rocket - http://joysblog.glassnebula.com/2009/02/rocket-is-complete.html

The fins are not permanently attached yet, and the piece is now cut at each guideline you see, so it's only the bottom section I need help with. The smaller sections have smaller bores, and are only 2 inches deep.

Thanks,
Joy


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## cabinetdesigner (Feb 17, 2009)

Houston! We have a problem


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Clamping to the drill press isn't hard. Just make two blocks at least an inch thick (a piece of 2x4 should work) with a "V" notch cut into them. Glue some sand paper in the "V" and clamp the rocket in the notch. Provided you don't get the drill bit caught in the material while making the hole it will hold things just fine.

Do you have a full sized drill press? If so, see if you can locate an extension that fits your chosen bit. The bit locks into the extension with a pair of set screws, extension mounts in drill chuck. Mine is over a foot long, holds my spade bits just fine and bores perfect holes.

Lacking a full sized drill press, I'd clamp the rocket to a bench vise and use a 1/2" hand held drill. Go slow and keep things lined up and you'll be good to go. Try clamping it so that you are applying down pressure to the drill, not side pressure.

~ OR ~

Chuck it back into your lathe, get a drill type chuck that will mount to the free end, and mount the bit in the chuck. Turn on the lathe and advance the bit into the end slowly.


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## fudgekitten (Feb 28, 2009)

johnnie52 said:


> Clamping to the drill press isn't hard. Just make two blocks at least an inch thick (a piece of 2x4 should work) with a "V" notch cut into them. Glue some sand paper in the "V" and clamp the rocket in the notch. Provided you don't get the drill bit caught in the material while making the hole it will hold things just fine.


I do have a full sized drill press, so I'm ordering the 10 inch bit extender. 

I was thinking of making a 2x4 brace and clamping the rocket into it, and then clamping that down to the press table. Should work, right? Biggest thing, I guess is making sure the clamp setup holds the rocket perpendicular so the bore is straight. suggestions on that?

Thanks,
Joy


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Drill Chuck with a Morse Taper*

I bore holes on long pieces on a semi-regular basis. 
You will have to figure a way to hold one end of the rocket to the lathe headstock. Maybe a jam chuck. Get a drill chuck with the appropriate Morse Taper and put it in the tail stock. Jam the tailstock with a drill bit mounted tight against the rocket, loosely hold the rocket steady with one hand so when you turn on the lathe you can start cranking the drill chuck with a bit into the rocket. 
You will have the shut off the lathe from time to time to withdraw the dill bit and chips. They also make extensions for drill bit so you can add to it as the hole gets deeper. Obviously, you will have to restart the lathe with the drill bit inside the rocket.
The most difficult part is the first inch or so. After that it will steady itselfself out.
Get some scrap wood and make a few practice runs till you get comfortable. 
BTW, this is how holes are drilled in lamps for the electric cord. 
Also, you will have to use a Forstner bit, Clockmakers bit or something similar for a hole that wide.
Have fun.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

fudgekitten said:


> I do have a full sized drill press, so I'm ordering the 10 inch bit extender.
> 
> I was thinking of making a 2x4 brace and clamping the rocket into it, and then clamping that down to the press table. Should work, right? Biggest thing, I guess is making sure the clamp setup holds the rocket perpendicular so the bore is straight. suggestions on that?
> 
> ...


The table on a full sized press (or even a bench top for that matter) should move up and down. Just start the drilling with the table in the "down" position and gradually move it up. Remove the drill bit extension at the appropriate time.

G


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## fudgekitten (Feb 28, 2009)

Thank you all so much for your help! I haven't decided if I will do it on the press or the lathe, but I have to wait until the extender gets here, so I have a little time to get comfortable with the ideas. Peace, Joy


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Fudgey,
If you make another of these rockets, drill the hole on the lathe first before you fully shape the rocket. Put your blank between centers and round it off. Make a tenon on both ends to fit your chuck and go ahead and chuck it up. Make sure you add a little bit to your blank to allow for the tenons. Use a forstner bit and start it right in the center point left from you tailcenter. Drill 1/2" at a time and back out the bit and blow out the chips if you have an air nozzle handy. Drill as deep as the forstner bit will go, usually 3-4". Turn the blank around and do the same thing from the other end. Now go to your extension. In this case you would only need a short extension, 6" would do. Drill out what's left in the center. The reason for drilling from both ends is to minimize any deflection from the drill bit running off center while you are drilling. If there is any slight mismatch, it will be down inside the bore where it won't show. After drilling your hole, you can put a large cone tailcenter in and finish your rocket. Also, one other thing I just remembered, when you drill with your tailstock, there is normally some slop in the quill. I snug up the locking lever on the tailstock to where it takes out the slop but just allows you to turn the handwheel and feed in the quill.
Mike Hawkins


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Fudgy,

I made a fast sketch of the type of clamp I'm talking about. Please excuse the quality as my sugar was low when I traced over the AutoCAD drawing in Photoshop to darken the line work.

The "V" in the boards will help to center the rocket and also help to hold it against spinning as the bit bores into the body. Just glue some 100 grit sand paper, or better yet some kind of rubber like the stuff they sell as toolbox drawer liners and/or project holders into the "V". Then clamp the boards together with the rocket trapped between them and then clamp this to the drill press table.

This next goes without saying... but only drill part way through and then reverse the rocket and finish the hole from the other side meeting in the middle.


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## clampman (Oct 20, 2006)

That would be a simple and safe operation on a metal lathe with a 3, 4, or 6 jaw chuck , and using a steady rest to hold the end away from the headstock from flopping around. The machinist could then drill a relatively small hole and follow it with a single point boriing bar to make it whatever diameter you want - taking incremenal cuts.

It would take little time, but you would need to find someone who wouldn't mind anti-metal in his shop.

It will not be easy drilling that big a hole through end grain with a drill.


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