# lamp auger bit



## tymann09 (Mar 4, 2011)

I've been wanted to make a lamp for quite some time now. I am wondering how lamp auger bits work. i see there is one on woodturners catalog that's 30" long. how would i use it? thanks in advance


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Either it has a Morse taper that fits in your tailstock or mount it in a drill chuck that fits in your tailstock.


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## tymann09 (Mar 4, 2011)

that's it? cool!:thumbsup:


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

The lamp auger that I have has a handle on it. You feed it through the tailstock or headstock. I bores a 3/8" hole through solid wood. However it is very difficult to have it go straight through. I still follows the grain a little on longer cuts. What I do is drill from both sides. If your lucky it will meet in the center. 
You do need a hollow tailstock and hollow live center if you hollow from the tailstock end. I have one but I used to hollow through the headstock halfway. Then turn the piece around and finish boring through the other end. 
Another way to do it is to glue up wood and simply route a slot in each half before you glue them together. then you already have a hole. Mount this hole between centers and turn your lamp.
I have also had some success drilling into each end with a short stiff drill bit on the drill press. Then I clamp the piece in my vice and use a longer bit in my hand drill to go into these holes and drill toward the center.


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## tymann09 (Mar 4, 2011)

thanks a lot for the input john, very helpful.


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## wildwood (Jan 25, 2011)

You can also use extra long brad point bits to drill lamp blank in a chuck and drill chuck in tailstock.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/drlbrad.html

Steady rest while not necessary helps drilling accuracy. The more chip clearing you do more accurate your hole whether drill one thru hole or flipping and drilling each end. 

Dividing a lamp into sections and drilling makes life easy. Make a base, middle section, and top, or any combination you want. Of course, have to glue sections together so have to plan on how to hide joints. Forstner bits come in handy for making lamps in sections. 

For floor lamp, routing center and glue-up makes life easy.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

If you buy the lamp auger sharpen the tip. I use diamond hones. It doesn't come sharp enough in my opinion. When you use it apply only enough forward pressure to keep it cutting. any more than that will make it wander and follow the grain. Clear the chips really often.
I purchased the dead center that Craft supplies recommends. I don't like using it as a dead center. I have a Nova live center and the replaceable center points are very short #2 morse tapers. I put the Craft supplies dead hollow center in my Nova live center and that works great.


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