How many people thru-drill the blanks first, rather than after the plug is turned????

I've been having some issues with thru-drilling. I got the drill chuck for the lathe and i'm still drilling off center quite a bit and wasting wood. Is there something i'm doing wrong?

Should drill pilot holes with a brad point first. Then use a regular bit?


Any help would be appreciated.

Topwater plugs I thru drill before turning! Swimmers after! Brad point bits always! Same as SK....small bit first and then a longer bit!

Thanks for the advice. I used to start with pilot holes and then thru drill and clear often. I guess I've gotten lazy and tried to do it all in one shot. Still, sometimes even when pilot drilling i've had it happen.

I drill all of my blanks after turning.

Jigman

If you have a drill press, use that. If you use brad points, get the special ground bits from Fuller (no extra charge) that have no spurs. That is what they recommend for endgrain drilling and they would know. Use it to start your holes.

I do all my drilling after turning. I may lose 2 plugs per 100, maybe, using the lathe. I am not a fan of brad bits. Waste of $$ IMO. Start off with a short drill, both ends, and let out more drill length but no more than is needed. I go around 1200 rpm's. I use a 5/32 drill. I use a drill with a very short flute length,aircraft drills, like an inch of flute. This gives you rigidity and that is the key . A long fluted whipy, flexible, drill will walk all over the place. You should be relieving the drill, chips, about every 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of depth, hard woods even less depth. When I have an off center plug I drill from the rear to the belly hole closest the lip and then drill from front to the belly hole by hand to match up the thru hole. Remember this is just my opinion.:usd: Either way you should rarely get a screw up using the lathe for thru drilling. Good luck and more practice. P.

Great advice! Thanks a lot gents

I always thru drill after, I run a short bit thru the tail, then I follow w/a longer bit (9" paraboloic) clearing every 1/2",just stopping short of the head, then I cut the lip slot, mark the location of the front loop (line tie) then I drill thru the head to meet my rear drilling, I also do this before I drill my plug weights & hook holes (I find the drill bit veers when it hits other holes).

I don't put the belly holes in first and then thru drill. I drill from the rear to where the belly hole is going to go. I then drill the belly holes and then cut lip slot and mark and drill by hand to the belly hole where the thru holes will meet. Guess I was not specific enough . Thanks goo for pointing that out.

I drill the through holes 1st. I don't mess many up anymore (Knock on wood) but Its what i've been doing and it works so why change it.

That is the key Kevin if you find something that works stick with it. There are many, many ways to get to the same end result and no wrong ways if you get there either.

you should really start all of your holes with only an inch of bit hanging out the end of the chuck. I probably drill wayyyy too fast on the lathe (3200 for everything!), but I have found starting all through-holes with only an inch of bit starts the holes super true.

If its a lure that will be wired on center, (poppers, spooks, etc) I will through-drill the blank. Swimmers I only drill in about 1/4" so that the lathe can get a good bite on the wood, and then through drill later when I can line it up with the lip.

Wow...thanks for all the suggestions.