Through drilling process

[ProfessorM]

squeal is probably dull drill, too high RPM's, or not removing chips often enough. I like to use about 1400 rpm's for soft wood and a little lower for hard woods.

Ross when you are holding the plug in your left hand, and pushing the tail stock with your right, you can let go just a little bit, still keeping hand around and riding on the spinning plug, so that you can tell you are drilling it true, straight. I do this several times just for a few seconds to see how I am doing. A constant grab and release of the plug as I drill. I am not saying let go and walk away just a light touch on the plug so it can spin. On lipped plugs, or below or above center lined front line ties I drill only from the rear to the front belly hook hole. I do all my line tie drilling on the front of the plug with a hand drill to meet up in the front belly hook hole. Center lined thru drilled plugs I do from both sides on the lathe and meet in center, hopefully. Every once in awhile I have a miss drill but I salvage it somehow. Real soft woods give me the most grief, hardwoods second. AYC I very rarely have a problem as it is IMO the best wood for machining, a pleasure to work with.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

squeal is probably dull drill, too high RPM's, or not removing chips often enough. I like to use about 1400 rpm's for soft wood and a little lower for hard woods.

Ross when you are holding the plug in your left hand, and pushing the tail stock with your right, you can let go just a little bit, still keeping hand around and riding on the spinning plug, so that you can tell you are drilling it true, straight. I do this several times just for a few seconds to see how I am doing. A constant grab and release of the plug as I drill. I am not saying let go and walk away just a light touch on the plug so it can spin. On lipped plugs, or below or above center lined front line ties I drill only from the rear to the front belly hook hole. I do all my line tie drilling on the front of the plug with a hand drill to meet up in the front belly hook hole. Center lined thru drilled plugs I do from both sides on the lathe and meet in center, hopefully. Every once in awhile I have a miss drill but I salvage it somehow. Real soft woods give me the most grief, hardwoods second. AYC I very rarely have a problem as it is IMO the best wood for machining, a pleasure to work with.

This is EXACTLY the same way i do it.. i use alot of WRC and have very few problems ,maple seems the most problematic... but with a slower speed and feed rate, i get through most maple plugs with out trouble... i do my drilling on an older mono tube craftsman with a sled i made ( An Idea spawned from Lu at last plugfest) so I can use a longer bit...

[eskimo]

night fighter do you still have the shopsmith?..I never found anything better to through drill with. super long throw and if you used the table saw platform your hand can rest on it. wish I never got rid of mine, I would have used it just for drilling.

Now, I use my drill press out of preference. I prefer to drill then boar. Never liked pushing the tailstock of my lathe. I actually just stick my live center into my drill press platform and drill away.

[Charleston]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

squeal is probably dull drill, too high RPM's, or not removing chips often enough. I like to use about 1400 rpm's for soft wood and a little lower for hard woods.

Ross when you are holding the plug in your left hand, and pushing the tail stock with your right, you can let go just a little bit, still keeping hand around and riding on the spinning plug, so that you can tell you are drilling it true, straight. I do this several times just for a few seconds to see how I am doing. A constant grab and release of the plug as I drill. I am not saying let go and walk away just a light touch on the plug so it can spin. On lipped plugs, or below or above center lined front line ties I drill only from the rear to the front belly hook hole. I do all my line tie drilling on the front of the plug with a hand drill to meet up in the front belly hook hole. Center lined thru drilled plugs I do from both sides on the lathe and meet in center, hopefully. Every once in awhile I have a miss drill but I salvage it somehow. Real soft woods give me the most grief, hardwoods second. AYC I very rarely have a problem as it is IMO the best wood for machining, a pleasure to work with.

Amazing reading this Paul. I do the same exact thing. I wonder why that is?

[nightfighter]

Nope. My Shopsmith now belongs to Striperman Bill....