Any way to increase a drill press travel

[Saltheart]

I like the locator idea Grapenut.

I think right now my next trial will be with a subby bit that enables me to flip the piece in the vise without moving anything. I'm sure it will work for most pens but it will be rsky with the slimlines because they end up with such thin wood layers that any misalignment at the point where the double ended holes meet in the middle could just be a make or break of that thin wall.

I have considered the mass production approach. Just set up the lathe and drill a whole bunch then break it down and start turning but in fact its a hobby and when I go down stairs to work in the shop , I want to make a pen , a whole pen , not just bore some one night , turn some another then assemble some another. Since I'm also pretty early in the learning curve its good to complete each pen , look it over and decide what to improve upon for the next one. If i do them in batches whatever mistakes I make will be propogated throughout the whole batch size instead of the chances for refinements available between each pen using the one up approach for now.

[Charleston]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

I like the locator idea Grapenut.

I think right now my next trial will be with a subby bit that enables me to flip the piece in the vise without moving anything. I'm sure it will work for most pens but it will be rsky with the slimlines because they end up with such thin wood layers that any misalignment at the point where the double ended holes meet in the middle could just be a make or break of that thin wall.

I have considered the mass production approach. Just set up the lathe and drill a whole bunch then break it down and start turning but in fact its a hobby and when I go down stairs to work in the shop , I want to make a pen , a whole pen , not just bore some one night , turn some another then assemble some another. Since I'm also pretty early in the learning curve its good to complete each pen , look it over and decide what to improve upon for the next one. If i do them in batches whatever mistakes I make will be propogated throughout the whole batch size instead of the chances for refinements available between each pen using the one up approach for now.

You are beginning to sound like an engineer.
I have an older drill press here I bought from Billy Macfadens shop after he passed away. It has an extended column to give more space under the spindle. It's a real solid,older Jet machine (that's why I bought it). I now live in a coutry club community and I don't really have room for it. It might be just what you need. I'll measure the spindle travel.............3 inches Yup 3 inches.

You still making rods