drilling denter hole for wiring plugs?

[Bob Senior]

What has worked best for you guys for drilling the wiring hole through dowels? I use 12"X1-3/8" maple dowels for just about everything and drilling the center holes is still the worst part of making a plug. I prefer using 1/8-inch wiring hole.

My drill press has about a 6-inch throw, so I have to turn over the dowel, drill from both ends, and rarely do the holes meet. I'm drilling a 1-3/8" hole in 2" thick stock clamped to drill press table, and then sticking the dowels into that hole. Still, the drill wanders, often.

Does using a lathe with a hole through either the tail- or head-stock work any better than end-drilling with a drill press?

[Christian]

i would build myself something like in the pic below.after i started using this i did much better. just make sure everything is squared up. maple is also not the best wood to be drilling for the first time.

[Bernzy]

Are you using a standard bit or a Brad Point bit???
The Brad Point is less likely to wander.

Bernzy

[Surfster]

Not that I have thru drilled my plugs with a lathe but recalling my machinist experience I can say this. When you are drilling with a lathe you already have center. At that point alls you have to do is make sure your centered with the drill side to side and a LITTLE below center going in. Using the lathe to turn the part realize the PART is spinning and the drill is fixed. It really shouldn't walk a whole lot. What you've got to do is "peck" slowly with the drill and always clear the chips to keep the drill from loading up and walking. IF the drill is overpowered and is forced to walk in a spinning part the drill will break. Worst case if your not quite on center but good enough to get through straight your jole would be slightly oversize. In other words if you are "TOO" far below center then you only cutting with one side of the drill , like a boreing bar. Also when drilling on a lathe you should not just drop the drill in and go. It should be positioned like I said, First , slightly below center and (this is important) with the flutes of the drill horizontal to you, straight across if not perfectly then at least with the flute (cutting edge) closest to you being higher than the other side. When you get in "the groove" it will become second nature and you will find it every time. It is also a good idea to start off the hole with a "jobber" or at least a much shorter and ridged bit to ensure your not walking right off the bat. Watch the bit as you retract out of the hole when you clear the chips. Does it come straight out or kind of "flick" in one direction? I little is fine if it looks like any more than 1/8" then something is off. With a wood lathe you don't have much adjustment so you'll have to beleive your dead on the first time. Try to incorporate as much as you can with what I've said and you should be swell.
ME? well without a lathe that will drill I have my centers already there from the lathe so its a simple matter for me to start my hole on the tail side on center with a short and stiff drill while I hold the plug stock in my left hand. As soon as I get enough bite I SLIGHTLY release tension holding the wood and let it spin in my hand and observe the wood. Is it wobbling? Try to center the drill a little better until that wood looks as straight as yer P*cker on a windy day. When that say 2" deep hole is complete I can now follow it with the long drill and the predrill hole will (should) act as a guide to keep the long one straight. Keep pecking at high rpm and clear yer chips. Last night I did three 8" 2x2 slugs in a row and that drill came out through the center on the other side! When I say Peck the drill Im saying push slightly till you feel it cut then back out and clear. You really should be cutting no more than .25 with each peck before clearing chips. Whichever you prefer good luck and be carefull! Hope some of this makes sense. Hard to put into words what I do without thinking much.

[Bob Senior]

great replies, all.

Christian: I have a similar rig, but made out of aluminum. thanks, though.

Bernzy: I'm using brad points. They helped quite a bit about a year ago, when I switched to them.

Surfster: I don't have hollow head or tail stocks. I'm just trying to find out if that works better than a drill press. If it did, I would consider getting another lathe with the stock holes.

Your advice about pecking through the piece is right on. I too have been finishing the hole by holding the piece with my hand and running it "up" the bit, but only rarely does it come out in the center of the other end. I'll try using a short, stiff bit to start, and then finish with a longer one. ARE YOU USING A 1/8-INCH DRILL BIT? I have fewer centering problems when I drill with a stiffer (3/16-inch or 1/4-inch) long bit, but I want a 1/8-inch hole.

One difference in what I do compared to your description, though, is that I drill the hole first. That way, if the hole is a little off center, I can center it with the lathe on the rough cut. The off center hole becomes dead nuts on center when you skew off the wood around it.

A lot of time I have started out to make a nice, fat bottle-popper, or pikie, or Danny, but because the hole was off center, it changed into a needle or a pencil because I needed to make it really skinny cuz the hole on one end was way off center.

Anyway, thanks a lot guys. If anyone else out there has any ideas about making true center holes in dowels, give us a post about how you do it.

[paulbo]

Jigman with the help from saltburger and others went into this at lenght at another site. Althogh it is with AYC not hard maple.

Click Here

Paulbo

[Surfster]

This is also what I do. What I meant by "I already have the centers from the lathe " is that I set up the stock on center on the lathe and spin it true. No cutting, just a spin to find a nice center then I remove it for the drilling. Hated turning a plug then Effing up the whole thing with a bad thru hole. If I'm doing something like a Pikie where I want an offset nose hole I put the tail end in one center and put the nose end where I want it in relation to the thru hole. Ususally for me about .15.
BTW yes 1/8" drill most times. If it's harder wood I might go up a size to stay more rigid and try to prevent walking.