Long hole boring, Help please.

[Frank S]

Daughter in law wants a pair of table lamps.tried boring through a length of timber using a boring auger on the lathe and the hole wanders off centre.So, the question is, how do I stop it wandering ?? I am boring a length of 15 inches.All help will be gratefully received.
Frank.

 

[=Adam=]

If you bore the hole using a long hole kit before you turn the blank then it shouldn't be an issue.

Use the holes at either end as centre points for the head/tail stock and you will have two perfectly central holes

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Frank,
Have you tried boring in 7.5 or 8 inches from each end? They almost certainly will not meet cleanly in the middle but will usually meet sufficiently closely.

Jon

 

[brianhabby]

Or you could start with two pieces of wood, half the thickness that you need. cut a trench down the middle of each with a router or dado blade. Glue the two halves together and you have a perfectly straight hole down the length of the piece and you didn't go anywhere near your lathe.

regards

Brian

 

[=Adam=]

Or you could start with two pieces of wood, half the thickness that you need. cut a trench down the middle of each with a router or dado blade. Glue the two halves together and you have a perfectly straight hole down the length of the piece and you didn't go anywhere near your lathe.

regards

Brian

Now that is an excellent idea!

Saves the expense of a boring kit too!

 

[henton49er]

Or you could start with two pieces of wood, half the thickness that you need. cut a trench down the middle of each with a router or dado blade. Glue the two halves together and you have a perfectly straight hole down the length of the piece and you didn't go anywhere near your lathe.

regards

Brian

Now that is an excellent idea!

Saves the expense of a boring kit too!

Only a good idea if you already have a router or a saw capable of taking a dado blade. Otherwise cheaper to buy a long boring kit, surely?

 

[woodyturner]

I have made many lamps long hole boring is a very slow procedure if you try and drill out to fast with to much pressure then you will wander of track you need to do just an inch at a time and withdraw to clear the auger drill to half way and turn it around and drill from the other end and the hole will be almost perfect

 

[brianhabby]

Or you could start with two pieces of wood, half the thickness that you need. cut a trench down the middle of each with a router or dado blade. Glue the two halves together and you have a perfectly straight hole down the length of the piece and you didn't go anywhere near your lathe.

regards

Brian

Now that is an excellent idea!

Saves the expense of a boring kit too!

Only a good idea if you already have a router or a saw capable of taking a dado blade. Otherwise cheaper to buy a long boring kit, surely?

I agree, if you don't have these tools to hand then they are not really an option, I was just offering an alternative way of doing the job. A trench could be cut in other ways too, not just those mentioned.

regards

Brian

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Woodyturner's advice is spot on - work from both ends, go slowly and make sure you keep withdrawing the auger to clear the spoil.

Regards Mick

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Bore from both ends, counter bore the the bottom a couple of inches so that you can get a piece of flex through when you drill the side, and fit the brass nipple. You can then use a live centre on the nipple and you have a perfect centre - if you hit the nipple with a tool, it won't matter.
Reduce the weight of the blank, maybe, but get your holes in at the earliest opportunity.

 

[Paul.J]

When LHB its best to go through both ends half and half,but to do this you wil need to support the end you do first when you turn the wood round.
You will need a counter bore drive to do this.This fits in the headstock and supports the wood in the hole you have bored.
Also grip the Auger tightish and feel the wood as you bore/cut through.Some times you will hit a knot which can throw you off so just take nice small cuts here.Some times you will hit a void so be prepared for those as well.
Don't have the lathe running too fast either.

 

[loz]

the ocasional rub of a candle off the auger also helps,

do an inch , completely withdraw.

 

[EnErY]

Hi
I Have made Lots of Lamps With The Boring Kit From record Power With much Successs The Holes meet Spot On after using The Guide On the One end it Marries Up And You Get A Hole Thst Goes Thro No Problem The Secret Is Not To Force The auger Thro And Withdraw Allowing The Shavings To Be removed And don't Force It Allow it To go At its Own pace
Regards
Bill

 

[Spindle]

Hi

One other thing to bear in mind - if the auger has a straight flute / channel this should be kept in the uppermost position to aid efficient removal of spoil.

Regards Mick

 

[Vic Perrin]

I am a rank amateur when it comes to boring holes for table lamps etc. I had numerous attempts all ending with the holes wandering so far off they were a joke. I invested in a Record Long Hole boring system and hey presto it became a doddle. As previously stated bore half and half from each end and making sure you let the tool do the job, don't rush it and keep clearing the cuttings.