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Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:49 pm
by DocAitch
I am a shape first, drill last pipe maker and I do the mortise and shank face last.
This left me with the dilemma of how to hold the stummel securely enough for the mortise and facing operations.
This is another way to skin that cat.
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This is my shaped stummel with no holes drilled.
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This is the stummel secured in a clamp that uses a thermo malleable plastic on the floor and right jaw to for a custom clamp. I did the vent hole and tobacco chamber already.
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I heat two lumps of this stuff in an old microwave , wrap it in canvas,, and put a pad of it on the right jaw and the floor of the clamp. It is workable for at least a minute, is firm enough for drilling in 5-10 minutes, and is reusable. The canvas keeps it from sticking.
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View of the clamp as presently configured. That is a piece of urethane from a dog's old Kong toy on the left jaw..
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This a view of the clamp before I modified the jaws and dropped the idea of using the Instamorph on both jaws.
I have used this on 7 pipes and each time, I refine my technique and am more sure of the process.
It has worked quite well so far.
DocAitch

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 11:54 pm
by Ocelot55
Your method is certainly creative. However, if you have a lathe you can buy a set of pin gauges, insert the appropriate pin into the mortise, chuck up the pipe, and then face the end of of the shank while it spins on the lathe. It seems like it would be an easier process, but it does require specific tooling.

Kudos to the ingenuity though. :thumbsup:

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:09 am
by kamkiel
This is pretty cool!

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:31 am
by DocAitch
Ocelot55 my lathe is tiny 7x10", and I never heard of pin gauges before a couple of days ago.
I am far from knowledgeable about these matters.
Wouldn't you also have to have drilled a decent properly oriented mortise first?
In my method, I drill the mortise and change the drill bit for the piloted counter bore without touching the strummel.
DocAitch.

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 2:32 am
by W.Pastuch
Very creative and overly complex.
Read all you can find on "freehand drilling", this technique will save you all this unnecessary fiddling around with your drill press (just to give you a quick idea: you draw all the axes on the block, glue little pieces of wood on the meeting points, then use your tailstock with a center to allign everything on those points and drill by holding the stummel in your hand while advancing with the tailstock (or just the force of your hands if you have enough control and strength).

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 8:05 am
by LatakiaLover
Many thanks for the Insta-Morph tip. I currently use slabs of super dense closed cell foam to clamp irregular objects, but this stuff looks more solid and versatile. :D

For anyone else interested, it's no farther away than your keyboard:

http://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Moldab ... nsta-morph

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:13 am
by DocAitch
WPastuch- I have reviewed Scott Thiles method of drilling and marking. It is quite elegant. I do think that it requires a larger lathe than mine, and he uses the pin gauge, spin the briar and face from the rear method that Ocelot55 espoused above. He also mentions that he is not quite satisfied with that method because he has to clean up the shank face with careful sanding.
LatakiaLover- you are welcome. I read about the stuff in an article on gun smithing and it popped into my head when I was considering this problem.
I do know that there is a tool made that will drill and face the shank in one operation but it cost in the neighbor hood of $300 and I had all this stuff in my shop except for the InstaMorph which is $17 for all that I need for the foreseeable future. Maybe if I ever step up to a bigger lathe I will go to in that direction.
DocAitch

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:32 am
by sandahlpipe
DocAitch wrote:He also mentions that he is not quite satisfied with that method because he has to clean up the shank face with careful sanding.
Sanding the shank face is only necessary if your tool isn't sharp enough or has the wrong profile or alignment for the task.

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:40 pm
by oklahoma red
Doc,
Go to W.L. Fuller's web site and down load the catalog. Scroll down to page 33. You will see a chart to use to have them make just about any step drill you would want. Style 3 is the best. They take standard twist drills or Silver & Deming drills and re-grind them to your specs. If you want to drill the mortise and face the end of the shank in one shot this is a very good way to do it and for nowhere near $300. I had them make a bit for a military mount. .406 major diameter, tapering to .375 at the tip (3 degree included angle), flat bottom at the tip with a short .156 pilot drill. It was around $45.00 and it works like a champ
Another possibility is to go back up to page 22 of their catalog and take a look at the "X" style counter-bores that slide over a twist drill and lock with a set-screw so you can set the drill exposure anywhere you want it. The angled tips on the blades can be ground off if you so desire. Steve Norse at Vermont Freehand is selling an 1-1/8 OD with a .312 drill for around $47.00 I believe.

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 8:41 pm
by DocAitch
Oklahoma Red,
Thanks I will check out Steve Norse's site. I just ordered from him, I guessed I missed this.
DA

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 9:03 pm
by LatakiaLover
DocAitch wrote:Oklahoma Red,
Thanks I will check out Steve Norse's site. I just ordered from him, I guessed I missed this.
DA
Steve is the absolute best in the business, bar none. I confidently predict you will be delighted you decided to give him a test drive. 8)

Re: Drilling the mortise and facing the shank last

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:13 am
by Oakbear
LatakiaLover wrote:Many thanks for the Insta-Morph tip. I currently use slabs of super dense closed cell foam to clamp irregular objects, but this stuff looks more solid and versatile. :D

For anyone else interested, it's no farther away than your keyboard:

http://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Moldab ... nsta-morph
Yes thanks DocAitch, that's genius. I knew about this product but never thought to use it in this way. I can see a few applications for this in the workshop.