So I'm drilling a pipe on a drill press this weekend and realized only after taking it out of the vise that I hadn't gone deep enough. I recalled a remark from Trever on another thread talking about manually turning the drill chuck to adjust the bottom and flush up the chamber with the airhole. Well, this wasn't quite getting me where I wanted to go so I figured screw it, turned on the press and went after it freehand, gently pressing the stummel into the spade bit. I was expecting bodily harm to follow but it went rather smoothly. Perhaps because I didn't have far to go?
In any event, this got my gears a'grinding thinking about freehand drilling with a spade bit. I know there have been various levels of success(and disaster) with this method, so I'm wondering if anyone can offer some dos and don'ts, etc in case I get brave enough to try freehand drilling the whole shebang(which I probably will, even if I'm told my head will explode should I try).
Freehand drilling and SPADE bits
I've learned to hold things very still and to turn off the drill press before pulling out the bit.
I think the round bottom on a chamber spade will be a problem. It's not self-centering like a spoon bit, so unless you have a VERY steady hand (and preferably a tailstock guiding you), the thing is likely to move off-center and get more dangerous the deeper you go... fortunately the side edges of the spade aren't designed to cut, so there's less chance it will grab and break your wrist. Maybe an unground spade bit (with the point still on) has a better chance of keeping centered, but you won't get very far before the guide has reamed down below the airhole. Maybe a V-shape ground bit would be safer and more functional as a chamber bottom.
Anyway, I wouldn't suggest freehand drilling on a drill press with a ground spade bit. If you don't get hurt the first time, it will get you eventually.
Anyway, I wouldn't suggest freehand drilling on a drill press with a ground spade bit. If you don't get hurt the first time, it will get you eventually.
As a newbie, take my advise with a grain of salt, but...
I recently have drilled a couple of tobacco chambers with a drill press, but have finished them "freehand." I drilled a pilot hole - beginning with about a 1/8" bit (set the bit to go about 1/8" from where I wanted the tobacco chamber to end), then followed with some bigger spade bits. You could probably skip to a forstner bit that's exactly the size of your tobacco chamber or just a bit smaller, but just make sure that the bottom point hits just above where the tobacco chamber ends). I then finished "freehand" with the shaped spade bit, and everything went OK. Just do everything with extreme caution: see note below.
*NOTE* I DID try to freehand right away (without any pilot holes), and the spade bit ended up grabbing the stummel once I was about 3/4" deep and throwing the block away from me. I scratched up my hand a bit, but had the foreknowledge to hold the block so that if it were to catch (which it did), the block was torn away from my hand and not into my wrist. I also made sure that my v-belt on the drill press wasn't extremely tight, so that any extreme friction would stop the spade bit from turning. Probably not recommended, but it's what I did!
I recently have drilled a couple of tobacco chambers with a drill press, but have finished them "freehand." I drilled a pilot hole - beginning with about a 1/8" bit (set the bit to go about 1/8" from where I wanted the tobacco chamber to end), then followed with some bigger spade bits. You could probably skip to a forstner bit that's exactly the size of your tobacco chamber or just a bit smaller, but just make sure that the bottom point hits just above where the tobacco chamber ends). I then finished "freehand" with the shaped spade bit, and everything went OK. Just do everything with extreme caution: see note below.
*NOTE* I DID try to freehand right away (without any pilot holes), and the spade bit ended up grabbing the stummel once I was about 3/4" deep and throwing the block away from me. I scratched up my hand a bit, but had the foreknowledge to hold the block so that if it were to catch (which it did), the block was torn away from my hand and not into my wrist. I also made sure that my v-belt on the drill press wasn't extremely tight, so that any extreme friction would stop the spade bit from turning. Probably not recommended, but it's what I did!
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pierredekat
Also some basic powertool safety:
* Wear eye protection
* No gloves
* No rings
* No loose fitting clothing
* If you have long hair, make doggone sure it's locked away somewhere safe in a hairnet, ball cap, etc.
And I think you would want to avoid using any twist drills that are bigger than about 1/4-inch. Up to 1/4-inch, the twist drill will probably snap off without causing any real serious bodily injury. But over 1/4-inch, there's a real good chance for a twist drill to aggressively bite into the wood, causing all manner of nastiness.
* Wear eye protection
* No gloves
* No rings
* No loose fitting clothing
* If you have long hair, make doggone sure it's locked away somewhere safe in a hairnet, ball cap, etc.
And I think you would want to avoid using any twist drills that are bigger than about 1/4-inch. Up to 1/4-inch, the twist drill will probably snap off without causing any real serious bodily injury. But over 1/4-inch, there's a real good chance for a twist drill to aggressively bite into the wood, causing all manner of nastiness.
Re: Freehand drilling and SPADE bits
I have done a couple of stummels recently using a homemade spade bit in a pnumatic drill. It runs a good bit slower than an electric drill, has loads of torque, and has two good handles to hang on to. I clamp the block on the bench so that the tobacco chamber and draft hole will be parallel to the floor then drill both with a 5/32" bit. When the holes connect up and I can blow air through freely I use the spade bit to follow the 5/32" pilot hole to the bottom.
My spade is ground with a very slight taper and is sharp on the sides so that you can change directions to steer the hole around if you need to. That way you can always make the draft hole end up in the center of the chamber as long as you go slow at the end and keep checking.
My spade is ground with a very slight taper and is sharp on the sides so that you can change directions to steer the hole around if you need to. That way you can always make the draft hole end up in the center of the chamber as long as you go slow at the end and keep checking.
Interesting stuff. If I were to do this, I would definitely start with a pilot hole pretty close the the final diameter of the tobacco chamber and most likely go as close to air hole as possible with it. I'm a safety guy, so I'll definitely be sure to dot my i's and cross my t's in that regard if I do it. I'm half afraid, though. I'll noodle it awhile and see what happens. Thanks, guys.
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Spence Pipes
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Re:
As a new pipe maker, I am still learning. So this afternoon, I ran into the same problem, didn't drill the chamber deep enough. I said a few choice words, then rememberd the post about hand drilling. So I said to myself, if your gonna be dumb, ya gotta be tough. So I took the briar out of the vice and went to work. After a few minutes I met the draft hole. I will have to do a little sanding to even the inside of the bowl, but looks good.
I thought it looked ok, and I forgot to mention I am trying my 1st horn shaped pipe. But I do rsuggest to hold the briar with a firm grip, as I almost slung the block out of the shop. If you try it good luck.
I thought it looked ok, and I forgot to mention I am trying my 1st horn shaped pipe. But I do rsuggest to hold the briar with a firm grip, as I almost slung the block out of the shop. If you try it good luck.