Replies

1. 
   _mj_ | Nov 07, 2019 02:57pm | #1

   I did this twice, once by ripping the blank and cutting the groove on the tablesaw & gluing it back together before turning it, and once on a shorter blank using a morse taper drill chuck in the tailstock on the lathe.

   I started with a short bit and went through a succession of longer bits ontil I was using a cable installer's wire-drag bit. The shorter ones's guide holes kept the longer ones on track. Clearing chips was the biggest problem on my short lathe. I must have mounted & dismounted that thing 20 times, but it was dead center in the end.

2. 
   [email protected] | Nov 08, 2019 01:16am | #2

   I have drilled 10 inch long pieces by ripping the work in half on the bandsaw. Then routing a groove in the center of both pieces using a core box bit. Glue them back together, then drill thru with a long electricians drill bit in a hand held drill. The bit will follow the groove and leave a round, larger hole.

   A course bandsaw blade worked best. It left a rough surface that with careful assembly aligned the two parts as before the cut. This was in oak and the joint really did disappear.

3. 
   rob_ss | Nov 08, 2019 04:21am | #3

   The best way to do this is with a Jacob's chuck in the tailstock of the lathe. You can bore a reasonably long hole this way using extender pieces but going longer than 30cm or 12" it gets harder to ensure the drill bit is truly concentric with the extenders.

   Alternatively, if you really need to turn it in one piece, cut your (square) blank in half. This needs to be pretty precise. Use a router to cut a groove down the centre of each half. Glue them together with the grooves on the inside together, then turn the piece after. There is no need for the hole to be round as no-one will ever see it.

4. 
   chipsawdust | Nov 08, 2019 11:51am | #4

   Rob has described what I intend to do with a couple of surround sound speaker stands I made long ago, before my lathe. They are square in cross-section, and I want to shorten them and turn them. Slicing them in half first, routing a groove with a rounded bit, then gluing back together then turning is my plan. I think it should work easily. I don't (yet) have a Jacob's chuck for my lathe, nor the long bit extenders.

5. 
   user-6956435 | Nov 08, 2019 10:46pm | #5

   Tell it really bad jokes?

6. 
   rob_ss | Nov 09, 2019 02:11am | #6

   ROTFL! even the wife liked that one!

7. 
   [email protected] | Apr 30, 2021 11:10am | #7

   For relative short pieces I use a home made gizmo with 3 skate wheels to hold the piece then use the 3 jaw jacobs chuck. Truth be known I drilled longer pieces but do not recommend this approach. Also look for a metal lathe three sided steady rest in

8. 
   chuckvandyck | May 01, 2021 08:43am | #8

   I made one by splitting in half, routing a groove on the tablesaw, and gluing small blocks/plugs at both ends of the groove when gluing it back up. Then just drilled the plug out for the hardware. Turned a base with a mortise to mount tenon on main body into.
   12”’ bit extender is a pretty sweet thing to have.