I am having difficulty boring into a 4X4 in lengths greater than a foot or two. How can I drill a half to three quarter inch hole the length of a 4×4 up to about four feet. How do I get it to track straight and centered the entire length?
Is there some kind of jig or tool that will do this?
Replies
This a lamp application? Better of splitting and routing or sawing a half circle and gluing it back. There are special drills for drilling long holes. Lamp augers are good for about 18". Most drill bits will follow the grain. Forstners are known for drilling straight holes but at that length it's another story. You will need a guide to help track the drill. We've used Lee Valley combination forstner/multispur bits to drill holes 8' with a special extension but we don't go less than 1-1/2" dia holes. Instrument makers have been using modified gun drills for doing flutes, etc. Pricey.
A shell type aufger is what they used to drill old wooden pipes in the 1800's but you won't find them made today. Mike Darlow's Wood Turning Methods has the best chapter on deep hole drilling of any book I've seen.
Yes, it is a lamp application. 1/2 to 3/4 inch is all the diameter I need. I will look for the book you mentioned.Thanks
Cutting the piece down the middle is your most cost effective way or be prepared to spend money and time experimenting.
>Long Boring
Oh . . . I thought this was a thread about the best that can be said about my chat room posts.
roc
Edited 9/30/2008 12:35 pm by roc
Gun drill with pneumatic chip clearance, in a lathe.
Bill
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled