So I got this idea....

Drew Croy

Member
Messages
65
Location
NW Ohio
Don't ya just love it when a post starts out like that? You KNOW someone did something stupid.

I bought a set of forstner bits thinking I could use them to hollow out my shot glasses. Set one up on a chuck on my tail stock, brought it up to the wood and then it occurred to me that it wasn't boring into the wood but it caught it on fire instead. After about 30 seconds of head scratching it dawned on me that the wood was spinning in the wrong direction for the bit to cut.

My lathe does not have reverse... So now I'm stuck. All I can think of is somehow attaching my wood to the tail stock and drilling with the head of the lathe, but I have no idea how I would accomplish such a task.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Don't ya just love it when a post starts out like that? You KNOW someone did something stupid.

I bought a set of forstner bits thinking I could use them to hollow out my shot glasses. Set one up on a chuck on my tail stock, brought it up to the wood and then it occurred to me that it wasn't boring into the wood but it caught it on fire instead. After about 30 seconds of head scratching it dawned on me that the wood was spinning in the wrong direction for the bit to cut.

My lathe does not have reverse... So now I'm stuck. All I can think of is somehow attaching my wood to the tail stock and drilling with the head of the lathe, but I have no idea how I would accomplish such a task.

Any help would be appreciated.
:huh:HUH! If your wood is spinning in the wrong direction, that's reverse! Or am I missing something?:dunno:
 
hmmm...

You know, you might be right. Now that I think about it. The wood spins toward me. I wonder why it's burning and not cutting.....
 
I drill all the often into end grain on the lathe with forstner bits. Slow speed, advance slowly and retract often. Pause ever so often so the bit doesn't over heat. Hard wood, even slower.
 
Speed

I tried to turn the speed down, still not much luck. I was using a 2" bit, maybe I'll try a smaller one and work my way up to the 2" again.

Thanks for your help guys!
 
Hey Drew...If your using a 2" bit, don't even try a speed over 100 rpm...it's just gonna burn what ever you hit with it.
On a side note; a shot glass with a 2" opening?? My kinda glass :thumb::thumb:
 
Thanks.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.
I'm going to try to use a smaller bit and drill a pilot, then step up bits until I get to my desired size. I dont think I can get my lathe any slower than 300rpm so I'll start there and see what happens.

Drew
 
Jay Caughron said:
You cant use a Forstner bits with a pilot hole or as a step drill it just wont work they need something for the pilot point to run in.

You can if you're using a drill press or lathe and the workpiece is held firmly, Jay.
 
Can't do much right now..

I work 24 hour shifts so all these ideas are KILLING me. It will be another 13.5 hours until I can go home and give them all a shot.

What about spade bits? I know they will leave a hole in the bottom, has anyone tried using them? They seem a little more aggressive than the forstner bits.
 
I tried to turn the speed down, still not much luck. I was using a 2" bit, maybe I'll try a smaller one and work my way up to the 2" again.

Thanks for your help guys!

My experience with the bigger forstners is that they don't do as well trying to cut the entire expanse... try using a step process...

I drill pepper mills all the time with forstners as deep as 10".... it's a slow process, but will work fine... my lathe only turns in one direction too so I'm as confused as Mack about the direction of the wood...
 
Chuck, I was having a moment of stupidity, there is nothing wrong with the lathe. From what I'm reading here, my bit was too large and my speed was too high.

I'm going to try again as soon as I get home.
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions.
I'm going to try to use a smaller bit and drill a pilot, then step up bits until I get to my desired size. I dont think I can get my lathe any slower than 300rpm so I'll start there and see what happens.

Drew

My lathe won't go below 450 rpms... so that's where I drill all my pepper mills... ... my drill press won't even turn a 2" bit against a piece of soft pine... the lathe does a little better, but that's a lot of wood to be cut in one pass... you will definitely need to use a step process to get to 2".
 
Top