How to modify a gun drill?

I have turned down metal on the hightower lathe. You just have to know the limits of the equipment. Aluminum and brass are easy. Steel limits you to a very small cut. It doesn't hurt the chuck. The taig lathe owners do all kinds on metal turning. I have even done some light milling of aluminum
using the taig milling attachment. This is just a modified taig lathe.

You have to use a side air fitting as the end of the drill is held in a tailstock drill chuck.

Kim
DUH! :embarrassed2:
I have mine on BXA big boring bar holders.
I pity the drill chuck if that drill spins.
 
Drill 14" long x .7187......don't sweat it guys I like the conversation

Is that what the eBay add said? Every gun drill I have ever bought off eBay was listed in OAL(over all length) that leaves 11" of fluting. Can't wait for your next post asking how to use a tape measure.

Larry
 
Is that what the eBay add said? Every gun drill I have ever bought off eBay was listed in OAL(over all length) that leaves 11" of fluting. Can't wait for your next post asking how to use a tape measure.

Larry

Such a hateful attitude............... a few positive comments probably would help more............

I bet that you were not born with all the knowledge you have now........

Kim
 
Such a hateful attitude............... a few positive comments probably would help more............

I bet that you were not born with all the knowledge you have now........

Kim

No, but Larry sure got dirty getting there.
Rebuilding lathes is a good test for noobs imo.
If you cry and quit, you'll probably not going to make it in this grind.
 
Such a hateful attitude............... a few positive comments probably would help more............

I bet that you were not born with all the knowledge you have now........

Kim

I first posted what I thought to be good advice. If he didn't know how to modify it I didn't think he could do it himself.

He decided to be a smart ass and ask why I didn't buy my cues. I have modified these for other members who had tried to turn them on Taig type lathes. Funny thing is I didn't have to ask how to do it.

Have a nice day.
 
I first posted what I thought to be good advice. If he didn't know how to modify it I didn't think he could do it himself.

He decided to be a smart ass and ask why I didn't buy my cues. I have modified these for other members who had tried to turn them on Taig type lathes. Funny thing is I didn't have to ask how to do it.

Have a nice day.

I heard you were born with cutting fluid in your mouth.:grin:
 
Modify

Joey's solution of the boring bar holder is probably your best option, but if you must modify it then you should look up cutter grinder services in your area. That would be the proper way to modify, unless you have a surface grinder and a spin indexer or some cutter grinder equipment, you can only be so accurate. I don't know if the cost of grinding would be justifiable. Now, as for some of the comments here, I used the search function before I posted just out of curiosity, and went through seven pages with nothing on how to modify a gun drill. The search function is an awesome tool here, and I use it a lot, but it is sometimes easier and faster to just ask. When I served my apprenticeship long ago, no journeyman ever told me, "you should google that question". Most times they would say "let's set it up how you think we should and then we'll critique it together". But these were guys who wanted to give all the knowledge you could possibly absorb. This is suppose to an area I or anyone can post a question and get an informative answer, not told I should give up! It saddens me when I see this behavior, I would hope these same people wouldn't tell there children if they don't know the answer to a math equation to "quit school and go dig ditches"! That's just me, I'll help if I can and give any knowledge I have to anyone that will listen. Not everyone can afford trade schools, or can serve an apprenticeship, some must learn from asking questions on a public forum and then go out in the garage and ruin some stuff while learning through trial and error. You guys may be the OP's journeyman. Like it or not, this maybe the only formal education some can get, it is free, so you will have to accept the grain of salt with it. I guess that's all I have to offer for now. To the OP, if you have any ?'S I might be able to answer, send me a PM and I'll help if I can. I can't answer any cue making ?'s but I do OK at machining.

I suppose the flames are on there way, so I'll just eat them and top them with icecream so maybe they'll not hurt so bad coming out the other end:grin::grin:
,Tom
 
Joey's solution of the boring bar holder is probably your best option, but if you must modify it then you should look up cutter grinder services in your area. That would be the proper way to modify, unless you have a surface grinder and a spin indexer or some cutter grinder equipment, you can only be so accurate. I don't know if the cost of grinding would be justifiable. Now, as for some of the comments here, I used the search function before I posted just out of curiosity, and went through seven pages with nothing on how to modify a gun drill. The search function is an awesome tool here, and I use it a lot, but it is sometimes easier and faster to just ask. When I served my apprenticeship long ago, no journeyman ever told me, "you should google that question". Most times they would say "let's set it up how you think we should and then we'll critique it together". But these were guys who wanted to give all the knowledge you could possibly absorb. This is suppose to an area I or anyone can post a question and get an informative answer, not told I should give up! It saddens me when I see this behavior, I would hope these same people wouldn't tell there children if they don't know the answer to a math equation to "quit school and go dig ditches"! That's just me, I'll help if I can and give any knowledge I have to anyone that will listen. Not everyone can afford trade schools, or can serve an apprenticeship, some must learn from asking questions on a public forum and then go out in the garage and ruin some stuff while learning through trial and error. You guys may be the OP's journeyman. Like it or not, this maybe the only formal education some can get, it is free, so you will have to accept the grain of salt with it. I guess that's all I have to offer for now. To the OP, if you have any ?'S I might be able to answer, send me a PM and I'll help if I can. I can't answer any cue making ?'s but I do OK at machining.

I suppose the flames are on there way, so I'll just eat them and top them with icecream so maybe they'll not hurt so bad coming out the other end:grin::grin:
,Tom

Well said IMO
 
I have bought off of ebay 2 gundrills, and one directly from sterling built for cue building, then bought 2 more from a member here. The one from sterling was the only one that didn't need 're-working'. First, Kidd would be better off if he first asked this question before buying. If the grind on the bit is not a wood friendly angle, he just wasted money. In the pic, he didn't show the tip, it has a cover on it. Secondly, If one gives advice to machining the end down to .5 " then they should show a picture or two and also state that if you go and machine the whole length of the end piece, you will usually machine the backend right off the drill shank itself, as no one has even mentioned that there is an end piece fitted and welded onto the shank and the diameter is usually larger than .5". If you only go about around 1.125" from the end you will still leave some meat around the shank connection. I didn't realize this with the first one I bought and had to re-attach the back end after I machined off the metal holding the shank to the end. It was a lesson learned and I worked thru it, but people need to give accurate info if they decide to share in the first place, otherwise it is useless info that costs the OP, and anyone else that reads it later, in the end, IHMO.
Dave
 
Don't be disheartened Kidd, at least you know what you don't know and aren't too arrogant to ask. As far as turning the gun drill shank, it's hard, but only case hardened so after a few light passes it gets easier to cut. Proper alignment is critical however, and honestly a cylindrical grinder is the proper machine tool for the job. Real machinists know this.
 
You certainly are.

find a machine shop in your area, take the drill to them and have then to turn it down to 1/2 inch.
then put it back on ebay for sell, because if you cannot figure this out by yourself, then you do not need a gun drill.

SORRY

You certainly are.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the advise.
Don't be disheartened Kidd, at least you know what you don't know and aren't too arrogant to ask. As far as turning the gun drill shank, it's hard, but only case hardened so after a few light passes it gets easier to cut. Proper alignment is critical however, and honestly a cylindrical grinder is the proper machine tool for the job. Real machinists know this.
 
Thanks for your time Dave

Please don't waste your time with my nonsense but thanks anyway.











I have bought off of ebay 2 gundrills, and one directly from sterling built for cue building, then bought 2 more from a member here. The one from sterling was the only one that didn't need 're-working'. First, Kidd would be better off if he first asked this question before buying. If the grind on the bit is not a wood friendly angle, he just wasted money. In the pic, he didn't show the tip, it has a cover on it. Secondly, If one gives advice to machining the end down to .5 " then they should show a picture or two and also state that if you go and machine the whole length of the end piece, you will usually machine the backend right off the drill shank itself, as no one has even mentioned that there is an end piece fitted and welded onto the shank and the diameter is usually larger than .5". If you only go about around 1.125" from the end you will still leave some meat around the shank connection. I didn't realize this with the first one I bought and had to re-attach the back end after I machined off the metal holding the shank to the end. It was a lesson learned and I worked thru it, but people need to give accurate info if they decide to share in the first place, otherwise it is useless info that costs the OP, and anyone else that reads it later, in the end, IHMO.
Dave
 
DUH! :embarrassed2:
I have mine on BXA big boring bar holders.
I pity the drill chuck if that drill spins.

Hi,

Side air supply gun drills are designed to be tail stock mounted. Most people I would think that do this have drill chucks interfacing the tailstock with a morse taper.

I have cored over 300 pieces of wood with that set up and while I am cognizant of the spin possibility I have never had it spin because one should always be very careful when one sets a tapered drill chuck.

JMO,

Rick
 
Kidd........ I will post some pics later this afternoon, after I get some time to take a pic or two.

I have one that was purchased from another forum member. He was so very kind enough to weld up the rear air hole and also kind enough to turn the end down to 1/2" so it would fit in my taig tailstock. Since I am only using it for small jobs, I didn't drill and tap another hole in the side for an air fitting. I just SLOWLY peck while drilling so as not to heat the gun drill too much. So far, it has worked flawlessly.
 
I have bought off of ebay 2 gundrills, and one directly from sterling built for cue building, then bought 2 more from a member here. The one from sterling was the only one that didn't need 're-working'. First, Kidd would be better off if he first asked this question before buying. If the grind on the bit is not a wood friendly angle, he just wasted money. In the pic, he didn't show the tip, it has a cover on it. Secondly, If one gives advice to machining the end down to .5 " then they should show a picture or two and also state that if you go and machine the whole length of the end piece, you will usually machine the backend right off the drill shank itself, as no one has even mentioned that there is an end piece fitted and welded onto the shank and the diameter is usually larger than .5". If you only go about around 1.125" from the end you will still leave some meat around the shank connection. I didn't realize this with the first one I bought and had to re-attach the back end after I machined off the metal holding the shank to the end. It was a lesson learned and I worked thru it, but people need to give accurate info if they decide to share in the first place, otherwise it is useless info that costs the OP, and anyone else that reads it later, in the end, IHMO.
Dave


You are right, the first one I turned down the end did fall off as it was just silver soldered on. I just turned some more off and it was ok. As for the tip being ground for metal, it doesn't matter. A metal drill will cut wood just fine. My metal drill have has 2 flutes and the wood gun drill I have has only one. I have been doing it for almost 2 years and have drilled more than 100 pieces of wood with them. As for the shank being perfectly ground to be concentric with the rest of the drill.... turning it on the lathe works just fine. After all, the accuracy of the gun drill is dictated by the head of the drill that is self aligning. I even stopped boring a starter hole for the drill. I have a delrin "donut" the I put in my steady rest to hold the head until it is totally in the work piece. The drill shank is smaller than the head so after the drill has started, there is nothing guiding the drill except the head and the drill is 30 inches long. I can drill a 24 in long piece within a few thou from end to end.

I respect all the knowledge of the machinists that post here but, this is wood. My experience tells me what works here whether it is right or wrong....... it still works.

Kim







I must add............... this idea came from Chris Hightower..............
 
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hey buddy

i was not trying to be a dick, [ some of my friends say different ] BUT i was making a point. example !!!! a guy calls me and tells me he will give me $1000.00 for spending a week with him teaching him how to build cues. i had to decline as i told him i could not TEACH him how to build cues, i could only show him how i build cues.
my cue building experience came from making jewelry, problem solving. a customer brings me a broken piece of jewelry and i look at it and figure out how to do the repair. working with wood, lathes, hand tools and building cues is the same. you have to be able to look at an item or problem and fiqure out how to best solve the matter.
 
Ah an intellegent Cue Maker how rare hear.Thanks

Ah an intellegent Cue Maker how rare hear.Thanks
You are right, the first one I turned down the end did fall off as it was just silver soldered on. I just turned some more off and it was ok. As for the tip being ground for metal, it doesn't matter. A metal drill will cut wood just fine. My metal drill have has 2 flutes and the wood gun drill I have has only one. I have been doing it for almost 2 years and have drilled more than 100 pieces of wood with them. As for the shank being perfectly ground to be concentric with the rest of the drill.... turning it on the lathe works just fine. After all, the accuracy of the gun drill is dictated by the head of the drill that is self aligning. I even stopped boring a starter hole for the drill. I have a delrin "donut" the I put in my steady rest to hold the head until it is totally in the work piece. The drill shank is smaller than the head so after the drill has started, there is nothing guiding the drill except the head and the drill is 30 inches long. I can drill a 24 in long piece within a few thou from end to end.

I respect all the knowledge of the machinists that post here but, this is wood. My experience tells me what works here whether it is right or wrong....... it still works.

Kim





 
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