How to modify a gun drill?
- Thread starter the kidd
- Start date
Get a bigger chuck or mount that on a 1" hole BXA boring bar holder.
go online or get in the phone book
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
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
How long is that drill? Looks a little short for cue work, IMHO.
You will need to weld up the air hole in the back. Have the back of the shank turned down to .5" . Then have a new air hole drill and tapped in the side of the shank that sticks out of the chuck.
When all is said and done. You might have saved some money over buying one from Chris, but I dont think so.
Larry
Do you guys really have do be douche bags about this? He's new...he's asking a question. Instead of a dickhead remark with helping him, just don't say anything at all if you can't contribute.
Not trying to be mean but my post was very honest and to the point. I can't help it if reality isn't pretty.
Don't pay any attention to the nay sayers or those that would discourage you.
I have bought several gun drills on ebay. They are easily modified to work on a hightower or any taig tailstock.
First of all, the end is usually 3/4 or 1 inch. You have to turn this down to 1/2 inch diameter. It is hard steel but can be easily cut with a carbide tool. I used a 1/4 in tool in a taig tool post. I used a cheap set on HF indexable tools with carbide inserts.
You will need a headstock that the drill will fit through.
Take cuts of about .005 to .010 until you get to 1/2 inch.
Now you must drill a hole in the side of the drill for air. Make sure that the hole hits both of the coolant tubes in the drill. The drill shank is drillable with a standard drill bit. Get an air fitting and drill the hole so that the treaded portion will just fit in the hole..
Now for the finish...... get some 5 minute epoxy and glue the fitting into the hole and glue up the coolant hole in the end of the drill. Clean the metal with alcohol to make sure the glue sticks.
I have been using an 11/16 gun drill that is 30 inches long that I got on ebay for 99 cents......... I have been using it for a year and a half prepared the way I described here with no problems. I can drill a 24 inch hole dead straight every time.
I just bought another .750 gun drill on ebay that is 36 inches long for $10.
If you need any more info PM me.
Kim
Last edited:
Why dont you all just buy cues made by others?
Why dont you all just buy cues made by others? This is a project like making cues.
Why dont you all just buy cues made by others? This is a project like making cues.
Drill 14" longx .7187......dont sweat it guys I like the conversation
Drill 14" long x .7187......don't sweat it guys I like the conversation
Drill 14" long x .7187......don't sweat it guys I like the conversation
Or until they did their own research and used the "search" function!!
Sure, everyone has a first time to use a new tool, but the subject of gun drills has been discussed here many times. Using the search tool would have shown you many posts replete with pictures which would answer your question in detail and from different perspectives.
The guys that get the most out of this forum are the ones that have done just that and then come here and say "I researched this and I tried this technique and it didn't work out for me. What can I do differently?"
My 2 cents,
Gary
Because I am to cheap to buy others cues, but I am smart enough to make and modify my own tools.
Good luck on you cue building!
Larry
You forgot (I hope) the "or figure it out yourself" option ... which should be option #1 imo.
Dave
Good luck in turning that shank down to 1/2. :grin-square:
On a non-metal lathe at that . That sucker might do number on that aluminum chuck.
That's a coolant type gun drill afaik. It has the hole in the back for coolant.
I'm not sure what thread but might as well fab an adapter from that to 1/4 20.
This is where fun starts ? :grin:
And if he thinks the morons here are tough to deal with, wait till he deals with warpage, peels, buzzes, epoxy failure, wood dealers, cracks, checks, dings, dents , wood dealers, supplies dealers, machinery, wood dealers and " AAA " maple dowels.
:grin-square:I have a feeling Francis from Stripes is about to come out here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMtvnAmfuf8
:grin-square:
Good luck in turning that shank down to 1/2. :grin-square:
On a non-metal lathe at that . That sucker might do number on that aluminum chuck.
That's a coolant type gun drill afaik. It has the hole in the back for coolant.
I'm not sure what thread but might as well fab an adapter from that to 1/4 20.
This is where fun starts ? :grin:
And if he thinks the morons here are tough to deal with, wait till he deals with warpage, peels, buzzes, epoxy failure, wood dealers, cracks, checks, dings, dents , wood dealers, supplies dealers, machinery, wood dealers and " AAA " maple dowels.
I have a feeling Francis from Stripes is about to come out here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMtvnAmfuf8
:grin-square:
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
If you don't mind me asking, what is your field of expertise? Building cues isn't rocket science but does involve having acquired a great number of skills. One of those skills is that of a machinist, or at least be familiar with machine tools and how to use them. If it were me who acquired that gun drill the only thing I would modify would be to have the cutting edge ground so it is suitable for cutting wood. In all likeliness it was ground for cutting steel. I would not touch the shank of that drill, the shank was machined concentric and parallel axis with that of the drill. If you attempt to machine it you will probably render it useless. A gun drill has to be set up perfectly concentric and on axis with that of the lathe you are using, if you mess up the shank that will be almost impossible. If it were me I would build a holder that would fit my tool post. Or if my lathe was small, which I suspect yours is then I would build a holder which would fit on top of the cross slide. Your setup needs to be rigid as possible. Best of luck, if you need pics of a holder, I built one for my gun drill and can post a pic if you would like.
Last edited: