Shopsmith Forums

(Not to worry: The title uses the word as the verb, not the adjective.)

I am turning a lot of bowls on my Mark V lately, most of them hollow forms with small holes in the top. I have decided it would save me a lot of time if I could use a Forstner bit to begin the hollowing process.

Here's the problem: I'd like to mount the drill chuck with the Forstner bit into the tailstock and use the spinning of the bowl on the lathe to drill the hole. But, of course, the drill chuck has no shaft, being hollow instead to mount on the shaft in the headstock.

Now I could simply use the drill press function, and attach the drill chuck to the head stock shaft. But then I have the problem of keeping the bowl, which has been finished on the outside, immobile as I drill (either horizontally or vertically).

But having the bowl spin on the lathe and the drill chuck held stationary in the tailstock would solve the problem.

My question is three-part: Is a shaft available that would allow the drill chuck to be mounted to the tailstock?

If not, I'm thinking of having one custom made. If I do this, and taper the shaft to friction-mount to the tailstock, do I risk having the shaft break free and lodge the Forstner bit in my bowl?

Or is my entire idea ill advised?

Any comments would be appreciated - Thanks!!

L. D. Linford

Shopsmith makes a chuck arbor that fits in the tailstock.

Here it is: http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... karbor.htm

Also any #2 Morse Taper mounted drill chuck will do the job as well.

I got one from $15 from Harbor Freight

I wish I had gone with the spindle adapter from SS mentioned above though. I hate having to keep track of chuck keys.

LD,
You can also use that same chuck adapter to mount your bowl to the tail-stock, and then put the drill bit in the quill/chuck as normal. Sometimes this is a more stable arrangement, allowing you to brace the wood for drilling.

Another neat SS feature.

Seahawk

sailseahawk wrote:LD,
You can also use that same chuck adapter to mount your bowl to the tail-stock, and then put the drill bit in the quill/chuck as normal. Sometimes this is a more stable arrangement, allowing you to brace the wood for drilling.

Another neat SS feature.

Seahawk

Yes, with that adapter, basically ANYTHING that will
mount on the quill, will mount on the tailstock.

Why you'd want a saw blade mounted on the tailstock,
I don't know. But, you can do it.

steve