Drilling Handles - advice please

[MCB]

I've  bought some woodturning tools without handles and plan to make the handles myself.

I  have already made brass ferrules (from inch diameter brass tube).

I  know that the usual way to drill a hole for the tang is  to put a drill bit in a Jacobs chuck mounted in the tailstock - but I  have a short lathe (only around 13 inches between centres) and it's too short for that.

My pillar drill is  also too small.

I've  ruined two handles by drilling freehand!!

I  don't want to reduce handle length so it fits between headstock and drill bit on lathe.

Any suggestions, please?

With best wishes and thanks. 
 
MC

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

MC if your lathe has a hollow tail stock try drilling through it and making a pilot hole just as a guide. Another way is before turning your blank round clamp 2 bits of wood on adjacent sides and use them as a guide for your hand drill. Or turn and hollow a piece of wood that can fit over the end of your blank but is short enough to go between centres and drill and then use that as a guide. There are loads of ways to achieve the results you want, work out a way to drill the blank before turning it round, so I would hold the drill bit in place and then think what I need to do to keep it running true.
Hope this helps.

[Bryan Milham]

Another way is to make something that fit's into your tool rest banjo.

Make a long L shaped section (2 pieces of timber screwed together and fix them to a piece of timber which will fit into your banjo. I don't know what lathe you have, you can work out the mechanics of the woodwork.

Now you can put the jacobs chuck & drill bit into the headstock, put the handle onto the long L shape and line everything up. push gently so that the handle slides along the L shape and the drill bores the necessary hole.

[MCB]

MC if your lathe has a hollow tail stock try drilling through it and making a pilot hole just as a guide. Another way is before turning your blank round clamp 2 bits of wood on adjacent sides and use them as a guide for your hand drill. Or turn and hollow a piece of wood that can fit over the end of your blank but is short enough to go between centres and drill and then use that as a guide. There are loads of ways to achieve the results you want, work out a way to drill the blank before turning it round, so I would hold the drill bit in place and then think what I need to do to keep it running true.
Hope this helps.

I  tried drilling a guide block with a wide portion at the end to take the ferrule - but my Pillar DRill wasn't up to it!

Then I  remembered that I  inherited a lot of drill bits including a few with MT1 shanks. The drill directly in the tailstock was substantially shorter than using a Jacobs Chuck.

So I  drilled the handle 23/64“ and then enlarged it to 10mm.

I'm  now contented; Very many thanks for your  help.

MC

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

There is no such thing as a problem, they are solutions waiting to be used.