Someone asked about drilling one a while back, I should say that I do buy them but if I have the stock or need something special this is it. There are other ways and a lathe can not only be used for drilling but also shaping. This haft is going on a small, 5 ¾” Davis head so it is sized to it.
The blank starts out at 2 X 2 X 24, the bit is ¼”.
First couple pix show how it started out, the third is the blank ready to be laid out.
Once it is mark and center punched ¼” pilot hole is drilled maybe 3”, this one got off to a bad start,
not paying attention again but I figured I would see what happened.
The jig is a piece of 2 X 4 X 48, the lower guide is 24’ with a slightly larger than ¼” groove cut in it. The blocks are about 2 ½” ( they were cut off the 24” piece when it was 8” longer and after the groove was cut)
The bit is made from drill rod with a spade bit type point filed on it. I made it for drilling ¼ “ RR holes and it works good for pipes hafts. Drill very slow, maybe 1/4 to ½” at a time, drill, take the blank off and clean out the chips. I have a 3/16 piece of piano wire that has one end ground similar to a screw driver that I put down in the hole and twist a few times to help get it all out. It took about an hour to drill this one. I used a little Bee’s wax as a lube but if you are not careful that will pick up dust and bind, polishing with 0000 steel wool helps, keeping the tip of the bit clean will help too.
As you can see I was off center but it will still work. The closest I have ever got was maybe ¼” off center. This can be a good thing if you are using a different kind of haft design rather a straight taper. Mark the hole location on one side, then measure out on each side of it to mark the width, I used 5/8” on either side at the small end ¾” at the large.
Saw along those lines, I try and keep the lines. Then turn it, remark the center and the outline, cut that and you are ready to start shaping.
Hope this helps, if you have question I will try and answer them.
Tim C.
