Ways to put hole through pipe hawk handle? ( end to end )

[3 swans]

Techniques for putting hole in handle for smoking pipe.  Thanks.

[Top Jaw]

I saw somewhere starting with a 2" x 2", and putting any run out on the smaller end, as you work it down.  I had a buddy who had success once drilling a precarved handle from both ends, and meeting in the middle.  Takes a long bit to do it no matter what the method.  He used his ramrod drill bit.

[Dennis Glazener]

I had a buddy who had success once drilling a precarved handle from both ends, and meeting in the middle.

I watched a demo, I believe by Beaver Bill, at Dixon's a few years ago and that was the way he drilled the hole.
Dennis

[David Rase]

3 swans,
Below are 4 photos of a tomahawk handle drill fixture I made from a 24" bar clamp.  The top photo is an overall view of the fixture.  The second picture is the upper end and the third picture is the lower end.  The last picture shows the jig with a maple blank installed.  The key to drilling a fairly straight hawk handle is drilling the hole in the vertical position and removal of chips, so climb up on your step ladder and drill away and don't forget to blow out the chips with your air compressor.  If you drill horizontally, you will get major run out due to drill bit sag.  I have tried drilling in the horizontal position using my lathe and still got excessive run out.  Drilling vertical has increased my success rate tremendously.
David
 

[Elnathan]

Tutorial here: http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25979.0

David's drilling down idea is interesting too.

[J Henry]

  Find the center of the wood blank,Saw it in half length wise,cut the hole in the center, again length wise,glue the two half back together and care/finish as planned.If you use a thin band saw blade and reglue the wood, it should not show,

[oldtravler61]

 David you amaze me at how you figure things out. Thanks an see yeah in Tennessee.  Mike

[David Rase]

If you look at the second picture down you will see a couple of set screws in the base of the arm that slides up and down the piece of flat bar.  I installed 2 set screws on each side.  The set screws serve 2 purposes.  First they lock the arm in place but more importantly, at least for this inexpensive import clamp, they work as jack screws to help align the drill bit with the pointed pin in the fixed end.  Using a piece of tape as a stop to hold the long drill bit just above the point in the lower end, I can use the jack screws to move the arm left and right until I have perfect alignment with the lower pin.
David

[David Rase]

David you amaze me at how you figure things out. Thanks an see yeah in Tennessee.  Mike

Mike,
I would like to amaze myself and figure out how to get some gun work done in lieu of all the measures, inlets and tool making. 
See you next weekend.  I have explicit instructions from my friend John who was with me last year to pick Jack's brain on his Soddy rifles.
David

[Bill Paton]

This won’t help you stem drillers, but is an interesting story and approach.

Having had access to an X-ray machine when I worked in an Indian Reservation medical clinic years ago, I drilled a 1 1/4” x 18” pipestem blank out of red pipestone I traded for near Pipestone MN. I simply clamped the blank gently in a vise horizontally, and used a long 1/8” drill bit in a hand held electric drill to eyeball the holes from each end. About every 2”, I took the blank over to the clinic and X-rayed it, correcting my course as I went. The holes met at the middle of the blank with only a 1/16” offset, which I worked carefully to ream smooth. It became a beautiful pipe, has been blessed by a Medicine Man, and used in two Arapahoe Sun Dances and numerous medicine sweats and private ceremonies. However, the pipestone is easier to drill straight than hardwood, and would never hold up as a tomahawk handle!

Bill Paton, M.D.

[bob in the woods]

Much like the groove in a stock fore end supports and guides the drill bit when drilling the ram rod hole, I use a grooved block to do the same when drilling a pipe stem. Also, rotate the blank 180 deg every 3 to 4 inches , clear chips frequently , and go slow . Drill from each end and meet in the middle.  Seems to work OK

[Ionian]

Like it was posted earlier, perhaps the esiest way from square stock is to saw it in half length wise with a thin kerf blade and glue back together after a groove has been cut. The glue joint disappears, especially if the wood is stained.