Drilling the hole in the horn

[idahjo]

This is elementary for most of you here, but here goes.

When drilling the pour hole in the end of the horn, how in the devil do you get the drill in the right place?  Especially, if it is a 'kinky' tipped horn.  I have done two now and the drill hole on one side tracks too close for any real forming of octagon sides.  I am thinking that maybe I tried to keep too much of the horn tip and had to drill too far?! 
Detailed instruction please, thanks!

[elk killer]

i take a coat hanger or any flexiable wire,,,insert it into the horn,,,as far as it will go from the butt end,,hold it where it meets the butt end,,then pull it out,,and hold it on the outside of the horn,,with the same curve,,i usually measure about a inch or so in front of where it stops,,then cut the tip off there,,,then you only have a inch or so to drill...i just hold the horn and eye ball the bit,,,i use a 1/4 inch pilot bit to drill with...another way to do it is heat a suitable size rod red...then slowly burn a hole,,,but stinks to high heaven,,and is a slow go,,drill bit works a lot better...

[BrownBear]

Same here on the coat hanger and lop cut, but I'm a wimp on the drill.  I start with about 1/8", then enlarge.  Eyeball works for me, but it's a go slow deal.  I reallylike to push the horn onto a piece of broom handle, then orient that upright in a vise so it's easier to keep an eye on the drill angle.

[Beaverman]

about what the other fellas said, sometimes if the angle of the hole is going to be tricky I use an old miller falls hand crank drill, is a little more forgiving than the ol dewalt!

[idahjo]

Thanks Guys!

As I was beginning to suspect.  I have been drilling 2 1/2 to 3 inches.  That would make a major difference with any curve involved, wouldn't it? 

[T.C.Albert]

Sometimes on an extreme double twisted cow horn, or even on a really hooked buffalo horn, it can be best to actually plan to burn up twords the partially drilled hole to complete the opening. I hate to do this because of the smoke and nasty smell involved and will aviod it if I can, but i hate to ruin a good horn even worse, so with a propane torch and a heavy wire poker heated red hot thats how I "plan" to finish the pour hole on some horns, theres no other way around it I know of...

One good heat will burn about a quarter of an inch, and used carefully and patiently a poker bent to match the twist or hook of the horn really opens some pretty undrillable horns like magic...most of the time anyway...you can still burn out through the side, especially if your initial drill hole is too close to a side wall to begin with, so its a good idea to decide up front how far you can drill and then how much you must burn and then decide if thats feasable...then you will know where to trim your tip to at the start to let you best maximize the horns architecture...
T.Albert