Jump to content
fishdoc

Dowel center for drilling?

Recommended Posts

The following is a post that I made on a particular forum topic. I can't remember which one. The post never got posted due to a logging in problem. I sure could use some help, and what the heck is the forum topic?

Thanks in advance,

fishdoc

OK fellas..I need mega help. First of all I'm a real neophyte. A carpenter I'm not, but making plugs is a real kick. Like many of the posts I am after the "fail safe way of drilling a centering hole in a piece of wood. I have a drill press (convinced my wife it would save me money by making my own plugs). I also picked up a wood lathe (can?t believe I convinced her again). I first tried making a 3 sided (square corner) jig into which I clamped a dowel or square piece of wood (once I got a lathe) and drilled about 1/2 way from each side...yup, sure did stack up some errors, mostly old broom stick or rake handles. Found that dowels drill better, but haven't tested many types of wood. By the way, I?m still using this and still chucking away off center dowels.

I looked at the "dowel center" that is pictured here and am eager to find out HOW THE HECK IT WORKS. Now bear with me...read the first sentences of this post.

I think that I can make the pictured dowel center, but just how does it work? I'm assuming (this could be bad) that the plug center will sit on the point of the centering thingy... what holds the plug straight so that I can drill it with the press? I can't fit a long 1/8th drill bit into the drill press; there is not enough travel, and I?ve snapped a couple 11 inch bits trying to do it by hand (they?re not cheap). So, I must drill from both ends. The descriptions of the "dowel center" make it seem it's just a matter of flipping the plug over and drilling the other side... I just can't picture what is holding the plug straight (perpendicular) while drilling. I like the chuck idea for the lathe, but remember I?m just getting used to the idea of it turning around at high speed making it way easier to shape a plug than a knife, file and sand paper. Crap, it took me a while to figure out I could leave it in the lathe and hold the sand paper against it.

Now this whole deal of OFF CENTER drilling?man I?ve done a lot of that?so far off center that there is no way in hell that I?d ever get the holes from each end to line up. But I certainly wish that I could do some off center drilling for some of the plug designs that I would like to attempt. I?m not trying to market any plugs, it would just cut into my fishing time, something I AM NOT GIVING UP. I am just d@mn sick and tired of feeding $5.00 and $10.00 plugs to bluefish. I can?t even count the number of times I?ve told friends??don?t cast into the school, just up to the edge? It?s like my wife talking to me when I?m reading a fishing/hunting catalog?in one ear out the other!

I haven?t even touched on the painting thing yet, but I did read the ?air brush debate? and I?m more blown away than ever! I use $2.00 per can spray paint from Benny?s and keep repainting after a few uses. Obviously my creations don?t have scale patterns or pretty little markings that look like a mackerel. Red, white, yellow, green and black all over a gray primer?simple hey?they work!

I?ve gone so far as to make some 8 and 9 inch plugs that I refuse to even attempt to drill?epoxy and screw eyes are working fine!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

:D Hi there, just wondering why you want to drill all the way through a dowel?? How long are these dowels? You shouldn't have to drill any deeper than what the length of the eyescrew is. No matter how you do it, it depends alot on the type of wood you are using because with a small diameter drill they will walk off center just by hitting hard and then soft grain. When I use a drill press I clamp a dowel into a V groove with a base that I know is square. If you have the center marked you should be able to drill straight unless the drill wanders off center. If you have any specific question please post or email me and I will see if I can help you out. Thats why we are here. Thanks and good luck. Ken Schmitz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:D Hi there, just wondering why you want to drill all the way through a dowel?? How long are these dowels? You shouldn't have to drill any deeper than what the length of the eyescrew is. No matter how you do it, it depends alot on the type of wood you are using because with a small diameter drill they will walk off center just by hitting hard and then soft grain. When I use a drill press I clamp a dowel into a V groove with a base that I know is square. If you have the center marked you should be able to drill straight unless the drill wanders off center. If you have any specific question please post or email me and I will see if I can help you out. Thats why we are here. Thanks and good luck. Ken Schmitz

Ken, I think he wants to through wire the baits. As a SW guy I know that most SW lure makers prefer that technique over screw eyes. Usually these fellows will mount a chuck to a lathe and use an aviation bit for drilling. Just anothyer way of doing things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:D Hi there, just wondering why you want to drill all the way through a dowel?? ...

Most saltwater plugs for stripers/bluefish are thru-wired. You drill a hole all the way through the plug. Drill another hole in the belly. Wire goes through the plug. You'll stick a swivel into the hole and let the wire pass through that. Split ring on the swivel and attach the hook. Loop the wire at the tail and attach a ring and hook.

I'm not familar with a dowel center. I've thru-drilled my blanks on a drill press and a lathe. I prefer the latter. Main things if you are doing this on the drill press is to be sure that you have the center marked on each end, be certain that your drill table is level, the dowel is held perfectly vertical, and back your drill out from time to time to clear out the dust as you drill the hole.

Andrew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fishdoc,

You have a lathe so turn your own dowel plugs.

Start with two pieces of flat stock cut a grove down the middle of each glue the two halves together with waterproof glue. Chuck the assembly into your lathe and turn your shape you will have a perfectly shaped hole. You could even epoxy a piece of tubing in the grove to get a waterproof blank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Easiest way- use 2 featherboards for side pressure, 1 for down pressure, set up your table saw fence to hit center of dowel w/ blade and adjust depth to suit. Now you can groove ENTIRE dowel length, epoxy thru wire in then fill w/ Durham's. sand, prime, paint and fish! Don't try with short dowels, groove a 3 footer & use scrap for a push stick. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Easiest way for me was to get a chuck for the lathe. Use a short bit (3-4 inches) 1/8 inch brad point in the chuck. Hit the blank from one side, then flip it. Use a longer brad point bit in a hand drill to join the two holes. Takes about 1 minute. I've done plenty of center drilling on plugs like needles, poppers, and pencils. Easy to do off center drill like on dannys, pikies, and other swimmers. If you get a jig set up right on the drill press, should be simple to do there too. Use quality brad point bits too, less chance that they'll wander and go off center.

Andrew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if your looking for a different way to paint your lures and want to use airbrushes i would suggest looking at harbor freight they have two air brushes one is a single action it is just about the same as a badger 350 i think its about $9.00 item number is 47791 and there is a double action for $15.00 it is stock #1500 i wished i would have looked there first i bought a badger 350 for $59.00 they also have air compressors i seen a airbrush compressor advertised a while back for $69.00 hope this helps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...


×
×
  • Create New...
Top