Aligning a drill off the lathe

[Michael Nathal]

I am trying a new form, the "ram's horns" shown in the photo. The inner diameter is offset from the outer diameter, and then a lot of carving. Only after I am finished carving do I look for the best position to mount the piece onto the base. I am looking for suggestions on how to position the drill hole on the midline, and orient the drill square to the piece. On these two, I just eyeballed a hand drill, but I am not happy with the results. The lighter colored piece in the front was my first try, at certain viewing angles the misalignment is more noticeable. The second one came out a little better. Clamping the piece for use in a drill press seems to be the way to go, but since it is tapered both in thickness and diameter, I haven't figured out the best way to clamp it, and how to rotate the piece in the clamp to get it square.

 

[Rick Crawford]

I use a seamstress tape measure to eyeball where to mark the drill hole. I have been clamping pieces in my piano maker's workbench vise, with padding, and using an old drill mounted on a drill press adaptor, which I just move into position. An option for a true drill press is something like the small Black & Decker workmate benchtop vise. It also has a tilt function.

 

[George Stratton]

Looks to me like the correct position would be the centerline of the inside diameter, and the inside remaines a diameter or close to it after the piece is carved? Why not slip it on a diameter of wood set up in a drill press and just hold it against a shoulder turned on that diameter. I don't see where it needs to be clamped for just a small hole?

 

[Brian Gustin]

idea - turn a cylinder that fits loosely inside the smallest one, then cut a V-notch in the cylinder.. get a flat piece of wood, make a V-notch in that and on drill press drill a hole in the size of your drill bit square & perpendicular to the wood block, centered in the V-notch... clamp cylinder in a vise, put your round piece in the V-notch and line it up square, use masking tape/painter's tape to tape it in place once you have it lined up (you can use a square to get your horn lined up square to the cylinder) then simply place your V-block wood over the horn, and let the hole you drilled on drill press (which should be square and centered) guide your drill bit in hand drill..