For my hollow forms (and boxes and similar stuff) I usually prefer a filling a depth hole with a hand-held drill. For me it's just faster and more convenient than setting up the tailstock etc.
Usually, I use a gun drill for things more than a few inches deep. I find it drills straighter (twist drill will sometimes drift on me at the bottom of a deeper hole). Also, all the long twist bits I have (aircraft or electricians bits) only have short flutes, and have to be extracted often to clear the chips.
Anyway, for either type of drill, I make a starter hole using my spindle gouge. I use a 3/8" spindle gouge - same size as the bits. So the hole it makes acts as a guide to get the bit started on-center.
The gouge works essentially like a spoon bit, and creates a centered hole. I usually drill about 1" deep.
Two methods (hopefully my explanations are somewhat understandable):
- Start with the gouge bevel perpendicular to the lathe (cutting across the end of the blank) and curve in at the very center (fairly tight curve right at the center). Must follow the bevel all the way around the corner (or ride/glide/rub/float/etc the bevel however you think of it). Once at the center and the gouge is parallel with the lathe, plunge in.
- Start with the gouge parallel to the lathe, tip of the gouge right on center and just plunge in from there.
Both of the above require the tool rest to be exactly right to support the gouge - especially can't be too low or the gouge will chatter when it gets to the center.
