Pucker factor

[38_Cal]

Did a high pucker factor job this afternoon...about 12.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. I'm building an underhammer muzzleloading rifle for a friend in WA, and we decided to use a through bolt to hold the "action" to the stock. So, I had to drill from one end of the piece of wood to the other...and it's not just any old piece of walnut, but a piece of highly figured wood that cost me $95, as a plank. Laid out all the lines externally on the blank, centerpunched each end and used a 16" long 5/16 drill, with the drill held in the lathe headstock and a center in the tailstock. Low rpms, candle wax to lube the drill bit, drill half way through and turn the wood around to drill from the other side...Thank G-d, the drilled holes met within less than 1/16" displacement in a 15" deep hole! :D :p Then, I had to open the rear section up to 7/8" for a depth of about 5", started using a Forstner bit, then switched to a spade bit with an extension...and it came out true. The Forstner bit was also held in the headstock, but switched to a 3/8" hand drill for the spade bit.

I've seen drills wander off course through the side of a stock blank, and I've seen other guys virtually explode a fancy blank when drilling like this... Man, I feel good that it's done!

David
Montezuma, IA

[Michael Edwards]

Glad to hear that it worked out ok. Hope to see pics of the final product, sounds very interesting.

ME

[deltaenterprizes]

My teacher told me that they are working on a pucker switch for jobs like that!

[Weston Bye]

High pucker factors lead to reverse donut-shaped impressions in the upholstery if you're sitting during the episode.