On Apr 6, 11:21*pm, Ignoramus17356 ignoramus17...@NOSPAM.
17356.invalid wrote:
I need to drill some 21/32 holes with a hand drill, not accessible to
drill press.

I do not have a reduced shank 21/32 drill bit and new they cost $30+.
I have a 21/32 straight shank drill bit, but it is too wide to fit any
of my handheld electric drills, which go up to 1/2".

I thought I could reduce a shank of that drill bit by simply chucking
it in a lathe and taking off some diameter with a carbide tool. What
are the drawbacks, if any, of doing so?

i

As the others have said, the shanks are soft. Just don't leave a
sharp corner where you turn the thing down, if the drill jams up, it
could leave you with a twisted-off shank in the chuck and the drill
stuck in the work. That's if you've got a drill that can wrap you up
if it jams. Some of the cheapies will just stall out.

Stan