I am a high school wood working/turning teacher and have some students
interested in turning candleholders. Other than trial and error are there any
suggestions on how I can get a novice to make the tapered hole the correct size
so the candle sits straight?

Jack Grube

Get a spade drill bit and regrind it to the taper you would like for the
hole. Then drill the hole with the modified drill bit in a chuck in the
tailstock.

"Jack Grube" wrote in message
...
I am a high school wood working/turning teacher and have some students
interested in turning candleholders. Other than trial and error are there
any
suggestions on how I can get a novice to make the tapered hole the correct
size
so the candle sits straight?

Jack Grube

In article ,
(Jack Grube) wrote:

I am a high school wood working/turning teacher and have some students
interested in turning candleholders. Other than trial and error are there
any
suggestions on how I can get a novice to make the tapered hole the correct
size
so the candle sits straight?

Jack Grube

You could follow most of the drill-based suggestions that were in the
wine-cork holder thread. This is good if you want to get the
candleholders made with minimum fuss, but it deskills the job. There are
also inserts.

You could have the candlestickmakers spend a few class periods doing
nothing but mounting up scrap, putting candle-holes in it, and seeing
how the candles fit. This is good for progessing from novice to
beyond-novice. More "practice makes perfect" than "trial and error" -
screwing up on scrap is practice - no agony, toss it back where it came
from - practicing on the finished piece is trial and (if you screw up
there) error.

A middle ground is to decide what top and bottom diameters and depth you
want, chuck up a drill (I'd use a Forstner) in the tailstock that is the
bigger size, drilling just enough to mark the surface, swapping to the
smaller size, setting a depth stop or mark and drill to depth, then the
taper is just opening the smaller hole to the larger mark at the top.

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by

The "standard" taper, as you have noticed, is supposed to be 7/8 taper to
3/4 . I ground back a 7/8 spade bit, making sure to relieve the newly ground
edges to the angle of the existing. If it were not for the large triangular
lead, it would be ideal. Which is why I now bore the hole for brass candle
inserts.

BTW, they'll never fit right first try, which is why you always trim, then
put a drop or two of wax to help set them up straight.

"Jack Grube" wrote in message
...
I am a high school wood working/turning teacher and have some students
interested in turning candleholders. Other than trial and error are there
any
suggestions on how I can get a novice to make the tapered hole the correct
size
so the candle sits straight?

Woodcraft sells a bit for this exclusive purpose, if you are interested,
holler back at me and I will give you the part number. I have one, and it
is not exactly cheap but good quality. I don't think they list it in the
catalogue. I found it from a turner friend.

Regards,
Lewis

--
If only I knew as much as I thought I did!...Mike G.

"Jack Grube" wrote in message
...
I am a high school wood working/turning teacher and have some students
interested in turning candleholders. Other than trial and error are there
any
suggestions on how I can get a novice to make the tapered hole the correct
size
so the candle sits straight?

Jack Grube

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 18:40:24 -0500, "Lewis Dodd" wrote:

Woodcraft sells a bit for this exclusive purpose, if you are interested,
holler back at me and I will give you the part number. I have one, and it
is not exactly cheap but good quality. I don't think they list it in the
catalogue. I found it from a turner friend.

Regards,
Lewis

I could use that part number also. Thanks!


Peter Teubel
Milford, MA
http://www.revolutionary-turners.com

Hi Peter,

The part # or Stock # is 95600, Woodtek from Woodcraft. It is only about 3"
long and has a 1/2" shank, the taper is about 13/16" to about 15/16".
Call them and talk about it, seems I paid about $30.00.
Good Luck,
Lewis

--
If only I knew as much as I thought I did!...Mike G.

"Peter Teubel" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 18:40:24 -0500, "Lewis Dodd" wrote:

Woodcraft sells a bit for this exclusive purpose, if you are interested,
holler back at me and I will give you the part number. I have one, and
it
is not exactly cheap but good quality. I don't think they list it in the
catalogue. I found it from a turner friend.

Regards,
Lewis

I could use that part number also. Thanks!


Peter Teubel
Milford, MA
http://www.revolutionary-turners.com