Hi All,

I am putting together a single shot rifle on a Falling Block Works action and want to use the butt section of a semi-inlet stock that was cut wrong. I need to drill a thru-hole for the bolt that attaches the stock to the action and am ready to drill.

This is my setup, the stock is square and lined up as correctly as I can make it, I plan to start the hole from both sides with the drill press, then finish the hole with my 14" barrel liner drill bit.

Is this good? is there a better or easier way? what should I be wary of?

Thanks to all for your help.

Marcos (elalto)

Markus

You would be damn lucky to have the holes meet in the middle. You need to have a starter hole in each end and align the drill with the other alignment spot on the table of the lathe. I do mine in the lathe with the "gun"drill in the chuk and the other end supported in the tailstock center. I push the tailstock/stock into the gun drill. It will come out perfect almost every time.

Place a "center" in the vise and align it under the drill tip, then locate the desired exit point for the drill bit on this center and begin the drilling, use a sharp, new bit - I've used brad-points and they've worked well.

The "center" can be a sharp nail driven through a block of wood. When you reverse the stock to drill from the butt toward the wrist, replace the center with a dowel aligned under the drill spindle and sized to fit the hole in the wrist.

Better ways out there, perhaps, but this worked for me.

one more thing - watch the process very carefully, if you hit a hard spot in the wood it can make the drill bit "walk" a bit and you end up with a crooked hole.

Some people use a single flute drill, though it's a bit time consuming.

That is what I was referring to when I said a "gun drill". It has a single flute and won't wonder off. Drilling from both ends, they meet right in the middle.