Li'l help with a boring problem, please?

[MattP]

Sorry for the bad pun. Questions about drilling.

My wife's boss asked me to knock together for her a weird live edge table from a camphor slab she picked out to fit a weird alcove in her house (above the switchback in the stair case) that is 5' deep, 3 feet wide at the opening, but only 6 inches wide at the back . Gas pipe legs. The plan is for the pipe to be screwed to the bottom of the table top (which weighs about 20 lbs) with floor flanges and pass through the stretcher (which weighs about 16 lbs) and rest on floor flanges. 

   



Just for general information, this was a 9' slab I crosscut in half, and the bottom half will be the top and the narrower upper half will be the bottom stretcher.

   




I bought a BORG 2 X 12 to use as a mock up, and I am practicing on that, as well as checking for the stability of the design (the tripod thing has me worried). I used my big as* brace (thanks, Admiral!) to drill a 3/4 inch hole (my biggest bit) (thanks, Admiral!), and reamed it out to the outside diameter of the pipe (which seems to be 1 1/16")  with a rasp. Didn't go so well, I overshot by a bit and came in at 1 and 3/32. I have a couple pictures of the slop--out of camera view I am pushing gently on the pipe to the left and right to show y'all the extent of the slop. I felt pretty confident that my 3/4 inch holes were bored plumb; I'm pretty sure I introduced the out of plumbness with the rasping.

   

   

   

All that rasping took quite a while (I was going slow and careful and test fitting every few rasp strokes), and it still came out pretty meh. Is there a better way? How would you guys have tackled fitting the pipe? Any merit in using a swept carving gouge and treating the situation as a mortise?

BTW, here is how I did the rasping: I cut back to my outside diameter circle just about a 1/16" down into the hole, so that I had, essentially, a 1/16" bevel that landed on a shoulder inside the hole. When the pipe stood on that plumb, I flipped the board over and repeated the process. Then I tried to remove just the wood that formed the shoulder, filing back to the outside diameter circle. Is that the best technique, or is there a better way?

Would really like the remainder of the holes to come out much better than this one did. Any advice and suggestions gratefully accepted.

[barryvabeach]

I just had a similar situation, first I marked out the diameter with a compass, then drilled with my biggest bit, which was smaller.  Then took my narrowest chisel and slowly trimmed around the outside of the hole until I got close to the line, then continued to trim and test fit .  I ended up with a very snug fit.

[daddo]

You might try and take a slightly oversized paddle bit (1 1/8") and grind it down to the size you need. Make test holes gradually until you get the perfect fit. You can taper the grind to fit the taper on the pipe end.

[Alan S]

An expansive bit that adjusts to bore holes between about 3/4" and 3" in diameter is pretty handy for things like this. They are also called expansion bits, or simply adjustable bits. Ace hardware carries them for about $30, or you can likely find an old one nearer to $10-$15 at a MWTCA meet or on ebay.

[Derek Cohen]

My wife's boss asked me to knock together for her a weird live edge table from a camphor slab she picked out to fit a weird alcove in her house (above the switchback in the stair case) that is 5' deep, 3 feet wide at the opening, but only 6 inches wide at the back . Gas pipe legs. The plan is for the pipe to be screwed to the bottom of the table top (which weighs about 20 lbs) with floor flanges and pass through the stretcher (which weighs about 16 lbs) and rest on floor flanges. 

Matt, why are you building this "table"?  Do you believe in the design? Are you sold on the gas pipe "legs"? Is your boss' wife a better designer than you? Do you have another design idea?

Personally, I would tell her that the design is flawed and that the result will look like hell. 

I would draw an alternative, with proper wooden legs (paint them black if you wish) that may either fit into a hole size that you decide on, or into an undercarriage that is an appropriate design.  There is a lot you can do with the camphor slab, but it is all wrong to me if you proceed along the path she has chosen. Assert yourself.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[daddo]

Some people don't like it when you tell them it needs to look your way- the "typical" way.

I think the customer knows what they want and you can show them other options and see if they agree, but it boils down to the fact that if you changed their mind for them and they don't like it- it's on you.

I've seen some weird dang furniture made by some folks, but hey, it's what they like and that's what works. Somewhere in the works they call it art.

[hbmcc]

Treat it like any other construction, and accommodate 'oops' problems with shims. The wood will probably twist over time, the pipes will not be round [humor], and an earthquake will tilt the house. Perfect won't be the norm. Borrow some of the boss's business cards and shim away.

Or, take Derek's advice, pee off the boss which will pee of the wife---ex-wife, now--and you won't need to worry about the problem. 


Man! I love the censorship!!! pee, forks.

[knockknock]

If you decide to give up on drilling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slA8JqdBm-0

[GNP]

Forstner bit

[Adnick]

If you have an extra auger bit that's slightly larger than the hole you want, just cut down the wings with a file, on the outside.....custom hole size in no time, I've done it many times, jut mark the bit, cause it can be a problem if it just gets stuck back into the set ;-)

Andy