Gun drill handle

[Tom Hansen]

I bought a gun drill for making long straight holes for pipe stems and flutes. Now I need to assemble a rig to hold it and hook it up to a compressor. I'm not a huge tool guy and haven't the foggiest as to what parts to look for or where to find them.

I realize I can buy a handle from Trent Bosch but I was hoping someone here might be able to help me piece something together for pennies instead from a local store or shop?

Is there a name for the parts? Is this a home depot trip or a machine shop trip? Maybe grainger? I'm lost...

 

[Philip Rose]

I purchased this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H9OYII/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1, and epoxied in a ball valve with an air hose connector to connect to the air hose by the lathe.

 

[hockenbery]

You can turn a wooden handle. Need to drill an airway chamber a lilttle deeper than where the drill seats in the handle
Attach the fittings to the handle by drilling a hole into the air chamber.
If you use a drill bit a tiny bit smaller than the air fitting threads you can just screw it in and it will be air tight.

like @Philip Rose said you want a ball valve on the handle for air control. The big box store will have the valves and connects just be sure to get all the same size so they match. I use 1/4”

the air chamber can be drilled into from the end of the handle or from the side. the side is probably more comfortable for most people and it can be used to keep the drill from twisting going in and out

I can post pictures of the parts if that would help.

 

[Tom Hansen]

You can turn a wooden handle. Need to drill an airway chamber a lilttle deeper than where the drill seats in the handle
Attach the fittings to the handle by drilling a hole into the air chamber.
If you use a drill bit a tiny bit smaller than the air fitting threads you can just screw it in and it will be air tight.

like @Philip Rose said you want a ball valve on the handle for air control. The big box store will have the valves and connects just be sure to get all the same size so they match. I use 1/4”

the air chamber can be drilled into from the end of the handle or from the side. the side is probably more comfortable for most people and it can be used to keep the drill from twisting going in and out

I can post pictures of the parts if that would help.

it would very much help. thanks much!

 

[Larry Copas]

I've done several. My preferred method is drill out the end and thread to accept a 1/4" National Pipe Thread. Than I put in a 3" long nipple, elbow, valve, and finally a male quick connect air fitting. In my picture the 3" nipple is covered by the wood handle.


I have a metal lathe to drill out and re-thread the end but it is not an easy job. All of the gun drills that I have converted had really hard steel. It was not easy to drill and tap.

Also the gun drills were threaded on the end but it was an odd thread and impossible to find fittings at the local hardware.

To convert one without a metal lathe I would think about gluing or soldering in a fitting. Another idea might be to use air hose with hose clamps. It really doesn't take much air pressure to make these things work.

I find the air valves on ebay and the last I bought were only a few dollars.

 

[hockenbery]

it would very much help. thanks much!

@Clifton C handle posted in the other thread would use the parts below.
These are available in big box stores and some hardware stores - It’s a good idea to fit them together in the store before you buy. I use mostly 1/4 inch parts but have a few 3/8 parts.

The parts used are common in woodturning for vacuum systems, air tools, airbrushes, sand blasting, carving tools, and sanders.

you need an air compressor with a hose attached. Then there are all sorts of parts available. The come in different sizes. And all the components are available with male or female threads. The little adapters shown below the coupler are handy for connect male to male or female to female when you need to cobble something together.


I have a coupler like this on the end of the hose coming from the
compressor - Fitting screws into valve Drill handle

 

[Tom Hansen]

the threaded inserts were the missing link. i was wondering if i needed to epoxy the thing in or what. it all makes total sense now and i feel silly not realizing it. thanks.

 

[john lucas]

I have 2. I will.be gone all.day but will try to.post photos this evening.

 

[hockenbery]

the threaded inserts were the missing link. i was wondering if i needed to epoxy the thing in or what. it all makes total sense now and i feel silly not realizing it. thanks.

I have a couple of vacuum holding devices I made from wood. Just drilled a hole in the wood and turned the this fitting into the hole. a wrench is needed to turn it in all the way. No glue and it does not leak - or more accurately I can’t notice it leaking.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

This is my setup with the 4 gun drills that I have the mounted one is 3/8" then 7/16", 1/2" and 3/4". the 7/16 has an adapter to match it to the other 3 which have a 1/2" - 20 male thread. The body is 7/8" hex bar stock bored out all the way thru and threaded for 1/2"-20 on the working end and 1/2" pipe on the other end. The box end wrench is used to stabilize as uou are drilling. I originally made this setup about 25 years ago with the air quick connect directly into the body and only rexently adapted the air gun.