didgeridoo-making on a lathe (DIY bed extension?)
From someone who has never used a lathe, but is in the market for one:
I can't find a lathe long enough for my job, which involves some turning, but also drilling through long (two to seven feet) segments of wood to make the musical instrument known as the "didgeridoo." Bore sizes would be from 20mm to 100 mm. I'm not even sure that a lathe is what I need, versus a drill press. But a drill press only has about four inches of spindle travel. So, for my deep hole boring on the drill press (forstner and custom made stepped spiral bits) I would have to drill a few inches worth, then raise the table, drill some more, etc.
I'm picturing doing it instead on a longbed lathe. Even then, I'm not sure how it would work. Do I put the drill bit in the tailstock or headstock? Do I spin the log, or the bit? Looking around online, i've read that the bit is stationary and the wood turns. I guess I would need a steady rest. Only a few of the lathes I've looked at online have an optional bed extension, and they are expensive and still too short. How difficult would it be to make one? Are they adaptable between brands?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I attached a file with diagrams that explains more in depth what it is I want to do.
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