I am trying to make a bowl gouge handle out of Cherry. The handle is 17" long and 1 7/8ths square. When I put it in my Talon chuck and bring the tail stock up the bit was not centering on the wood. It was a little bit off so I loosened the chuck and realigned the handle with the tail stock and tighted the chuck again but it still didnt center properly. I went ahead and drilled it but the hole seems to be a little oval and is not allowing the gouge shank to go in.
Should I try and drill it on my drill press? Im thinking the handle blank is to long??