[zeeman69]

This is a drill press question, excuse my ignorance as I am pretty new to all of this. I picked up a micro lathe and a drill press not to long ago to make some hobby parts and other misc crap. Im mostly using smaller diameter round rods, 1/4, 3/8 ect, and anything from 1/16 - #29 drill bits, sometimes tapped sometimes not.

After a lot of trial, a lot of error, and even some luck once in a while Im hoping to get a little guidance here. My problem is getting my holes centered when I drill thru the width of the round rods. I am using a vise and a center drill to start the hole but eyeballing the center isnt working out very well. They look center when I start the hole but they usually come out angled.

Is there a general rule of thumb, a tool or gauge, or perhaps a way to make a jig in order keep my holes centered and perpendicular with round stock?


Any help on this would be very much appreciated.
Cheers
Zee

[ImanCarrot]

I'm assuming your rod is lengthwise left to right in the vise.

Without the spindle running bring your drill down to the stock and stick something like a microscope slide or a flat shim between your part and the tool (at right angles to your rod). Press the drill against the microscope slide. If the end of the microscope slide facing you is high, then your drill is too far away from you. Move the drill untill the microscope slide is parallell to the floor. You are now dead centre to the rod axis.

Now... get an end mill (like a drill but flat at the bottom) smaller diameter than the hole you want to drill. Milll a little flat on the rod with the end mill- this will stop your drill wandering. Stick the drill back in and drill away!

You can also use the microscope slide trick to make sure your tool is dead centre to stock on your lathe- just bring your tool up to the side of your stock and use the same principal.

Neat huh


[Edit]Don't be tempted to move X or Y with the end mill in the drill press- that's dodgy[/Edit]

[kewlkiwi]

Is there a general rule of thumb, a tool or gauge, or perhaps a way to make a jig in order keep my holes centered and perpendicular with round stock?

Yep, there's a simple tool made for that specific job, see:

http://www.micromark.com/CENTER-FIND...TOCK,7949.html

It's something you could probably make for yourself too, just from the picture.

Bob

[zeeman69]

Iman, yes I have the length of the rod running with the length of the jaws if that makes sense. Same way it is pictured in the link Kewlkiwi provided. Only difference would be, due to the diameter I dont always have the rod laying on the bottom of the vise, which is probably part of the problem. I guess I could cut a thin piece of wood or something to place in the vise to lay the rods on, that might help hold the rods level and up toward the top of the jaws.

Only problem with that is if I lathe the rod and it has weird shapes that wont allow it to lay flat,,,,, but I guess I could always drill the holes before any lathe work. Im not sure what the right or wrong order would be, but im sure its all part of the learning curve.

Great idea with the end mill! And dont worry I wont try to move X or Y with the end mill in, I have a cheap -100$ drill press and no slide table ( think thats what they are called ), so yeah, even being a noob I wouldnt think that would be a good idea lol.

Thanks a LOT guys, great advise and I will definitely look into either trying to make or buy the center finder you linked kiwi.

[zeeman69]

Hmmm a slide vise for the drill press would probably help alot right? Right now I just have a vise bolted onto the table and I rotate the table to try to line things up. Hey Im new to this, what do you expect!

[ImanCarrot]

1,2,3 blocks would be better than a bit of wood you can pick up a set of cheap ones for about 19 quid.