Centering a drill-press on ¼" aluminum rod...how?
 

Ok, while I am waiting on my lathe (which will be a few months), and don't have a self-centering device, what do you guys suggest for centering the bit in my drill-press on ¼" aluminum rod? Is there some sort of nifty jig one of you guys has come up with that works well? I have a 3-axis table-clamp (front/back, left/right, 360º rotation), so I can adjust everything easily, but I was hoping some of you had an easy way of making sure the hole is drilled perfectly in the center of the rod. Should I just do my best to find, mark, and punch the center of the rod, then adjust the clamp so the bit hits the dimple as best I can? Let me know as soon as you can, because I am going out to the shop in about an hour to fabricate a bunch of parts...and I will show them to you when I am done! :)

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide!

I would use a roundstock square and find center then chuck it up and go from there. Check for square to the rod. I physically move the bit next to the rod and chack all the way around check for out of square.
If all is good then go find that lil dot and drill away . As you drill do a pecking order in otherwords alot of in and out and dont try and make a big cut tap tap tap.... That will help keep things straight.

Make sure bit is sharp and properly cut. I suggest trying the bit on some stock and check the cut...
Ok I think I babbles enough good luck...

You need to use a starter bit. It is a very stiff drill bit on the end of a larger shaft. You use this to make the dimple that the drill bit uses as a starting point. Works for me very well.

I usually just take a center punch and punch. I find that I can estimate the center better with a punch rather then just drilling it.

There are tools, wiggler, centering dies, and that.

You can make a jig or sorts.

Find a decently thick piece of flat stock (1/4 thick or more). Then drill a hole (the size you want in your links) all the way through. Then change the bit to one that matchs the outer diameter of the links and drill half way through the piece and stop. Now you have a jig that will give you the exact center for punching or possibly drilling depending on the material you used.

This, my friend, is brilliant!!! Why on Earth did I not think of this, heh...oh well, you did, and that's all I need! ;)

Also, thanks to everyone else who posted your advice, I really appreciate the help! :)

this is what i use. I have a peice of 1/2" flat stock, on one end its drilled for doing 1/4" links with 3mm for the rod ends and the other end is drilled for 1/4" liks with 8-32 rod ends. The only PIA is holding short peices of 1/4" stock while drilling without leaving scares on them.

allgm1, get yourself some ½" nylon strap (like from a 1:1 tow-strap, etc.), or a length of ½" heavy rubber, and make a self-tightening noose...wrap it around the link in a direction that will actually tighten the noose as the link tries to turn, and this will securely hold the link without marring the finish. You can also just wrap either the nylon or the rubber around the link and squeeze the holy-hell out of it with some Vise-Grips, haha!!! :)

Like alot of my projects, I eye ball it. I do have a small, sharp punch that I will use to find "center" and make a mark accordingly.

I also went and bought the rubber things that go in the vice for holding such stuff. Won't scratch the material, and more importantly, keeps it from spinning while I drill.

Get your self a small v-block or two. You can get them cheap through MSC and places like that. I f you lived closer I would just make you one.

Use V Blocks for drilling links
 

Use V-Blocks (stand the block on end so the notch is vertical) and clamp the link to the block.

Try www.use-enco.com

or Ebay.

Another good place for stuff like this is www.rutlandtool.com

Al of these places will take an internet/phone order with a credit card.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...Chassis014.jpg

Make sure you use a good (sharp) drill bit and as mentioned, peck drill (small depths until you get where you want).

John

VEE Blocks
 

Here is the one from Enco (www.use-enco.com). They are a matched set, and are ground perfectly square and perpendicular. They cost $19.00

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...coVEEBlock.jpg

I like these beacuse they have the built in clamps.

The ones pictured in the last post I got from Harbor Freight (I think).

. . . Or . . . I am assuming you are using a drill press. Some drill press vises, like this 4 inch model from Enco have a vertical V cut into the jaw of the vise for holding round or cylindrical objects horizontally or vertically.

Here is one from Enco for $39.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...lPressVise.jpg

Happy drilling.

HOLY CRAP! Thank you guys for all the help, ideas, and suggestions!!! I really like the v-block and clamp thing, so I am gonna go check my vise (3-axis drill-press vise) and see if it has vertical notches...if not, I will buy one or all 3 of the clamps/v-blocks above, and a new kick-ass drill-press vise! You guys don't know how much I appreciate your help! I am going to be making a LOT of links, so this will really help until I get my lathe! Thanks again!!!!!!!

Mnster's idea is great and I'll be using it from now on. I'll share my way that I used to use though. I'd take some tubing with an inner diameter the size of the link and a transfer punch the diameter of the link. Slide the link material and punch inside the sleeve. It keeps it alligned fairly well for a center mark. But like i said, I think Mnster's way will be more accurate.

Mnster's way is how I do it too only I go one step further and put an edge on the block that fits against the edge of my vice so when you remove the block from the vice to insert another piece of stock it sits in the same position.

Oh and use 2 flute drills with tapping fluid.

You realy need to use one of these.
http://i10.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/ba/ab/1649_1.JPG

What is it?

good idea, but I use 8-32 rod and 1/4"brake tubing...... much easier!!!

It is not very nice to tease them like that. Actually you wouldnt need the Indicall just put the indicator in the drill chuck and swing your part that way.

Yep, that's how we do it at work, just put the dial indicator in the chuck, and put the mill in neutral. Then spin the indicator by hand to measure each of the x and y axis points on the round stock till they are all as close as possible. Please take out the indicator before you turn the mill/drill press back on though.. Also, another way of centering your part is to put it in the drill chuck. Then clamp it down in your vise, loosen the drill chuck and bring it up off your part, then viola.. it's centered "thumbsup" Just make sure to watch the part as you bring the chuck back up off it and look to see if it moves when pressure is relieved at all when you loosen the chuck. If so, loosen the vise, re-chuck it, and do it again. You should be able to do it first try though. I also HIGHLY recommend a center drill!! Trying to run a drill straight down on flat stock will cause the drill to walk on the part, and if you press down hard enough, you're gonna have a projectile drill bit flying at you. :shock: