# Drilling a center hole without a lathe



## rubberbandgunguy418 (Jan 12, 2011)

Hey guys, I don't own a lathe but I need to drill center holes in a dowels and 1x1s and 2x1s. Any advice?


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Do you have a drill press?


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## rubberbandgunguy418 (Jan 12, 2011)

Hammer1 said:


> Do you have a drill press?


Yes I do, but it's not tall enough to drill holes into some of the things I drill.


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Hey RBGG,

I saw a jig that I think will help but I can't remember where.

What you want to do is swing your drill press table out from under the chuck far enough so you can clamp the jig to the table.

Then clamp your work piece into the jig so it aligns with your drill bit

This part might be a pain but it sounds like you might be drilling multiple workpieces so once you get the set up done you're on your way. 
Hope this works for you.

J


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## rubberbandgunguy418 (Jan 12, 2011)

Thanks J! Very helpful! =]


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Glad to help. Let us know how it works for you. Please post a picture of your jig. I haven't built min yet because I haven't needed it yet so I'm very interested in how you make yours.

J


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

rubberbandgunguy418 said:


> Hey guys, I don't own a lathe but I need to drill center holes in a dowels and 1x1s and 2x1s. Any advice?


Hello RBGG, 

I found the PDF file re: Drill press vertical drilling jig I refered to previously. The problem is that I can't attach it here for some reason using my Droid even though I have it in my phones download file. 

I can e.mail it to you though. Post your e.Mail address if you want me to do this.

Jeff


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## rubberbandgunguy418 (Jan 12, 2011)

Yes, please email it to me. [email protected].
I'll post pictures in a few weeks  thanks for your help.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Once you get your fixture up N runnin,and hangin off side ala jharris......

There are several ways to accurately get a mark on dowel cntr.You can research turning forum for that.

As a check,once dowel is fixtured........take a sm'ish diameter pc of wire about 6-8 inces long.This is gonna be temporarily put in DP chuck.It needs to be bent in a sweeping curve so that bttm end is almost touching side of fixtured dowel,coming in close to a 90* at wire tip.Its a pointer,rotating the chuck by hand will expose any "off-centered'ness" by looking at the gap between dowel and pointer.You'll be amazed at the resolution your eye is capable of.Backgroud colour/lighting can assist,to the point of being a basic optical comparitor.Good luck,BW


Edit to add;If your DP has a spindle lock....."sometimes" it helps if you barely snug it whilst drilling.Its taking out some of the play in spindle/bearings.Try it bth ways.....snugged vs not.


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks BDub,

Definately gonna file that one for when I get my own jig built.

Dang, I love this forum!

Jeff


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Jeff,some spring calipres like those used in turning have a straight stud comin out the top.It can be chucked up as well,won't detail the process because you'll see it as soon as you stick'em in there.


The same notion;single pointer can be used to see if your spindle is "trammed" with table.The pointer comes down out of chuck,a ways.....then bends at a 90*.....and heads twd DP tables edge.Say down 3" then Right 10".....now bend another 90*,down.

You adj table hieght for sm gap between pointer tip and table on the right.Then turn chuck 180* and check other side of table.This also works for checking fr & back.In machine shop world folks use dial indicators mounted to bars for checking Bridgeport and other milling machines for "tram".Oh my goodness,REAMS of paper have been used exposing on this or that "special" technique.A bloomin coat hangar works fine....the key is finding the right air gap for the human eye.

Now if your DP table ain't sq with spindle......well thats a whole nuther subject.But this is an extremely fast way to check DP subplates and fixtures.

I'll try to get a link for a layout tool thats as old as dirt.They're dead simple,and can't think of the technical name for them(and we have and use them almost daily,duh).Can get classic old Starret's for around 10$ off the bay.BW
http://cgi.ebay.com/L-S-Starrett-sm...311?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56423faf1f

Hot dang it worked!You really only need two of these;big N little.The pointer is used striaght out mostly for transfering hiegths from a combo sq,stood up...to whatever you're working on.Use that a little(theres other ways).The best usage is when you're checking a pce's hiegth from the DP top.You use the bent end,again using that majic air gap,and it ensures that the part is in the fixture,vise,ect....the same on both ends.They're indespensible for all kinds of layout work,no real moving parts...no batteries.....old world craftsmanship.....and my fav part,cheap.BW


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks again BDub, That's very useful info. Sure RBGG will find it helpful as well.

I was cutting rossettes on a project and on close examination of my work pieces I found that my DP table was slightly a-tilt. I had assumed (you know what they say) that the indexing on the DP was true. Always a mistake. I knew better.

Now I know how to get that corrected.

Great method for centering too.

Thanks again.

Jeff


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Hey BDub, 

Looky what I found. It was in a box of my late fathers tools that I inherited as the only son.

Seems like just the ticket for dowel centering/drilling.

Jeff


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Oh my yes!

Straight leg deviders,one of the simple'ist,off the chart elegant and useful tools in the shop......ours get used daily.Good find,BW


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