How to drill a cenetered hole in end of solid rod

Several years ago, I saw a c-frame tool set up with a laser shining on
the skin at the location of the center of the bottom die. This
simplified aiming for a hole when the die was covered by the skin. He
also rigged up a sledge hammer with a system of ropes and pulleys so
that he could raise the hammer by pressing a lever with his foot, then
let it drop on the punch. This allowed him to have both hands free for
handling a large sheet. We called it a laser guided sledge hammer. It
was not an elegant arrangement, a duct tape and bailing wire affair, but
it worked.

Del Rawlins wrote:

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 11:52:02 +0000, Scott
wrote:


I need to make a specialized tool and am looking for a way to drill a
1/16" hole EXACTLY in the center of the end of a piece of say 1/2" of
3/4" solid aluminum rod. In other words, I am trying to make something
similar to a screwdriver using solid aluminum rod for the handle and
1/16" brass rod as the blade.


I dunno how exact you mean when you say exact, but this summer I built
a "C-Frame" riveting/dimpling tool and had to drill a 3/16" hole in
the "exact" center of a 5/8" rod. I accomplished this by finding a
piece of 1" or so round steel, clamping it in my drill press vise and
then clamping the vise to the drill press table. I first drilled a
3/16" hole completely through the 1" round steel (approx 2.5" long) as
close to centered as I could (non critical), and then chucked a 5/8"
bit in my drill press. Taking care to keep the alignment the same, I
then drilled about halfway down the first hole with the 5/8" bit to
make a drill guide.

I clamped the 5/8" rod in a vise, and placed the guide over it. Then
took the 3/16" bit in a hand drill and drilled into the rod using the
guide to center it.

It isn't as exact as using a lathe would have gotten, but it is more
than good enough for the task at hand especially considering that I
dont *have* a lathe. A picture of the C-frame tool (before paint and
sandblast) can be found he

http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/imptool.html

It didn't occur to me to take a picture of the drilling guide but it
should be fairly self explanatory.


================================================== ==
Del Rawlins--
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--
John Kimmel


I think it will be quiet around here now. So long.

"guynoir" wrote in message ink.net...
Several years ago, I saw a c-frame tool set up with a laser shining on the skin at the location of the center of the
bottom die. This simplified aiming for a hole when the die was covered by the skin. He also rigged up a sledge
hammer with a system of ropes and pulleys so that he could raise the hammer by pressing a lever with his foot, then
let it drop on the punch. This allowed him to have both hands free for handling a large sheet. We called it a laser
guided sledge hammer. It was not an elegant arrangement, a duct tape and bailing wire affair, but it worked.


I like that!

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 16:58:34 GMT, guynoir
wrote:

Several years ago, I saw a c-frame tool set up with a laser shining on
the skin at the location of the center of the bottom die. This
simplified aiming for a hole when the die was covered by the skin. He
also rigged up a sledge hammer with a system of ropes and pulleys so
that he could raise the hammer by pressing a lever with his foot, then
let it drop on the punch. This allowed him to have both hands free for
handling a large sheet. We called it a laser guided sledge hammer. It
was not an elegant arrangement, a duct tape and bailing wire affair, but
it worked.

Sounds like something my dad would have rigged up. I thought I was
gonna die after I actually cleaned the shop and either re-sharpened or
disposed of all the mangled screwdrivers I found stuck in a drawer.
How was I supposed to know that each of them was a special tool?


================================================== ==
Del Rawlins--
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply

From: (Del Rawlins)
Date: 10/17/2004 22:19 Central Daylight Time
Message-id:

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 16:58:34 GMT, guynoir
wrote:

Several years ago, I saw a c-frame tool set up with a laser shining on
the skin at the location of the center of the bottom die. This
simplified aiming for a hole when the die was covered by the skin. He
also rigged up a sledge hammer with a system of ropes and pulleys so
that he could raise the hammer by pressing a lever with his foot, then
let it drop on the punch. This allowed him to have both hands free for
handling a large sheet. We called it a laser guided sledge hammer. It
was not an elegant arrangement, a duct tape and bailing wire affair, but
it worked.

Sounds like something my dad would have rigged up. I thought I was
gonna die after I actually cleaned the shop and either re-sharpened or
disposed of all the mangled screwdrivers I found stuck in a drawer.
How was I supposed to know that each of them was a special tool?


================================================= ===
Del Rawlins--

I used to do gunsmithing. Your father's collection of "mangled" screwdrivers
sounds like mine. It is truely amazing how many of those beasties one needs.
The one thing I wish I had done was label what each was for. About 20 years ago
I was going to make an inletted box for them all. It still isn't made. No need
to rush these things, y'know.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

B2431 wrote:

I used to do gunsmithing. Your father's collection of "mangled" screwdrivers
sounds like mine. It is truely amazing how many of those beasties one needs.
The one thing I wish I had done was label what each was for. About 20 years ago
I was going to make an inletted box for them all. It still isn't made. No need
to rush these things, y'know.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Take a short length of scrap 2x4. Drill one side full of holes. Go
about halfway through with the holes. Line up all the long slender
tools like little army men. Labels? Use a pen, pencil, or crayon
(purple if you have it).

It's amazing how much a scrap of wood has cleaned up my bench 8*)

--
http://www.ernest.isa-geek.org/
"This is by far the hardest lesson about freedom. It goes against
instinct, and morality, to just sit back and watch people make
mistakes. We want to help them, which means control them and their
decisions, but in doing so we actually hurt them (and ourselves)."

Is there a vo tech high school or perhaps a technical college near
you?

I should think any vo tech oriented school that has a manuacturing
shop would be glad to help out. I know that I certainly would.

For that matter if you can't get it done local let me know and I will
have one of my students do it up and will mail it to you. I have .500
and .750 AL on hand, 6061 I believe although it might be 7075, I will
have to look and see.

Errol Groff
EAA 60159

Instructor, Machine Tool Department
H.H. Ellis Regional Technical School
Danielson, CT 06239

860 774 8511 x1811

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 11:52:02 +0000, Scott
wrote:

I need to make a specialized tool and am looking for a way to drill a
1/16" hole EXACTLY in the center of the end of a piece of say 1/2" of
3/4" solid aluminum rod. In other words, I am trying to make something
similar to a screwdriver using solid aluminum rod for the handle and
1/16" brass rod as the blade.

Earlier, Scott wrote:

I need to make a specialized tool and am looking for a way to drill a
1/16" hole EXACTLY in the center of the end of a piece of say 1/2" of
3/4" solid aluminum rod.

I've done something like that, using this general procedure to
center-drill a 1/2" rod with a 3/16" bo

1. I put a saw slot most of the way across a pice of scrap aluminum
block.

2. I lightly clamped the block in the drill press vise, and clamped
the vise onto the drill press table so that the drill axis hit the
slot.

3. I drilled a 3/16" hole through the block somewhere along the slot.

4. Without moving the block, vise, or table, I unchucked the 3/16"
drill bit, stuck it shank-first in the hole in the block, and then
tightened the drill press vise so the block clamped down on the drill
bit.

5. I chucked my 1/2" rod in the drill press chuck.

6. I started the drill press, and then cranked the rotating 1/2" rod
down onto the stationary 3/16" drill bit.

Some variation on that theme might work out for you. Most of the time,
I just use my little 9x20 lathe...

Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

Hey, that sounds like it could work also! Thanks for the idea...

Scott


Bob Kuykendall wrote:

Earlier, Scott wrote:


I need to make a specialized tool and am looking for a way to drill a
1/16" hole EXACTLY in the center of the end of a piece of say 1/2" of
3/4" solid aluminum rod.


I've done something like that, using this general procedure to
center-drill a 1/2" rod with a 3/16" bo

1. I put a saw slot most of the way across a pice of scrap aluminum
block.

2. I lightly clamped the block in the drill press vise, and clamped
the vise onto the drill press table so that the drill axis hit the
slot.

3. I drilled a 3/16" hole through the block somewhere along the slot.

4. Without moving the block, vise, or table, I unchucked the 3/16"
drill bit, stuck it shank-first in the hole in the block, and then
tightened the drill press vise so the block clamped down on the drill
bit.

5. I chucked my 1/2" rod in the drill press chuck.

6. I started the drill press, and then cranked the rotating 1/2" rod
down onto the stationary 3/16" drill bit.

Some variation on that theme might work out for you. Most of the time,
I just use my little 9x20 lathe...

Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Building RV-4
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die

Scott wrote:

I need to make a specialized tool and am looking for a way to drill a
1/16" hole EXACTLY in the center of the end of a piece of say 1/2" of
3/4" solid aluminum rod. In other words, I am trying to make
something similar to a screwdriver using solid aluminum rod for the
handle and 1/16" brass rod as the blade.

Put the 1/2" round in your drill press chuck. Clamp a small table top
clamp to the end of the round sticking out of the drill chuck.
Carefully lower the spindle till the clamp is on the drill press table.
Carefully clamp the table top clamp to the drill press table. Now
release the chuck raise the spindle, put in the 1/16' drill bit and
drill the hole. I've never tired it but it should work pretty well.

--
Chris W

Not getting the gifts you want? The Wish Zone can help.
http://thewishzone.com

"They that can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759 Historical Review of Pennsylvania

Chris W wrote in message news:pIDed.78756$cJ3.45421@fed1read06...
Scott wrote:

I need to make a specialized tool and am looking for a way to drill a
1/16" hole EXACTLY in the center of the end of a piece of say 1/2" of
3/4" solid aluminum rod. In other words, I am trying to make
something similar to a screwdriver using solid aluminum rod for the
handle and 1/16" brass rod as the blade.

Put the 1/2" round in your drill press chuck. Clamp a small table top
clamp to the end of the round sticking out of the drill chuck.
Carefully lower the spindle till the clamp is on the drill press table.
Carefully clamp the table top clamp to the drill press table. Now
release the chuck raise the spindle, put in the 1/16' drill bit and
drill the hole. I've never tired it but it should work pretty well.

--
Chris W

Not getting the gifts you want? The Wish Zone can help.
http://thewishzone.com

"They that can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759 Historical Review of Pennsylvania

What I do for wood dowels is, get different size washers with
different size holes. Find one that is the same size as the dowel your
drilling and use the washer as a guide.
lou