Finding center line along the length of a piece of pipe

[wicrules]

Hello,

My father has asked me to make a support system for his grape vines. He basically wants a couple of 2" poles with wires running through them. I have never tried to drill holes down the length of a pipe. What is the best way to align 2-3 holes along a pipe?

I have one of those cheap jigs that come with drill presses for drilling round pipe, but I'm not sure it will help for this.

Thanks!

[MicroZone]

You can use a T-Square and run a straight line down the pipe OR you can make a simple JIG that touches each side of the pipe with a hole in the center. Someone posted a pic of this neat gadget a few months ago, I'll see if I can find it.

I just use the T-square, the center is where you make it and if you need several holes, as long as they are on the straight line...you're good to go!

[wicrules]

That makes sense. Thanks for the suggestions.

[coyota]

lay a piece of angle iron against the pipe to scribe a line the length of the pipe?

[MicroZone]

Coyota - Yepper, you can also do that. That is another good fabrication trick/tool. I was about to post that but still looking for that picture of the neat tool jig.

[enlpck]

lay a piece of angle iron against the pipe to scribe a line the length of the pipe?
And if you need dead alignment, keep it clamped on while drilling and set the angle on the press table, with a fixture to hold proper alignment.

[wicrules]

More good tricks. Thanks guys!

[JTMcC]

Not that you need it for your application, but in the professional pipefitter ranks you'll find Curve O Mark Center Heads in almost universal use (there are other brands). They allow you to locate top dead center, bottom dead center, or and ange in between on two or more points (any distance apart) on a pipe.

JTMcC.

[infamousjer]

i got a center head on ebay for like next to nothing

[tapwelder]

You could use a piece of channel. I use 1" channel with .5" flanges a lot. So when I want to mark the length of a piece of pipe I lay/clamp the channel (flange side down) against the pipe. If the channel is touches the pipe at all points, then you can use the edge of the channel as a straight edge against the pipe.

[treb11]

chalk line to make layout

[maximumwoodie]

Clamp the pipe to the table on each end so it won't roll. Take a piece of flat stock 1/2 the outside diameter and push it up against the pipe. Scribe the pipe while moving the flat stock with your scribe. ( Unless your piece of flat stock is as long as the pipe. ( Example: If the pipe is 1-1/2 OD, get apiece of 3/4 inch flat stock.)) Do both sides of the pipe before you break it loose from the table and you have the center of both sides. This layout also helps if you're doing a layout to cope opposite ends at 90 degrees to each other. You can do the same thing using an angle block. The important thing is to not let it move once you begin scribing.

[river rat]

Find the biggest center punch you own that will fit in your drill chuck and chuck it up. Lower the drill press quill so that the punch fits into the bottom of your v-block. With the quill locked down holding the v-block in position, clamp the v-block to the table. The drill chuck is now centered on the v-block and all you have to do is mark the length on your pipe, the holes will automatically be centered because the fixture is centered. If you are really anal about the holes being super square to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, use a good try-square to square the table to one of the flats on the punch before centering the v-block.

This method has longer set-up time, but it will save you in the long run because it sounds like you have a lot of these to drill.

[ltlvt]

Is anyone gona tell the poor boy how to use a square and a level... ????

[Tinbasher]

I prefer the curv-o-mark for larger diameters and lengths, the angle iron method for smaller diameters or short pieces and the square and level method works as well as any and is simple

[William McCormick Jr]

I make railings amongst other things. When I make stainless steel rails, with larger horizontal pipe, and small 3/4" O.D. tubing verticals. I have to drill a couple hundred 13/16" holes in the stainless pipe.


I actually tack the pipe to the table. So it cannot twist. The notch is not in the pipe yet, so when I notch the pipe it removes the steel contaminated piece.

I have a "u" channel that exactly fits over the pipe. A 1/8" bent piece of "u" channel. The pipe is usually a 1 1/4" schedule 40 stainless steel pipe. The "u" channel has a hole on the top of it, that my center punch fits in exactly. It is aluminum and sometimes I beef it up with a block of aluminum. So the center punch stays straight.

I put a mark on the side of the "u" channel that corresponds to the hole for the center punch, the pipe starts at the edge of the table so I just hook the tape onto the table. And move the "u" channel along according to the shop drawing measurements. I just put a good center punch in each. A nice deep center punch mark.

Sometimes I have measurements that correspond to the notched pipe that is not yet notched. Then I just "c" clamp the ruler a half inch or 5/8 inches in from the edge.

Then I use the Drill mag, on the steel work table, and move along and pop a quarter inch hole in each. The I go back with a 13/16" drill and finish them. I can pop twenty holes in about twenty minutes. Sometimes I use a 25/32", if I can find it. Ha-ha.

This has worked well for me. It makes for a really nice weld joint. I rarely use filler rod. They always look very straight.

Sincerely,



William McCormick

[pilebuck]

For larger diameter pipe use a square, tape measure and a level. At one end measure the outside diameter of the pipe. (easy example 12 inches) now cut that number in half to find center ( 6 inches ) Still holding your tape on one end of the pipe, hold a 2 foot level at the 6 inch mark on the tape.(make sure its level:) ). Where the level touches the pipe straight up and down are top centerline and bottom centerline( mark them). In order to draw a line you obviously need another point down the pipe. Walk down the pipe a couple of feet and lay your 2ft. square on top of the pipe. Set your 2ft. level on top of your 2ft. square and make sure it is level. You know that 6 inches is the center of the pipe, and you know your square is level so mark the pipe at 6 inches on top. You now have two points and can snap a chalk box line.

Or you can spend 110 bucks for the tool that does the same thing.

[denrep]

... hold a 2 foot level at the 6 inch mark on the tape.(make sure its level:) ). Where the level touches the pipe straight up and down are top centerline and bottom centerline( mark them). In order to draw a line you obviously need another point down the pipe.

...Walk down the pipe a couple of feet and lay your 2ft. square on top of the pipe. Set your 2ft. level on top of your 2ft. square and make sure it is level. You know that 6 inches is the center of the pipe, and you know your square is level so mark the pipe at 6 inches on top. You now have two points and can snap a chalk box line.


Any reason you couldn't use method two to lay out the first mark?

[pilebuck]

No, I was just showing more than one way to do it on the end of pipe. A two ft. square wont work on a pipe larger than around 48 inches, but you could still use a four foot level fairly accurately using method 1 at the ends of the pipe.

[denrep]

pilebuck, thanks for the nice tip.

Any simple tips for centering on a verticle pipe?

[pilebuck]

hhhhmmmm...... In a perfect world your verticle pipe( or piling) would be plumb and square (rarely going to happen:) ) you could use a plumb bob and steel tape. But I dont see why on something medium sized why you couldnt use a wrap around and pull a string line through it to give you a reference line.

[William McCormick Jr]

pilebuck, thanks for the nice tip.

Any simple tips for centering on a verticle pipe?


http://www.Rockwelder.com/WeldingWeb/DrillingHoles/Drillingholes.html

This is how I would do it. That is a quarter inch center punch I am using in the movie.

But believe it or not you can get an amazing amount of accuracy from just sighting it in.


Sincerely,



William McCormick

[pilebuck]

Thats a nice video!! I think everyone would agree that a tool specifically intended for a particular application if available is the way to go.

[William McCormick Jr]

Thats a nice video!! I think everyone would agree that a tool specifically intended for a particular application if available is the way to go.

Thanks.

After a couple railing jobs where I had to drill holes for the verticals in the horizontals. That is the only way I would consider doing it now.

I have done the marking of pencil or indelible ink marker lines on a pipe, for bending as well. And I never get them right.

If you take maybe ten minutes and just make that jig, you are set.

While bending pipe you can relocate a tiny center punch mark and use the punch to see 90 degrees off top dead center as well. You can put a heavy mark into the last four inches of the pipe that will be under ground anyway.

Over the years I found it is easier to just take my medicine up front.

That video setup from Camtasia Studio is pretty wild. They also make Snagit. Both are great programs. The photo editor in Snagit is really awesome. It lets you pop in balloons and fill them with text. It remembers the last text you used as well. So you can just pop it up and alter it. That can be a timer saver.

www.techsmith.com/

I only use about 1/100th of the Camtasia Studios abilities. And I probably get some of that wrong anyhow. Ha-ha.

That is there Web site.

Sincerely,



William McCormick

[TozziWelding]

I love my Curv O Mark, but on small non critical applications, an angle or a channel and a chalk line is just fine. A level and square is also handy dandy. If you can find a good combo square with a center head on it you will never put it down. I can think of about 10 ways to do it just sitting here. Just use whatever you are comfortable with.

[Doug247]

I like to lay a piece of channel of angle iron against the pipe and use it to draw the line, but if you find the drill bit is trying to wander off the material, even with a punch mark, just grind a little flat spot and repunch your mark. this method works very well with shafting.

[Tom Kroscavage]

After you get your line you can index your pipe with a 1/4" tape

[fbrown333]

I found this tool on here a while back and made one. It works great, you place your pipe in the vice, place a level on the home made tool and slide it down the pipe to where you want the hole and use a punch to mark it. Then drill your hole.
I coudn't get the picture to load. SO what you do is get a peice of flat stock 1/8" thick and drill three holes in it, one near each end and one in the center. Then place a metal dowl thru each end and tack in place. when you place it on the pipe pivot it to the left or right so the dowls touch the pipe. the center hole will be in the center of the pipe every time. this will work on several sizes of pipe it is only limited by the size of the tool. Works great. You will find a lot of good stuff on this site. hope this helps you in you grape vine quest :D

[prop-doctor]

here s one that was on a while back
i found it but can t seem to get it to cut copy and paste grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
was posted by ( ctardi ) on 5-24-06 name of thread: simple center marking jig
hope that helps

[fbrown333]

Found it tried from work, this time I did it from home

[DSW]

That same idea will work to divide anything into equal parts.

Lets say you have a 23 1/4" x 48" wide plate and want to lay out for 6 equal strips 48" long.

Take your tape and hook it on a corner or side of the plate. then measure across to a number divisible by the increment you want (6 in this case) So for the example 24", 30", 36" and so on would work and make your marks at numbers you used divisible by 6. So if you used 36" you would mark every 6" on the diagonal tape 6 increments x 6( inches on tape to layout marks)= 36, For a 30" diagonal the layout # would be 5, 10, 15 and so on.

You can use this to divide by any number you need as long as you can get the diagonal to measure to your number side to side. Same 23 1/4" plate with 20 equal spaces. I'd use 40" on the tape if possible and mark every 2". If you wanted 20 holes with equal spaces and equal dist to the end, lay out for 22, 1 to start, 20 for the holes and 1 to end, layout diagonally at 44 and mark every 2".

Once you have your marks you can measure from an edge to the mark to set the dist and snap your lines.

[Magnetic Mechanic]

pilebuck, thanks for the nice tip.

Any simple tips for centering on a verticle pipe?
2 ways to scribe a line centered on a pipe.

[dakook]

This post is kind of old but. If you just want to drill a series of holes down a pipe with a drill press clamp this on the end of the pipe and find level for each hole. Is also good for keeping more than one bend in pipe and tube on plane.

http://gilchrist-electric.com/Images/Electrical_tools/Level_top_view.jpg

[jimmys]

You can't be sure you're in a straight line unless using levels, or the channel/angle jigs. Even with a level, you have to clamp the pipe so it doesn't roll any.
Jim

[farmersamm]

I love my Curv O Mark, but on small non critical applications, an angle or a channel and a chalk line is just fine. A level and square is also handy dandy. If you can find a good combo square with a center head on it you will never put it down. I can think of about 10 ways to do it just sitting here. Just use whatever you are comfortable with.

Centering Head... way to go on that small dia. pipe(and I've seen bigger ones too). You can mark both sides, and drill each side seperately. If you try to drill from one side clear thru to the other, chances are the holes will be misaligned because the drill bit will walk on the inside of the pipe. Better to punch, and drill from both sides.:blob4:

[ol' Stick Guy]

You say a 2" pipe, which has an OD of 2.375" half of that is 1.1875"
Now you take your framing square lay it with one leg vertical and the other horizontal to the pipetake a level and place it on the horizontal leg of the square once level measure 1.1875" from the crotch of the square and put a mark (scribe, marker, soapstone, spit) this is top dead centre of the pipe repeat this as often as is necessary along the length of the pipe.

howz that for clear as mud

[Nitesky]

Centerheads are great for one or two holes.

At work they used to lay a 20' length of pipe on the ways of a L A R G E lathe and scribe a line. Were making 40' shower bars with holes every 12" and they were all in line nicely.

For home you might better afford to make a jig from wood, angle, or some other device and a reasonably flat surface. For that I use the secondary highway out front and lay it on the pavement. Can hear the hillbillies coming for miles so no problem.
Hmm, don't want to be bending over when they come upon me :nono:

[Bozzza]

im assuming its not seamless pipe so all i would do is mark the two ends where the seems r and get a straight edge and line them up

[S.t.t.G.]

I wouldn't trust the seam, could have a bit of spiral to it from when it was made...depending on how long or the diameter, the ol' angle iron trick is usually the fastest, or grab yer trusty centering head and center punch each end at the top of the pipe and snap a line down the length......my 0.02

[tinner]

You need to stabilize you pipe either in a piece of angle or a vise with a pipe clamp if you have one. I then use a center head that has a center punch mounted in it with a protracting level to make all of my marks the same. Here is the tool that I use: http://www.flangewizard.com/products115.html

[violatedppl]

A good way on big pipe without the use of fancy tools, all you need is some soap stone, and a two foot level. Rub the soap stone on a section of the pipe about 3 inchs long and about 2 inches wide, place the 2 foot level ontop of the pipe hold it dead level and run back and fourth over the pipe. If it is done right you will have the center of the top of pipe exposed. This method allows you to find center of pipe with common tools while the pipe is installed. The larger the pipe the easier as you can straddle the pipe while your working on it.

[roy_Robinsonv]

chalk a line prob the easyst way