Cheap & Easy hole centering on tubing

[bigb]

I needed to drill some holes in 3/4" tubing but they had to be centered, I had some grounding clamps laying around so I just pulled the screw and finished drilling thru the brass clamp then used it to center all my pilot holes on the tubing, worked great.

[smithdoor]

I would just make a jig.
If could I use drill press

Dave

I needed to drill some holes in 3/4" tubing but they had to be centered, I had some grounding clamps laying around so I just pulled the screw and finished drilling thru the brass clamp then used it to center all my pilot holes on the tubing, worked great.

[farmersammm]

I like that!!

While on the subject....................WTF do stinkin' drill vises have the half azzed fixed jaw that doesn't extend all the way down to the vise ways?? Any kind of thin plate slides under the damn jaw, and makes it a PITA to center the vise for repeated operations. With a mill vise, you just shoot your center off the back fixed jaw, and you're good to go.

One of these days, I need to mill a square spacer to place in front of the fixed jaw to close the gap.

[jpump5]

I like it. Drilling pipe/tubing is always a problem
because drill walks off top of pipe, even with center
punch mark. Using a center drill works , but drill
press table has to be raised because center drill is
shorter than twist drill . I’m thinking that in a drill
press, you could just hold top of ground clamp on
pipe and use it to start drill. Ground clamp trick
(using both parts of clamp)would work well in the
field with portable drill.

[In Utopia]

Great idea, never thought of it.

[CAVEMANN]

Good idea!

[Bob]

I guess you don't have a center finder. They work great for this and on any size pipe.

[whtbaron]

I like that!!

While on the subject....................WTF do stinkin' drill vises have the half azzed fixed jaw that doesn't extend all the way down to the vise ways?? Any kind of thin plate slides under the damn jaw, and makes it a PITA to center the vise for repeated operations. With a mill vise, you just shoot your center off the back fixed jaw, and you're good to go.

One of these days, I need to mill a square spacer to place in front of the fixed jaw to close the gap.

I have a few little strips of plywood I keep around for that.... pain in the butt.

[BD1]

I guess you don't have a center finder. They work great for this and on any size pipe.

Center finder works great. They increased in price like everything else.

https://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Safet...NsaWNrPXRydWU=


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tapwelder]

I like the tool. It appears to the tube in position for drilling. Would probably do a fixture similar to that rather than using a center finder tool. Center finder will mark the tdc, but not assure alignment if drilling through both sides.

I have had a center finder tube for years. Used it for the first time a couple weeks ago on a pipe rail job. Awesome tool for aligning opposite ends and clocking miters and copes.

Check.. Ebay and there are other brand available. I have the curve-o-mark purchased new in box for cheap price.

[Bob]

I have a center finder that I bought at a flea market that's probably the best ever made. It's in a little metal box and can find any place on the pipe in single degrees. I just went out and looked, it's called Miracle Point. i just looked and I'll be danged if they don't still make it.https://www.penntoolco.com/miracle-p...7C%20%24349.95

[tapwelder]

I have a center finder that I bought at a flea market that's probably the best ever made. It's in a little metal box and can find any place on the pipe in single degrees. I just went out and looked, it's called Miracle Point. i just looked and I'll be danged if they don't still make it.https://www.penntoolco.com/miracle-p...7C%20%24349.95

Nice. Did you happen to check out the current price?

[M J D]

If drilling smallish round stock I just set a 6" scale ruler between the stock and the drill. If it balances out level it's pretty much dead on center.

[CAVEMANN]

Nice. Did you happen to check out the current price?

Miracle points are a great tool, they're also expensive, last time I checked it was around $400.00 IIRC. I just checked again & they run between $350.00 & $400.00 for the one like we were issued in the Machine shop. There are larger sizes that are more expensive.

[M J D]

Miracle points are a great tool, they're also expensive, last time I checked it was around $400.00 IIRC. I just checked again & they run between $350.00 & $400.00 for the one like we were issued in the Machine shop. There are larger sizes that are more expensive.

Travers Tool sells one that appears identical for somewhere in the 180$ range. I have one of the miracle point branded ones and I believe it was around 150$ nearly 20 years ago

[SlowBlues]

tube grounding point and center finder all in one

[Bob]

I did and was stunned. I think I paid around $20 for the one I have. It is nice to use it though.

[tapwelder]

Found this for 60 bucks, used. Knock-off brand. SPI 360 magnetic compass