Other than a quality DP

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Dale Allen

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How else could I set up to drill accurate 1/16" holes along the edge of some thin material. MY DP is a low quality benchtop that has a lot of wobble so this operation is hit and miss at best.
I really don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a better one when I don't use it for very much. I can't very well use my lathe because the holes are not in the center of the piece, they are on the outer edge.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
 
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PaulDoug

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Are you set up to drill on your lathe. Could you make a temporary table/jig that sits on you lathe that you could put the stock on, drill, slid the stock, drill the next hole?

One thing I can say, I bought a real good drill press last week. I find myself looking for reasons to use it. Just saying, if you had a good drill press, you would use it a lot more. Same with most other tools.
 

skiprat

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You really should be able to take most of the slop out of your drill press quill by tightening the guide screw that the quill runs against.
It's often a small grub screw with a locking nut.
I can take a picture of mine if you need it.
You can tighten the screw so that it is quite firm in the quill groove and the return spring isn't strong enough doesn't pull the quill back up. ( Loosen it again when you're done :wink: )
 

Dale Allen

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Paul; I may eventually get a good one but actually I'd like to get a 1221VS first.
I also do have a sliding table for the lathe and I'll look at that as a possible solution.
Thanks Steven. I'll look at the adjustments again. I know I messed with them at one time but gave up on it. May be worth another look.
 

Paul in OKC

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You can start the holes with a small (like a #1) center drill to get a starting point. As far as spacing, I think one of those cross-slide vises from HF would work for that.
 
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jttheclockman

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Use a router. Do you own a plunge router??? Even if you do not you still can use a fixed base router. Just need to make some sort of jig to get consistancy with the holes. You do not say what material or how large this object is. Maybe a photo of what you are trying to do will help in a design of a jig for the router.
 

Dale Allen

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What it is is a very thin rim of plastic. As you can see, the 1/16" magnets are about the same size as the thickness of the walls.
One hole is spot on but the other wandered a bit. I an reviewing the design and may be able to thicken the walls a little.
 

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PaulDoug

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If you had a "mini" bit you could drill pilot holes. My check a hobby store for a tiny bit, coarse them you have to have a chuck that will close small enough to hold it. They have then hobby stores, it is a hand drill affair, but in plastic it would be easy.
 

jttheclockman

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Yes you are going to need to look at this again. You have no room for error and if the walls are the same thickness as the magnets. Not sure what you are after. Sorry I can not help.
 

skiprat

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Wow, that looks tricky without using a decent milling machine with a rotary table. But you could do it with a metal lathe easy enough.
Attached is a pic of where I drilled 1mm diameter holes on a flat PR workpiece and filled with alluminium pins. You'd just swap around the drill and piece to drill around a ring.
How about cutting grooves with a router and filling over the magnets with either the same colour or just clear CA? Accentuate the magnets into the design.
John T and several others have shown jigs to use their router in conjunction with the lathe indexer.

Good luck !! I wish you success!!:)
10981d1243289063-fender-stratocaster-stratocaster5.jpg


 
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Paul in OKC

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I would make a drill jig for that. Something that would fit snugly in the id with a shoulder to sit on the part. The two holes located in that you just drill your part thru the holes. If something like that would work for you, let me know the part id, od, and the drill size for the holes and I'd be glad to make something and send you to try out!
 

Dale Allen

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Thanks Paul. I'll keep that in mind. I stated to work on something with a guide but decided not to spend too much time just yet.
I was able to change the design so that the OD was bigger and allowed a thicker ring. I was able to do this by hand with a pin vise. This will suffice to see of the whole thing works out. Then I'll worry about doing multiple ones faster and more efficiently.
 

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Wow Skiprat that is some really precision drilling. I am in the other camp when it comes to drilling for precision. I have never had a good eye for that at all.
 

nava1uni

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You could also use a dremel. I have a small holder for my dremel that allows me to use it as a drill press. It works real well. You might check it out. Not too expensive and I use it a lot for drilling small things like holes for magnets in boxes, etc.
Here us a link to what I am talking about Dremel 220-01 Work Station
 

Dale Allen

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Cindy, thank you so much.
That is what I need. I have a dremel tool but this will give me an excuse to buy a better and newer one. Excellent idea...thanks again.

Dale
 

dogcatcher

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If I were to be drilling very many of them I would invest in a Foredom drill press along with Proxxon cross slide vise for it. Expect to pay big dollars for the setup, but it would be nice to have.
 
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