Popular Post Bearpaw Posted May 14, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 My oldest daughter and I make a craft item that we sell. I have made several different sleds to cut the material but have needed a way to locate a pilot hole for a screw eye exactly in the center with out measuring. The craft item varies greatly in size depending upon what material I am cutting. My first effort worked, somewhat, but with sales increasing I needed something better. This was made from a wooden hand clamp from Harbor Freight and scraps from the shop. Part of the scraps was a section of maple bowling alley. The first picture is the finished jig. The second picture is of the core of the unit. The threaded rod from the hand clamp is held in place so when it is turned the jaws would open. Did you know that you cannot find a left-hand acme nut? To hold the rod in place I made thick washers from some UHMW and held them and the rod in place with a nail acting as a roll pin. The most important part of this was making sure the wood and washers’ thickness was so, when the jaws were close, they both were snug against the wood. The third picture is how I had to modify the clamp jaw. I had to drill a relief, so the washes were not in the way of the jaw closing. By clamping the jaws to the center block I was able to drill holes for guide rods. This was necessary to keep the jaws parallel since I was only using one of the threaded rods to operate the unit. The fourth picture shows how I had to cut the center block and the jaws for an aluminum track. The fifth picture shows the completed unit at my drill press. Sorry the picture is up-side down, but I tried to correct it, but nothing worked. The sixth picture is another view of the jig where you see a black knob to the left. Once the jig is centered and clamped to the drill press table, I need to move the jig to place the bit over the place I want the hole and then tighten it down. I made a centering block to positioning the jig. I located the center of the block and drilled the hole. I then turned the block 180 degrees to test it. I was off by 1/132” Not bad. That is more than enough for the craft item. Harry Brink, HARO50, Gunny and 6 others 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Dudelston Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 Very innovative and a testament that necessity is the mother of invention. Well done. Cal, DuckSoup, FlGatorwood and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunny Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 Well it is interesting to see what you were talking about verses you explaining it to me last week. It works, nice garage engineering!! steven newman, FlGatorwood, Cal and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Meeuwissen Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 great project with accuracy to boot. Can you show it in action on the project? You got me very curious. Gunny, Cal and HARO50 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted May 14, 2019 Report Share Posted May 14, 2019 I'm a jig junky. That's really neat idea! Gunny, FlGatorwood and Cal 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gunny Posted May 15, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 On 5/14/2019 at 5:00 AM, Pat Meeuwissen said: great project with accuracy to boot. What he designed this for required a better than average amount of accuracy. Like anything else it took time and some effort to achieve that. Have to get over to his place and see it in action. Go reason for a field trip. Artie, FlGatorwood, Bearpaw and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Bearpaw Posted May 22, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted May 22, 2019 I have had request for a better description of this jig. So I will try to walk through the set up and use of the jig. 1. picture 0004 is the index block with the drill bit placed in the jig. 2. picture 0005 show index block now centered after it is tighten between the clamps. 3. picture 0006 shows the drill bit now in the drill press chuck. 4. picture 0007 shows the jig clamped to the drill press table. 5. picture 0008 shows a generic block to be drilled. Since the items I use this for are of different size I have different size support blocks. 6. picture 0009 shows the drill bit where I want the hole. I can move the jig forward or backwards by loosening the knob and lock it in place. This shows the sample centered with a tolerance of 1/132". 7. picture 0011 show the sample being drilled on the pointed edge. 8. picture 0013 show the hole that was drilled on the pointed edge. The nice thing about this jig is how accurate it is, how tight the construction is and how quick it is. The first time I used it I was able to drill 30 units in about 12 minutes with no mistakes. John Morris, John Moody, HandyDan and 5 others 4 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morris Posted May 22, 2019 Report Share Posted May 22, 2019 Thank you Bear! FlGatorwood 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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