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+--- Thread: Centering Over Round Piece (/thread-1685.html)
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Centering Over Round Piece - EdK - 09-04-2013
I need to bore some 1" holes through the middle of a piece of aluminum/aluminium tubing. What's the best way to get the spindle of the mill over the highest point on the tubing? I've have one of these and have used it but I don't think it's accurate enough for this application.
Center Finder
Attached is a picture of the part I'm making.
Thanks,
Ed
[attachment=6315]
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - EdK - 09-04-2013
Answering my own question but after I posted the question I realized I could likely do it with one of these edge finders.
Ed
[attachment=6316]
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - PixMan - 09-04-2013
I find it's more accurate to use a dial test indicator on a long arm. You might not be able to reach the tangent point of a 1/5" radius with one of those.
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - EdK - 09-04-2013
(09-04-2013, 12:43 PM)PixMan Wrote: I find it's more accurate to use a dial test indicator on a long arm. You might not be able to reach the tangent point of a 1/5" radius with one of those.
Ken,
That's my concern also.
My first thought was to use a dial indicator but how do you keep the contact point in line with the axis of the mill spindle?
Ed
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - dallen - 09-04-2013
finding center is easy once you get it lined up on the mill table so that its straight. I take that the holes have to be in alignment to the center of the tube right
DA
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - EdK - 09-04-2013
(09-04-2013, 03:45 PM)dallen Wrote: finding center is easy once you get it lined up on the mill table so that its straight. I take that the holes have to be in alignment to the center of the tube right
DA
Correct.
Ed
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - Highpower - 09-04-2013
I do this:
But I use a full diameter 1/2" center finder and leave the .200" tip for small diameters.
![[Image: 0203524-23.jpg]](http://www.use-enco.com/ProductImages/0203524-23.jpg)
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - TomG - 09-04-2013
Ed,
You can also use an dial test indicator to center a part. Just swing the indicator on each side of the part and adjust the table until it reads the same on each side. If you do it on a piece of tubing, set your quill stop so you can set the indicator to the same level in Z on both sides of the tube (preferably at the center).
Tom
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - PixMan - 09-04-2013
I run the indicator up & down to find the high point of the radius and side-to-side to find the low point of the straight at centerline, then adjust the Y axis until the readings are equal.
RE: Centering Over Round Piece - Sunset Machine - 09-05-2013
If the work is too large for an edge finder, lean a square against it and reference from that. In a similar fashion you can reference from a vice jaw. You can also kiss the top of the work with a small endmill and eyeball it, the middle of the narrow line it produces will be center.