Laser Centre Finder

You can't beat a sticky pin.

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Thanks ... I've been rather distracted too; so not much progress.

MichaelG.

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Chris,

Forgive my ignorance but; how would you use a sticky pin to align the centre of an existing large diameter hole?

I know how to use one to locate a tiny centre-pop, or an edge, but that's a different matter.

MichaelG.

I have had a look at vid 18 Michael and it suffers from same problem as my expensive one I think was around £60 ish 10 years ago.

Beam generated is far too big and or too much spatter to be of any use, reliant more on visual than actual. What it needs is the beam to be 1/10 of that size to be of any use but still wont be as good as a cheap wiggler £5 or electronic edge finder £17, I can honestly get a better visual with a cutter overhead. Ciggy papers another good one.

In saying that did like the home brew laser attachment that might consider only using for larger internal holes, no other accurate use. Also the quick release depth stop but rest of stuff and layout is just gizmos or wrong. Larger or smaller dia hex bar that self centring 4 jaw wont hold, it will be off two of the jaws. Take it he never machines with anything smaller than 19mm shank or does any proper work, machines gonna be very limited in use and so forth. Takes 10 secs to change an R8 or MT collet over with cutter or about 5 mins with an ER but can see his point if machines an ISO.

Same way as an edge, pick one side of bore with the sticky pin, zero dial or DRO. Move X axis to other side of bore, pick bore edge as before. Use the feed dial to move the table to a position half way between1st & 2nd reading this will be centre in X direction, repeat for Y direction.

Its best to operate roughly in the bore centre to start with, a sticky pin isn't the most accurate way to do this process. Using a true running dowel & touch the bore in 4 places is better and then the best is using a DTI to centralise the spindle to the bore is the most accurate.

Tony

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Thanks, Tony

Yes, I know how to do it the long way.

I was asking Chris specifically in the context of his "You can't beat a sticky pin."

I think Dan Gelbart's device beats it hands-down [for speed and convenience, if not ultimate accuracy] for that particular application. ... have you watched his video?

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 14/11/2014 16:48:20