I wonder if there is a method for drilling holes in wood in a straight line like example A? It’s very easy to end up with a result like example B.
For example, if I want to drill 0,8 mm holes for Kadee bolts.
Do you have a drill press? If you are doing it by hand, it will be more difficult. What I would do is make a template or jig that you can use as a guide to make sure the holes are lined up. Possibly if you can rig up a 45 degree angle jig to guide exactly where the drill will go. If you are asking about where the point of the drill will come out on the other side, you really need a drill press!
Know anyone who has a milling machine with an X and Y table? It would make quick and accurate work of it. Check around to see if one of the local high school there in Sweden has a metal shop. Someone may be able to do the work for you, at a small fee.
I would fabricate a jig to use as a guide so that you can use a portable drill to drill out the holes by hand. A classic trick in woodworking is to drill a perfectly vertical hole into a block of 2 x 2" wood, then use that as your drill guide to keep the drilling accurate.
Tom
I have a ‘precision’ drill press(Microlux) that has a X/Y table attached. The entire rig set me back almost $200, but I can drill holes with the ‘precision’ you are describing! Before I bought this rig, I had a friend with a similar setup drill some ‘templates’ in brass so I cound drill mounting holes for grab irons.
Jim Bernier
I suppose a drill press is the way to go. Time to spend some money [:D]
Go to your local hardware store and buy a piece of pegboard. You can get 1/4" holes which are slightly smaller than 8mm. The holes will centre your 8mm bit and after you have drilled a few holes, you will have your template. I use this method to make shelving.
If you check their scrap bin, they may have a piece to meet your needs.
Hope this helps…Ken
Could you also not use a sharp scribe and draw a line down the middle of the stock to be drilled. Then, use a punch to start each hole at the place needed along the sribed line, after carefully measuring the distance between them.
As for getting the holes vertical to the surface, a drill press is the answer.
- draw a straight line
- measure the distance between the holes.
- mark this distance on the straight line.
- drill on the marks on the straight line.
I agree with Rick. Simple, lo-tech, appropriate technology. I would add a step to punch a small indentation with a nail or awl at the marks where you’re going to drill. That will keep the drill from wandering off on its own. Also, if you have a variable-speed drill, it’s easier to start the hole at low speed.
I have done other work here for prople on a CNC machine. Let me know what you want, bolt p[attern, materal to use, ect. I can drill it for you exactly and send it to you. Just pay me for the shipping. I have been doing CNC work for 16 years and can drill anything you want with percisson accuracy. I can use aluminum, steel, nylon, plexiglass, ect with any thickness from .030 to 10" thick. No charge, just pay the shipping.
A drill press with a fence works. They make a plastic jig with corresponding drill and guide for 1/4 in holes. Availible at woodworking stores.
Remember he is talking POINT 8 mm holes, not 8 mm holes. He is installing nut bolt washer castings in the side stake of a HO gondola or a bridge part.
The X-Y table and a drill press is the expensive and exact solution.
The hand drill option would be to use a straight edge to lay out the lines and use a needle to centerpunch before you drill.
The lazy man approach would be to drill the holes oversize, put in all the NBW castings, then adjust them in a straight line and glue them. The oversize hole lets you move them around.
The “plastic rivet” approach would be to cut the heads off the castings, discarding the “bolt” stems and then just glue the heads onto the wood, and not drill any holes.
Dave H.
I know.
.8MM IS .0315 thousands of an inch.
1MM is .03937 thousands of an inch
lectroluv,
why did’nt you say you are into finescale modeling. we are going to have to add a couple more steps to the four i mentioned above: if you are going for an nbw on a bridge or something; simply eyeball it (that’s what a carpenter hanging in space would do).
when we get to hand grabs or railings on a big dollar item (a pullman car maybe), then the slightest error in positioning will jump right out at you! no self respecting carpenter would ever do sloppy work, so even if you are building a “ruin”, the initial work would have been done perfectly.
i build in 1/4" scale and even then it is practically impossible to mark a project with perfect accuracy. after the initial marks are made with a pencil, i will stand back and see just how accurate the marks are (their pattern will look right , or not).
next i will use a very sharp, needle point, scratch awl to either “centerpunch” the mark, or the adjusted place it should be. i do this lightly in case i need further adjustment. i use a magnifier because i need it, and it helps with my accuracy (“aim small, miss small”).
basswood is very fine grained, but it has enough to deflect your drillbit, so the centerpunch step is also to “break the grain” so the hole ends up where you want it instead of the other way around. if all the punchmarks look right, then i drill. usually there is one or two renegades that will need special attention in order to be perfect. for these i angle the smallest drillbit i dare use toward where i want the hole to end up. i will successively enlarge the hole in this fashion until the proper diameter hole exists. with skill and luck, this usually works.
i use a pin vice, and i wish i had a drillpress. gasturbine’s offer is a good one, if i had a standard pattern, i would have him make me a jig. things would be so much easier.
i am way good at this because i have high standards, and i have done everything wrong at least once. my early wo
That sounds very interesting. I have a example picture here for you, just want to know if it’s possible for you to make something like this on your CNC? If you can and if it’s not too much trouble for you, please let me know and I will give you a picture with exact measurements.
The idea is to place the steel template over the wood so it can’t move and then just drill holes exactly in the middle of the wood. That would be awesome.
electrolove
No problem. I can either make it out of .062 (1/16) ALUMINUM or whatever. IMO I think the Aluminum would be best. Just give me the measurements.
Great! I will come back to you as soon I have a proper picture. Can I contact you by email so we can discuss this futher?
Scibe a line with a straight edge where you want the bolts to go, then an intersecting ling at each point you want the bolt. Center punch at each intersection, and drill. You’re welcome.
From me, too…twice now. [:D]