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Experts, a topic for you.

jknaus

Administrator
So I'll throw this out there to the experts. How do you drill holes in the center of an object, especially a small fragile object, or thin rounded object. As an example there is a company that makes very realistic tow cables. Unfortunately where the cable enters they eyelet it is solid. So you have to drill dead center then enlarge the hole for the wire. How do you find dead center and drill without being offside and making a hole in the ferule? Alternately, you have a tail plane and want to add a stick to it for better support than plastic. How do you drill the hole precisely so as not to drill through the skin of the tail plane or so it is centered and doesnt look lopsided when installed? If someone knows a fast easy or slow and easy way to do this could you please do a photo thread with explanation for all of us? I know I have problems in this area and I know others fight with it also so maybe you could explain it so we can improve. Thanks in advance to anyone who steps up to the plate and writes out a tutorial.
James
 
Generally I just eye dead center and using a pin in a pin vise push a starter hole to keep a pin drill from walking. If the object is big enough I use a miniature center finder.
 
i just eye it as well, as john said, and make a starter point with this little tool

ha35debf_2019-04-21.jpg


it is like a small awl.

I seem to remember Chuk had something on finding the centre of his Ju 388 build a while back. I think it was focuses on centering the tailplanes. I'll try and find it
 
You can draw a couple of lines though the radius of the circle and that'll get you center, problem is drawing on something small like we work with.
 
i just eye it as well, as john said, and make a starter point with this little tool

ha35debf_2019-04-21.jpg


it is like a small awl.

I seem to remember Chuk had something on finding the centre of his Ju 388 build a while back. I think it was focuses on centering the tailplanes. I'll try and find it

pg 14 of that build had some notes...

https://www.modelersalliance.org/forum/chukw/147805-ju-388-planet-models-1-48-resin?start=156
 
I use a pic but still not always successful. And drawing lines through a 1 or 2mm piece is problematic. Just figures this would be a good tutorial that I am sure we have not had before.
 
I use a pic but still not always successful. And drawing lines through a 1 or 2mm piece is problematic. Just figures this would be a good tutorial that I am sure we have not had before.

Yep, there in is the problem. That's one reason I keep a lot of tubing stock on hand.
 
My advice is to get a good selection of round burs on lab mandrills. You can fix any off center hole with these.
h35a63b7.jpeg
 
i just eye it as well, as john said, and make a starter point with this little tool

ha35debf_2019-04-21.jpg


it is like a small awl.

I seem to remember Chuk had something on finding the centre of his Ju 388 build a while back. I think it was focuses on centering the tailplanes. I'll try and find it


Has anyone heard from Chukw? Its been a long time since he posted.
 
They call it a compound table. I added a vice that fits on top, so I can hold whatever I want, wherever I want and move it with precision.

It's pricey, as all Proxxon tools seem to be, but it's belt driven, solid and works flawlessly.
 
They call it a compound table. I added a vice that fits on top, so I can hold whatever I want, wherever I want and move it with precision.

It's pricey, as all Proxxon tools seem to be, but it's belt driven, solid and works flawlessly.

:nopics

And not the catalog picture, wanna see yours big guy. :dude
 
They call it a compound table. I added a vice that fits on top, so I can hold whatever I want, wherever I want and move it with precision.

It's pricey, as all Proxxon tools seem to be, but it's belt driven, solid and works flawlessly.

:nopics

And not the catalog picture, wanna see yours big guy. :dude

Still need to liberate my lens from my son. I could hold the Canon body up to the press, but I don't think we'd see anything... :D
 
I use a pin in a pin vise as John said with the old eyeball , use magnification. Your first try drill ,use a tinnier drill than needed then can then check it . If it’s off take the pin again and rock it a bit towards the fatter side then drill carefully remember a tiny bit of rocking the original hole can line it up a bit better.

Brian
 
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