Posted 5/3/2013 7:10 AM (#638923) Subject: weight issues
Posts: 43
Location: West Virginia
I am having trouble getting my baits weighed. I am using a digital caliper to measure the thickness of the lure. Then i divide in half. Set the caliper to the 1/2 thickness then make a mark with a pencil. Here is where i am having trouble. When i start to drill it i can never get it to drill dead center. i bought one of the dowling rod jigs but it is junk cause it will not auto center like it is suppose to. I also have a drill press that has a laser on it but dont have any way to hold the bait while drilling. This is the last step i am struggling with. Hope to get a few diffrent ways to do. Thanks in advance guys.
Posted 5/3/2013 8:51 AM (#638939 - in reply to #638923) Subject: Re: weight issues
Posts: 908
Location: South-Central PA
I use a small punch to mark the exact spot and then start with a very small drill bit. I then move up to the correct size bit and drill the final hole.
Posted 5/3/2013 10:00 AM (#638963 - in reply to #638923) Subject: RE: weight issues
I have these left over from the days I was on the bench as a moldmaker. They work nice because you can get your counter sink done at the same time as your drill starting hole. A punch like Jeremy said is probably the most practical. http://www.mcmaster.com/#combined-countersinks-and-drills/=ml8iml
Do you have a vice for your drill press? That would help hold things square. I have a cross slide vice mounted on mine; I find it very useful for many things. http://www.mcmaster.com/#cross-slide-vises/=ml8md6
Posted 5/3/2013 4:17 PM (#639047 - in reply to #638980) Subject: RE: weight issues
Posts: 4266
I've been using a clamp on device that is used to drill holes for dowels, and it is dead nuts center every time. Fostner bits fit right through the holes and one side allows you to see the side of the lure, so that's where I do my marking. I'll have to see if I have a catalog with it still in it. I don't know why a doweling jig won't work for you, I'm looking at 2 in the Woodcraft catalog that came today. The only way to knock those off center is to overtighten them, then the adjustable side will cant a little bit, but I've never been off center, especially with Fostner bits, they have a little tit on the nose that sticks out to start the cut in the right spot. What kind of problems you having with the jig? Now I'm curious. You could always buy a small vise to set on the table of the drill press, then you could set the depth you wanted and repeat it.
Posted 5/6/2013 4:03 PM (#639518 - in reply to #638923) Subject: Re: weight issues
Posts: 43
Location: West Virginia
thanks for the awnsers guys. Is that the best way to find the center of the bait? Should i be marking the holes before or after shaping/ rounding the corners of the bait?
weight issues