If you need to drill a hole in a wooden or metal billet (round, square or rectangular shape) strictly in the center, then it is most convenient to do the marking not with a caliper, but with a special tool - a center finder.
Ready-made factory indicator and optical center detectors are sold today for lathes. But if there is no machine at hand, and you need to find a center, then you can use a home-made center finder. To make it, you will need only two parts: a regular metal square and a ruler.
We do the center finder in 15 seconds
Making a homemade tool to find the center of the workpiece is very simple. You just need to attach the ruler to the square at an angle of 45 degrees and fix it so that it is stationary. For fixing, you can use a small clamp or clamp. You can also drill holes and secure the ruler with rivets or bolts.
So simple (and most importantly - quickly) at home, you can make a convenient and practical to use the center finder. The principle of operation of the tool is also very simple. We apply the adaptation to the workpiece, and the ruler will pass just through the center.
It is enough to draw the first line first, then turn the tool 90 degrees and draw a second. Then it will be possible to drill a hole. If the workpiece is “curve”, then it is desirable to draw more lines in order to determine the exact location of the center. Write in the comments below the video what you think about this method.
