Center drilling hole in dowel?

[Dieselchopper]

To give your drill bit a spot to start on a light tap with a centre punch to make a divot just like you would in metal. I mark thing out on round stock in steel all of the time just as in picture above. It does work well. You cannot beat the accuracy gained with a centre punch to start the hole unless you are on a lathe or mill.

[Rvjimd]

I think I found a way to get a good center hole.

I found it on a google search. You mount the bit just snug, upside down in the drill press. Then lower it down to the fixture on the base and get the base lined up and clamp the bit into the base fixture. This supposedly get the chuck in the center. On my setup it was not quite centered, probably my base is not perfectly true to the chuck and spindle.

Then, raise up the chuck leaving the bit in the bottom fixture. Mount the dowel in the chuck and drill.

Works pretty good. I wish I had a 5/8 chuck, cause I cant fit my 5/8 dowel that I wanted to use, but I think 1/2 is going to work.



I bet this is why somebody invented the lathe!

Thanks for the tips

Jim