A bandsaw or hacksaw, files and a drill could substitute for a mill to make the frame if a mill is not available. I made it to have four contact points with the mill spindle. See the first photo above. The two halves of the clamp are united by means of a hinge and bolt. I have created a very useful tool from items that would otherwise be considered as 'end of life' junk. Our Customers include Fortune 500 companies that cover a wide range of industries including Aero Space, Aircraft, Helicopter Mfgs., Automotive, Military Weapons Centers (US, Canada, and UK) over 40 Universities, Medical Research Centers and Medical Mfgs, Telecommunication, Oil Well Tools & Equipment Mfg., Nuclear Research Centers in 3 States and sales to 54 countries. 2 years ago The photos show the mounted unit as well as the mounting disc. It can also be used to align vises, rotary tables and spin indexers. The diameter of this circle is controlled by the distance between the spindle and the work piece as well as the angle of the laser beam which I have made adjustable. These photos show one job for which the laser centre finder was a huge time saver. Firstly the balance was checked which indicated that there was too much mass concentrated near the laser end. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. This trunnion was cross drilled in the centre and tapped for a 6 mm thread. I wanted keep this item but it was screwed in place and I did not have a suitable thread tap. Second, SDA has developed a bridge mount A/C unit specifically made for permanent installation on waterjet and wood CNC machines (gantry-type). Weird yes? Two form a clamp to mount it to a mill or drill spindle, one of these two is drilled for a battery compartment. Concentric Circle Lenses. At speed the batteries would centrifuge away from one of the contacts, I forget why it didn't turn off for a whole revolution, but there was a logical explanation. I fixed it physically by cutting away the area of the original two contact points and then I fitted a flat head screw to provide the single contact on this half of the clamp giving a total of three clamping points. I had the video in my saved listhere you go! The utility of this device is increased if it can be fitted to a drill chuck, either in a mill or a drill press.
This tool has been made entirely from an old damaged laser level and a few pieces of aluminium from the scrap box, the only "bought" items being two AAA batteries. As to safety, home made or factory made it will be safe if designed and made properly otherwise there may be danger regardless of who makes it. The construction time was only a few hours and I have achieved the three goals outlined in the intro. The fix was simple, I just used a stronger spring in the battery compartment. The first photo shows how I could centre over each hole. The other clamp had a piece of 6 mm thread fitted which is threaded into the trunnion. We hope you will be completely satisfied with your orderbut, if an item does not meet your expectations, you may return it in as-new condition within 30 days of delivery for a replacement, exchange or refund of the purchase price.
The original spirit level had a red screw-on cover for the battery which included an on/off switch. So excess metal was milled away from that area and an adjustable 10 mm steel nut and bolt, as a counter weight, was added to the opposite side. The polarizing attachment is now included with the purchase of all of our units. First, all units (except CNC models) are now available with either battery power or our new A/C powered variant. The sizing of the pieces is dependent on the size of the machine to which it will be fitted, so that is left to the reader. A laser finder/aligner is an extremely useful add-on for a mill or drill press and can be used for various alignment tasks to a surprising degree of accuracy as Mr. Gelbart had shown in his video. 3 years ago. The laser and its lens were mounted inside a small aluminium housing. I made up a spindle with a thick disc to fit the laser finder and this enable me to check the balance as illustrated. This polarizer provides improved adjustability in line visibility that was not previously possible. He has so many additive videos on workshop stuff in general. puller finder homemadetools fasttrack I have shown the only problem that I experienced to aid anyone who might experience the same and I have also outlined a stupid mistake so that can be avoided by others. As the laser is offset from the axis of the mill spindle the light that it emits will describe a circle on the work piece below. I used a milling machine to shape the frame - most people making this project will be doing it for a milling machine anyway. A lathe would be useful for making the drill chuck adapter. I wanted to be able to use the laser device when milling so it had to be reasonably well balanced to avoid creating vibration. The Laser Center/Edge Finder was introduced by SDA Mfg.
There is a spring between the lens assembly and the laser which acts as a lock on the focus adjustment.
Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Shown in the second photo above.
hone machinery liberty Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), Adjustable laser sight ensures precise drilling. I have to confess to making a stupid mistake with the initial construction of the clamp. Design improvements in the laser module and laser aperture have allowed us to achieve an even smaller dot size, brighter dot, and longer operating distance when used in conjunction with the polarizer. Keep this unit in place and there is no need to install the LC/EF on the nozzle or mill collet each time. And how safe is it to add home made contraption to a spinning object? These lenses are available in either the battery or AC powered units. Did you make this project? After months of searching, we now have a lens that offers improved sharpness over the working range. We also rely on customer feedback to let us know when things work and when they dont. Once centred I only needed to plunge the mill quill down to the set cutting depth and move on to the next hole. The frame consists of three main pieces. Anyone guess the problem? A Double Polarizer is included with all Cross-Hair and Concentric Circle units. That brought the balance to an acceptable level. The circle lens is useful for re-entering a hole already drilled. I took his idea and made something to suit my own needs and from materials I had to hand. Hi, doesn't this unbalance the drill and make it slightly wobble? I was inspired to make this laser centre/edge finder after I saw a video on Dan Gelbart's Youtube channel. The original housing was threaded to suit the brass lens assembly thus allowing variable focus to suit the distance of the laser from the work piece. Home made does not have to be inferior made.
I intend to enter this into the "Trash to Treasure" contest so please vote for it. This design is quick and secure..The hinge comprises of a trunnion made from a piece of 12 mm (1/2") steel bar the length equal to the thickness of the clamp material (in my case this was 19 mm or 3/4"). 2000-2022 Home Depot. At the other end of the battery hole I fitted the spring contact which is shown in step 1. So I cut out the original brass part that it screwed into and glued it into the battery compartment opening. Being brass it was easy to solder a wire to for sending power to the laser. Thanks for watching. The frame was made from some aluminium offcuts from previous projects which were waiting in the scrap box for an opportunity to be useful. The hinged clamp is held closed onto the mill spindle by a single bolt. collet holder homemade fixture grinding mill end homemadetools To enable this feature I made a thick disc for the clamp to grab onto with a 12 mm (1/2") centre rod to fit a chuck. Each lens is permanently installed in a dedicated LC/EF and the lenses are not available alone. Special Indicator Locates Drill Chucks Exactly on Center, WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, including Nickel (Metallic) which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. tool accessories induction presetter shrink machine For more information, go to: www.p65warnings.ca.gov, 340 Snyder Avenue, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 07922. homemade scale slider aligner laser homemadetools fixture indicator dial mill rogers The original housing for the laser assembly was turned down on the outside and glued to a hole drilled in the new adjustable support piece. drill press hitachi bench hikoki drilling machine 16mm 16rm 750w 380mm laser horme singapore sg india I needed to recycle and use this housing because it was threaded internally for the brass lens holder. on Introduction. The last photo also shows the red cap and switch for the battery compartment and a spring battery contact. The ability to continue machining whist it was fitted. In practice this did not create any problems, the clamping was always secure. Double Polarizer for Cross-Hair & In the real world the mistake did not cause a problem but was not theoretically correct. The simplicity of visual reference allows machine operators to quickly locate punch marks, edges, centers of material, centers of holes, scribed lines. Please take a few minutes to peruse our new accessories and we hope all your Laser Center/Edge Finder products serve you well. Reply We continually strive to build a better product and achieve greater accuracy. If you found this presentation interesting and/or useful please like, share and subscribe. The backside of the laser assembly was filled with epoxy after small cables were soldered to the laser PCB. However, the purist in me would not rest until I modified the clamp to a three point contact. The final step links to a video of its use and construction. Centering a mill or drill press over a hole or other feature on a work piece is made very easy. This thread allows focus adjustment. I turned this housing to remove the mounting flange which is visible in the photos. Share it with us! The assembly clamps to the milling machine spindle such that it can rotate with it without obstructing the use of a milling cutter. Designed to replace traditional wigglers and mechanical or electronic edge finders in most setup operations, Precision edge finding without readjusting for radius of edge finding tool, Quickly locate center punch marks or scribe line intersections, Can be used with drill presses, to set mill head angle, realign lathe tailstock after taper cutting, lathes with 4-jaw chuck setup or to align the vice on the mill table. These cables went to the battery compartment. at the Visalia, CA Men, Metal & Machines show on October 4th 2004. As I explained, I did balance the device so it does not cause any wobble. Did I mention that I have always hated paper gaskets? Most were up loaded six years ago and the newest is four years old. There were three features that I wanted to incorporate, viz; 1. The whole operation was performed very quickly. If you have not seen any of Gelbart's videos I suggest that you search on Youtube for "dan gelbart" but be prepared for a binge viewing session. which I duplicate here for completeness. Third, two special lenses are available on all units; a crosshair and a circle lense. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. This first photo shows how I first fixed it in photoshop and anyone planning on making their own version is advised to make something along the lines of the photoshopped clamp. I cut the end of the old level to extract the laser unit. Unfortunately that video no longer seems to be on his channel, well I can not find it anymore. The third part is the laser assembly housing which bolts to the battery compartment half clamp such that it can swivel to align the laser to the desired circle diameter. Initial hand rotated tests gave perfect results, however once it was rotated mechanically it would reach an RPM when some of the circle would disappear. Need Help? I needed to counter bore the cover mounting screw holes in a motorcycle crankcase to enable the fitment of small "O"-rings to seal oil. When I first started testing the laser device in my milling machine I observed what seemed to be a strange phenomenon. SDA Manufacturing, LLCPo Box 44Piedra, CA 93649, 2004-2017 Laser Center/Edge Finder | All rights reserved: US Patent. I had made a motorcycle wheel balancing fixture many years ago (maybe the subject of another instructable in the future) which I use for many different balancing jobs. Focus can be set, as described in a previous step, to give a visually sharp precise circle. All Rights Reserved. With four contact points there will be one that is either not touching or not touching as hard as the other three. Drill /Tap Holder for Press-It / Sensi-Press, Center Finder with 3/8" Diameter x 1-1/2" Long Shank. The crosshair lens is useful for aligning the workpiece on the table.
This tool has been made entirely from an old damaged laser level and a few pieces of aluminium from the scrap box, the only "bought" items being two AAA batteries. As to safety, home made or factory made it will be safe if designed and made properly otherwise there may be danger regardless of who makes it. The construction time was only a few hours and I have achieved the three goals outlined in the intro. The fix was simple, I just used a stronger spring in the battery compartment. The first photo shows how I could centre over each hole. The other clamp had a piece of 6 mm thread fitted which is threaded into the trunnion. We hope you will be completely satisfied with your orderbut, if an item does not meet your expectations, you may return it in as-new condition within 30 days of delivery for a replacement, exchange or refund of the purchase price.
The original spirit level had a red screw-on cover for the battery which included an on/off switch. So excess metal was milled away from that area and an adjustable 10 mm steel nut and bolt, as a counter weight, was added to the opposite side. The polarizing attachment is now included with the purchase of all of our units. First, all units (except CNC models) are now available with either battery power or our new A/C powered variant. The sizing of the pieces is dependent on the size of the machine to which it will be fitted, so that is left to the reader. A laser finder/aligner is an extremely useful add-on for a mill or drill press and can be used for various alignment tasks to a surprising degree of accuracy as Mr. Gelbart had shown in his video. 3 years ago. The laser and its lens were mounted inside a small aluminium housing. I made up a spindle with a thick disc to fit the laser finder and this enable me to check the balance as illustrated. This polarizer provides improved adjustability in line visibility that was not previously possible. He has so many additive videos on workshop stuff in general. puller finder homemadetools fasttrack I have shown the only problem that I experienced to aid anyone who might experience the same and I have also outlined a stupid mistake so that can be avoided by others. As the laser is offset from the axis of the mill spindle the light that it emits will describe a circle on the work piece below. I used a milling machine to shape the frame - most people making this project will be doing it for a milling machine anyway. A lathe would be useful for making the drill chuck adapter. I wanted to be able to use the laser device when milling so it had to be reasonably well balanced to avoid creating vibration. The Laser Center/Edge Finder was introduced by SDA Mfg. 
There is a spring between the lens assembly and the laser which acts as a lock on the focus adjustment.
Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Shown in the second photo above.
hone machinery liberty Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), Adjustable laser sight ensures precise drilling. I have to confess to making a stupid mistake with the initial construction of the clamp. Design improvements in the laser module and laser aperture have allowed us to achieve an even smaller dot size, brighter dot, and longer operating distance when used in conjunction with the polarizer. Keep this unit in place and there is no need to install the LC/EF on the nozzle or mill collet each time. And how safe is it to add home made contraption to a spinning object? These lenses are available in either the battery or AC powered units. Did you make this project? After months of searching, we now have a lens that offers improved sharpness over the working range. We also rely on customer feedback to let us know when things work and when they dont. Once centred I only needed to plunge the mill quill down to the set cutting depth and move on to the next hole. The frame consists of three main pieces. Anyone guess the problem? A Double Polarizer is included with all Cross-Hair and Concentric Circle units. That brought the balance to an acceptable level. The circle lens is useful for re-entering a hole already drilled. I took his idea and made something to suit my own needs and from materials I had to hand. Hi, doesn't this unbalance the drill and make it slightly wobble? I was inspired to make this laser centre/edge finder after I saw a video on Dan Gelbart's Youtube channel. The original housing was threaded to suit the brass lens assembly thus allowing variable focus to suit the distance of the laser from the work piece. Home made does not have to be inferior made.
I intend to enter this into the "Trash to Treasure" contest so please vote for it. This design is quick and secure..The hinge comprises of a trunnion made from a piece of 12 mm (1/2") steel bar the length equal to the thickness of the clamp material (in my case this was 19 mm or 3/4"). 2000-2022 Home Depot. At the other end of the battery hole I fitted the spring contact which is shown in step 1. So I cut out the original brass part that it screwed into and glued it into the battery compartment opening. Being brass it was easy to solder a wire to for sending power to the laser. Thanks for watching. The frame was made from some aluminium offcuts from previous projects which were waiting in the scrap box for an opportunity to be useful. The hinged clamp is held closed onto the mill spindle by a single bolt. collet holder homemade fixture grinding mill end homemadetools To enable this feature I made a thick disc for the clamp to grab onto with a 12 mm (1/2") centre rod to fit a chuck. Each lens is permanently installed in a dedicated LC/EF and the lenses are not available alone. Special Indicator Locates Drill Chucks Exactly on Center, WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, including Nickel (Metallic) which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. tool accessories induction presetter shrink machine For more information, go to: www.p65warnings.ca.gov, 340 Snyder Avenue, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 07922. homemade scale slider aligner laser homemadetools fixture indicator dial mill rogers The original housing for the laser assembly was turned down on the outside and glued to a hole drilled in the new adjustable support piece. drill press hitachi bench hikoki drilling machine 16mm 16rm 750w 380mm laser horme singapore sg india I needed to recycle and use this housing because it was threaded internally for the brass lens holder. on Introduction. The last photo also shows the red cap and switch for the battery compartment and a spring battery contact. The ability to continue machining whist it was fitted. In practice this did not create any problems, the clamping was always secure. Double Polarizer for Cross-Hair & In the real world the mistake did not cause a problem but was not theoretically correct. The simplicity of visual reference allows machine operators to quickly locate punch marks, edges, centers of material, centers of holes, scribed lines. Please take a few minutes to peruse our new accessories and we hope all your Laser Center/Edge Finder products serve you well. Reply We continually strive to build a better product and achieve greater accuracy. If you found this presentation interesting and/or useful please like, share and subscribe. The backside of the laser assembly was filled with epoxy after small cables were soldered to the laser PCB. However, the purist in me would not rest until I modified the clamp to a three point contact. The final step links to a video of its use and construction. Centering a mill or drill press over a hole or other feature on a work piece is made very easy. This thread allows focus adjustment. I turned this housing to remove the mounting flange which is visible in the photos. Share it with us! The assembly clamps to the milling machine spindle such that it can rotate with it without obstructing the use of a milling cutter. Designed to replace traditional wigglers and mechanical or electronic edge finders in most setup operations, Precision edge finding without readjusting for radius of edge finding tool, Quickly locate center punch marks or scribe line intersections, Can be used with drill presses, to set mill head angle, realign lathe tailstock after taper cutting, lathes with 4-jaw chuck setup or to align the vice on the mill table. These cables went to the battery compartment. at the Visalia, CA Men, Metal & Machines show on October 4th 2004. As I explained, I did balance the device so it does not cause any wobble. Did I mention that I have always hated paper gaskets? Most were up loaded six years ago and the newest is four years old. There were three features that I wanted to incorporate, viz; 1. The whole operation was performed very quickly. If you have not seen any of Gelbart's videos I suggest that you search on Youtube for "dan gelbart" but be prepared for a binge viewing session. which I duplicate here for completeness. Third, two special lenses are available on all units; a crosshair and a circle lense. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. This first photo shows how I first fixed it in photoshop and anyone planning on making their own version is advised to make something along the lines of the photoshopped clamp. I cut the end of the old level to extract the laser unit. Unfortunately that video no longer seems to be on his channel, well I can not find it anymore. The third part is the laser assembly housing which bolts to the battery compartment half clamp such that it can swivel to align the laser to the desired circle diameter. Initial hand rotated tests gave perfect results, however once it was rotated mechanically it would reach an RPM when some of the circle would disappear. Need Help? I needed to counter bore the cover mounting screw holes in a motorcycle crankcase to enable the fitment of small "O"-rings to seal oil. When I first started testing the laser device in my milling machine I observed what seemed to be a strange phenomenon. SDA Manufacturing, LLCPo Box 44Piedra, CA 93649, 2004-2017 Laser Center/Edge Finder | All rights reserved: US Patent. I had made a motorcycle wheel balancing fixture many years ago (maybe the subject of another instructable in the future) which I use for many different balancing jobs. Focus can be set, as described in a previous step, to give a visually sharp precise circle. All Rights Reserved. With four contact points there will be one that is either not touching or not touching as hard as the other three. Drill /Tap Holder for Press-It / Sensi-Press, Center Finder with 3/8" Diameter x 1-1/2" Long Shank. The crosshair lens is useful for aligning the workpiece on the table.
