Finding the center of round stock

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "sundog by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <sundog-at-timeship-dot-net>

Hi All!

    Found an easy way last night to find the center of round stock. This
comes in handy when making the stationary electrodes, as finding the center
of 1" aluminum bar by eye is a bit tricky.
        I grabbed a piece of scrap3/4" MDF and marked a cross on it, then
drilled the middle of the cross with a 1" spade bit.  A then slip the bar
stock (snug fit) into the hole, and line up a ruler with the pre-existing
lines, and draw them across the bottom of the barstock with a fine-point
sharpie. Then it's easy to drill the center, I just clamp it up in the
drillpress, align the barstock so it's perpendicular to the drillbit (raise
the table so the stock is almost touching the quill, then snug it up against
the bit, works great for holes up to 1" deep.)  Then I drop the table again,
and just drill where X marks the spot.  Comes out beautifully centered, and
works well on stock down to 5/8".  This would be much easier if I had a
lathe, but since I don't, this method is acceptable, and produces good
results. Not perfect, but good enough for my standards.  Using this trick,
my method for cutting out RSG discs, and having the necessary parts onhand,
I'm pretty sure I can make a high-quality SRSG in just a few hours, from
teeny-tiny 1/20hp motors to 3/4hp pole-pig worthy gaps. And doing it with my
most expensive shop tool being a drillpress.

Hope this helps someone!

    Also, facing the electrodes can be a problem.  I just chuck up the
electrode in my drillpress, set it to a medium speed, and work the end over
with a file or grinding stone on the Dremel. Works like a champ to take the
sharp edges off of the hacksaw-cut brass stock I use for stationary
electrodes.
------------------------------------
Shad (Sundog)
G-2 #1203
"To call someone crazy just shows
you can't understand their views on Life."