You can make a cheaper version of a wiggler with just a blob of plasticine or play doh and a simple pin used in sewing. Put the pin in the blob and stick blob on the end mill or similar. True it up with a graduation mark on a steel rule till running true. Works just like a wiggler, you can find centres, follow scribed lines etc. Learned this trick in a toolroom
I inherited my grandpaw's tools several years ago and while digging through everything one thing I found was a very old, original production run, "Starrett S-828H Center Finder Complete", aka the Starrett Wiggler. It was still in absolutely immaculate condition without a speck of rust anywhere or any damage to the little red envelope pouch that holds everything! As a Gunsmith precision is crucial in my work and that wiggler set has been so useful ever since I found it. I still like my electronic edge finder for my milling machine, but on my drill press that wiggler with the needle point installed and a small x,y table is so helpful and the best way I've found to ensure I'm drilling as accurate as possible. I also use the indicator holder all the time in my mill when truing my vise and various other things. It's definitely a tool set that I'm very glad I found!
Just had a job where i needed to use the disk probe. It can reach down into tight spaces where a regular edge finder can't go. The ball probe, IMHO, is the redundant one. Harder to use than a regular edge finder and won't fit in places that a regular edge finder has no issues with.
The beauty of the wiggler is that it finds the true center of rotation of the spindle regardless of the runout of the chuck (as can be seen in your video) 7:39 . If a person skips the wiggler and just uses a spotting drill the actual hole location will be off by that amount of runout
Perfectly explained, Amazon uk has the Starrett 828A for £23.93, guess I will have to buy one. In your video you mentioned marking the steel pate out with calipers, can you do a tutorial about that? Many thanks. Dave.
Having used a wiggles set for years, especially for drilling radial holes in the centre of a bar, I find I get more accurate results if I eyeball along both scribed lines to the wiggles point. I would expect to get within 5 thou. or better of the marked point.
If you dont use cutting oil on those center drills you will break the nose off pretty often, depending on the work material. Especially on most stainless steels except 303 and 416.
A lot of folks don't want to fuss with adding devices to their simple drill press setup to drill a precise hole. And budgets are different for everybody. The method shown works for anyone in a very repeatable and inexpensive way but obviously does not suggest it is the only way to get the job done.
@@nightmissioncustoms Skip the cheap X-Y vise I suggested and use any vise to hold the stock with the center punched mark or just lay the stock on a piece of scrap wood. Insert a $5.00 spot drill into the drill chuck. Extend the quill until the tip of the spot drill sits in the center punched dimple, lock the quill, secure the vise or clamp the stock on top of the wood, retract the quill and put in your twist drill. Center drills are for lathes when drilling a center at the end of the stock. They drill a 60 degree angle. Use a cheap spot drill with a larger 90 degree angle.
Hey: Can I ask what clamp you are using in this video? It looks like it screws into a T-Nut with a 1/2"X13 tpi. JUST what I need and I can't find one! Thanks.
These actually go though the table with a ring nut to tighten. The holes are drilled through the bottom of the t-slots. Can't quite remember the brand but I _think_ they were from Bessey.
Thank you! I honestly can't recall where this particular set was purchased, but any of the online machine shop supply houses will have them. They are quite inexpensive so don't feel you need to spend a lot of money on a set to get something very useful. Hope this helps!
I genuinely do not understand. You are eyeballing it at every step. Why not just eyeball the center drill? It should be just as "straight" as the wiggler. If not, turn it on and eyeball the spinning center. I know this sounds confrontational, and I apologize for that, but I really do not see the difference.
These things are dangerous! You bump the probe wrong while under rotation and that sharp point will swing out and any finger in the way will pay the price. Stay away from these. If you have to locate a point by eyeball, take a say 1/8 rod, and taper a sharp point on it. Get rid of that ball joint. The point might not always be quite as steady as the wiggler, but will likely be good enough. Cheers.
You can make a cheaper version of a wiggler with just a blob of plasticine or play doh and a simple pin used in sewing. Put the pin in the blob and stick blob on the end mill or similar. True it up with a graduation mark on a steel rule till running true. Works just like a wiggler, you can find centres, follow scribed lines etc. Learned this trick in a toolroom
I used to do just that with a needle, but this system is much better.
I inherited my grandpaw's tools several years ago and while digging through everything one thing I found was a very old, original production run, "Starrett S-828H Center Finder Complete", aka the Starrett Wiggler. It was still in absolutely immaculate condition without a speck of rust anywhere or any damage to the little red envelope pouch that holds everything! As a Gunsmith precision is crucial in my work and that wiggler set has been so useful ever since I found it. I still like my electronic edge finder for my milling machine, but on my drill press that wiggler with the needle point installed and a small x,y table is so helpful and the best way I've found to ensure I'm drilling as accurate as possible. I also use the indicator holder all the time in my mill when truing my vise and various other things. It's definitely a tool set that I'm very glad I found!
I love this story! I have a HUGE soft spot for inherited tools like you have there. Hope you enjoy them to the fullest!
I learned something new today thanks to your video. Thanks!
Just had a job where i needed to use the disk probe. It can reach down into tight spaces where a regular edge finder can't go. The ball probe, IMHO, is the redundant one. Harder to use than a regular edge finder and won't fit in places that a regular edge finder has no issues with.
The beauty of the wiggler is that it finds the true center of rotation of the spindle regardless of the runout of the chuck (as can be seen in your video) 7:39 . If a person skips the wiggler and just uses a spotting drill the actual hole location will be off by that amount of runout
Excellent point! Not sure we covered that in enough detail in the video but thank you for pointing this out!
Best comment on this video.
Very helpful, thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video, thanks much.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Just what I needed! Thank you.
Glad it helped!
Perfectly explained, Amazon uk has the Starrett 828A for £23.93, guess I will have to buy one. In your video you mentioned marking the steel pate out with calipers, can you do a tutorial about that?
Many thanks.
Dave.
Great tutorial! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Awesome!
Thanks!
Having used a wiggles set for years, especially for drilling radial holes in the centre of a bar, I find I get more accurate results if I eyeball along both scribed lines to the wiggles point. I would expect to get within 5 thou. or better of the marked point.
A viable approach!
Thanks for the video! i'm curios, how did you fasten the clamp to the T slot in the table?
If you dont use cutting oil on those center drills you will break the nose off pretty often, depending on the work material. Especially on most stainless steels except 303 and 416.
Very good point! We didn't use any oil in the video to keep the marks visible but generally, we lube every hole drilled!
Seems like extra work to me. Get a cheap X-Y vise and use a spotting drill in the chuck. Line it up into the center punched mark.
A lot of folks don't want to fuss with adding devices to their simple drill press setup to drill a precise hole. And budgets are different for everybody. The method shown works for anyone in a very repeatable and inexpensive way but obviously does not suggest it is the only way to get the job done.
@@nightmissioncustoms Skip the cheap X-Y vise I suggested and use any vise to hold the stock with the center punched mark or just lay the stock on a piece of scrap wood. Insert a $5.00 spot drill into the drill chuck. Extend the quill until the tip of the spot drill sits in the center punched dimple, lock the quill, secure the vise or clamp the stock on top of the wood, retract the quill and put in your twist drill. Center drills are for lathes when drilling a center at the end of the stock. They drill a 60 degree angle. Use a cheap spot drill with a larger 90 degree angle.
Hey: Can I ask what clamp you are using in this video? It looks like it screws into a T-Nut with a 1/2"X13 tpi. JUST what I need and I can't find one! Thanks.
These actually go though the table with a ring nut to tighten. The holes are drilled through the bottom of the t-slots. Can't quite remember the brand but I _think_ they were from Bessey.
Can you share the link so we can buy the wiggler set?
Thank you so much for such useful tip!!
Thank you! I honestly can't recall where this particular set was purchased, but any of the online machine shop supply houses will have them. They are quite inexpensive so don't feel you need to spend a lot of money on a set to get something very useful. Hope this helps!
But why does it wiggle?!
That degree of freedom of movement allows all of the spindle runout to be compensated for at the cutting surface of the work.
I genuinely do not understand. You are eyeballing it at every step. Why not just eyeball the center drill? It should be just as "straight" as the wiggler. If not, turn it on and eyeball the spinning center. I know this sounds confrontational, and I apologize for that, but I really do not see the difference.
the wiggler cancels out any runout in the machine spindle. but at this level of precision that is a dubious advantage
These things are dangerous! You bump the probe wrong while under rotation and that sharp point will swing out and any finger in the way will pay the price. Stay away from these. If you have to locate a point by eyeball, take a say 1/8 rod, and taper a sharp point on it. Get rid of that ball joint. The point might not always be quite as steady as the wiggler, but will likely be good enough. Cheers.
They work well. Just use the brain thing.
Thanks. Very informative.
Thanks for watching!