# Drill fixture for the lathe



## Mark_f (Dec 12, 2014)

This is a simple tool I have seen before and it may even be on this site, but a friend sent it to  me on the internet and inspired me to finally build one as I have wanted to for a while.


It is simple to build


	

		
			
		

		
	
 Tow pieces that I cut entirely on the band saw and welded together. I did mill a groove on the bearing block .100" deep to align the shank while welding. A hole was drilled and bored for a .500" ID bearing that pressed into the block.







	

		
			
		

		
	
 A .500" OD shaft , 6" long with a 3/8 drill chuck on the end fits in the bearing. You attach your cordless drill and then you can drill a cross hole on center or turn the fixture to face drill your work. You can drill feeding with the crass slide or saddle , or you can drill sliding the shaft in the bearing block.


Simple but useful tool for the lathe


Mark Frazier


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## tweinke (Dec 13, 2014)

Sweet job! You really need to quit showing us this stuff, l will never get any projects finished because I am drooling over your stuff! Seriously though keep showing us stuff, you are an inspiration.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Dec 13, 2014)

That's a really neat idea and easily approachable for most of us on here too


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## zmotorsports (Dec 13, 2014)

Nice job Mark.  Thanks for sharing, this is going to go on the "to do" list.


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## ricsmall (Dec 13, 2014)

Thanks for the idea. I've been trying to figure out a way to drill in center of a work piece without a mill. This will get me by until I do get one. I have a drill press but it's a small craftsman that shutters and chatters when you go near it with a drill bit over 1/2". Thanks again. 

Richard


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## Rick Leslie (Dec 14, 2014)

Very neat and so simple even I understand it. That would be very useful with some sort of indexing fixture on the lathe spindle. (I'm sure you've made one of those as well. :rofl: )

Seriously, thank you for sharing all the tooling you've made. Most are on the 'lust list' to shamelessly copy at some future date.


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## CoopVA (Dec 14, 2014)

Well done!  I bet that could be adapted to hold a pencil grinder....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Andre (Dec 14, 2014)

Nice job! You are quite the busy shop rat :biggrin: (That's a good thing!)

I've been meaning to build an auxiliary spindle for my lathe for a bit, but I'd need a degree wheel and ahhhhh.......never got 'round to doing it yet. On the big list!

Here is another interesting design, http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/auxspindle/auxspindle.html


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## Mark_f (Dec 14, 2014)

Rick Leslie said:


> Very neat and so simple even I understand it. That would be very useful with some sort of indexing fixture on the lathe spindle. (I'm sure you've made one of those as well. :rofl: )
> 
> Seriously, thank you for sharing all the tooling you've made. Most are on the 'lust list' to shamelessly copy at some future date.



Why yes, as a matter of fact I did make an index wheel for the lathe and have an idea for another one.:rofl:

Mark Frazier


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## Mark_f (Dec 14, 2014)

Andre said:


> Nice job! You are quite the busy shop rat :biggrin: (That's a good thing!)
> 
> I've been meaning to build an auxiliary spindle for my lathe for a bit, but I'd need a degree wheel and ahhhhh.......never got 'round to doing it yet. On the big list!
> 
> Here is another interesting design, http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/auxspindle/auxspindle.html



I built a simple degree wheel for my lathe . there is a thread on here somewhere about it.


Mark Frazier


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## BillWood (Dec 14, 2014)

Could that be used with a mill bit to cut a keyway slot ? Or is that a very silly idea that I shouldnt even think about ?

Bill


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## Andre (Dec 14, 2014)

BillWood said:


> Could that be used with a mill bit to cut a keyway slot ? Or is that a very silly idea that I shouldnt even think about ?
> 
> Bill



Not a rigid enough setup, especially the drill chuck.

You'd be better off broaching the keyway. Just like this video, but on an OD keyway you probably want to drill a cut relief home at the end of the keyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcU0LTavzDM


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## Billh50 (Feb 2, 2015)

Great Idea......and with a clamp collar on the shaft you can even set your depth for the drill if indexing the spindle for more holes.


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## Mark_f (Feb 2, 2015)

Billh50 said:


> Great Idea......and with a clamp collar on the shaft you can even set your depth for the drill if indexing the spindle for more holes.



That is a great idea as well. thank you.


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## Smithdoor (Feb 2, 2015)

Looks great
Now for milling

Dave



mark_f said:


> This is a simple tool I have seen before and it may even be on this site, but a friend sent it to  me on the internet and inspired me to finally build one as I have wanted to for a while.
> 
> 
> It is simple to build
> ...


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## aametalmaster (Feb 2, 2015)

Nice work. Made a few of them...Bob


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## kd4gij (Feb 3, 2015)

Nice and  simple.  At work we took the drill off of a milwalkey mag drill and mounted it on a plate and use that for drilling off center holes. I make large boat shafts and bushings and pins for dragline sheaves. At home on my small 12x36 lathe I use a foredom flex tool in a 1" boring bar holder.


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## basildoug10 (Feb 14, 2015)

mark_f said:


> This is a simple tool I have seen before and it may even be on this site, but a friend sent it to  me on the internet and inspired me to finally build one as I have wanted to for a while.
> 
> 
> It is simple to build
> ...



Hi Mark, what a great "gadget" to have, I am going to try and make one for myself.
Regards Basildoug10


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## brav65 (Feb 14, 2015)

OK Mark enough is enough, I read every one of your threads as they are always so inspiring. Leave something for us simple minded guys to come up with ;-) thanks for all your contributions as you are one of the people who makes this such a great forum!  If you are ever in Phoenix let me know as I would love to buy you a beverage of your choice and pick your brain for a couple hours.


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## Mark_f (Feb 15, 2015)

Thanks, I just can't stop. every time I see a tool, I think I want to build it.

Mark


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## DoogieB (Jun 13, 2015)

I would like to thank Mr Frazier for posting this project as I found this bit of lathe tooling to be very helpful and quite a time/frustration saver.  I don't have a mill yet, so drilling accurately through a bar can take quite a bit of time to set up on the drill press, but with this tool it's so much easier as you start already on center and perpendicular to the work.

With a level you can use your chuck's jaw openings as an easy way to index holes.  You wouldn't want to cut gears this way, but the holes look fine and most of the time that's good enough.

In the picture below, I'm making a slip-on spider for my SB 10K.  I'm indexing the holes from the 4 jaw chuck.


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## Mark_f (Jun 13, 2015)

You are very welcome. This Project was given to me by a friend , Jim B. I found it very useful and am glad it has helped someone else.


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## GarageGuy (Jun 13, 2015)

Very cool!  That's one more tool I have to add to my project todo list.  Simple and functional, just the way I like it.

GG


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