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A pattern/mold for drilling a small wheel fork axle?

I have some hand tools, but no significant shop tools.

A long-standing problem... Sometimes aluminum flat bar is bent into a U shape so that it can be used as a wheel axle. The problem is drilling holes through each fork so that they line up perfectly. I don't trust my cheap drill press. But... The distance from one fork to another, the inner width of the fork is known and will be the same the next time, so a mold might be useful.

It would look like a 2 inch piece of 1x1 wood with a 1/4 inch hole drilled through the center on one side. Except that it needs to be about 1 1/8 inches wide (for the fork width, to fit between the fork). And if it's made of wood, it would need an aluminum or steel insert/sleeve so that the hole does not widen when used.

I have a belt sander and a caliper that can be used to produce a well dimensioned rectangular block of wood. And then, with some repetitive manipulation, maybe my cheap drill press would help drill a perfectly perpendicular hole through the wood.

But I'm thinking maybe something store-bought would do. Something that has a hole in it. For example... If I could get a hold of some large diameter 1/4 inch washers that are perfectly made, I could stack them one on top of the other. Then stick the drill bit down through the hole in one fork and through the stack of washers. Then clamp the fork down on the washers (on both sides). Actually, I guess that wouldn't work unless the washers were perfectly the same inner diameter as the drill bit. Or maybe if they were very thick washers.

Hopefully at least my question is clear enough. If not, I am happy to explain what I'm trying to do.

Thanks.

Reply to
John Doe
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One of these would serve as the middle bit of your jig:

A welder and hack saw and a piece of flat bar would work well.

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

The oldtimer trick was to attach an upward-facing point to the drill press table directly in line with the spindle to locate the punch mark or pilot hole on the lower end of the work, while you drill the upper end. Then your problem becomes accurately marking the hole positions, which can be done with inexpensive hand tools

You can grind and file the point on a short piece of threaded rod chucked in the drill press.

To position it on the spindle centerline, UNPLUG the drill press, chuck a piece of stiff wire that nearly reaches the table and straighten it so the lower end makes the smallest possible circle when you turn the spindle by hand.

These are better:

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jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I had no proper metalworking machines as a kid, but we did have an old cast-iron Shopsmith which turned out to be very useful for making pre-industrial-type machine parts from wood, plastic and aluminum. It could be set up as a horizontal boring machine to drill frames for shafts, like this problem.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Another option: If you need a jig for drilling a hole in multiple aluminum axle frames, you might have a local machinist or trade school student make a jig with a 1X1X2 metal block. They can accurately drill the guide hole and it would likely not cost too much to make such a jig.

The trade school students, here, appreciate a nice gratuity for small projects, as that, and the instructor encourages the students to take on some practical projects, as that.... same with the welding department students/instructor. I occassionally have a project for both departments. For the machinist students, the instructor asks that I supply an accurate drawing, a set of precise plans, for the students to follow, rather than word-of-mouth type instructions.

I like to try making my own jigs, though, so this may be your approach, also.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

What about using a piece of pipe as a drill guide? Or a pipe like machined bushing? Metal sleeve might be a better term. The internal diameter would have to be just a bit larger than the drill bit size. Drill the first hole then use the bit to help line up the sleeve.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

Why not place the wheel between the forks and drill through it?

Reply to
aasberry

Given a drawing I might be able to aid or abet:

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Reply to
routerman

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