Hey, I'm looking for advice on edge/center finders that'll work with a 1/4 collet in a DeWalt 611. This type of thing seems very simple and the price is certainly right, but from what I understand they require a slower spindle speed than the 611 is capable of.
https://littlemachineshop.com/products/ ... hwQAvD_BwE
Then there's the laser pointers like this but they're pretty pricey...
https://lasercenteredgefinder.com
Just wondering what other folks are using or if you have any experience/advice regarding the above options.
Thanks
Edge/center finder options?
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Re: Edge/center finder options?
Nate:
Yeah, it's a tough one if you can't get the speed down. All the mechanical ones say <1K RPM, at least the ones I've seen. And, I don't think I've ever
seen on that was only 1/4" diameter...they're all 3/8 or 1/2 for the ones I have.
There are also electronic ones that show RED LEDs when they touch, but of course they only work with conductive stuff: metal, not wood or plastic.
A third option, depending on how accurate you want it, is one of those laser-crosshairs people add onto a drill press. They typically have a long hose-clamp
that will go around the router body, and aren't very expensive. Dial that in and you'll get within 10-20 thousandths. Almost accurate enough to re-place
a pieced after removing it, and plenty if you don't need to know the exact edge.
Hope that helps, sorry there's not some cool camera you can just put in the spindle and it would align itself...well, that's for another generation machine.
Truly: in the big ones now, they have a probe that goes out and automatically measures the stock dimensions and positions. Envy!
Regards,
Rando
Yeah, it's a tough one if you can't get the speed down. All the mechanical ones say <1K RPM, at least the ones I've seen. And, I don't think I've ever
seen on that was only 1/4" diameter...they're all 3/8 or 1/2 for the ones I have.
There are also electronic ones that show RED LEDs when they touch, but of course they only work with conductive stuff: metal, not wood or plastic.
A third option, depending on how accurate you want it, is one of those laser-crosshairs people add onto a drill press. They typically have a long hose-clamp
that will go around the router body, and aren't very expensive. Dial that in and you'll get within 10-20 thousandths. Almost accurate enough to re-place
a pieced after removing it, and plenty if you don't need to know the exact edge.
Hope that helps, sorry there's not some cool camera you can just put in the spindle and it would align itself...well, that's for another generation machine.
Truly: in the big ones now, they have a probe that goes out and automatically measures the stock dimensions and positions. Envy!
Regards,
Rando
=====================================================
ThomR.com Creative tools and photographic art
A proud member of the Pacific Northwest CNC Club (now on Facebook)
ThomR.com Creative tools and photographic art
A proud member of the Pacific Northwest CNC Club (now on Facebook)
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nateflanigan
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Re: Edge/center finder options?
Thanks Rando, it's surprising that there aren't more solutions for this, a desktop cnc with a dewalt router seems like a pretty popular set up. Anyhow, you bring up a good point, how accurate do I need my edge finding to be? Better than eyeballing it with a pointy bit but probably within a 10 thous or so is totally fine. I'll look into the drill press style laser cross hairs.
Out of curiosity, why won't the mechanical fisher edge finders work at higher speeds? Would they work without the router turned on?
Out of curiosity, why won't the mechanical fisher edge finders work at higher speeds? Would they work without the router turned on?