How to find the centre of a hole.

[Alpha1]

What will be teh cost of your time, plus further powder coating &c &c ? Would it not be cheaper to purchase a new set, or return the incorrect set for exchange?

We are not bothered about loosing the powder coating. This is the only set they do the block is normally used for medical/pharmaceutical vials. Our vials are designed to go onto a analytical GC carousel. They are a different size they don,t normally go into a block.

[Dellboy]

if the holes are equally spaced on all of the blocks i would use the siver steel method with a fixed stop on the bed . i take it your using the mill ?

[Alpha1]

Yes I am using a mill the silver steel method is probably the easiest. I will give it a try.

[Alpha1]

I clamped the block to the work table and used a 10mm ground rod to centre the hole. I clamped the down feed to to give me the correct depth and went for it I opened the hole up to 11.9mm and all was good. I have been instructed to only do one hole then take it in to work so they can try 50 2ml glass vials to be confident they will fit. If everything works out I will probably spend the next couple of weeks working from home drilling out at least 6 of these blocks.
A local Engineering Company could of probably done this for half the price I am charging them.

[Polchraine]

I clamped the block to the work table and used a 10mm ground rod to centre the hole. I clamped the down feed to to give me the correct depth and went for it I opened the hole up to 11.9mm and all was good. I have been instructed to only do one hole then take it in to work so they can try 50 2ml glass vials to be confident they will fit. If everything works out I will probably spend the next couple of weeks working from home drilling out at least 6 of these blocks.
A local Engineering Company could of probably done this for half the price I am charging them.

Why not subcontract it ... 2 weeks off and a profit!

[Alpha1]

I need a digital read out for the Mill.(DRO). I have opened up one hole as requested and trial fitted one of the 2ml GC vials and its a nice snug fit at 11.9mm. I am taking it in to work to morrow. If they give me the go ahead I may be able to buy the DRO.

[dromia]

Mill.(DRO)?????????

2ml GC???????????

[Polchraine]

Mill.(DRO)?????????

2ml GC???????????

GC - Gas Chronograph

[Alpha1]

Mill.(DRO)?????????

2ml GC???????????

I need a digital read out for the Mill.(DRO)

[Alpha1]

The blocks turned out to be aluminium. I used a 10mm ground rod to centre each hole. I set the depth stop on the mill and used three different sized drills to get to 11.9mm then finished it off with a 12mm reamer. It took forever each block has 28 holes and there are 8 blocks to do. I have done two blocks while I have been off I have tried them with the Gas Chronograph vials in situ and they are snug as a bug in a rug. I am taking them into work tomorrow. If they want the other six doing they will have to pay me to work from home and the cost of tooling etc. Otherwise they can naff off. I am sick of looking at them all ready.