drilling rows of holes

[brightspark]

a bottle of marking blue a steel rule and a scriber. centerpunch and a small centerdrill if your wanting it acurate then the 6.5mm holes job done . u cant get an exact round hole of a drill anyhow u need to ream it. the golden rule measure twice drill or cut once

 

[gordon stephenson]

As stated previously, if you are marking out for drilling, do all your measuring from the first hole so as not to compound any errors

 

[rtbcomp]

What I usually do if I'm making something out of plate and it's within the size of an A3 sheet of paper is to draw it in AutoCAD, print out at 1:1 scale, tape the paper to the plate then centrepunch the hole centres through the drawing.
Probably not much help here, just thought I'd share

I've used a similar method, but gluing the paper down with wallpaper paste. You have to use good quality paper that won't go soggy & stretch when wet though. In the past I've used a pen plotter.

 

[keithski122]

I think this is the tool you're referring to:-
http://www.axminster.co.uk/trend-point-to-point

 

[rockweasel]

I had 40+ evenly spaced holes to drill along a length of box tubing. I had to repeat the holes on the opposite face of the tubing so that they lined up with the first row and then repeat that on another 3 lengths.
I just had a hand held drill (no drill press). I made up a jig as described earlier with 2 holes drilled at the required spacing. It was a long, slow, boring process. About 2/3rds along the first face I noticed the jig was getting more difficult to position. I didn't have the best of light to work in so I took the piece out into the daylight and eyed the drilled face down its length. Argggh! The holes were wandering off to one side. Not only that but the small error in the spacing between the holes in the jig was compounded. The spacing wasn't critical as long as I could repeat the error on all the other faces, but the problem was that my drill bit was elongating the holes in the jig more with every hole.
I ended up marking the holes with a tape measure and centre punch. In the end everything lined up. Lesson learned!

Ps my next purchase will be a decent drill press.

 

[fizzy]

I think this is the tool you're referring to:-
http://www.axminster.co.uk/trend-point-to-point

No it isnt - similar but not quite. That doesnt have holes in it.

This is the badger

http://store-planetools.com/accordianrivetfanspacingtool.aspx

or a smaller one

http://www.appliedracing.com/aluminum-interior-and-wheel-tub-kits/rivet-spacer---adjustable.html

 

[keithski122]

These:- http://www.lasaero.com/site/products/article?id=Z00TTVJ85

 

[fizzy]

a bottle of marking blue a steel rule and a scriber. centerpunch and a small centerdrill if your wanting it acurate then the 6.5mm holes job done . u cant get an exact round hole of a drill anyhow u need to ream it. the golden rule measure twice drill or cut once

Sigh I was hoping for the easy way out but looks like I will have to do it the proper way.
The holes aren't very critical - just for rivet spacing BUT the eye will soon pick up any errors.
At least I only have to mark up one length. I will clamp the angle to the other sections to jig the rest. I only have to drill 192 holes in the uprights. I then have 4x 8' sections to drill. Thats another 192 holes. Good job I have plenty of drill bits!

 

[fizzy]

These:- http://www.lasaero.com/site/products/article?id=Z00TTVJ85

YES YES well done!
And the prices are pretty good as well.
Now the next question - is it worth a try - it won't be long enough but could use it twice.

 

[brightspark]

by the time u have farted about with that u still need the 1st and last hole setting up i wouldnt bother

 

[brightspark]

Sigh I was hoping for the easy way out but looks like I will have to do it the proper way.
The holes aren't very critical - just for rivet spacing BUT the eye will soon pick up any errors.
At least I only have to mark up one length. I will clamp the angle to the other sections to jig the rest. I only have to drill 192 holes in the uprights. I then have 4x 8' sections to drill. Thats another 192 holes. Good job I have plenty of drill bits!

a dab of rocol or simlar cutting compound and a decent dormer drill and the corect speed will drill well over 50 holes

 

[fizzy]

Well I bit the bullet and bought the riveting jig mentioned above. I will let people know on it's usefulness.
Yet another gadget to add to my vast collection..............