- - - Find Your Center - - -

Intro: - - - Find Your Center - - -

I was inspired to make a Center Finder as I did not want to drive 20 miles or pay extra bucks for a store-bought model.  

Upon doing a search, I found https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Center-Finder/  posted by Phil B.

I just like to minimize my time working with metal, so I built a drawing, used MDF (can you imagine?) and cut the pieces out at TechShop in San Jose - www.techshop.ws.

Above, you see what the completed finder looks like...

STEP 1: Pick Up the 1/4" MDF...

... and cut it!  Here's the Corel Draw file...


... and here's the 1/4" MDF after cutting...

STEP 2: Put the Splines In...

This (fuzzy) pic shows a spline on top of the two pieces.  The splines get glued-in to the top and bottom "ELLs".  They assure alignment and connectify the whole thing together.  That's right - I said connectify.

STEP 3: Look What You've Done to the MDF...

It's altogether now. (All Together Now!)

STEP 4: Try It!

Now we get down to business.

This Center Finder will work with round pieces up to 5" in diameter.  The drawing could easily be tweaked to enable larger Center-Finding.

Mark a line along the 45 degree bar.   The ELL without the 45 degree bar is on the bottom, and I placed the Center Finder on the round piece.

STEP 5: Runaway With Another Line...

Rotate the piece and run another line across the first line...

The lines will intersect in the middle of the round piece.

STEP 6: - - - You Have Found Your Center - - -

If you're a 5" piece (or smaller) piece of wood or other material...


Cheers!

Comments

[dontno]

I use a 12" flat steel square, and a combination square set at 45 degrees, set the combination square directly in the corner of the steel square, You now have a center finder.

[Phil B]

It did not show in the "Related" Instructables, but I did a low tech center finder a couple of years ago that does not require a computer, just basic geometry.

[togo1919]

Ummmm.... Tortillas?




It was the only disc handy when I wrote the instructabus...

[antioch]

Ah, nice! I'm dying of curiosity, though: what do you use those wooden plates for?

[togo1919]

And I didn't have to drive to San Carlos in the rain...

[togo1919]

I'm thanking you so much, AudreyObscura! Lots of fun to be had with the laser ---

Ya know... I am much better off work with brilliant jigs than Irish Jigs... Easier on the spine...