Introduction: Drill Press Laser Pointer
What happens when you add a $40 Laser and $10 helping hands to a drill press?
After having to drill a bunch of circuit boards, i came to the conclusions that there had to be a better way to perform target practice. So i ordered a laser pointer and dug out an old broken set of helping hands. The helping hands were really helping this time.
Unfortunately i did not document this as i went, but thought i'd share it anyway. And since i had too much text for a slide show, i decided to go this way.
Update: I actually just looked at the receipt for the Laser pointer and stand corrected. I got 2 of them for $30 at ThinkGeek. I still have the second one laying around waiting to be mischievous.
Step 1: Dimming the Laser
The Laser point was a bit too big and bright for what i was trying to do, so i cut the housing, mended it with epoxy and reconnected it with a resistor. The end of the helping hands connect to the clip that was on the laser pen. The tie strap that sticks out is left slightly loose and is used to depress the switch by turning it a bit. The tie straps around it are pulled tight and are there to keep the switching strap in place.
Step 2: Aiming
Here's another angle showing the clip a little better.
Before drilling, the pointer needs to be aimed at where the drill bit will come down.
It needs to be calibrated so to speak.
Step 3: And Action
Now it is possible to quickly drill out circuit boards.
You can see another version of this and other stuff here.
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33 Comments
14 years ago on Introduction
you need to take 2 laser pointers and 2 laser line lenses (<$3 each) and place them at 90º from each other to draw crosshairs. Then it will be accurate at any depth.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Well done that man. Excellent idea. Give that man a coconut.
I have been looking at those lasers recently on my favorite online auction site for a different project, and at about $4 US a laser module with a line lens, all you have to do is hook the leads up to a 3.5v power source and you are off...
Mount one in front of the drill, line front to back, and one on the left, beam going left to right, and you are good to go. I'm going to have to do this to my own drill press, as drilling out a recessed broken bolt is not easy when you have no idea where the bit is going!
14 years ago on Introduction
good instructible! For not having documented the process, somone could still build this if they wanted to. If you don't agree with me or you don't see the point, don't build it.
14 years ago on Introduction
Use TWO lasers from opposite sides and aim them at the drill point. Then, if you're drilling something of a different thickness, there'd be two dots, but you'd always know that the center is in the middle of those dots. This would be harder to implement with a miniature drill press like a Dremel; I get pretty good results using a bright desk lamp which casts a shadow from the drill bit on the PC board.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
nonono... Get yourself some cheap line laser modules. If you look around the internet there's places with free shipping that sell them for about $4 You put them at 90 degree angles to each other on the sides of the drill, and the intersection point will always be in the right spot. when you use something higher or lower the lines move. at one extreme it'll be more like a V. at the other extreme, it'll be an inverted V, but the intersection is always in the same spot.
14 years ago on Step 1
It would be beneficial if you could add the # of Ohms the resistor is. it looks like it is 100,000,000 ohm (+/- 5%) (Brown, Black, Violet, Gold) I'm guessing because the colors are a little hard to see Nice set up though and a great idea
Reply 14 years ago on Step 1
47 ohms ;) yellow violet and black
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Actually the other way around: yel, vio, blck or 47 Ohms. I would actually just grab what works. This is more of a trial and error thing as lasers vary. Your environment makes a difference too. In version 2 of this i'd use a pot as guitarman63mm pointed out.
14 years ago on Introduction
Cool, now someone has to make one with a laser scanner to the left and behind to make cross hairs an you would never have to recalibrate. I however don't even have a drill press. But who doesn't like lasers?
14 years ago on Introduction
Admittedly I've never drilled a circuit board, but... Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't it be better to: 1/put the laser pen into the drill chuck aiming it downwards 2/adjust the target material until the laser spot hits the right place 3/anchor the material to the base of the drill press 4/replace the laser pen with the bit and... 5/drill away! All this assumes, of course, that the laser pen is "true" when tightened into the chuck, that the chuck itself is "true", and likewise for the bit.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Oh thank you so much! I've been drilling holes at a 54 degree angle and could not tell where my 3/4 bits center would fall. But this should clear that up nicely. Thank you so much for the keen observation. Awesome !
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
You really want to do that 50 times?
14 years ago on Introduction
Pointless mod. Now you can see where you want to drill...? So that means you can only see stuff that has laser raidation being emitted onto the surface of component?
14 years ago on Introduction
I have a laser on my drill press too, I don't understand why someone would want one, I mean the drill bit is already pointing where it's gonna drill...
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
i found it to become real difficult to aim when we're talking about 10's of mils. I would use it for drilling a 1/4 inch hole. But for circuit boards it speeds things up enough to make it worth while.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Oops, for the record: I would NOT use it for drilling a 1/4 inch hole. My typing gets me every time.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
For FINE detail (aka Small Holes)
14 years ago on Introduction
I don't see why you would want to do this. I just lower the drill bit until it's touching the material, adjust it accordingly and then turn it on. Meh, saves me a few dollars.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
While yes, that is cheaper, and pretty easy, this is an efficiency tool. If you're drilling 50+ holes into a circuit board, it'll save time. The more holes you have to drill, the more time you save. Plus, the increase in accuracy will help when working quickly with tiny pads. I don't know how many homemade PCBs I've messed up because I had really tiny pads and drilled in the wrong spot.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
I don't see how you can possibly drill inaccurately when the drill bit itself is touching the material to be drilled. Also, you have to callibrate the laser carefully or else you'll still drill incorrectly.