need to make a hole in a felt wheel

[Steph Mader]

I need to drill a perfectly centered 3/4" hole in an 8" felt buffing wheel.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Steph

[Carol Craiglow]

Hey Steph!

Here's one idea. Find three different lines that are diameters of the circle and make three marks at 4 inches. That should give you the middle of the felt pad. Measure out from that point 3/8 inch in several places and mark those points, giving a 3/4 inch diameter pattern.

Then get a "hole saw" 3/4 inch bit (round cylindrical bit with teeth you can get at Home Depot) that attaches to an electric drill or a drill press and line it up with the points that are 3/8 inch from the middle and drill away, carefully of course! Probably best to hold the felt wheel securely before drilling the hole in the middle, in case the teeth of the hole saw bit grab the felt.

Another idea I just had is to make a masonite square that is as wide as the as the diameter of the felt wheel, and cut out a 3/4 inch hole in the middle of it, then use it to clamp the felt wheel down and as a template to drill the center hole. The hole in the masonite could serve as a guide for cutting the hole in the felt wheel.

Two approaches anyway....Carol

[Brian and Jenny Blanthorn]

I need to drill a perfectly centered 3/4" hole in an 8" felt buffing wheel.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Steph

I dont think U will get a good centre

But once U done it mount it up n turn true with a sharp chisal

[Ron Coleman]

I need to drill a perfectly centered 3/4" hole in an 8" felt buffing wheel.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Steph

Assuming the buff already has a hole in it (1/2" or 5/8") this technique will get you about as centered as you can get.

Clamp a board to a drill press table and drill a hole in the board with a drill that matches the current hole in the buff. Center the buff over the hole in the board and with the drill press "not running", lower the drill bit through the buff and into the hole in the board. Using your third and fourth hands, hold the buff and clamp it to the board while the drill bit centers it. Once the buff is clamped, raise the drill bit and install one that will drill the new hole size.

If you use a hole saw be very sure everything is clamped tight as it will tend to grab.

Ron

[charlie]

I need to drill a perfectly centered 3/4" hole in an 8" felt buffing wheel.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Steph

wet it. freeze it. drill it.

[Steph Mader]

Okay, thanks for the ideas. On a more esoteric note - why make a felt wheel with no hole in it?

[Jack Bowman]

Maybe that wheel missed one step in the manufacturing process. Or so that you can learn to drill a hole in the exact center. Go to the tool store and ask to see a demo of their centering head. It will look like a rule with a sliding vee thing on it. Very handy. Have them demo it on your felt wheel. Then use a cork bore or hole punch. If you insist on drilling I would freeze it as was already suggested.

Jack