Laser alignment for mag drill?

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Using the standard pilot pin for aligning annular cutters on a mag drill can be tedious when doing a lot of holes because you need to remove the pin each time before cutting the hole. I have looked for sprung pins without success and came across a laser alignment clamp-on Wixey WL133. Amazon reviews are a bit mixed so any thoughts here on this or alternatives?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Given the usually small throat depth of mag drills you would have to check that the beams could be adjusted in close enough without being obscured by the battery box

Other option may be to make a “cup” shaped cap to fit the end of the cutter with a locating pin on the bottom. That way you slip the cup onto the cutter and lower it to locate your mark, wind it back up and remove the cup. Good to go.

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Jason the cup solution is simple and perfect, albeit making up one for each size cutter. Many thanks

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Mine has spring loaded pins, so easy ! I thought they were all like that ? Noel

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

It seems my mag drill is too old for the spindle’s weldon socket to have a sprung ceiling so I always thought that some people might use pilot pins that are a telescopic sprung assembly. But if all mag drills have a sprung ceiling then perhaps mine is just stuck….!! I will revert

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Well Noel that is really embarassing – a squirt of WD40 and a shove and indeed mine does have a sprung ceiling! I would never have known. All these years I have been laboriously aligning then removing before drilling. Very many thanks Noel

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Glad to be of service Adam. Don’t worry I had a Myford S7 – it took me over 10 years to find out it had a spindle lock. Noel.

[Author]

Posts