Sphere drilling jig

[mklotz]

Drilling and tapping spheres can be problematic because it's hard to hold the workpiece and still expose the surface that will receive the machining.

This jig simplifies the process considerably. Two beefy steel "washers" capture the sphere and six machine screws pull the washers together to clamp the sphere.

The whole assembly can be chucked in the lathe or clamped in the mill vise. Orthogonal holes in the sphere are easily done.

If the design calls for it, the washers could be made polygonal and used to orient the sphere to drill holes separated by a predetermined angle. No doubt other possibilities exist.

[Jon]

Congratulations mklotz - Your Sphere Drilling Jig is the Tool of the Week!

Another week of great entries on the site; it's been tough to decide on winners lately, but your build came out on top. Other nice entries this week: Gantry Style CNC Router from Captainleeward, Endmill Sharpening Device from Metaler, Top Slide Alternative from olderdan. In addition, jjr2001 tied Frank S to climb within one position of the top 10 on our Top Homemade Tools Builder List, with builds including a Face Plate Fixture and a Power Feed Controller.

You'll be receiving an online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, Giftrocket, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

That makes 6 Tool of the Week wins! Here they all are:

Bore Measurement Gauge by mklotz

tags: gauge, dial indicator, measurement

Miniature Indexing Faceplate by mklotz

tags: indexing unit, collet

Pocket Tools by mklotz

tags: magnet, measurement

Bench Block Clamping Setup by mklotz

tags: clamp, V-block

Model Cement Mixer by mklotz

tags: mixer, cement

Sphere Drilling Jig by mklotz

tags: jig, drilling

Congrats again and great job!

[PJs]

Congrats Marv, You are going to need a bigger coat to put all that bling on! Your contributions here are just the best and so enjoy your mindset and approach to things. My Thanks and very best to you Sir! ~PJ

[Paul Jones]

Marv,
I second PJs' congratuations. You have published some of the most unique and useful tools at HMT. I also enjoy your written explanations and the thinking that went into the need and design of the tools. Thank you very much for all the contributions.
Regards, Paul Jones

[mklotz]

Thanks for all the kind words, everyone.

Tool design is a fascinating way to exercise one's analysis and design abilities. I do a lot of my design work mentally - in the dentist's waiting room or while trying to go to sleep. Try to come up with any design that will do the job and then start paring it down and down until one is as close as possible to a simplistic, form-follows-function design.

As to the writing, I've always enjoyed writing and, when I was working, had to write a lot of descriptive material telling readers how to accomplish some task. I discovered that I had something of a talent for it and it was about the only thing about work that I missed when I retired. My tool and hint writeups help fill the gap and, in addition, keep my mind from turning to mush.

[Bony]

Im curious Marv, why do need to drill holes in a sphere ? other than axially, which can simply be done in a lathe. It must be some strange gadget you're working on.

[IntheGroove]

I once drilled holes in spheres for someone building banisters...

[BuffaloJohn]

There was a recent article on using golf balls as handles, that would be a perfect use of drilling a sphere...