MAKE AN EDGE FINDER  

That was fun. More important than the specific project is watching how others do things ... very rarely is there just one method to get to an end. I find I can hone (my very rough) processes by taking bits and pieces from others' methods that feel good for me. Watching Mr. Pete I feel like I've gone back 50 years where I can see myself sitting right in the front row of shop class soaking it all in!

Neat little project. Never had a double ended edge finder, didn't know they existed back in the day.

Enjoyable video Mr. Pete. I watched Joe Pie make one and it inspired me to have a successful go a few weeks back. Now having built one and aware on how they work, I realise I can build any type I desire for any particular job. Self made tools rule Sir. Happy season greetings from Sussex, UK

Молодец , дед ! Не теряешь хватку с годами . Не разучился работать руками в отличии от нынешних компьютерных мальчиков. Здоровья тебе желаю.

Classic Mr. Pete Video. Love it, thanks for doing this.

Thank you for taking the time to make videos , I enjoy watching them & learn new things

Absolutely love this channel, I have three edge finders and now I guess I’m just going to have to make one more.

Thanks Lyle. Definitely reckon this would be a great first home made tool project. Bookmarking this one.

Love a good Mr Pete build video!

Lyle - Good small project for a dreary Saturday morning here. But already knee deep in projects. Have a good weekend.

Thanks for this, I need to make one with a point (Like the Starrett one) over here in the UK they are expensive, and this looks like fun to make, so a search on RU-vid revealed my favourite RU-vid shopteacher first hit! I'm doing mine 10mm dia, but the same method, cheers Mr Pete again! regs Dave

That was fun to watch. Great idea. Thanks for the video keep on keeping on.

Thank You, sir. Always enjoy your project videos. I also learned how to install the spring. I've got a Starrett edge finder I messed up and broke the spring. Now I can repair it.

Great video as always. Thank you Mr Pete

Mr Pete I still remember when you taught me how to use an edge finder in shop class 45+ years ago! Bob Dz

Great video as always.I will definitely make one of these. Looking good there keep up the good work!

Great video Mr. Pete. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!! Joe

Thank you Mr. Pete!

Just picked up a used bench top mill. It needs a lot of work to make it functional. I was thinking, just earlier today, that I needed an edge finder. Definitely making one of these. Thanks a bunch Lyle! MJ 👍

wonderful shop video !! Thank you Mr. Pete best regards Steve

Extremely interesting video,mrpete.Thank you.

Nice little project, came out great! Thanks for sharing Mr. Pete!

I have $500,000 in equipment but it is all for woodworking. But I sure enjoyed watching you make this and now I know what is inside one of those edge finders. Fantastic video Mr. Pete.

As always, a great video! Yes, it's a simple tool which is cheap to buy but, it's always more satisfying to use tools and such that are made with our own hands.

Brian from Ma Nice a notes project for near future and that card is in my shop in view Thanks

Thank you Mr Pete

Always love the project videos. Thanks, Mr. Pete!

Great project. Thank you as always!

Great video and thanks for another fun project.

Very nice. I was wondering how you were going to get the spring in there. You made it look pretty easy!

Hi mrpete.I made one edge finder just like yours.It works fine.I burned two drill bits to drill the main body.This is a goodie.Thank you.

While I have a pile of center finders, it might be fun to make one for specific uses, like one with a very small tip (.100 or .500). I've needed them in the past to find spacing from an internal feature, and even the .200 type was too large. I'd also like to harden the "business end", but I wonder if the geometry/size would change in a meaningful way. Maybe if it was quenched straight down into the water/oil instead of just being tossed in... Thanks for the video!

Very cool project!

Great video...Thanks

Well done and simple, nice job. Enjoyed.

To clarify- the purpose is to determine the workpiece reference zero for the X and Y axis in a mill. Springs- make your own!

Looks to in a day I must built few of them for my workshop use. Very clever ideas how-to. Keep videos comeing!

I had an edge finder with a conical point on one end for years before I figured out how to use it. To wit, with a dead spindle and light quill pressure I engage the point with a hole or center punch mark I want to locate. Then I move the part until the transition from the body to the point is smooth to the touch, or dragging a fingernail. So it's actually a center finder, not an edge finder. Accuracy can be affected by the edge condition of the hole, and probably isn't as accurate as sweeping an indicator, but for many applications it's sufficient, and it's quick and easy. The problem is, the cone on my center/edge finder is only 3/8" in diameter. So I plan to make one out of 3/4" drill rod for use with larger holes.

That would be an ideal weekend project. I think I'll give it a try! KOKO!

thanks for sharing

Thank you.

Thanks for another great video, you are always informative and entertaining. Thank you for your time and knowledge.

Good j. Thank you 😊

We have some imported edge finders at work and it seems like they use too large of a spring and then it doesnt have enough room in the body to kick off center while using it. Then we have some are magnetic and the end wants to cling to your workpiece instead of kicking over and they dont well either.

I must be an overachiever Mr Pete, the last part I made for my lathe restoration project I ended up making it 5 times before I could call it satisfactory to my desired outcome.. 🤭

Nice project! I have a couple of edge finders but have never disassembled one, much less built one, to see how they work. Thanks!

Thanks! Never knew how to use or how it was made until CEE & you, only that it and Machinist Jack's could fit my wallet. Also, do NOT click on TIPS #362, too many inferior #362's!

Morning Lyle

skills will transfer to other projects. edge finders get thrown in from many auction lots and CL bundles. I have a DRO on the mill so it is my most used tool, but I have 15 of them. I can imagine a "side project " where I need to make a special purpose one for a specific application. Thanks for doing this. your apprentice project videos are my favorites. I watch them all now.

Good morning!

Thanks for another great, "how to make it" video. I wonder why someone doesn't make an edge finder with a precision .200 ball on the end instead of a straight shank? A ball would provide a single point contact that should be more accurate, especially if the ball was carbide.

lo construire , haz explicado muy bien su hechura

Delightful. I was skeptical that you could lapp it accurately by hand with your method. I supposed that you would require a jig to maintain perpendicularity. A DRO greatly enhances using an edge finder. My DRO was partially disassembled when I purchased my mill and with a known repair required. Now you have shamed me into another installation and repair must do soon project. While I am at it I better install the power feed unit that I purchased at least a year ago. I have been "wasting" too much time recently installing $2000+ piping system in the big shop for compressed air. I have to stay on that project, because I borrowed my son's scissor lift and his power threader and I can't keep them much longer. When that piping system is complete I will have 20+ air drops throughout the new shop supplied by my first industrial grade air compressor. I stumbled across the compressor and purchased it for a song. I am soon to be the best equipped shop air system in the neighborhood, making me pretty snooty. I even have underground piping between my house shop and the new big shop. I installed that many years ago allowing one air compressor to service both shops. When I tore down the old hog farrowing house (which was the site of the new big dream shop and was never really a good functional shop) I salvaged the existing underground plumbing. My plans are to utilize either building air compressor as desired controlled by a valving system that I already built. The house shop is still running on a farm store type air compressor. It is noisy and its recovery time is slow, partially because I added much more receiver capacity than it was designed to support. Too many projects! I just recommitted to getting back to woodworking too. I have 4 or 5 more granddaughters that have aged into deserving their promised hope chests. I hope to begin building the first of those before Christmas. My hope is to give each granddaughter an heirloom quality chest. I have committed to 18 and have only completed 5. ...And I only started to rebuild the Malibu for a son-in-law, the Farmall M overhaul is far from complete, the Leblond lathe, Delta drum sander, old cast iron Craftsman planer, Delta shaper, Powermatic table saw are on the short list too... Not to mention the long list of projects... Life is good and full, and Mr. Pete guilts me into wanting to make an edge finder that I don't need and can't use until I get those other projects complete!

Hey Mr. Pete, How about making one of those spring loaded center punches. The spring kind that you pull on and let go of.

The V blocks and bridge clamps I still use some 50 years later were shop made by a retiring machinist which were his apprentice project when he started in machine shop. They were given to me when he retired. They are stamped with numbers which correspond with his first name, 1255 (LEE) in a milled recess. The finish was created by polishing compound on a dowel rod. Don't know what you call that. They are prized possessions.

Nice vid but why not make it 2 sided where the end is a easy measurement to divide the radius that works both for metric and inch. Or one spring and double the measurement options.

If a person wanted to, he could make an edge finder to fit each common collet sizes. There would be a practical limit on the minimum size of course.

Thank you Professor ! How is Henry doing?

Not only $50,000 in equipment but also you will need to buy a piece of drill rod.😊

You can save $15 if you have $50,000 worth of equipment 😂😂😂

i love the "you can save $15 if you have $50ks worth of equipment" lol

In your experience, is a .5 inch tip more accurate than a .2 inch? I have both and have not yet attempted to verify the difference.

You should save a bunch of effort and do one iteration, and show us your mess-ups too. It'll make us feel better.

You can save $15 if you have $50,000 worth of equipment. LMAO! Thanks Mr. Pete.

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