Thread: Measuring the distance between 2 holes

Place the drilled piece on top of the to-be-drilled piece and use the already drilled holes as a guide

Or you could use calipers. If the holes have already been drilled and it is difficult to estimate the centre, measure from the outside of the holes instead. Brad point drills in timber will minimise the drill wandering off, but still not perfect.

Regards
Paul

Or if you have lots to do, make up a drilling template and use it to drill each set of holes.

Thanks Gentlemen,

Maybe the callipers might be the way to go, some good food for thought there,

Thanks again, Paul

a pair of dowel centres in the existing holes -- you could measure the distance between the points using a pair of dividers, but it's simplier to use the indents left by the dowel points to mark the hole locations on a piece of timber to make a jig
if you must exactly match the distance and only get on go at it, check the guide against the original holes (and adjust if necessary) before drilling the other piece using the guide

if you don't own a pair dowel points you could turn a pair of pointed plugs on a lathe and use the measured distance between the points to make a drilling guide, check the guide against the original holes (and adjust if necessary) before drilling the other piece using the guide


more fiddly, but measure the distance between the outsides of the pair of holes, using a rule, step in from each end (using dividers) half the drill diameter to establsh the hole centres
again make a jig to test the spacing before drilling the real piece.

Thanks Ian,

Having a bit of trouble here finding 5mm dowel centres. I've got some 10mm dowel centres, but didn't think you could get them as small as 5mm

Paul

You could use 5mm brad point bit to transfer the marks. Alternatively you can push two 5mm drill bits into the holes so the shafts are peeking only a little bit out of the holes and one a bit more than the other. Then use the depth feature ( of most calipers) to measure from the left on one to the left of the other (or rights). This gives you the centres distance.

Originally Posted by Pauls321

Thanks Ian,

Having a bit of trouble here finding 5mm dowel centres. I've got some 10mm dowel centres, but didn't think you could get them as small as 5mm

Paul

Paul
your 10mm centres should be hollow at the back -- the Lee Valley ones are 3/8 outside and 5/16" inside -- stepped plugs 5mm one end, inside of the dowel centre at the other will allow the direct transfer of the measure.

However, measuring the hole spacing, making and checking a drilling jig is probably the fastest method

Put a piece of p0aper over the cut piece, punch through with a pencil and, voila, you have your template.
Cheers
Wolffie

Measure from the left (or right) side of one hole to the corresponding side of the other hole. That will be your distance between centres.

Originally Posted by ozhunter

Measure from the left (or right) side of one hole to the corresponding side of the other hole. That will be your distance between centres.

Agreed. It's a trick my dad taught me and is quite accurate thanks to the contrast at the edge of the hole.

[QUOTE=ozhunter;1533660]Measure from the left (or right) side of one hole to the corresponding side of the other hole. That will be your distance between centres.[/QUOTE


And here am I snooping around the place..... and out of the blue I have learnt somthing.
Thank you Ozhumter I never was the sharpest tool in the shed

Colbra

Place the drilled section over any spare section of wood, and use a set of transfer punches to mark the centre points on the second board. Measure that.



Doesn't everyone have a set?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Give the job to someone who knows what they're doing.