Center Finder Basics

A center finder is a simple tool that saves me a fair amount of time compared to using a combination square to mark the center of a board. It doesn’t have to be pretty to work well, though I classed mine up a bit just because.

All you need is a block of wood with a hole in the center and two pins equidistant from the center point. You could do this with a block of scrap wood and a piece dowel rod.

For consistency, I bought a cheap set of mechanical pencils that fit snugly in the center hole. That way I know the line is always centered and not prone to error due to uneven pencil sharpening.

How I Made My Center Finder

Instead of cheap wood, I used some scrap maple and walnut and glued it up to look like an ice cream sandwich. I found my center point and two points the exact same distance from the center on each side. For the center point, I drilled all the way through and only halfway down for the pin mounting holes.

After laying down some curves I then cut at the band saw and then cleaned up at the belt sander.

For the guide pins, I cut off pieces from a brass rod long enough to fully seat in the holes and stick out about 3/4″. The pins on mine are friction fit. You can use a small amount of epoxy to secure if you can’t get the friction fit.

Materials Used

The exact brass rod I purchased is no longer available. I have posted a link to a perfect alternative that is actually cheaper than my original.

• Brass Rod (Alternate): http://amzn.to/2tT2Kmi

• Cheap Mechanical Pencils: http://amzn.to/2txW9ON

• My Favorite Wood Glue: http://amzn.to/2rZJyld

• Epoxy: http://amzn.to/2rZR13X