# Tips for drilling straight holes in diy spraybar



## Bertie (8 Mar 2014)

Hi,
How do everyone make sure they have a straight line of holes on their diy spray bars?

I have very limited tools.

I have just ordered more pipe to make more spraybars as the ones I made a few months ago have about 4/5 holes out of line so makes it difficult to raise the bar above a certain level else the surface of the water gets broken.

With my last diy bars I found a straight upright (checked with my level) but the tubing was obviously bent  so a few holes were out of line.

I was thinking of getting a chalk line or even making a plumb bob with string and a heavy bolt or nut and getting some chalk dust from B&Q or similar but knowing how clumsy I am I would probably rub the chalk off before marking the holes off 

Any hints or tips would be welcome.


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## Andy Thurston (8 Mar 2014)

stick masking tape on it then mark your line on that with pen


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## kirk (8 Mar 2014)

Best advice I could give is use a pillar drill it you have access, with a board with two strips of batton  each side of the tube screwed to the board to hold it in place. Measure your dot distance and drill away.  The second bit of advise would be don't ask me to do it.


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## Andy Thurston (8 Mar 2014)

kirk said:


> Best advice I could give is use a pillar drill it you have access, with a board with two strips of batton  each side of the tube screwed to the board to hold it in place. Measure your dot distance and drill away.  The second bit of advise would be don't ask me to do it.


 I'd do something similar with small angle flat bar tacked togeather and probably use a drill bit to stop it turning too


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## parotet (8 Mar 2014)

Got an idea! What about letting the drilling machine lying on a table. If you don't have a column this is probably the only way to ensure a same angle for the drills. Then put the pvc bar on a piece of wood or whatever you may find. Adding layers of this material should be the way to put the bar at the right position to be drilled. The aim would be to fix also the bar in that position and let only slide it laterally to drill the next hole. 
Never tried but maybe works. Sorry my English is quite limited when talking about machines and specialised issues...


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## kirk (8 Mar 2014)

Looks like English to me,  not that I understood any of it. Just kidding have you seen mine  there is always a way around using expensive tools. I've given up on home made spray bars and gone for sexy glass ware.  I cocked it up that many up it would have been cheaper to pay someone who works with acrylic.


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## iowphil (8 Mar 2014)

Scratch gauge with bluing ink on the tip but cover the pipe in masking tape first!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Martin in Holland (9 Mar 2014)

I used masking tape to mark the spot where I want to drill...the trick is to get a straight line in the tube...I use the carpenters way wit one finger on the bar as a glide while holding the pencil firmly the same position... first pre-drill with a small (tiny) drill ....I found it to be easier when sitting down on a chair with another chair to rest the bar on in front of me, that way I can let my hand and arm rest on my leg which gave a much steadier hand when drilling


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## Bertie (9 Mar 2014)

Thanks guys for your suggestions........I have ordered three new lengths of pipe so I have a little leeway to make sure that I get it as near spot on as I can.


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## GHNelson (9 Mar 2014)

Tip of the Day
Rap some grid paper around the length of the pipe and drill through each equidistant marked squares on the paper.
This will help you keep a straight line...along the bar length.
Cheers
hoggie


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## sparkyweasel (9 Mar 2014)

Big clown said:


> stick masking tape on it then mark your line on that with pen


The tape will also help to stop the bit from slipping off the spot when you start drilling.


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## ian_m (11 Mar 2014)

In machine shops you use a V clamp to hold tubing whilst working on it, not all that common in home DIY.



 

However I read somewhere use a length of surplus skirting board of this type:


 
Tape the tube in the ogee bit and drill away, preferably using a pillar drill with a depth stop, though I expect if careful any drill could be used.

Some people also make holes using hot wire, especially if after smaller holes. Heat piece of wire with blow torch and melt away.


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## Bertie (11 Mar 2014)

Hi Ian,
As it happens, I glanced across the room yesterday and noticed that the top of our sideboard has the perfect grooving!!! I even checked it with a length of tubing that I had cocked up last year and it is a perfect fit!!! 
When the tubing arrives I will have to do it when the wife is not here as I have a feeling that she will have strong objections to me taping (even though it will be masking tape) tube to her sideboard!


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## ian_m (11 Mar 2014)

Bertie said:


> noticed that the top of our sideboard has the perfect grooving!!!


But if you end up accidentally drilling holes in the side board, won't you find yourself waking up dead the next day


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## Bertie (11 Mar 2014)

ian_m said:


> But if you end up accidentally drilling holes in the side board, won't you find yourself waking up dead the next day


I will have to be very, very careful.....if the sideboard gets a hole in it I can blame woodworm....................or the grandchildren


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## ian_m (11 Mar 2014)

Bertie said:


> if the sideboard gets a hole in it I can blame woodworm....................


What 3mm diameter woodworm holes ever 5cm...playing with fire...


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## BigDaddy (26 Mar 2014)

If only a spirit level to hand

Tape off one end of the pipe and fill half way with water and tape off the other
Using the spirit level find dead flat surface and place pipe on it and the water inside will give a dead level line all the way across the centre

Mark this with a white board marker at each end, now join the dots using the spirit level as a ruler and your line is perfect!
Now empty the water

Overlaying a length of masking tape will stop scratching and bit slippage plus you should still be able to see the line underneath


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## Jamie McGrath (27 Aug 2014)

Bertie said:


> Thanks guys for your suggestions........I have ordered three new lengths of pipe so I have a little leeway to make sure that I get it as near spot on as I can.



Where are you getting your pipe from? What are you using to attach it to the filter pipes?


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## Andy Thurston (27 Aug 2014)

Trent plastics on ebay
16 mm pipe fits perfectly in 16/22 filter hose
12 mm pipe fits perfectly in 12/16 filter hose
Then you just need a bung for the end


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## Crombie (27 Aug 2014)

Big clown said:


> Trent plastics on ebay
> 16 mm pipe fits perfectly in 16/22 filter hose
> 12 mm pipe fits perfectly in 12/16 filter hose
> Then you just need a bung for the end




That's great to hear, am waiting for mine to arrive.


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## Crusader58 (13 Apr 2016)

I just taped a length of sewing thread to one end, pulled it tight and taped to other end, marked out holes, removed thread, drilled.


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## zozo (13 Apr 2016)

Pre dril a piece aluminium U profile, it's relatively cheap, square and much easier to work with.
Take one which is inside the same width as the outside diamter of the pipe you want to dril..
Clamp the pipe in the U profile and you got a perfect drilling template for the rest of your life and making spraybars for everybody in the neighborhood..


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## Christos Ioannou (26 Apr 2016)

Hi,

hopefully not a late reply.

1. Lay down the pipe and push it against the wall.
2. Get a marker (that you can later erase with say alcohol) and lay it flat on the floor. 
3. Touch the tip of the marker on the pipe, and while holding it against the ground, pull it along the length of the pipe, to mark the straight line you want!
4. Drill the holes on the line then get some rubbing alcohol to clear the markings.


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