Clearly a better way

I always appreciate tips from "Vent Into The Mic" blog readers. Here's a nifty trick for accurately and consistently marking a wood eyeball for drilling the hole that accommodates the self-centering spring. (I use wood ball knobs, round with one flat side.)

- Purchase a clear plastic photo holder. Get one that stands straight up at a 90-degree angle.
- Put a dab of paint on the side of a wood ball, set it flat-side down on the platform portion of the photo holder and press it against the side of the clear plastic photo holder. The half-way point of the wood ball will touch the clear plastic and leave a mark.
- Then drill a small hole in the clear plastic at the mark.
- Now press an unmarked wood ball against the hole, push a pencil tip through the hole on the other side and mark the wood ball. That's your drill mark!