I knew i had a good idea...!!!!

[myxpykalix]

Only someone thought of it before me! One of the problems i have in trying to center bits is the dust skirt gets in the way when trying to visualize where the bit is going to be when you bump, jog, move to try to get it to a specific point. I thought of some type of small laser pointer to go in the collet would point right to your point. Well look at this pic posted re: the atlanta shopbot
http://www.flickr.com/photos/campshopbot/357636132/in/set-72157594479845357/

[billp]

Actually Matt Roylance had shown one of these same lasers at the Utah Camp last year. Ralph had the idea to modify it with the masking tape to minimize the beam which the laser projects...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/campshopbot/146047314/in/set-72057594134273310/

[brian_h]

Jack, I just bought a laser centering device a week or two ago. There was a post about it here and decided it was money well spent.

[applik]

Jack,
We also ordered one of the laser center/edge finders with a 1/4" post. Works like a champ. The polarizer makes the spot about the size of a pin point so you can get it right on a pencil point dot! Wish we had known about it sooner. Reese doesn't even have to take the dust skirt off now to see. It was money well spent.
Shari