[roofner]

Maybe best solution for small shops.

Auto-Line Drill Guide

There are those among us who can pick up a drill, place it on a workpiece and drill a straight hole. Then, there are the remaining 99.9% of us. A drill press solves the problem…as long as the piece you want to drill fits. But if you’re not one of the 0.1% and you want a straight hole in the...

www.woodpeck.com

Only problem it's expensive.
But doesn't take much space.

 

[Biagio]

How about a reasonably precise but affordable drill guide, eg from Milescraft? Not Woodpecker, but good enough for most of the 99,9% they talk about. Does not have the edge guide, but a clamped straight-edge should work.

 

[JOAT]

Plenty of plans on-line, to make your own.

 

[roofner]

Woodpecker has better marching cnc quality.. I have a Harvard Freight $20 version very sloppy movement . Its ok .
I have a wen Drill press it is accurate. but can't afford a drill press with enough throat capacity for all needs.
Dill presses are hard to use on big projects.

 

[roofner]

Just received a response from Woodpecker not shipping until June 30

 

[Biagio]

No doubt the Woodpecker is better-made all round - would be outrageous if it wasn't, at that price. But just checked my Milescraft - total play about 1mm. More than enough for my needs, most of my bits are not perfectly concentric anyway, at least not after I re-sharpen them by eye. What I like about it, is that the guide shafts can be set at preset angles to the base, for angled drilling (my deceased Rockwell DP did not have an angle-adjustable table, hence the purchase of the drill guide).
In practice, I usually reach for an even simpler drill guide- a block of plastic with embedded hardened steel bushings (also by Milescraft, they are well-represented here).
At some point, Covid permitting, I want to get some of the LV bushings, to custom-make my own guides.

 

[harrysin]

No doubt the Woodpecker is better-made all round - would be outrageous if it wasn't, at that price. But just checked my Milescraft - total play about 1mm. More than enough for my needs, most of my bits are not perfectly concentric anyway, at least not after I re-sharpen them by eye. What I like about it, is that the guide shafts can be set at preset angles to the base, for angled drilling (my deceased Rockwell DP did not have an angle-adjustable table, hence the purchase of the drill guide).
In practice, I usually reach for an even simpler drill guide- a block of plastic with embedded hardened steel bushings (also by Milescraft, they are well-represented here).
At some point, Covid permitting, I want to get some of the LV bushings, to custom-make my own guides.

This 12 speed drill press has been converted to a drill mill complete with slow feed and XY table enabling it to position and drill very accurate holes apart from light milling.

 

[sreilly]

This kind of decision boils down to need and want versus budget. No doubt it will be extremely accurate and probably last a few lifetimes but is it worth it to you personally? How much is this tool likely to add to your work? Even a drill press isn't going to guarantee dead accurate holes. You still have to measure and then place the jig exactly where you need/want it but if you do that and have the fence spaced as you exactly need it it will drill a perpendicular hole...assuming your bit is straight. Just saying.....but if you do decide to get this then know they stand by their products 100% and have great customer service in my experience.

 

[JOAT]

It's your dime, but I feel it looks unsteady. If I felt I needed a guide like that, I would weld one up from square steel tubing, and customize it anyway I wanted, it would cost a load of money less, and be as strong as a tank.

 

[DesertRatTom]

Had something like this, tossed it out. Have the larger WEN bench model drill press. It has a laser that helps align holes. No belt changes to change speed. Nice heavy duty chuck. Works best with an auxiliary table. I use some extruded L (2x2) aluminum for a fence. Have several WEN tools, very nice gear. Woodpecker stuff is very well made, but many items are kind of silly and overpriced.

I just use a set of drill guides when vertical is important, such as drilling out recessed holes along the narrow edge of a 3/4 truss to be screwed in under a table.

BTW, given the price $220, you can make a good down payment on the
WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press, which I predict you will love.

 

[Bob Bengal]

The Woodpeck guide does have the advantage of small size and can be taken to the work piece.

@DesertRatTom the Wen 4214 is one of the tools sold by different brands, I have the Menard version (under $200 if I recall right when I got it a year or so ago), Jet has the highest price I have seen for it. The tables are a different from one brand to another, hard to tell if the motors are the same or not.

I like mine, but wouldn't rave about it. On the noisy side for a DP, maybe not the most accurate, the smallest bit the chuck will grip is 1/8" 3mm. I could replace the chuck but I have an older/smaller DP (also sold under different brands).

 

[roofner]

Rant one thing I don't like about woodpecker is they do vapor sales product not ready for production and they get you excited about new product. Big lead times. You usually have to wait 30 days. This product has 5 month lead time.

 

[schmitt32linedrill]

Maybe best solution for small shops.

Auto-Line Drill Guide

There are those among us who can pick up a drill, place it on a workpiece and drill a straight hole. Then, there are the remaining 99.9% of us. A drill press solves the problem…as long as the piece you want to drill fits. But if you’re not one of the 0.1% and you want a straight hole in the...

www.woodpeck.com

Only problem it's expensive.
But doesn't take much space.

For cabinet side line drilling, see the schmitt32. For general drilling and tapping, I'll need to upload photos of my quickly home made jig.

 

[schmitt32linedrill]

For cabinet side line drilling, see the schmitt32. For general drilling and tapping, I'll need to upload photos of my quickly home made jig.

I'll try to get the photos loaded here.

It's just a rectangular box shaped thing that slides up and down over a vertical part screwed to a flat plate on the bottom. The junk screwed on the back acts as a counter weight, and the screen door spring holds it up when not in use. The brown floppy things are plastic shims that make it slide more smoothly. You need to find a drill with a round shaped gearbox extension behind the chuck so you can mount it in a home made clamp, made with a hole saw, or as I did using the clamp handle that came with this drill.

I've used it to drill and ream hundreds of holes, and to tap hundreds of holes from 8-32 to 1/2-13 thread. You can screw it to your workbench for working on small parts.

 

[Billypat74]

Pretty clever jig there schmitt32. Simplicity all the way. There may be a simple way to eliminate any side to side play if that's an issue, I donno? Thread a 7/16" hole for a 1/2 X 13 bolt to press against the column with a nylon slug at the end. It would also serve as a lock to hold the drill at a fixed point.

 

[schmitt32linedrill]

Pretty clever jig there schmitt32. Simplicity all the way. There may be a simple way to eliminate any side to side play if that's an issue, I donno? Thread a 7/16" hole for a 1/2 X 13 bolt to press against the column with a nylon slug at the end. It would also serve as a lock to hold the drill at a fixed point.

Thanks Billy.

That is a good idea and I'm sure it would add stability.

I originally built it to ream out 3/16 holes to 5mm in aluminum channels on earlier versions of my schmitt32 jig. Later I mounted a heavier duty drill for turning taps. The very small amount of slop in alignment has never been a problem in either of these operations.

 

[roofner]

I want to thank all for suggestions. I am not a fan of drill press . I think they are expensive and some cases limited by capacity because of budget . Also you cant take a drill press to assemble partially built. Throat depth on cheap drill press. I am thinking of modifying my cheap Harvard freight cheap jig similar to woodpecker. To get accuracy in a DIY build is hard. However I did buy a new wren drill press last summer. It did help a lot in drilling accuracy . But takes up a lot of room. My drill press does do double duty as also cart for air compressor ,

 

[roofner]

I am anxious we may get some good weather and be able to do little work this week. I bought a cheap new saw similar to Dewalt saw have the saw mount on a DIY roll around with extended top. May be able to finish and get some pictures.

 

[schmitt32linedrill]

It's your dime, but I feel it looks unsteady. If I felt I needed a guide like that, I would weld one up from square steel tubing, and customize it anyway I wanted, it would cost a load of money less, and be as strong as a tank.

I just noticed your reference to welding up what you needed to get a job done. I like that attitude. Since retiring and selling my cabinet business, I've really enjoyed making more of my own tools and machines including some fairly big projects. I was able to buy an old 1970s Hobart 2 cyl. engine driven welder. After a lot of degunking and freeing up, and rewinding the engine's alternator, It runs fine and I've burned through over 50 lbs of welding rods on my projects and even hired out to do some heavy equipment work in the neighborhood.

But I guess this isn't the forum for welding enthusiasts.

Art

 

[roxanne562001]

I just noticed your reference to welding up what you needed to get a job done. I like that attitude. Since retiring and selling my cabinet business, I've really enjoyed making more of my own tools and machines including some fairly big projects. I was able to buy an old 1970s Hobart 2 cyl. engine driven welder. After a lot of degunking and freeing up, and rewinding the engine's alternator, It runs fine and I've burned through over 50 lbs of welding rods on my projects and even hired out to do some heavy equipment work in the neighborhood.

But I guess this isn't the forum for welding enthusiasts.

Art

I do a fair amount of welding mig and tig those old gas welders are the best nice and clean DC. I used an old Lincoln at one of my jobs it had a straight 6 450 amp I wish I had that machine around today. Being retired I don't do much heavy stuff any longer so I guess I am good with what I have. I can build most of what I want. For Roofner this is the kind of portable drill press we had when I was still working. Hougen HMD904 Portable Magnetic Drill But I still wouldn't be with out a regular drill press it is a very versatile tool.