# Jig for holes on ends of long boards



## damonlan (Jan 19, 2014)

Any one know where I can get a jig for drilling holes on the ends of long hardwood boards. I need these holes to be perfect without tilt or angle. I will be doing hundreds of these (hopefully thousands), kind of a mass production environment, so I need a jig that can be used over and over again without take down. Permanent if you will. Maybe something I secure the drill in and leave it there. Depth of hole also needs repeatability, so would need some kind of stop. I have a bench top drill press and don't want to purchase a full size one, so I was thinking of something I could lay the boards (apx 3ft in length) down and feed into the jig horizontally.

Or, is it better for me to make my own? 

As you may be able to tell, kind of new to woodworking, but I appreciate the forum and any help I can get. I expect to visit much more as I get things up and running in the shop.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

You have a vertical bench mounted drill press and if I read correctly you want to bore horizontal holes in the end of your boards.

You either need a different tool, or you need to orient the drill press table to be vertical and then have some method to clamp in fixed positions. The drill press should have a depth stop capability, if it does not, perhaps not the best tool for your needs.


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## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

Use your drill press and a metal bit to drill a perpendicular hole in a piece of steel stock at the appropriate distance, then you can clamp it to the boards and set your bit depth accordingly.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

your bench top model would be a fine start to a horizontal boring machine. just need to make it happen, maybe remove table and foot and design it into a base. then a clamping method. 

a plunging router can also be used for horizontal boring, don't know hole diameter or depth to know if that is realistic.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Deleted post


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

TimPa said:


> your bench top model would be a fine start to a horizontal boring machine. just need to make it happen, maybe remove table and foot and design it into a base. then a clamping method. a plunging router can also be used for horizontal boring, don't know hole diameter or depth to know if that is realistic.


I agree a plunge router would work well and should have a depth stop. Just need more info on hole size and depth.
Tom


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## bladeburner (Jun 8, 2013)

Google Woodrat and Router Boss.


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

A doweling jig will probably work. 

The DowelMax is the best currently out there but it is $250. The Eagle American is a good more traditional unit, for about $70.

Post a sketch, and a bit of an explanation of what you're trying to do, and I can give better advice. There may be better solutions to the problem. If it is a doweled joint, another joint might be more appropriate.


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## Roger Newby (May 26, 2009)

Try finding a Shop Smith setup for horizontal drilling.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

How long is a long board?

EDit: OOPS! I didn't read the part about three feet long.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have been thinking about this question. It seems to me a fairly economical solution would be to bore the properly sized and spaced holes through a block of steel. Might have to have a machine shop do it. Then bolt or clamp said block to a work table. Add stop blocks on either side to position the board, clamp the board and drill away.

Remove clamp, replace board, clamp, and drill away.

A table top similar to my mobile workstation should work great for the set up and work area. There are several clamping options that should make holding the block and workpiece in place a breeze.

Note: You can never have too many clamps! 
Hope this helps.

Edit: You can buy stops that fit on drill bits so repeatable depth drilling is possible.
Mike


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

Actually, there is not nearly enough information here to give an educated answer. Numerous assumptions would need to be made, and at that point it's just guesswork.


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## asevereid (Apr 15, 2012)

For a mass production environment? Have you considered investing in one of these?
http://www.festooldomino.com/


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

I agree, there is hardly enough information to give a definitive answer. There is an industrial machine designed to do just that, it's called a horizontal boring machine for obvious reasons. I ran one for a couple of years at the furniture factory I worked at. Everything got dowelled and I ran a couple of hundred pieces a day. You can get them with single or multiple boring heads. Here's one:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Horizontal-Boring-Machine/G4185
:smile:

If you wanted a shop built version, a horizontal router table would be close.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

MT Stringer said:


> How long is a long board?
> 
> EDit: OOPS! I didn't read the part about three feet long.


Nor did I until you mentioned it :icon_smile:
To me , a 3 ft board is not long , its generally an offcut .

The vertical drill press could be mounted on the wall with the boards slid in underneath , gripped by an adjustable clamping jig that accommodates the hole schedule


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## damonlan (Jan 19, 2014)

*Thanks all*

Wow, lots of good information here. Sounds like I can make my own easy enough and clamp to end of board to guide the drill perp.


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## Priusjames (Jan 13, 2014)

+1 for Shopsmith...a real nice horizontal drill. 

And a lathe. And a table saw. And a vertical drill press. And a belt sander. And a disc sander. And a strip sander. And a bandsaw...


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

At three feet length, he could just rotate the bench top drill press so the head is just past the edge of the bench, and drill the holes.


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## damonlan (Jan 19, 2014)

What a great idea. Loosening one set screw and the head swivels around. This is the king of suggestion I was looking for. Quick, cheep, repeatable . . . .:thumbsup:

Thanks


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

jigs-n-fixtures said:


> At three feet length, he could just rotate the bench top drill press so the head is just past the edge of the bench, and drill the holes.


 Yep, that's the one :thumbsup:


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## Toller (Dec 30, 2007)

A $20 doweling jig would do a few hundred holes easily enough.

Years ago I made a horizontal boring machine out of an old RAS and a drill chuck.


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## laadams85 (Mar 21, 2014)

*Drilling Guide*

I bought one of these for doing my holes. They have two sizes, 1/8-3/8 and 3/8-1/2.

Drill Guide


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*drill press with table turned*

Either turn the table like this or if it can rotate 90 degrees even better. Most can not.This shows a board shorten than you need, but a floor model will easily do the job. Use locating blocks and a clamp to maintain position.


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