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Thread: Drilling Guides - Which one?
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3rd April 2008, 01:08 PM #1Merbau Mangler
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Drilling Guides - Which one?
Since I don't have a lot of space in my wardrobe shed I can't really fit in a drill press. So I thought maybe a drilling guide of some sort. The only reason I want a guide is that I am hopeless at drilling straight holes.
So surfing around I have found a number of such devices which fit two categories - attached to the drill body or attached to the chuck (Pictures below).
The one on the left (Medallist $27) is the cheaper of the two (the other is Torquata at $75) but it seems to me that it would be preferable to attach the guide via the chuck rather than around the drill body. The cheaper one has a handy holding device at the bottom but the spring mechanism on the guides looks a little flimsy. There is also a very cheap one from Bunnings (Craftec $15) which also attaches to the body.
Now...oh wise people...has anyone any advice on which is better? Or perhaps there is an alternative? Does anyone actually own such a device?
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3rd April 2008 01:08 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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3rd April 2008, 01:49 PM #2
I have never used them so can not say a lot on the subject. As for space a small benchtop drill press will not take up much room and will be more versatile.
Regards
John
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3rd April 2008, 01:56 PM #3
Geebug,
Just had a look at the wardrobe shed. You do have space issues. Very clever what you have done all the same.
Regards
John
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3rd April 2008, 03:33 PM #4
Gee
the amount of space for a small pedastal drill would be about the same
virsitility
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3rd April 2008, 03:58 PM #5
Id prefer a body mount style So that once located you can drill one handed if necessary so the other hand is free.
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3rd April 2008, 04:19 PM #6Merbau Mangler
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3rd April 2008, 04:22 PM #7Merbau Mangler
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3rd April 2008, 05:27 PM #8GOLD MEMBER
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Every drill press I have seen had a table that could be tilted for drilling angled holes. I still have somewhere a stand that takes a hand drill and turns it into a basic drill press. Mine's a little wobbly, but not too bad. If space is an issue it doesn't take up much more space than the drill by itself. Has a small table or you can shift the table out of the way and drill straight onto the base. I don't use it much now I have a proper drill press. I have seen people use them though to drill things that won't fit into a DP (dog holes on benches etc)
PeterThe other day I described to my daughter how to find something in the garage by saying "It's right near my big saw". A few minutes later she came back to ask: "Do you mean the black one, the green one, or the blue one?".
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3rd April 2008, 08:45 PM #9
As Peter says, most drill presses have a table that can be tilted. This works fine for lightweight pieces, as long as the piece is light enough to be maneuvered with one hand and clamped to the table with the other. For heavier pieces, the drill guide may be superior. Or, you can suspend the drill press from the table, as shown in pics 05 and 06 here: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8eg0u/kwameweb/
More description of the piece here: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=41341
JoeOf course truth is stranger than fiction.
Fiction has to make sense. - Mark Twain
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3rd April 2008, 09:18 PM #10SENIOR MEMBER
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Geebung,
I found the Torquata drill guide absolutely useless.Brian
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4th April 2008, 09:41 AM #11Merbau Mangler
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4th April 2008, 12:23 PM #12
Medallist
Geebung. I have owned the Medallist for years and whilst only used when hand drilling and real precision is necessary, it does the job it is supposed to do. I find the 'self centering' capability when edge drilling very handy and accurate. The downside - It only fits my small Makitta cordless drill - does not fit my other drills - corded Makitta hammer & DeWalt cordless. I use my small Makitta for other things and I find it a bit of a pain to mount the Medallist - it's fiddly. However for drilling straight holes and angled holes you can't go wrong for the price.
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4th April 2008, 12:50 PM #13Merbau Mangler
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Thanks Hitch. You have confirmed my fears...I already have three drills...I didn't particularly want to fork out for another one...the Medallist did seem like a good option but I think I need to go for the chuck mounted (although Wizened has said his Torquata is useless).
Dilemma...maybe I should just stick to using my set square!
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4th April 2008, 03:04 PM #14SENIOR MEMBER
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The footprint of a bench drill press is very small and yes, very versiltile.
Got a little Ryobi one and until I smashed the cast table it was one of the handiest things in the workshop.
I know a few people with drilling guides, all are gathering dust in a dark corner of their workshops..
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4th April 2008, 03:53 PM #15GOLD MEMBER
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I also have one of the Medalist drill guides & I semi-permanently mounted a cheap 'Arlec' brand corded drill from Kmart in it. If you hold it down, it will always drill a 90 degree hole - the Torquata one can easily be off a few degrees. Self centering works, as does the centre drilling v-blocks for round stock - pipes & dowel. The spring/s can be left off - I can't remember if mine came with one or two, but some jobs need a return spring, others don't. Ditto the depth stops.
The only other thing that came close for convenience was the Triton cordless drill, now discontinued.
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