Thread: Dowelling Jig guide bush accuracy

Hi guys.
I have not posted over here in ages, so Hi everyone.

I am working on some drawer slides ( 12 x 12mm ) which I intend to use in a wooden shooters box.

Long story made short is that I find the 6mm guide bush in my Haron Dowel jig to be unusually sloppy.

Some trial pieces have the dowel perhaps 15 to 20 degrees off center. . The short pieces, 90L x 12 x 12 were set up spot on square and I measured the brad point drill- spot on 6mm.

These short pieces will run 90 degrees to the long rail, but will will be well off that that if I continue.

To my way of thinking, the bush should not by be to much over size to the bard point drill. There is by eye ,about .4mm.A 6.5mm drill won't go thru the bush. Maybe its a 1/4" (6.35mm ) fitted by mistake. I will hunt a a 1/4" drill and try it.

The jig came from Bunnings in a kit some years back but I never used the 6mm section. I put it down to that it is like many other cheaply made products and they stuck in what ever they thought might work.

Is this Haron jig just a junk brand?

If so I will find my old Paulco dowel jig which has single interchange able bushes (yes they are imperial ) and turn up a new 6mm bush on my lathe.

I thought that 6mm +.01mm made from a Hi tensile bolt (Grd 4140) might be a good start. If you have any comments or other ideas about that, could I please hear them.

Thank you

Grahame- straying from the Metals side.