Thread: Precision dowelling jig

I need a metalwork project, and some of my furniture projects will need very strong dowelled joints, so I'm planning to build a versatile precision dowelling jig. Two questions on which I'd be grateful for experienced opinions:

1) Of the commercial jigs I know of, the ones that most impress me are the Record 148 and the Dowelmax, so I'm thinking of modelling my project on one of them (which doesn't exclude taking some features from the other). Any suggestions for improvements on these or other models to look at?

2) Can anyone suggest a source of reasonably priced hard steel bushes for the drill guides (8mm and 10mm)? If necessary I can get some drill steel, make them on the lathe and have a go at the heat treatment with my MAP gas torch, but ready-made would be simpler.

TIA
John