[ryan50hrl]

So....I was in need of a drill guide to peg the legs into the apron of my coffee table. I couldn't get the drill press in where it needed to go.....and it needed to be 90 degrees and no movement to ensure a round hole.

The craftsman drill guide failed on all grounds. the holes ended up not 90.....there's a ton of play in the guide...enough that the tip of the bit moves in a 1/4 inch circle.

Now I have alot of craftsman tools.....tools from under a buck.....to over a grand.

However.....this one is a big fat zero.....so much so...its going back and i'll find a different one to pin the last two legs.

 

[Modela]

I have had little luck with this type of jig as well. Here is an alternative:

Buy a flange (plumbing department Home Depot, for example). You can use 3/8", 1/2" pipe, 3/4" or 1" depending on your desired hole size. Get a nipple to fit in. In mine I use pvc fittings and or pipe in the ends of the pipe to vary the size.

This is one I did for drilling a set of 3/4" holes in a bridge. The pipe size is these is 1". These holes went through up to five 4x12 pieces of wood.

Another way is to drill a thick block in your drill press and use it as a guide. Start the hole in your piece to center it, put in your long drill bit, slide the block down in place and drill.

 

[4DThinker]

That craftsman drill guide I believe was originally a Portalign guide. Sears may have had them make a version for them. My Portalign drill guide worked fine with an ancient B&D electric drill and was so useful I just kept it on that drill until the drill died. Mine never had springs on it, and the one thing I remember is that I had to keep one hand on the base to make sure it didn't tip while the other hand held the drill trigger and pushed down.

 

[ryan50hrl]

The concept was sound, but there was too much play in the carriage. I could move the tip of the bit roughly 1/4 inch in any direction. I thought of using the thick block idea, but I was trying to use a forestner bit. I may in the future start the hole freehand with the forestner bit and then switch to the block/twist bit combo to finish the hole.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

A piece of hard drawn copper tubing or a bronze bushing clamped in a flaring tool clamp makes a good guide when the flare tool clamp is clamped in position.