Drill Jig for Indexing

[Barry McFadden]

This is my first lathe with indexing so I spent a while trying to figure out a way to drill accurate straight holes in the bowl. I was going to try to somehow fix my drill to my bowl steady frame but gave up on that idea. I decided to start with a piece of Cherry and turn the bottom to 1 " diameter. Since the plug cutter I was going to use cuts 3/8" plugs I needed something to steady the 3/8" drill bit. I found some 1/2" pipe at Home Depot and, lucky for me, the inside diameter was 3/8". I drilled a 1/2" hole in the jig and glued a piece of pipe into it. Now I had a guide for the drill bit and wouldn't wear away the sides of hole in the wood with repeated uses. So now I can use the banjo to hold the jig and set it in position either around the edge of the bowl or on the face of it and get perfect alignment every time. (sorry about photo 2... it didn't want to rotate for me)

[photo 2 rotated]
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[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

[John K Jordan]

Clever idea!

(I inserted a rotated version of your photo 2. Hope you don't mind.)

JKJ

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Nice bowl Barry, and a good way to go about it, works something like the Drill Wizard from Oneway without the price and less complicated.

Did you have any problems with breakout, looks like you are using a standard twist drill.

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[Barry McFadden]

Thanks Ken....
Thanks John and for rotating the pic.....
Thanks Leo... no problem with tear out... I use a brad point bit...

[Marvin Hasenak]

I made a similar rig, but used one of the stands that converts a hand drill to drill press. I mounted the stand side ways, all I have to do is rotate the turning and the push the arm on the drill press. eBay item 263525008586 Today they cost less than $20, I think 40 years ago mine was about $7.
It works like a cross slide on a metal lathe, I could also drill in at an angle and have the same angle at each index. Making oval looking inlays.

[JohnC Lucas]

Good job Barry. We think alike. I built one similar about 20 years ago. I didn't put an steel in it. I'm surprised how long they last. The drill hole never seems to wear out. What usually happens is the 1" tenon gets all dented up from the banjo locking screw and you end up throwing it away because of that. still I get quite a few years out of each one. When I make one I usually drill 3 holes. 2 in one side and then one in the other side. This gives me 3 different drill sizes. A fun thing to do is to drill at an angle and them glue the dowels in. When you turn them you get ovals. A good way to make sure the drill goes in clean is while rough shaping the piece leave an area that is perpendicular to the line you want to drill. After you get all the holes drilled and dowels in turn it down to the shape you want.

[William C Rogers]

I made on for my PM 90. I have since bought the oneway drill wizard. Nice fixture.

[John Terefenko]

I like this idea alot and can use it for small things. Can someone post a jig for use on a Jet 1014 or 1220. The oneway holder does not fit on those lathes. Marvin can you post yours and do you think I can adapt it to my lathes.

Years ago I made John Lucas' lathe sled for router for these lathes and it works great. I was thinking I could make another sled and just make the top with the fence turned 90 degrees. Then I can use my router instead of a drill motor. Oh the thinking cap is on now.

Here are a couple pens I was able to make use of that platform for. Also a few photos of the platform. I am still tweaking this because I have a new idea. Now this thing with drill, head on opens more ideas. I love it. I may make so it pivots on a dowel so the angle can be changed. I can then use beveled sleds too to make a compound angle. Oh the brain is starting to hurt.

[Marvin Hasenak]

I don't have any pictures, after my last hospital stay, I gave a bunch of stuff to my son. I haven't been able to go in the shop in almost 2 years. But if you look at your threading machine that you posted on IAP, you could easily rig up a drill on a sled like you made for the threading mechanism.

Or a look at this one. http://www.davidreedsmith.com/articles/drillguide/drillguide.htm It should work on your Jet 1220.