Replies

1. 
   cowtown | Mar 24, 2006 07:50am | #1

   I've had reasonable success with the Euro drill tools. Their templates are moderately priced, but their drills (carbide tipped) ain't. They do however last a long time with particle board. They are available in 5mil and 1/4inch sizes, and function much the same as a vix-bit.

   I'm quite pleased with them. Certainly a line boring machine would be slightly more effective, but just a tad hard to truck out to a jobsite if needed.

   As the simple jig became too fussy when yer drilling say 30 or 40 gables, and too short for pantry gables, I simply duplicated the drilling pattern on some 48" of phenolic which I lucked into. Made two identical strips which are dadoed so they slide along and are lockable onto a piece of track, which is then set to clamp onto the bottom of my gables. I can drill both sets of holes at once.

   Now the basic jig stays in the tool box for the most part,

   I went looking for photos of the jig, but couldn't find any, so yer gonna have to rely on my verbal description.

   I just went looking for photos of my jig, but there weren't any. I think Euro-drill is on the web. Yep...there it is....

   http://www.eurolimited.com/1024/webcatalog/catalog1024.htm

   it is a good bang for the buck, and if you decide to go this route, you is likely gonna get used to using it. So when you go to buy the bit and holder, make sure they stock replacement bits. They do break if you hit a hidden brad. Happened to me within the first week (8 or 9 years ago) and hasn't happened since.

   They do plug up with debris so that the shell spins, but now that I've learned to clean them, and spray the spinnging parts with silicone, that problem has practically disappeared.

   I also have their handle boring jig, which has reasonable utility, but it ain't nowhere near as outstanding for time savings (but what is eh?) Their hinge boring jig is a kludge compared to the Blum Eco Drill

   I ain't seen anything that comes close to this, short of expensive dedicated equipment.

   Hope this helps ya.

   Eric
   in Cowtown

2. 
   CRWoodworks | Mar 26, 2006 06:43pm | #2

   American Eagle makes a pretty good jig either to drill with or use with a router.

   I have the router jig.  I think it was about $40 plus a good carbide upcut router bit, etc and you are ready to go. 

    

3. 
   philjohnwilliams | Mar 29, 2006 05:48am | #3

   i believe lee valley sells this type of jig

4. 
   craig | Mar 30, 2006 07:27am | #4

   My preference is the Festool LR-32 system for line boring on small runs.  I realize this is out of the price rance of most people.     Here are some more suggestions:

    

   MEG products makes a jig for your router, Bench Dog also had a template for 32mm spacing. 

5. 
   TimNott | Mar 30, 2006 06:21pm | #5

   Yup. I started out making a load of bookshelves in veneered chipboard, marking out and drilling the holes by hand. Boring is such an appropriate word. Next time round, working in chestnut I tried two things. One was the GIZMO 32 from http://www.allenfield.com/portable.htm. This drills two holes at once, with a normal power drill (my cordless wasn't up to it but a 1/2" mains drill was fine), and locates on the last hole drilled to do the next two. You have to be very carefull to align the spring loaded plungers in the last hole - if you are a tad out then you screw up the rest of the run.
   The other was a home made jig, made out of 1/4" thick steel strip from the DIY store, bits of wood, nuts and bolts etc, and a lot of care drilling the guide holes in the right place. This lets me drill nine holes at a time without moving the jig (though not all at once). In my humble opinion, the time is in moving the jig, clearing the dust etc, so I prefer my own version. It's indexed in the last hole drilled with a spare 5mm bit. Or even a bit of a bit. Having to do push the bit through the jig into the last hole makes sure you have it truly aligned. See pics, if I've got this right...

   
1. 
   polarsea1 | Apr 05, 2006 08:19am | #6

    

   I made a jig from aluminum bar, I used socket head set screws and allen nuts for locater pins. I use a router and template guide to cut the holes. It also has an indexing hole so there is no limit to the number of holes I can drill.

    

   
6. 
   JandRdrilljig | Jun 19, 2010 02:03am | #7

   Line Boring Jig

   Contact

   J and R Enterprises, Inc.

   4848 East Cactus Road  #505-431

   Scottsdale, Az  85254

   602-953-0178

   Email: [email protected]

   Web: http://www.jandrdrilljig.com

   Designed exactly what you're looking for in 1988.  Has been sold in 5 different countries and is on display at several universities throughout the United States. 

   Sells for $140 plus freight.  Can get replacement parts.

   
7. 
   BruceS | Jun 19, 2010 06:39pm | #8

   Festool jig

   I sure like this jig,  quick and easy with the 1400 router that can be plunged single handed.

   http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v814-1474/festool_-_routers

8. 
   francodig | Dec 04, 2010 08:36pm | #9

   line boring gig

   Lee Valley tools In Ontario Canada, has a great tool, it's called a shlf drilling gig,  It has two aluminum channels about 2' long, so you cann drill parallel rows of holes repetable to any length, they are seperated by two rods that tighten to the channles you can drill holes of  5 or 6 different sizes. It's reasonably priced.

   Go to Lee valley tools .com and have a look.  I have used one for over two years, great time saver and acurate

9. 
   Rob_Sp | Dec 07, 2010 12:03pm | #10

   Pin Jig

   Here is the best I have found. You will need: Plunge router guide bushing upcut carbide bit (I prefer Whiteside) and some scrap plywood or MDF.

   Drill a series of evenly spaced 3/4"  holes in the center of a 3 to 4" wide piece of plywood or mdf. Rip down the center of the holes on the table saw to form the two halves . Fasten together with two rails as shown in the drawing to the desired width. Add the lipped fence to index on the workpiece if desired. You want the OD of the guide bushing to be just a bit larger than the hole diameter so the bushing dosen't fully engage the half circle, my 5/8" bushing has an outside diameter of about 13/16" which works well. Set the depth of the router and have at it- slide from slot to slot, it will drop right in perfectly without having to lift or turn off the router. Fast, accurate and best of all cheap.