Looking for something – don’t know if it exists, so before I make my own, want to see if there is something out there.
I specialize in making doors. All of my doors have mortise and tenon joints between the rails and stiles. Before I remove the clamps after gluing, I reinforce the tenons with 2-3 pegs depending on size of the rail.
Up until now, I clamp a spoiler board on the bottom of the door prior to drilling through the stile. Inevitably, there is tear out on the back side.
My idea is to have a jig that cups the stile and has metal guides to drill from both sides. I’d set my stops on the my drill bits to make sure we get through the full thickness ( with both plunges) without worrying about tear out.
Is there a jig that has already been made for something like this? I know there are dowel jigs that I can modify to accomplish this, but if one already exists, then I’d prefer to get that one.
thanks in advance.
Replies
You could predrill all the way through with a small pilot bit anthen go from both sides. I have never seen a jig like what you describe.
I was afraid of that. We've done the pilot hole from either side, but I am hoping to eliminate that step. Some of the large doors with many rails and stiles that we build have upward of 25-30 pegs. Would love to cut work down. Thanks for your feedback!
The best I can suggest is first, use a brad point bit. Then, clamp a scrap block to back up the drill hole. This will almost totally eliminate any tear out as the bit exits the hole.
thanks for the response. With a spoiler block, I still get tear out from time to time. Im trying to eliminate tear out for good.
If you use a good sharp brad point bit and a backer board clamped snugly against the exit point, you should not get tear-out.
There are a couple of types of brad point bits. Use a bit with sharp cutters on the outer wings similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/IVY-Classic-01932-High-Speed-Vanadium/dp/B0050PVCVQ/ref=sr_1_130?c=ts&keywords=Brad-Point+Drill+Bits&qid=1687194222&s=power-hand-tools&sr=1-130&ts_id=552394
Those will make a cleaner cut and are less apt to tear-out as opposed to these:
https://www.amazon.com/TOOLS-Point-Storage-Carpenters-Quality/dp/B095L2MV1L/ref=sr_1_4?c=ts&keywords=Brad-Point+Drill+Bits&qid=1687194394&s=power-hand-tools&sr=1-4&ts_id=552394
Maybe a router bit of the right configuration would eliminate tearout?
A simple thought: The peg does not have to exit the stile.
Drilling through the tenon and into the back side of the stile, but not exiting the stile, with glue should be enough. It works well on Arts & Crafts furniture.
Thanks for the idea. Part of our design standards are through pegs.
If your design standards allow the pegs to be in different locations on each side of the door, you could use my suggestion, drilling from each side so the holes drilled from side A don't intersect with the holes drilled from side B.
Not sure how this would complicate fabrication, but leave the stiles thicker and then plane off the depth of tear out.
A quick drawing idea....size to suit your needs. Align and clamp the top and bottom boards together and drill through with a forstner bit of the proper size in the locations you want. The top board needs to be thick enough that it centers with the edge of the bit. Then assemble according to the door thickness. Clamp to your door and using the same bit drill through. Quality forstner bits cut clean and the bottom board being the exact same size and location should eliminate any tear-out. Make it heavy enough to eliminate movement. Enlarge the drawing!
Izzy Swan recently made a video on ‘rare’ but types. A few of those leave demonstrably clean holes on both entry and exit, notably without any backing board. I imagine if the size you need is available, one of those would be pretty ideal!
I think what you are looking for are drill bushing.. Make the drill jig you described in your OP and press in the drill bushing in oversized holes so that you can drill from both sides without damaging the jig.
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/drill-bushings/drill-bushings-for-soft-metal-and-wood/
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Just watched that video by Izzy Swan suggested by mrme2051 - pretty amazing and looks to be exactly what you are looking for - cool geometry of those bits to prevent tear out on backside....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlDJ0oe8TZM