# Drill press jig



## Muzzy17is (Apr 28, 2015)

Looking for ideas for a jig for my drill press for drilling pen and game call blanks.  My drill press is a cheap one and doesn't have the side crank for raising and lowering the table so I'm trying to come up with a jig that will compensate for this as well.


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## moke (Apr 28, 2015)

What brand is your DP?  Is it a Floor model?


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## triw51 (Apr 28, 2015)

I would suggest using your lathe to drill blanks with the "Dedicated Pen Blank Drilling Chuck" you can get one through Penn State.  I use one and am very happy.


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## Paul in OKC (Apr 28, 2015)

I'm partial to one of these :biggrin:


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## jttheclockman (Apr 28, 2015)

Muzzy17is said:


> Looking for ideas for a jig for my drill press for drilling pen and game call blanks.  My drill press is a cheap one and doesn't have the side crank for raising and lowering the table so I'm trying to come up with a jig that will compensate for this as well.




Are you saying the drill press has no way to raise or lower a table and it is fixed. Does the motor raise up and down???  I have never seen a drill press that is fixed based. Would love to see a photo. Then maybe we can go from there.


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## chartle (Apr 28, 2015)

I'm going to assume that you have one like mine where the table uses a clamp to position the height not a crank.

I know what you are talking about I just use the base for when I use long pen bits and then just extend the bit to complete the hole but for when I use my shorter bits I just lift the jig and slide a board underneath.


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## chartle (Apr 28, 2015)

As for a jig I first used two pieces of hinged 2x4 with a square hole in the middle to hold the blank. I now have a drill press vise with some custom jaws.


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## Edgar (Apr 28, 2015)

When I first started making pens, I made a simple jig similar to this one. I later got a pen blank vise, but I still use the jig for larger blanks like stoppers and such.

Pen-Blank Drilling Jig


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## Muzzy17is (Apr 28, 2015)

edohmann said:


> When I first started making pens, I made a simple jig similar to this one. I later got a pen blank vise, but I still use the jig for larger blanks like stoppers and such.
> 
> Pen-Blank Drilling Jig



I like that jig. Nice and simple.


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## Muzzy17is (Apr 28, 2015)

chartle said:


> I'm going to assume that you have one like mine where the table uses a clamp to position the height not a crank.
> 
> I know what you are talking about I just use the base for when I use long pen bits and then just extend the bit to complete the hole but for when I use my shorter bits I just lift the jig and slide a board underneath.




Yes, that's the way mine works. It's a cheap Harbor Freight table top model. I'm gonna make a better work surface for it and incorporate my jig into the table.


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## Neededwill (Apr 28, 2015)

I had one from psi but have found myself using a simple vise grip but will make a hinged 2x4 soon.


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## Darley (Apr 30, 2015)

Paul in OKC said:


> I'm partial to one of these :biggrin:



Paul still have yours and still using it, the same one at the back the front one look neat


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## PenPal (Apr 30, 2015)

I use an X-Y axis movement vice fitted with prismatic jaws served me handsomely for twenty years of thousands of blanks. I can drill crazy cut blanks and so forth I switch the drill on and drill sometimes hundreds always using DeWalt drill point drills that give me many hundreds of uses cheap as chips overall.I have drilled at a session many hunderds of 1/2 inch Corian, took me a day to tune the gibbs etc for firmness and squaring up the vice and drill movements.

Peter.


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## Neededwill (Apr 30, 2015)

Peter very interesting looking vise, drill from the side?


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## PenPal (Apr 30, 2015)

Neededwill said:


> Peter very interesting looking vise, drill from the side?



No Randal I use that horizontal for reaming blanks once cut a neat but bloody hole in my hand with a long reamer.

Peter.


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## Fish30114 (May 1, 2015)

Paul in OKC said:


> I'm partial to one of these :biggrin:



Hey Paul, what is that and where do you get it???

Thanks--Don


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## JimB (May 1, 2015)

Paul makes those and sells them. There are a number of people on IAP that bought them from him and are extremely happy with them. You may want to PM him for information.

Note: I do not own one and am not promoting these for him. Just repeating what I have read on here.


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## Fish30114 (May 1, 2015)

Thanks for the input Jim, I will PM him right now.

Thanks--Don


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## duncsuss (May 1, 2015)

Fish30114 said:


> Thanks for the input Jim, I will PM him right now.
> 
> Thanks--Don



Don -- Paul's centering vises are available from ClassicNib


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## Fish30114 (May 1, 2015)

Good intel Duncuss--appreciate it--Don


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## Paul in OKC (May 1, 2015)

They are available through Classic Nib.


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