Horizontal Drill for Lathe Work
I recently completed a lathe project that required me to drill a series of equally-spaced holes around a small vase. To accomplish this, I made a banjo-mounted, horizontal drilling jig powered by a 1/2" handheld drill. I used 8/4 hard maple about 3 × 3" (size to suit) for the jig body and drilled a hole through it. I pressed 1/2" ID bronze bushings into each end of the hole, slid a 1/2" bolt, 6" long through the bushings, and threaded a drill chuck on the end of the bolt. To mount the block on my banjo, I drilled a second hole in the block’s underside the same size as the post hole for the tool rest. Then I slid a matching steel rod into the hole, locking it with a setscrew. After sliding a stop collar onto this rod, I adjusted the height of the chuck to align its central axis to that of the lathe and tightened the stop collar. To control the hole depth, I mounted another stop collar on the handheld drill end of the bolt. A 7/8"-dia. dowel press-fit into a hole drilled in one face of the block serves as a removable handle and adds stability.
Jeff Peters
Redgranite, Wisconsin
Dust Hose Adapter
I managed to lose the shop vacuum adaptor that I used with my random orbit sander. Rather than turning my shop upside down to find it or buy a replacement, I made my own from a piece of 8/4 stock. I drilled a series of 7/8" holes into one side to fit the tool’s dust port. For the vacuum hose, I drilled a 1-1/2" hole into the opposite end. A few bandsaw cuts helped contour the piece to a less bulky shape. I’m pleased to report my shop-made version stays connected at least as well as the original.
Steve McCoy
Werleys Corner, PA
Restoring Aluminum Tables
If you should happen to cut a little too deep on your CNC machine and scar the aluminum table, don’t despair. Most of these tables are made up of narrow, two-sided extrusions. To hide the damage, loosen the holding bolts and flip the extrusion over before retightening everything. Then double-check your cutting files before it happens again.
Bob Berner
Allentown, PA
Impromptu Shop Desk
I often need a desk for paperwork or other seated tasks, but I don’t have space for a freestanding one. My bench is a poor substitute: even when it is not covered with projects, it doesn’t have knee room underneath. My solution was to add a removable wing at its right-hand end made from a piece of smooth-faced 3/4 × 20 × 30" plywood. It attaches via 1/4" bolts that thread into inserts recessed into the benchtop. The result is a sturdy, spacious auxiliary work surface with room for my knees below. It’s perfect for sketching designs, taking project notes, and working with small parts. When I don’t need the desk, it can be removed in seconds and stashed out of the way.
Bill Wells
Olympia, WA
Perfectly Perpendicular Holes
Drilling a hole that is exactly perpendicular to a surface is easy enough if you can fit your workpiece on a drill press. But keeping your handheld drill at a perfect 90° is challenging, especially when working toward the center of a wide surface. To help with this, I made a drilling guide by clamping a steel spacer in a handscrew with a V-notch sawn into one of its jaws. To make your own, cut the notch at the table saw and use the reassembled handscrew to hold a spacer whose inner diameter just accommodates your drill bit. My local hardware store carries these spacers in 2" lengths with inside diameters ranging from 1/16–1/2".
Richard Entwistle
Highland Lakes, NJ
