Drill guides

[Sideways]

There is some discussion of the blue rockler one and the orange Axminster one on the FOG (Festool Owners Group) website. Both of these seemingly made for them by the same Taiwanese manufacturer with small differences at the request of the distributors.
The Axminster version sells for £175 give or take a few pence and as the Rockler is so similar, it would be nonsense to ship that version from the USA to here and pay more than double for it.
Although the price is quite high, I was quite impressed by the Axminster one which I saw on their stand at the Materials and Finishes show a few weeks ago. It is a substantial thing. Quite big with some heft to it. Rigid enough and the chuck unit slides nicely but without excess play. I wouldn't be put off by the Axminster having a 10mm chuck. This isn't a drill press at the end of the day and if it will guide a 10mm drill bit or a much bigger auger with a max 10mm shank, I'd say that is enough to ask of something driven by a 1/4" hex.

After seeing it, it's on my wishlist. The price is a bit offputting but if they included it in a 20% off sale I'd certainly buy.

 

[earnest]

I returned this item and got a no quibble full refund as it was just not fit for purpose. The other options which would probably deliver good results are the Rockler version

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rockler-Drill-Guide-Chuck-Easy/dp/B0BDMX52BN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IKZVWV7X1BHJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sCHSGn3LJdS7y1qVmf9Xa2rA34S9pczzrVuyys3iKfRjR1WbXVn6dARzo_Fsxet_cyPJDjs09aS146Ul7bmhinUzITilA41x7oXPi4T-nec3K4LCQ33p9h1ETXQ_SXTyBULivMq6TM5VYZFA1nUgfZf1QiRkm0vV_vwt6rPyj5GOfpyQVlPtrucQ5pKlqmvGbIfxYzvIi-Yt97kahbEUVDuv6xiTHZQ6yWgFqm5cLfI.1t5ghjmagc-ebmCiEtQCLez01fp-_uJBCMZSwakyNxs&dib_tag=se&keywords=rockler+drill&qid=1718399838&s=diy&sprefix=rockler+drill,diy,63&sr=1-1

but at a whoping £427 or the Woodpeckers version at £390

https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/woodpeckers-auto-line-drill-guide/

I did not purchase either of these as the cost could not be justified and the main reason I wanted one was portability, take the jig to the wood otherwise I could just use my pillar drill. For most task that require precise holes I use a router but you only get limited depth and these drill guides give way more than a router.

Thanks, any thoughts on this product from banggood please? https://www.banggood.com/freegift/E...3.html?rmmds=search-newuser&cur_warehouse=CN?

 

[Sideways]

All the red looks like plastic and the rods appear to be thin and not fine finished.
That looks like a £20 to £30 tool, not a £65 tool.

I do wonder. I use a few drill sizes much more than others. Imagine a piece of steel bar, say 2" diameter cleaned up and faced in a lathe to be maybe an inch thick. Then just drill through it in the popular sizes - 3, 4, 6, 8 say using a bench drill. That block of steel pressed onto the surface of whatever and used as a bushing to hold a cordless drill square would be enough for a lot of jobs...

 

[ChaiLatte]

That block of steel pressed onto the surface of whatever and used as a bushing to hold a cordless drill square would be enough for a lot of jobs...

Look up 'Big Gator drill guide'. They also do a corresponding tapping guide, but it only works with ISO taps.

 

[pe2dave]

@petermillard seen using a small 'drill block' (Amazon has them) which seems sufficient for up to 10mm (most common?). Also has a V for drilling round stuff.

 

[Sideways]

This thread was ultimately to blame for tempting me into buying a 2nd hand mag drill off ebay.
I reckoned I would need to drill perpendicular holes in metal more often than wood. But a mag drill that didn't cost a whole lot more than one of those UJK drill stands could always be plopped down on a piece of wood if need be.

Of course a small dimension tube like this could just go on the drill press but wow, annular cutters make such an easy job of bigger holes in steel.
If you have a drill press with a morse taper socket, you can get adapters to let you use weldon shank / rotabroach cutters on that too.

This isn't really a solution for wood. The drill weighs a ton. It makes a heck of a noise. And 1100W at 450rpm is all about big cutters not skinny twist drills. But I'm loving it for metal

 

[pgrbff]

I did buy this in the end, all metal, very accurate, around £75 including tax and shipping.

 

[Sideways]

I did buy this in the end, all metal, very accurate, around £75 including tax and shipping.

That looks like a good buy

 

[pgrbff]

That looks like a good buy

All star m products I have used have been great quality

 

[Spectric]

For me the idea looked sound but the engineering let them down, I thought it might be a quick easy way to get perpendicular holes but I have gone back to my router with a guide bush and a simple jig which does deliver precision in comparison. Using something like a mag drill or Rotabroach might work if you use a steel base that could be clamped to the wood but it is wood and what are routers for.

 

[John Brown]

I shall be getting mine out of the attic soon to fit a rack and pinion security latch, as my ability to drill a hole perpendicular to the door is questionable.

 

[--Tom--]

For UJK money you could get a full on wabeco stand

https://www.wabeco-remscheid.de/bohrstander-zubehor/bohrstander-frasstander-bf/bf1240.html

 

[Bingy man]

For UJK money you could get a full on wabeco stand

https://www.wabeco-remscheid.de/bohrstander-zubehor/bohrstander-frasstander-bf/bf1240.html

Nice looking bit of kit but looks heavy hence not really portable. I could be wrong but unfortunately I don’t speak German.

 

[ajs]

Nice looking bit of kit but looks heavy hence not really portable. I could be wrong but unfortunately I don’t speak German.

There's a language toggle between German and English in the top right hand corner of the page. They don't ship to UK though, presumably too much paperwork post-Brexit.

 

[Bingy man]

There's a language toggle between German and English in the top right hand corner of the page. They don't ship to UK though, presumably too much paperwork post-Brexit.

Many thanks- tech is not my strong point..

 

[DanC76]

Anyone brought one of these items, there is a fair choice out there and a lot with nothing but negative reviews so anyone got any buying advice or recommend a particular model ?

The one in the running at present is the Milescraft one at around the £50 mark, View attachment 169453why is this one so much more expensive at £175 ?
View attachment 169454

I came here to ask exactly the same question, with exactly the same two products on my radar! A little late to the party I know, but I look forward to reading the following comments

 

[DanC76]

Anyone brought one of these items, there is a fair choice out there and a lot with nothing but negative reviews so anyone got any buying advice or recommend a particular model ?

The one in the running at present is the Milescraft one at around the £50 mark, View attachment 169453why is this one so much more expensive at £175 ?
View attachment 169454

I came here to ask exactly the same question, with exactly the same two products on my radar! A little late to the party I know, but I look forward to reading the following comments

 

[Bob008]

I came here to ask exactly the same question, with exactly the same two products on my radar! A little late to the party I know, but I look forward to reading the following comments

If you budget allows for the Axminster one I’d recommend getting its an absolute pleasure to use and you can actually feel the difference in quality and performance

 

[DanC76]

If you budget allows for the Axminster one I’d recommend getting its an absolute pleasure to use and you can actually feel the difference in quality and performance

Thank you, budget allows but I didn't want to waste money before pitching in here. I've read reviews on both and although my initial use is limited to one thing, I know I will most likely have use for it going forward

 

[Fergie 307]

I did buy this in the end, all metal, very accurate, around £75 including tax and shipping.

I have a Wolfcraft one, very similar but also has a handle on the side of the base.
Had it for years and very useful.
Mine has no chuck but a clamp to take the standard size drill end mount, so also can be used with my old 1/4 Bosch router, or most corded drills.