Using Drill Bushings in Your Projects
George VondriskaDescription
I love building jigs and fixtures for my shop. When I’m building jigs that work in conjunction with a drilling operation, I find it’s best to add drill guide bushings to the jig so the jig holds up and stays accurate. If I’m investing my time, after all, I want the jig to last.
What’s a drill guide bushing?
A drill guide bushing is a chunk of hardened steel with a very specific inside diameter. Match the inside diameter of the bushing to the outside diameter of drill bit you’ll be using. See Sources.. The outside of the bushing is threaded so you can screw it into your jig.
What’s the benefit?
If you simply make your drilling jigs from plywood or hardwood and then run the drill through the locating hole over and over, you’re going to elongate the hole and the jig will quickly lose it’s accuracy. By using a guide bushing instead, the drill bit will be running inside the hardened guide bushing, and you’ll never lose accuracy.
Installing the guide bushing
Most guide bushings have ½”-20 threads, so a ½”-20 tap will give you the threads you need in order to screw the bushing into your jig. Drill the hole for the tap slightly undersized
The best bit
There are lots of types of drill bits available. Understanding different drill bits will help you choose the best one for the job.
Lots to learn
There are so many tips and tricks like this in woodworking. Have a look at our great woodworking tips to see what else we have available to make your woodworking easier to do.
Sources: Drill Guide Bushings
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I use taps quite often in my plumbing job.... I feel like I should have had this idea but, totally missed it. I went to the hardware store the other day and bought a bunch of T-nuts to thread some bolts into a honing guide I was making. After watching this, it dawned on me that I already have the exact tap that I would have needed. Oh well. At least now I have some T-nuts. Haha
If I use my drill in reverse while in the bushing, will it unscrew it?
You have some great ideas and techniques. Add that to a magical delivery, and I am always entertained and educated. Thank you!
Hi George, If you put the tap in the chuck of the drill press and turn it by hand to start the tap it will guarantee the thread is exactly true to the face of the jig. Cheers Norman.
U must tap the hole sraight