Hello. I want to build an aluminum frame using 1.5” aluminum tubing and 1/4” steel parts I can make on the crossfire pro. There are quite a few holes to drill and I want them precise on the tubes and the holes go all the way through and some cases one side will be larger hole. I am thinking to make a steel jig out of 1/4” steel with the holes arranged as needed for easy drill pattern. Then insert drill bushings and clamp the jig on the tubing which should be fast and easy and then drill with a drill press. This will be more than a one off need. Has anyone ever made a drill jig using a plasma cutter? I don’t get how I can press fit in the bushings without drilling out the holes to be precise. My holes in 1/4 steel never perfect and the walls aren’t straight.
Any thoughts on a way to make this jig on my machine? Another idea is to CNC a jig out of 1/2 Delrin then I can press in bushings and be very precise. The fastest easiest but precise method is needed to have all the holes consistent.
OK I can look into that. I was thinking with a jig and drill bushings clamped to the tube I could drill with a hand drill easier than mounting on a drill press, especially since my drill press is not set up for long tubes but I can add something to support the tubes sticking out. I had in mind the drill template steel plate with bushings would be faster and easier than having to align the drill bit on the hole center each time the stop is readjusted. I dont have a fence on my drill press since I dont dont much drilling but I’ll see whats out there.
This is what I had in mind. Make a plate with 1/2” delrin on CNC, with sides added to self align. Knock in these drill bushings for 3/8 drill bit. Lay tube on drill press, clamp jib onto tube. Drill with drill press, then jump to next hole, etc. For multiples over 16” or so at each end of the tube just drill and slide down and drill again. This jig is not even 15 minutes to CNC out of delrin.
I wouldn’t be opposed to such a jig, so don’t take it as such.
But it’s very easy to drill precise holes by creating a simple setup as I described above. The fence, not being something that came with your drill press but instead a 1-2-3 block or square tube or what have you.
You use whatever is in the shop to create a ‘fence’, and you clamp down a stop as well.
Drill the same hole that’s needed for each part, then move the stop so it corresponds with the second set of holes and so forth.
It’s easy to over complicate things, and the job could be finished by the time the jig is created and is put to work.
Ok thanks guys. Precise just means when I line up a bunch of cnc cut steel with manual drilled holes I don’t want any craziness. Probably cut holes oversized by .025” or similar fraction of drill bill.
I like the drill guide idea better. I guess it depends on how many you have to do. Really it’s up to you as we don’t know much about your shop and your equipment. If you have a real cheap and small drill press there is no way I would go that route.
I got in this 3/8 drill bushing. 1/2 long. For me making a Delrin jig is as simple as it gets so i don’t consider this complicating things. For a drill pattern for multiple tubes I think I bolt this to the end of the tube and then just slide the tube around on the drill press with no fence and drop the drill bit down and just drill it then slide to the next bushing. There may be 8 bushings on one of the tube. At least this is what I hope works out.
