Universal jig for drilling. The nuances of making a high-quality furniture conductor, we do it ourselves

February 6, 2017

When furniture is created, almost all parts have to be joined end-to-end. This is done using dowels in which holes are made. This is where a special part is needed. You can buy it or make a furniture jig with your own hands.

What is a furniture conductor?

A jig is a strip that has several holes and sleeves. It is applied to the desired part, the drill is inserted into the sleeve and a hole is made. To secure two parts you will need the help of one conductor, and the parts are fixed as securely as possible.

  • precision drilling;
  • simple and fast hole creation.

At the same time, conductors are used not only during construction, but also in mechanical engineering. This device also allows you to drill cylindrical workpieces and pipes.

Different types of conductors

Depending on the industry, conductors are divided as follows:

  • Invoices. They got their name because of their area of ​​application. This device is applied to the workpiece and fixed, with the help of which holes are made.
  • Rotary. They are used to drill cylindrical holes. In this case, the rotary axes can be located horizontally, vertically, or at an angle. The body here is equipped with rotary bushings.
  • Tiltable. They are used when holes are created in several planes.
  • Sliding. Used to make each individual hole. In this case this model It is not fixed to the surface, which means it is not the most convenient.

DIY furniture conductor

As we already wrote above, this product is needed when assembling furniture. Some people prefer to buy it, while others prefer to make a furniture jig for drilling holes with their own hands. Such products are sold in any construction stores; here it is important to select finished products for a specific purpose. The cost of a furniture jig will depend on its size, purpose and manufacturer.

The simplest option is inexpensive, but professional equipment with various additional functions costs quite a lot. Therefore, today they are increasingly making furniture jigs and templates with their own hands.

They are made using a metal sheet or wooden board. Holes are made in them that will serve as guides. This work is not difficult, anyone can cope with it.

How to create a conductor

So, it’s not difficult to create a furniture jig with your own hands. To get started you will need:

  • welding machine;
  • Bulgarian;
  • drill and some plumbing tools;
  • You also need to prepare 10 x 10 mm reinforcement in advance.

First the workpiece is cleaned sandpaper and marking is performed. The distance from center to center is approximately 32mm. Next, each template hole is drilled. After this, a stop is created - for this you can take a metal plate 1 mm thick. It needs to be bent and prepared for carving. The last step is connecting these parts.

The product must be made as accurately and carefully as possible, otherwise it will be of no use, and in an unfavorable situation it can even damage the furniture. You can learn more about how to make a conductor by watching various video tutorials. The easiest way to make it is using a furniture template, which can also be obtained from specialists.

To ensure that drilling does not cause complications, a conductor is needed. This device will really be needed when assembling furniture. Of course, today you can buy everything, but it is better to make a furniture jig with your own hands, because then such equipment will definitely be suitable for each specific purpose.

20 photos of cats taken in right moment Cats are amazing creatures, and perhaps everyone knows this. They are also incredibly photogenic and always know how to find themselves in right time in rules

9 Famous Women Who Have Fallen in Love with Women Showing interest in people other than the opposite sex is not unusual. You are unlikely to be able to surprise or shock anyone if you admit it.

11 Weird Signs That You're Good in Bed Do you also want to believe that you please your romantic partner in bed? At least you don't want to blush and apologize.

Never do this in church! If you are not sure whether you are behaving correctly in church or not, then you are probably not acting as you should. Here's a list of terrible ones.

15 Cancer Symptoms Women Most Often Ignore Many signs of cancer are similar to symptoms of other diseases or conditions, which is why they are often ignored. Pay attention to your body. If you notice.

Surprise: Husbands Want Their Wives to Do These 17 Things More Often If you want your relationship to be happier, you should do the things on this simple list more often.

We make our own jig for drilling holes

Description and features of the device

The jig is a strip with several holes and sleeves. Such a device is fixed to required part, and then carefully insert a drill into the sleeve and make a hole. To secure two parts you will need one jig, making the fixation reliable.

  • drilling accuracy;
  • simplicity and speed of creating holes.

It is worth noting that conductors are sometimes used in mechanical engineering, and not just in construction. Moreover, using this device you can make holes in cylindrical workpieces and pipes. The jig also allows you to make perpendicular holes.

Main types of equipment

All conductors used in various industries, are divided into several groups .

Methods and areas of application of the conductor

There are many ways to use this type of equipment. Naturally, the main area is considered building sector .

Furniture industry

When assembling furniture, you may find that some holes are missing. It is for this reason that you will have to drill various parts with your own hands. To ensure that the work does not cause difficulties, it is necessary to use a conductor. This will make furniture assembly accurate and quick. The use of such equipment is really important if you do not have a drilling machine.

Although today there is big choice accessories and fasteners, dowels are still often used in the furniture assembly process. They must be installed very precisely, otherwise the parts will be displaced. To avoid this unpleasant consequences, you should use a conductor.

Drilling pipes

If it is necessary to prepare holes in pipes and various cylindrical workpieces, using a drill is not the best idea, since it often slips, which means the holes will not have the desired shape. To make the job easier, you should use a universal jig.

It is worth noting that there is special equipment, which allows you to perform perpendicular holes. and this is very important when processing rounded elements and edges of workpieces.

Purchased or homemade conductor?

As mentioned earlier, such a product is indispensable in the process of assembling furniture. Some people make these devices with their own hands, while others prefer to buy them.

Conductors are sold in almost any hardware store, however finished products may not be suitable for specific purposes. It is also important to remember that the cost of the device depends on the purpose, size and manufacturer. The most simple options are inexpensive. what can't be said about professional equipment With big amount additional functions.

Many consumers prefer to make the conductor with their own hands. For this purpose you will need a metal sheet or a wooden board. Here, holes are prepared that will act as guides. In general, anyone can handle this kind of work.

Making a conductor with your own hands

As already mentioned, you can make a similar product for drilling yourself. To do this, you need to prepare a welding machine, an angle grinder, a drill and several plumbing tools. You will also need fittings dimensions 10x10 mm .

  • The workpiece is cleaned with sandpaper and markings are made. According to accepted standards, the distance between centers should be about 32 mm.
  • Next, template holes are drilled.
  • The next stage is creating a stop. This can be a metal plate 1 mm thick. It is carefully bent and the place for carving is prepared.
  • Then both parts are carefully connected.

To ensure that the process of drilling holes does not cause any difficulties, it is worth using a jig. Similar equipment really indispensable in the furniture assembly process. You can buy it, but it’s better to do it yourself, because homemade device will definitely suit your specific needs.

A furniture jig for drilling holes, a drawing of a kind of template that allows you to accurately install assembly elements and greatly simplifies and speeds up the process.

Using this device you can make holes for:

Dowels
futorka
pinch bolt
mounting holes for mounting plate furniture hinge
mounting holes for furniture hinge cup
center for furniture hinge flange
center of the eccentric coupler

The design consists of two parts:

Marking unit
retainer

It is an “L” shaped plate made of thick sheet corrosion-resistant steel GOST 7350-77. in which through holes with a diameter of 8 and 3 (mm) are drilled horizontally and vertically. To ensure that the processing tool fits better into the holes, chamfers measuring 0.25x45˚ are made on its edges. The plate is hardened and ground.

Made from steel circle GOST 2590-88. which allows you to install a furniture jig for drilling holes at the required distance from the edge of the chipboard being processed. The movement step is ten millimeters.

How it works? For a better understanding, let’s open the article: “How to assemble cabinet furniture” and take a look.

Let's say we want to install a furniture hinge:

1. We lay the template on the facade.
2.
3. We drill a hole with a diameter of three millimeters to the required depth for the fastening screws of the cup.
4. We drill a hole with a diameter of three millimeters to the required depth for further processing. The prepared hole will be the guiding center for milling a hole for the flange of a furniture hinge with a diameter of thirty-five millimeters.
5. Place the template on the body.
6. We drill a hole with a diameter of three millimeters to the required depth for the mounting screws of the strike plate.

Let's say we want to install an eccentric coupler:

1. We lay the template on the horizontal surface of the chipboard part.
2. Install the clamp into the hole.
3. We drill a hole with a diameter of three millimeters to the required depth for further processing. The prepared hole will be the guiding center for milling a hole for the eccentric of a furniture tie with a diameter of fifteen five millimeters.
4. WITH chipboard end, along one center line, drill a through hole with a diameter of eight millimeters to the required depth

In the picture shown

IN different colors shows the center on the furniture jig for various technological operations.

No need for calipers, ruler, pencil
reduction in labor intensity
ease of use

To better remember the sequence of operations, mill the hole numbers on the furniture jig to a depth of 0.25 (mm).

Jig for drilling holes: how to use and how to make it yourself?

When working with a hand drill, it can sometimes be difficult to maintain the specified direction of the hole. Conductors are also used if it is necessary to make a series of similar holes according to a template. For example, during carpentry work. In this case, the master does not waste time marking the tree, and is guaranteed to get the same result.

The jig is indispensable when drilling holes in pipes. But the main application is to pass holes at a given angle.

Let's consider various options this useful device:

Jig for perpendicular drilling of holes

A simple furniture jig for drilling holes when assembling metal furniture. Details in the video material

Purpose - to obtain passes in thick workpieces, strictly at an angle of 90°. It is a set of bushings in a single body, or a bracket with replaceable working attachments.

By installing the device above the drilling point, you can start working without pre-punching. The drill accurately hits the center of the sleeve and does not deviate from the axis.

Important! The only problem is that the tool must be held on the workpiece, especially at the beginning of work. Otherwise, vibration may cause it to shift.

You can make such a drilling jig with your own hands. Thick textolite or solid wood is used. Perfect option— the use of extruder bushings for drawing wire. Worn bushings can be found at the factory.

The extruder nozzles are made of alloy steel, with the addition of pobedit. The service life is practically inexhaustible.

Conductor for cylindrical blanks or pipes

Making a hole in a sloping surface is almost impossible. It is especially difficult to start the process - the tip of the drill jumps off given point. The device will fix the direction and allow you to perform the work with high accuracy.

By adjusting the length of the fixing bolts, you can drill a hole tangentially to the center. If you don’t have such a tool at hand, you can make one from scrap materials. For example, from a block of hard wood and a strip of plywood.

So that the guides do not break so quickly sharp edges drills, they can be reinforced with sleeves made of tubes of different diameters.

Furniture jigs for drilling holes deserve a separate description.

Jig for angled holes

This type of drilling is not very common, however, there are ways to fasten products to each other when this technology cannot be done without.

In fact, the hole is made tangentially, which is almost impossible to do while holding the drill with your hands.

Important! IN metal parts Such recesses can only be made using a milling cutter.

And for wooden blanks exists ready set.

Any carpenter is familiar with this method of drilling; professionals use this device all the time. Working with the jig is easy: you set the drilling height, the workpiece is pressed tightly against the stop, and you get precise oblique holes.

A stop-limiter must be put on the drill, otherwise the hole will end up through. Then the screw head will fall through. In addition, it is better to do such fasteners using a special drill with a double diameter.

It is difficult to make such a device yourself. Although there are simple options that are not particularly accurate.

There is a separate type of device: for drilling at an angle with an adjustable tilt. This is a specific jig that is not suitable for all workpieces.

The type of fastener indicated above is only suitable for an array. Pressed slabs cannot be joined this way.

Therefore, such a jig is not suitable for drilling holes in chipboard. To assemble trunnions and other furniture components made of hardboard, dowel fasteners are used.

Dowel hole jig

The device is designed to maintain the alignment of the holes. Otherwise you will not be able to install the spikes. By applying the jig to both parts to be joined, you will ensure a perfect connection.

If you decide to make such a conductor with your own hands, there is no need to look for drawings. We present two options for perfectly working homemade products:

Invoice template


It's very easy to make. A small piece of plywood and a sheet of hardboard are enough. With this device you can always drill a couple of coaxial holes for dowels.

Hardboard (or other transparent plastic) must be marked and calibration holes drilled. With their help, it will be easier for you to install the template in the right place. Thin-walled brass tubes must be driven into the holes. Otherwise, the wood drill will quickly destroy the guides.

Important! This device is only suitable for workpieces of a fixed width.

Then the spikes will be located in the center of the end. For wood of other sizes, it is necessary to make separate guides, or a universal jig template.

Self-centering jig

If you do not make furniture using standard panels, you need universal tool. You can also make it yourself, and the materials are literally lying under your feet.

To make such a jig for drilling holes you will need a drawing and basic knowledge geometry.

Materials used: a piece of plywood 15-18 mm, a thin-walled tube suitable for a drill, several dowels, and a metal strip for the arms of the parallelepiped.

We make three identical parts: in the middle there is a hole reinforced with a tube, on the bottom side there are symmetrically located dowel legs. It is important that all three components are absolutely identical.

From metal we cut three identical arms with symmetrically located holes. They determine the linearity of the holes of the conductor.

We cut out grooves in three blanks and connect them using metal shoulders. The device works no worse than the factory one, at virtually zero cost.

Another way to connect furniture is to use the so-called confirmat. A separate tool is needed for this.

Making a self-centering conductor - video

Conductor for confirmation - types and possibility of production

Of course, such a device is on sale, and it is quite convenient and versatile. It is used to perforate the first part of the workpiece. The second part of the workpiece must have two rows perpendicular holes

. A different design has been developed for this purpose. Of course, home craftsmen do not look for easy ways, and do furniture template

jig for drilling holes with your own hands. Moreover, it does not have to be universal; you can adapt it to a specific type of joint of furniture panels.

Important! Any universal device is designed to save money. Make a mistake in drilling when large quantities extra holes - as easy as shelling pears.

Therefore, when making templates yourself, make them narrowly profiled.

Don't be confused by the holes being the same size. Confirmat, as a rule, is issued according to certain standards. Therefore, the drilling diameter is the same. We have discussed how to make a jig for drilling holes for fasteners.

When assembling wooden structures and installing doors/windows, hinged joints are used. Their fastenings must also be standardized and synchronous with each other. To avoid mistakes with the markings, a jig is used for the holes for the hinges.

It is almost impossible to install a standard furniture hinge without this template.

Any devices that can be used to standardize markings or drill holes improve the quality of work by an order of magnitude. In addition, purchasing (manufacturing) conductors allows you to save a lot of time during carpentry work.

First, let's figure out what a furniture jig is? Every time, assembling some kind of furniture, the master performs many completely identical marking operations (for example, marking 20 minifixes when assembling a cabinet means marking three completely identical holes with the same indentations). So, a jig is a device that allows you to optimize the processes of marking and/or drilling.

There are two main types of conductors: markinge And drilling. If the former serve to simplify markings, then the latter allow you to completely remove this stage from work, starting immediately with drilling holes. Looking ahead, I will say that it is better to have both types.

Naturally, good conductors cost money, so people get rid of themselves and come up with their own homemade options, which are often no worse than factory ones.

Let's look at a few examples.

Marking furniture conductors:

Homemade conductor from a ruler. Probably the simplest and at the same time quite convenient and multi-purpose marking jig, which I recommend making. It is a ruler with a cross member screwed to it STRICTLY PERPENDICULAR. The ruler has holes drilled at certain distances from the beginning (for example, 32 mm for minifix, 100, 200, 300 mm for shelf holders, etc.)

Alternatively, you can use a ready-made carpenter’s square as a basis for such a jig (this is exactly what I have). It has its advantages (greater functionality) and disadvantages (less stable on the workpiece).

In addition, there are highly specialized conductors, for example, for marking holes for furniture handles .

For marking furniture hinges - This is a factory conductor, but who's stopping you from making one like that?

In general, using several pieces of plastic, metal and even plywood, you can make a simple marking jig to suit your needs.

Professional marking conductor Assistent - serious multi-purpose device. (I haven’t worked with it myself, but it seems to me that you can drill through it - it all depends on the bushings used).

Drilling jigs are more complex devices. The hole in them should not only be clearly opposite the right place, but also be strictly perpendicular so that the drill does not go to the side during operation (for this, for example, replaceable bushings are used various diameters or the thickness of the conductor must be at least 10 mm).

Dubel-profi conductor from KVB - An excellent household drilling jig (for amateurs), for which a bunch of accessories are available (rulers, clamps, etc.) is inexpensive and simplifies the work. I have two of them.

Professional drilling jigs. I think that the principle of operation is quite clear from the photo. Replaceable bushings - for drills of different diameters

Another option - Condor conductor. It has a system for positioning the jig on the workpiece and replaceable bushings.

Again, to suit your needs, you can make conductors of similar functionality with your own hands.

In short, the topic of conductors is almost endless))). To each his own and for his own. The main points, as I think, I have depicted - then it’s up to your pocket and/or ingenuity.

By the way, you can order a Condor conductor in Chelyabinsk (or by shipment within the Russian Federation) from me at

In the process of assembling or repairing furniture, it is often necessary to carry out work on precise drilling of holes for confirmation, for dowels, dowels and other furniture fasteners. In the case of wood and chipboard, it is difficult to make such holes using an electric drill alone: ​​the entrance part of the hole is broken, and the hole itself may not be at a right angle to the mating surfaces. Thus, you will need a jig to drill the holes.

Purpose and classification of furniture conductors

The purpose of the jig for drilling holes is to accurately guide the drill to the required point and ensure the straightness of the tool throughout the entire depth of the resulting hole.

In metalworking, such devices have been known for a long time, and are often supplied with the machine. Due to the increased number of closed joints in modern furniture products, the need for such conductors for woodworking specialists is very relevant. Distinguish the following varieties

  1. furniture conductors:
  2. Overheads that do not require fixation before use. They are simple, mobile, but force you to use only one hand when drilling (if the drill or grinder is not installed in a special frame). Making such a conductor with your own hands is easy and simple. They are used mainly when making holes in MDF or chipboards.
  3. Rotary, which are equipped with folding brackets, and allow you to drill on two adjacent planes in one go. Jigs for drilling holes at an angle. A highly specialized version of the jig, which is designed to make holes for different angles
  4. Sliding ones, with the help of which you can make several holes (including in several rows) without changing settings. More necessary for professionals who often have to perform such work. Requires skills for proper use.

If the jig is sufficiently rigid, it can also be used for drilling holes in products that do not have a flat plane, for example, in pipes.

Then the conductor is secured using a clamp (this option is not suitable for furniture, due to the risk of surface deformation).

DIY jig for drilling holes

  1. Fundamentally, such equipment consists of the following parts:
  2. An angular body element applied to the surfaces of products, which will subsequently be connected to each other with dowels, dowels or confirmations.
  3. Guide bushings where the drill fits.

Clamping/fixing devices that are located at the end parts of the conductor. For a conductor that is supposed to be made by hand, it is important to design the device for the most common mounting options for home craftsmen. If you need a universal jig (for furniture makers), then it is better to spend money on an industrial version of the equipment, which is characterized by increased accuracy of fixing parts and has a higher quality design. Moreover, manufacturers often offer templates, stops, and other kits for the jig. useful little things. Furniture conductor price

industrial production ranges from 500 to 1200 rubles, which is determined by its functionality - the length and number of guide holes. Let's start designing a furniture jig for drilling holes by choosing a corner. There are more possibilities for a product where the corner will be unequal, and with the maximum possible thickness of the shelf. According to the assortment GOST 8510 “Uneven-flanged steel angles”, the minimum

permissible dimensions has an angle L63×40×8: with a shelf thickness of 8 mm, a guide sleeve with an outer diameter of up to 6 mm can be placed there. The internal hole for the drill, therefore, can be no more than 3.5...4 mm, but this is quite enough for most options for the resulting holes. As a last resort, they can be drilled out without using the device, especially if the hole is deep enough. GOST 9941 (seamless) or GOST 9940 (all-welded). It is recommended to first select the pipe according to the diameter of the internal hole. A 6×1 pipe will allow you to obtain an internal hole for a drill with a diameter of up to 3.6...3.7 mm, and a 6×1.5 pipe will allow you to obtain an internal hole for a drill up to 2.7 mm (a two-sided gap is taken taking into account the thermal expansion of the material). The length of the sleeve must be no less than twice the height of the hole made in the corner. Each bushing must fit into the hole with an interference fit or transitional fit. The most appropriate is landing using the shaft system, when the already known outside diameter bushings, and a hole is drilled for it in the corner. It is better to use a slight interference fit, for example h9/P10.

It happens that the jig needs to be designed for drilling a deep hole. In such cases, the bushing must be stepped (with a shoulder). Bushings have the required accuracy and dimensions for machine tools according to GOST 12214, the internal hole in which has a constant diameter over the entire height of the sleeve.

The number of holes, and especially the distance between them, is selected according to the specific needs of the user.

When choosing a conductor mounting method, choose one of the following options:

  • A spring stop that will press the surface of the jig to the part due to the elastic forces of the material. Any flat spring with the required clamping force will be suitable as such a stop;
  • Fixation using self-tapping screws, which are screwed into the material of the part and keep the jig from being displaced by friction forces. This option is convenient in that the resulting outlines can then be used as additional elements centering the future hole. In the case of chipboard, this option should be used with caution;
  • External clamps, under which you should place corrugated rubber gaskets. In this case, the weight of the conductor will increase, and the compliance of the rubber may disrupt the perpendicularity of the axis of the conductor bushings. Therefore, using this method of fastening, first insert a drill into the sleeve, mark a hole, and only after that use clamps.

Jig for drilling for dowels and confirmations

The sequence and design of the simplest devices for accurately producing holes is discussed using the following two examples:

  1. Multi-position jig with clamp fastening (see Fig. 1). The initial body part here is a thick-walled aluminum corner. Due to the considerable length of the device, an intermediate fastening is provided in the middle. When turning the jig at an angle of 90º, the increased wall thickness of the angle, which is superimposed on the surface of the part, is successfully used. The distance between the guide bushings is selected according to the most common distances for dowels or for confirmation.

Figure 1 — Multi-position jig for drilling holes with clamp fastening

  1. A two-slider furniture jig, with which you can make holes in two mutually mating parts. The design of the device is clear from the attached drawing (see Fig. 2). It consists of two guide rulers, which are connected by fasteners to a connecting strip. The presence of several holes on it allows you to install the bar on parts of different widths. Replaceable housings with a set of guide bushings with different distances between them move along the rulers. The conductor is fixed using connecting strip, and on the opposite side - a travel limiter, which is tightened by a wing screw.

Figure 2 – Multi-slider furniture jig: 1 – Guide ruler; 2 – Adjusting screw; 3 – Housing; 4 – Stop bar; 5- Travel limiter.

When manufacturing cabinet furniture, there is a need to be able to accurately and quickly drill into the end of parts. As a rule, this need is due to the use of euroscrews (confirmations), in which holes with diameters of 4.5-5.0 mm (depending on the density of the plate) are drilled into the end of the parts to a depth of 35-55 mm (depending on the length of the euroscrews).

Of course, there are special drilling and attachment machines for such purposes, but they are not readily available to private furniture makers or small organizations due to their high price, plus the machines are not convenient due to exclusively stationary use. To simplify the work of a furniture maker, jigs were invented - small devices for precise drilling with a conventional hand-held electric drill. Today there are several manufacturers on the market; by paying quite a price, you can buy a ready-made conductor. This article will discuss how you can make a good homemade conductor from available and easily accessible material in a couple of hours.We use ball bearings to guide the drill bushings. The bearings are made of durable steel and will last a long time. In order for the drill to be well oriented in the jig, two bearings are used for each working distance (the bearings are located coaxially one under the other).

To make a conductor (for three working fixed distances) we will need:

  1. A piece MDF boards 16mm thick.
  2. A piece of MDF board 10mm thick.
  3. Six pieces (a pair for each working distance) of any ball bearings with an internal diameter of 5.0 mm, an external diameter of no more than 16 mm. The height of the bearing should be as small as possible and no more than 8mm.
  4. A dozen 4x25 mm self-tapping screws.
  5. PVA glue, “Superglue”.
  6. Furniture footer with internal thread M6 (see photo).
  7. Screw M6x50. Nut M6. Grover washer 6mm.

Manufacturing of the conductor body.

First, you need to make the case itself. There is no need to particularly explain anything about the body, everything is elementary. Cross section housing - the letter “P” with one end (closed) wall. This wall will be used as a stop and will set the zero point, the starting point for drilling. When drilling, the stop is pressed against the end of the part. Main dimensions:

  • The external size of the conductor is arbitrary.
  • The upper part, in which the bearings will be seated, is made of 16mm MDF, the remaining parts are made of 10mm MDF.
  • The distance between the two sidewalls (where the workpiece will be placed) is equal to16.5 mm, whatcorresponds to the actual thickness of the slab plus a small gap for ease of installation and removal of the jig.
  • The distances between the centers of the bearings and the stop: 50, 70, 100 mm are the most common in furniture practice.

To assemble the case, it is necessary to accurately cut all four parts (top, two sides and one end), it is recommended to take measurements with a caliper. Next, holes are marked and drilled for the screws that will fasten all the parts together. The housing is assembled using PVA glue.


The distance between the side walls of the conductor is 16.5 mm (for laminated chipboard with a nominal thickness of 16 mm).

Bearing seating.

After the glue has dried, we proceed to marking and punching the holes for the bearings. We try to perform this operation very accurately! To drill holes for the bearings, we will need a drill mounted in a rack. It is very difficult to perform precise drilling by hand, but with some skill it is possible. We mark the centers of the bearings with a pencil and punch them. Using the core, we drill three through holes with a diameter of 2 mm. We clamp a feather drill (punch) into the drill chuck; the diameter of the punch should be equal to the outer diameter of the bearings. We drill two blind (non-through) holes for each bearing on each side of the previously drilled through hole. The depth of drilling with a hammer (the penetration depth of the central tenon is not taken into account) should be approximately 1 mm greater than the height of the bearing. As a result, we should get six mounting holes (three on each side) for the bearings. You can try inserting the bearings into seats, the bearings should fit freely, but without noticeable play. After fitting, you need to lubricate the outside of each bearing with glue and seat it in its place until it stops. If “Superglue” is used (it quickly absorbs and dries), then this operation is performed using a rubber mallet.


Conductor on top. Distances between bearing centers and stop.

Making an adjustable stop.

To be able to drill at any arbitrary distance from the stop (not only 50, 70, 100 mm), it is necessary to supplement the jig with a simple adjustable stop - a long screw. We drill a through hole in the center of the end stop with a diameter 0.5 mm smaller than the outer diameter of the furniture fitting (see photo). Screw in the foot. We screw a long screw into the foot, not forgetting to first screw the nut onto the screw and put on the Grover washer. Now, by changing the screw screw depth, you can set any drilling distance from 0 to 100 mm.


Furniture footwear. To screw the fitting into the conductor body you will need a hex wrench.


The adjusting screw of the jig is screwed into the furniture fitting.


Conductor. Side view.



Conductor. Inside view.


Drilling a hole in the end of the chipboard using a homemade jig.




Drill overhang. For such maximum depth drilling can be done.The length of the drill used and the depth of its attachment in the drill chuck must be selected taking into account the thickness of the jig (that is, almost the total height of the two bearings).

If desired, the surface of the jig can be sanded with fine sandpaper, primed and painted (for example, with spray enamel). Practice has shown that the accuracy of drilling with a jig is no worse than +/-0.5mm and largely depends on how much actual thickness was made (slabslaminated chipboard) differs from the calculated thickness. In any case, an error of a maximum of half a millimeter is not critical for end drilling in the manufacture of cabinet furniture.

A jig for drilling holes is a device used in mechanical engineering to simplify the process of processing a part. In essence, it is a template that serves to guide or position the workpiece. Can be used on various equipment, such as a diamond drilling machine.

In mechanical engineering, jigs are fairly precise devices (up to 0.05 mm (depending on the requirements for the part being manufactured)). They come in two main types: overhead (in the form of slabs) and box-shaped, which are three-dimensional structures. There are also jigs for drilling mixed type. These devices are used to reduce labor intensity: from technological process When processing the part, the marking operation is eliminated, in addition, it becomes possible to drill several holes at the same time.

The drilling jig is used only in serial and mass production. This is explained by the fact that for a small batch of parts it is not practical to manufacture a separate device, which, moreover, will have to be installed and configured separately.

A drilling jig is usually used to process several holes lying in the same plane. It is best if the parts are unified by standard size, this will allow the device to be used for a wide range of products.

The drilling jig is also used in light industry and construction. Such devices are only of the overhead type and are made of lighter materials, such as wood or plexiglass. These products are not designed for great accuracy; the positioning error is only ±0.5 mm. But this is more than enough to make holes for fittings in furniture or drill a series of holes in the wall of the house. The equipment used is a conventional drill or drilling machine desktop type.

You can make your own conductor for household needs. It will be needed during repairs, when you need to make a lot of the same type of holes and there is no desire to waste time on preliminary marking. To make it, you can use any available materials: on a sheet of metal or wooden board mark and drill all the necessary holes that will serve as guides. If necessary, an additional plumb line is made so that shavings or concrete chips do not fall on the floor. It is possible to make a jig without dust when the template is covered with a specially fitted half plastic bottle.

The main advantages of these devices are high positioning accuracy of holes without preliminary marking, high labor productivity and reduced perpendicularity deviation (due to guide bushings). However, using a jig for drilling is not always economically justified, especially with small batches of parts in production.

Very often, when repairing furniture or assembling it, you need to accurately drill holes for the firmmat, dowel and other fasteners. If you drill chipboard sheet, then it is almost impossible to do this with a simple drill, since the hole breaks and it is not always possible to make a right angle. Therefore, for such work you must have a tool called a conductor.

Classification of conductors

The main function of jigs is to ensure straightness in drilling wooden surfaces throughout the entire depth of the hole. Such devices are used quite often in metal processing and, as a rule, are supplied directly with the machine. Due to the need to create such holes in furniture production in large quantities, such devices are in great demand among craftsmen.

There are the following types of conductors:

If the jig has sufficient rigidity, then it can be used not only on flat planes, but also for curved pipes, etc. In this case, it is secured with a clamp. But under no circumstances should it be used for fastening to wooden surfaces, as you can damage the furniture. You can buy it in the store, or make it yourself.

The jig is in fact a template for making holes, with the help of which such work can be done with maximum accuracy. Due to the simplicity of the structure, they are often used not only in the areas of furniture production. In particular, they are actively used in the field of mechanical engineering for drilling holes in various workpieces, etc. We should not forget about the furniture industry, where such a device is used for various needs when assembling furniture fittings.

Features of self-production

When designing a conductor for confirmation, it is necessary to correctly calculate what functions it will have to perform in the future. It should be done for the most commonly used fasteners in the house. If such a device is required by furniture makers for constant work, then it is better to buy a factory model, which is distinguished by great precision. In addition, manufacturers often include additional fasteners, stops and templates in the kit.

The price of such a device for professional use ranges from 400 to 1100 rubles. It depends on the immediate capabilities of a particular unit, the number of holes made, their length, etc. Many people are interested in how to make a furniture jig with their own hands. Drawings with dimensions are a must for novice craftsmen, as they allow you to make a high-quality design on the first try. Similar diagrams can be found on the Internet.

Basically, the conductor has the following elements:

  • The basis of the product. It is directly applied to the plane of the furniture, on which the holes will be drilled.
  • Guide bushings. A drill goes through them.
  • Surface clamping parts. As a rule, they are located at the end of the conductor.

To start designing your own conductor, you need to choose the right corner. It is better to make a non-equivalent corner, since it will have much more possibilities, and choose the maximum thickness of the shelf.

Next you need to take care of in the right direction bushings. It can be made from stainless pipe. The length of the sleeve should be at least twice as long as the hole in which it will be located on the angle. The bushing should fit tightly in the hole. The simplest and most common option is planting according to the shaft principle. A corresponding hole is drilled in the corner for the already known diameter of the bushing, and then the fit is made. It is recommended to use a low interference fit.

There are cases when the jig needs to be made for drilling deep holes. Then the bushing is made with a collar. The number of possible holes, their length and the distance between them is selected to suit the specific needs of each master.

Several options can be used to attach the device:

Design for confirmations and dowels

A furniture jig for drilling holes for dowels and confirmations is a very necessary device for furniture makers. Especially if chipboard material is used.

For these purposes, two types of conductor are used:

  • Dowel jig with clamp fastening with many functions. The basis of this design is a corner made of thick aluminum. Since the device is quite long, there is an additional fastener in the middle. When turning the angle ninety degrees, the increased thickness of the device helps a lot. The bushings on the structure are located at the distance most often used for confirmations and dowels in furniture production.
  • A two-slider jig, which is used to make a hole in two parts fastened together. The design consists of two strips that are connected by fasteners. It has several holes, so you can install devices at different widths.

Scope of use

Furniture jigs are devices that no furniture maker can do without in the process of work. Such devices allow you to avoid the main problem in furniture production, namely the drill entering at the wrong angle. If you make such a mistake, it is very difficult or even impossible to correct it later. Such a device not only makes it possible to correctly direct the drill during operation, but also allows the tool to constantly maintain the desired trajectory (flat, perpendicular or at an angle).

Such devices are used both in the design and production of furniture, and during assembly, when there is a need to make holes for fastening elements together. Often, for such actions, conductors are used under firmmats or dowels, without which straight holes impossible to perform. Also, you cannot do without this device if you need to make holes at an angle or in the end of a thin slab (it is especially important to use the device when working with chipboards).

When drilling holes using this design, the process itself is quick and simple. The fastener allows you to do work at any distance from the edge of the slab, as well as regardless of its width.

In the furniture industry, dowels are often used as fasteners. But at the same time, this option has already existed for a long time, and their use requires the presence of a drilling jig when working. The only condition and at the same time a problem is the fact that the parts being connected to each other must have a right angle during operation. Therefore, such elements must be located exactly perpendicular to each other. When making holes for dowels and adding parts, it will be very difficult to do without a jig.

Furniture production is not the only area of ​​application for such devices. They can often be used to make holes in pipes and other round-shaped parts. Special devices allow you to make high-quality holes even in the smallest tubes.

The principle of their operation and dimensions may be different. Some narrow-profile models are better to buy than to produce yourself. But, on the other hand, the price of such devices is not small, so this is a disadvantage when compared with home-made models.

How to make it yourself

The most simple designs they are cheap, and professional furniture makers are not puzzled homemade production, but prefer to buy factory models. But there are also craftsmen who want to make such a device with their own hands.

For self-creation The conductor needs to use drawings, of which there are a lot on the Internet. With your own hands you can make simple designs for confirmations and more complex ones for dowels.

For production you need to prepare the following tools:

  • drill;
  • classic set of tools for a locksmith;
  • welding;
  • Bulgarian.

The simplest conductor can be made from improvised means, which are generally found in any household, in a workshop in the country or in a garage. To create it, the simplest materials are suitable, such as fittings, metal sheets and wooden blocks, etc. They can significantly save money in the production of such a device.

The manufacture of such a device should be carried out in several stages:

To ensure that there is little dust during operation, you need to install half a plastic bottle. It will also collect dust.



Did you like the article? Share with your friends!