Drilling Fretwork

[Troy]

Hey Evryone,

Ok let me first say I do not own a drill press. I do however have a Dremel and have been using the flex shaft attachment to do my drilling. I like it for 1 main reason, I can drill wherever I want on a piece, with no restriction to a drill presses table size..

However a couple things are bugging me about this as well. Having to hold the flex shaft in my hand leaves me unable to get accurate 90 degrees drills and I'm eyeballing my drill location...you know...hmmm ok that looks good...down I go and drill out my hole but for those tiny spots..I can be a bit off..

Just wondering how other people deal with this...and what are some better solutions..

Thanks,
Troy

[BobD (Archive)]

Troy,
I've heard of people using the dremel drill press... I hooked up a drill bit in my foredom over the weekend, and that seemed to work, but I was using 1/4"-thick baltic birch...

Bob

[Troy]

Except the problem right now is Dremel recalled their drill press for their recent model, and is unavailable anywhere I look.

[scrollworks]

Troy,

I have used the Dremel drill press for quite a few years now and it serves the purpose. Not sure what is wrong with the current model, but the old one works well. There is also a drill press frame available for 1/4" - 3/8" hand drills that works quite well as well, so that might be an option for you.

_______________
Chuck...

[CanadianScroller]

dremel drillpress

The problem with using a Dremel drillpress is the distance between the center of the drillpress and the support.
I have seen a jig made of two parallel arms with a block on the end attached to the dremel. the arms keep the drill perpendicular to the work ensuring a 90 degree hole.

Perhaps you could get one of those small zip saw adapters that would keep the drill at 90 degrees and slide the drill down in it.

The parallel jig is on one of the scrollsaw handbooks, but I am not sure which one. I will look for it for you Troy.

[SharonW0111]

Troy I use my Dremel Flexshaft for drilling also.. It comes in handy when it is sitting right here and I can get all the starter points done I missed on my big drill press.. I simply hold it straight up - or is it straight down?- anyway the drill bit is down lol- I do like the dremel better a lot because I can use a smaller bit than on the drill press and a lot of my work calls for just hair size holes. I doubt that I will get any other than this because I like it so well- I do use the big drill press when I have a lot of piolots to make but for all the tiny ones that are needed I save that for my dremel ..
Sharon

[Jediscroller]

I like using the K.I.S.S. principle for my scrolling. I use a 3/4" thick board with a 45° notch cut into it. I also have the plunge router attachment for my Dremel which will also give perpendicular holes but I never use it for this purpose. The notched board is simple, small and very easy to use. Just cut it on the scroll saw (make sure your blade is 90° to the table) by making 2 45° cuts that meet at a point. I made mine from a piece of 3/4 X 2 X 4 maple. I stack cut tons of stuff and never have an issue with my holes not being straight.

Kevin

[Scrollhead]

I find that using the dremel tool with micro-sized bits burn even at the slowest speed. I now use a drill guide that I picked up at Sears. Attach your drill and it turns the drill into a plunge drill.

[Mick Walker]

Troy, I drill all my holes using a hand drill unless I am going to stack 3 or 4 then I will use a drill press on the small cut outs. My hand drill is a variable speed so I can go as slow or fast as I want. Mick.