problem drilling holes

Corvus

I'd love an old Meddings or some other British drill, but too pricey. Mine has the throat but needs a shameful rig to steady the quill, but it wasn't costly. But I was saying, badly , that with checks of the pillar drill it should be poss to make a decent guide block, and then use a hand drill on the body.

axisus

This is a dumb question, but how do you position a guide block? I made one in the past but didn't know how to locate it - couldn't see through the hole well enough!

WezV

In the thread I linked to I used other drill bits or rod to position it, and double sided tape to hold it.

But we still don't know what bridge you are installing?

axisus

Many thanks for All the great advice, particularly wez. The bridge is a tune-o-matic, and the guitar plan can be seen on my build thread, which I don't think I can link to as I'm on the iPad.

WezV

Ah right, I assume you have. A centreline and scale length line you are working to. Transfer those to the guide block/template

Mark the holes on the body, add the guide block using the centre and scale length lines for reference, use a torch to check the guideblock lines up with those marks on the body. Check and doublecheck, then drill

Corvus

With the guide I centre-pop where you want to drill, hold the guide above the surface and have the bit going through the hole. Locate and hold the drillbit in the pop divot, and lower the guide around the bit, which locates it.

axisus

Corvus said:

With the guide I centre-pop where you want to drill, hold the guide above the surface and have the bit going through the hole. Locate and hold the drillbit in the pop divot, and lower the guide around the bit, which locates it.

Clever! Mr thicky here didn't think of that.