Shopsmith Forums

Over the years I've not used this feature but once or twice. But I've got a project now where I drilling for set screws on a wooden gear clock. What a wonderful feature!!!

I haven't needed it often either. But when you do WOW. There are times nothing else will do.

I use it very often. I prefer it over raising to vertical.

Requires resetting the head space.

+1 on what JPG said. I'm always horizontal-boring, most often too lazy to go vertical Nice project there!

I use it quite often. I join boards with dowels, and the horizontal boring feature allows me to easily line up the boards for perfect alignment.

Has anyone used the horizontal boring feature for drilling holes for table leaf pins and sleeves? I'm working on a dining table restoration project and have made six new table leaves and intend to use Lee Valley table-leaf alignment pins. I'm thinking the boring feature would provide more stability and accuracy compared to using a doweling jig but would like to hear about pros/cons from other members. Would appreciate any comments. Thanks.

I only use horizonal boring for joining boards edge to edge with dowels. I use doweling centers for general purpose doweling, but edge joining two boards is easy if you get the drill aligned dead center on the edge. Set a stop on your fence, bore one board, and then bore the other board oriented upside down. I usually do 3 dowels and can use the same stop for both ends, then set it for the center.

For table alignment pins I'm not sure what the best method is if they are metal. It's not like dowels that are smaller diameter than the hole. I suppose if you end up with one not mating right you can just move to the side and drill another hole. I think I'd probably use the doweling centers and try to get the holes drilled dead on.

Even with my dedicated drill press I'd never edge drill a board when I can lay it on the table and horizontal bore. Before I had a dedicated drill press I'd do anything I could in horizontal mode to avoid raising up into drill press mode.

Thanks for your feedback, Ed. The horizontal boring method should work for the metal pins/sleeves I am using. Each pin shaft and mating sleeve require a 5/16" bored hole. I like your idea of using a stop block as you described.

I recently built a lumber rack by boring a total of 60 3/4" holes at a 5° angle to receive o 1/2" EMT in the edges of, what became wall studs. It wouldn't have been easy at all without using the horizontal boring feature. The adjustable table made centering the holes a snap.

" edge joining two boards is easy if you get the drill aligned dead center on the edge. Set a stop on your fence, bore one board, and then bore the other board oriented upside down. I usually do 3 dowels and can use the same stop for both ends, ""

I would take care to always make mating ends reference the same 'face'. Ya they MAY be centered perfectly, but the world ain't perfectly flat.