I recall (apparently only vaguely) a few years ago seeing an ad for an electric hand drill which had built-in guide rails which enabled the operator to drill straight or angled holes. I cannot find it via Google, just attachments like the Wolcraft Drill Guide Attachment.
The drill I saw had holes on its side which accommodated rods and a base that was integrated into the body of the drill motor. The promise was that the drill press/guide/integrated attachment would be more accurate than a third party drill guide.
Does anyone know who the manufacturer might be? Thanks!
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I'm sure this isn't it...........
but as far as accurate-
http://www.timberwolftools.com/tools/mafell/MAF-BST.html
I have an old Portalign drill guide, which is more basic than the sears one, shown in the following link. I rather think the old Portalign is a better tool in general.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00967173000P?sid=comm_sears_productpg
do they still make that?
I also have a portalign drill guide, maybe from the '70's which has served well. Bulletproof and nearly a shop/jobsite necessity. If it or a similar guide isn't currently available some manufacturer is remiss.
I had a couple of the sears guides that preceded the current model and it was love/hate. Love the adjustable angle, hated the fact they were always breaking.
For most work I encounter these days the adjustable angle is not an advantage anyway.
I have an old unit somewhere that I think may be a Sears. But you had to disassemble the drill -- take off the chuck -- to use it, and that was a PITA. So I've only used it maybe twice, and not in 20 years or so.
I've seen such a tool once or twice, being used, IIRC, by installers of some sort. Specialized and expensive, you're not likely to find one at a Big Box -- they're the sort of thing that would be carried by specialized distributors.
A plunge router is out of the question
The members here are always so generous and helpful, and I appreciate the feedback.
I think that the Mafell Drill Stations are more high-tech than anything I've previously seen.They look accurate and well engineered. Covetable machines, if there is such a word.
The Portaline, or Craftsman, Drill Guide looks very similar to, if not the same as, the Wolfcraft Drill Guide. I've seen both good and bad reviews of it, but most feel like the cost/capability equation makes it a useful drill guide.
http://www.amazon.com/Wolfcraft-4525404-Attachment-4-Inch-8-Inch/dp/B000JCIMEA
The wood that I need to drill through is 5.75 inches thick, and I've considered getting an upward spiral router bit and a collet extension for my plunge router. I won't go this way, however, as any movement from the router motor could cause a pretty spectacular failure of man and machine. http://www.amazon.com/CMT-796-001-00-Router-Collet-Extension/dp/B000P4NQCK/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1323485225&sr=1-1
I think I'll go with a much slower rpm solution!
I might keep looking through some of my older magazines, if only to share with others here what I was searching for.