Making a Tang Bolt Jig - Small Drill Press

[Hoot AL]

Check out this.  I had a small drill press and devised this jig for drilling out my tang bolts. It worked perfectly.


http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/tang_bolt_jig.htm

Hoot Al

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

If I may suggest an improvement, Al, I'd make the threaded rod at least twice as long as that, so you have some height adjustment above the table.  On stocks with lots of curve in the trigger area, the bottom 'centre' may not be high enough so that the stock does not contact the table, which would prevent getting everything lined up.  I like the idea of using the big nut on the top of the table to lock the centre solidly.  Thanks for posting this.

[Hoot AL]

Actually it does work.  I made this because I had a small drill press from Harbor Frieght and the table was small. This worked great.  I can see if I used a longer threaded bolt it would raise it up a lot.

Thanks,

Al

[horseman]

  Hoot Al,

 Thank you. It was nice to see a project that even I could understand.   Clear and understandable... such a word? ..instructions.

[msw]

read about this in Peter Alexander's book, The Gunsmith of Grenville County, and made my own when I had a small drill press.  Then, when i graduated (i.e. splurged) and got a full sized drill press, I kept it and put it in a hardwood clamp so that I could use it in a cross vise (that is, one of those cool threaded vises which will move along the x and y axis, then you lock it down and it's there forever.

I agree that having a longer threaded portion is more useful.  If it gets in the way, back the locknuts off and lower it down.

By way of 'learned it the hard way,' you still must take care that the line of the tang bolt is perpendicular to the curve of the stock, otherwise the bolt head won't fit properly into the tang, and you'll have to do a lot of embarrassing filing and fitting.

 

[T*O*F]

Seems like a lot of futzing around.  I just drilled and tapped a hole in my table and use one locknut.  Height easily adjusted, but it won't work if you have a stationary table, unless you can dead-center it below your bit.

[Hoot AL]

Nice work.   Mine was designed for the $69.00 drill press that did not have a large table to work with, nor did I have a lot of height to work with.  The larger drill presses your concept would be perfect.  I got the idea for mine from one of the George Shumway books.

[Don Getz]

I've been using one for many years, but, as Taylor said, it should be higher.   Mine is about 2" high and accommodates
almost any stock.   Also, depending on the gun, I have also used it on lock bolts,  especially if I am using a side plate that
has pre-drilled holes.............Don

[Hoot AL]

I do too, Don.  Simplifies the process for proper aligngment of the holes.  I had a short table and the shorter height worked great. I can see having a taller piece inorder to clear a larger table.

Now I have a larger drill press and will have to make a longer piece, too.

Thanks, fellas.

Hoot AL

[MeatStick]

I wish I would have seen this before, I just spent an hour cutting a piece of plate and welding a piece of round bar to it for my first build.

[Bill of the 45th]

Meat Stick, there is also a tool, Dave Rase makes from a C-clamp for drilling such holes.  As you are progressing and get a bit stumped, just pause take a break, and ask here and you will get the answer to your question.  Lot of great resources, and we're all still learning, no matter how long we've been building.

Bill

[b bogart]

Blantant rip off of Mr Rase's design

[Eric Krewson]

I use a cross slide drill press vise with an archery field point as a drilling spike, an out feed table, two 25# of lead shot and a level. Like having an extra hand or two to get the job done just right.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Sheesh Eric,  I just call my wife to hold the forestock...... brings us together 

[Thom]

I improvised years ago by setting the hole of the drill press plate down over a 16oz plumb bob. Still using it.

                Thom

[Hudnut]

Blantant rip off of Mr Rase's design

Thanks for posting the photos.
Just made the twin to this one today.  Used it half an hour ago and it worked perfectly.  Only difference is that I turned a cone on the drill guide as well as the center on the target end.  Spotted holes in upper and lower tangs, clamped the jig into place by tightening the center point end, and ran the hole through.