Idea Shop 6, Paycheck 4: Teach an Old Drill New Tricks

With this check, you’ll add drill-press accuracy to your cordless drill, and outfit it to do a job you may not have thought about: Sanding curves smooth.

WOOD Magazine Staff August 22, 2019

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Idea Shop Paycheck 4 Shop Progress

Jigs such as your straightline cutting guides and crosscutting jig help you work more accurately. With this check, you'll add that kind of accuracy to your cordless drill, and outfit it to do a job you may not have thought about: Sanding curves smooth.

The first jig couldn't be simpler, and won't cost a dime. Just glue two 1x1" scraps of plywood or wood together. Hold the pieces together for about five minutes while the glue grabs, pressing them against the floor or another flat surface, checking that their faces rest square to that surface. Using this jig to steady a drill bit as shown in the photo guarantees holes perpendicular to the face of a workpiece. This video shows several methods of drilling perpendicular holes, including using this jig.

The second jig requires a trip to the home center (or computer keyboard). Pick up a set of sanding drums with ¹⁄₄ " shafts,

a set of one-hand bar clamps* (two 12" and two 18"),

and a drill bit set. (¹⁄₁₆ -³⁄₈ " in ¹⁄₁₆ " increments is a good range of sizes.)

In the paint department, buy a selection of 9x11" sandpaper in 100, 150, and 220 grits. One 5-pack of each will be plenty for now. Sandpaper is a consumable, and you'll be buying it as long as you're woodworking, so keep your eyes open for sales and chances to buy in bulk.

Over in hardware, pick up a couple of 4" hose clamps. Or click here to buy all of these items at once. (That link loads all of those items into an Amazon shopping cart. If you already have some items, just delete them from your cart before checking out.)

Construction of the sanding jig is straightforward following the plan. Watch this video for tips on its construction and use.

*A note about the one-hand bar clamps we used: We chose ToolShop clamps from Menards because they work with the design of a workbench you'll build later to serve as face and end vises for holding work to the bench. Suitable substitutions are Jorgensen ISD-3 and Irwin SL300.

Watch the video below of the shop progressing from empty garage stall through Paycheck 4. Then look at what you'll purchase for Idea Shop 6 - Paycheck 5.