I want to create a cross dowel joint on a project that I’ve already assembled and its large enough that I couldn’t hold it up on the new drill press. A small table top drill press could just be set on the table next to the project to drill straight holes.
I’ve heard that it can be hard to put together cross dowel joints without perfectly 90 degree holes.
Thoughts?
Machine Shop will be getting a table top drill press in a week or so. However, it is reserved exclusively for engine jeweling. and will be attached to the table. The Clausing drill press and the Bridgeport will and are available for drilling - however operator training for the Bridgeport AND it must be spotlessly clean of any wood when done due to corrosion concerns since wood is hygroscopic and.
sadly, I don’t think the bridgeport’s base is any larger than the drill press in wood shop.
A lot wider ~30" but probably 10" wide.
Metal shop has a small tabletop drill press.
The alternative is some type of jig for hand drills.
In this situation I usually drill a square hole through a scrap board with the drill press to use as a guide for a hand drill, 2” thick scrap is best. If really critical I buy a metal bushing to inset into the scrap for the bit to then go through. Then just clamp the board to your project and drill.
Damn you’re impressive Matt 
I think he meant square in the sense of 90 degrees to the surface not in the shape of the hole, but I read this twice myself. Matt is capable of anything especially with regards to wood.
There should also be some commercially produced drill alignment guides floating around…
https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/trebuchet-sig-2016-build-season-over/12213/97
You can also 3D print a jig (I’m sure there are plenty of stl files that you can download form the inter webs). Or simply design one that should be fairly easy to do.
Then you can use the Bridgeport to mill a perfectly perpendicular drill hole and the press in a drilling bushing the size you want or expand it to multiple sizes.
For a quick cheap one, I’ve used pipe with the an ID of 1/2” to an inch as a drill guide. Weld it to a strap and then screws to a piece of wood. Then clamp to joint.
To be honest, I have also drilled through just by hand and site, going slowly. Wood can be very forgiving in some situations. I’m more worried about tear-out on the through drill.
Many ways to do though.
Add pics, thx.
So, right before I found the metal guides, visible in plain sight at the space, I drilled these by hand. The box construction is a bit sub-optimal, but the bronze screw looks better than a lot of other options.
Pic of the almost final product.
That’s really sweet - great work!
Still needs some programming and surface polish, but coming together nicely with help of the makerspace.
The Maker only sees the flaws while everyone else sees the beauty.
That’s very nice! Like to know more about how you’ve done it, of you care to share at some point…
