man with drill
A drilling jig performs two important repetitive jobs, holding the material and guiding the bit into the holes. This simple tool helps ensure accuracy when the same holes need to be drilled repeatedly. Jigs can come pre-made from the manufacturer or they can be homemade. This hand drill and drill accessory has lost its usefulness in manufacturing due to technological advances, but is still popular in woodworking shops.
There is no standard size or shape for a drilling template because it is custom made for an individual job. A template is usually made from a thin sheet of metal or wood and can be easily transported from project to project. All templates have two distinct characteristics that never change: they always support and they always guide. There is usually a clamping system on the jig, either to secure the wood in place to prevent it from moving or to secure the jig to the wood so it doesn’t move. Once attached, the template has a series of holes that tell the driller where to make the incisions, so no matter how many pieces of wood are placed under the template, their drilling patterns are all the same.
The template usually comes pre-made for the user or the drilling operator must create a template himself. A pre-made drilling template guide usually comes as part of a kit for a larger woodworking project. An example would be a simple template that comes with a set of instructions to create a cabinet. Using a drill and some ingenuity, experienced woodworkers who know their projects will require repetitive drilling can create homemade templates.
Wherever drills are used, whether hand-cranked or mechanical, this jig has helped ensure a consistent product. Drill jigs have fallen out of favor, especially in mass production factory settings. Computerized power tools such as the jig drill have eliminated the need for jigs because a drill pattern can be programmed into a machine and the pattern can be repeated as many times as needed. This does not mean that the drilling jig is extinct, just that it is found mainly in the woodworking shops of hobby craftsmen. Template drill bits are very expensive, so the drill template will remain the guide for most home woodworkers.