# 4x4 indexing guide - cheap



## GarryP (Sep 14, 2013)

I wanted to drill a pattern of 3/4" holes in my work surface to use for clamps and stops. 4" x 4" seemed like a good pattern size. I've seen others use an expensive indexing guide but I didn't need that kind of precision or want to invest the money.

I decided to use some pegboard as a guide. Once I lined it up, I drilled 1/4" holes through a couple of the 1/4" diameter peg holes. This gave me two points to insert 1/4" dowels as indexing pins so I could repeat the pattern or move the pegboard and extend the pattern.

I marked the selected 4×4 pattern holes and used a self-centering drill bit to drill pilot holes. Then I made a jig to hold the 3/4" bit fairly straight and quickly bored the desired holes.


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Gr8 idea. Gr8 lil jig.


----------



## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

That will work. I'm glad to see people making rather than buying.


----------



## basswood (Dec 18, 2013)

That is a good way to use pegboard.

Pegboard can be used to make all sorts of jigs where repeated patterns are needed, be it 1" apart or any multiple of 1" (like the 4" centers you went with).

Indexing with pegboard means no measuring, no marking, no errors.

Here is a shutter making jig I designed for making stopped mortices. The slot is lined with pegboard and holds the stiles, a pin is set in the stile, after each mortise is run the stile with pin is lifted and the pin registers in the next hole. After the 30 mortises per stile have been run, the stile runs into a stop (just another pin set in one of the holes to limit the travel).

We ran 248 perfectly spaced angled mortises in an afternoon for a set of custom wooden shutters… with the help of some pegboard.


----------

