Drill Through Multiple Joists And Tight Spaces-The Javelin Drill Extension
By nature, I am not a gambler. I am a player. By that I mean that, I don’t enjoy games of pure luck, but I do like games of chance. I love to bet, but only when I can influence the outcome. For example, I will play Poker and Blackjack, but you won’t find me shooting Craps or playing Roulette. The first two I have some skill in, but the last two are pure dumb luck and the house will always win in the end.
Why am I telling you this? Because the tool I have to tell you about this week cost me money before I ever bought the first one. It cost me because one of my guys hoodwinked me into making a bet I couldn’t win.
He took advantage of my competitive nature and bet me he could cross drill five studs faster than I could. What he didn’t tell me was that he had purchased the Javelin from Rack-A-Tiers. While I was running stud to stud, he was calmly standing in one spot with a ten foot long bit extension, just drilling away.
What is a Javelin?
The Javelin in one of the neatest ideas, I have come across in some time. It basically allows you to create custom length drill bit extensions, up to ten feet long, for any bit or Hole Saw with a quarter inch shank.
The Javelin kit is comprised of two sets of jam nuts, a drill chuck connector, a hole saw arbor, a ¼” bit arbor, an Allen Wrench and a piece of 3/8″-16 threaded rod.
How Does it Work
The smart ass answer to this question is, very well, but I don’t think that really tells you what you want to know.
If you want to know how you use it, it’s really pretty simple. In fact it takes longer to explain than it does to perform. Just follow these simple steps.
- Cut a piece of 3/8″-16 threaded rod to the desired length.
- Run the jam nuts onto each end.
- Screw on the drill chuck adaptor.
- Tighten Jam nuts against the drill chuck adaptor.
- Screw your desired arbor into place.
- Tighten the jam nuts against the arbor.
- Insert your bit into the arbor.
- Lock the bit in place with the provided Allen Wrench.
- Drill away.
Pretty simple once you have done it once or twice. Just be sure to remember to tighten the jam nuts.
What it is Good For
Obviously the Javelin is great for drilling multiple inline holes. That, after all, was its originally intended use. Its usefulness doesn’t end there though. Because it will accept any bit with a ¼” shaft, we have found it to be a great help, in hanging rack systems.
Instead of having to do the two men, two ladder dance, one person can use the javelin, with an appropriate bit, and do the screwing and tightening from the ground.
In our shop, Javelin Kits are now part of our standard tool set. It all comes in an easy to store pack that takes up next to no room on the trucks and we never end up in a drill extension jam anymore.
The time and effort it saves my guys is incalculable and if you’re around red blooded guys who like to make a bet, you can even use them to make a little extra pocket change.
Until next time, keep the coffee hot, the beer cold and don’t forget to like us on Facebook.