No Drill Press how to drill straight

[Ken Frohnert]

As a new woodworker I don't have a drill press or a plunge router but I want to make the simple table saw blade rack from Woodsmith 173. That way I can hang my blades in this rack on my wall. Also it will let my try my new Dado King on the rabbits. However, I need to drill some straight holes in the sides to slide the dowels into. I don't want to buy anything fancy just drill some straight holes with my hand drill. Any advice?

[Lars Thomas]

Use a mirror next to the drill bit and line them up asbestos you can. Or, hold the drill up next to a known square 2" thick piece of stock and drill away.

[Johnny Kleso]

Cut some blocks of wood on the TS till you get a square hole the size of your drill and use that as a drill jig..

Tall is better than low, if you can get double the dia. of the drill depth your good to free hand the rest of the way..

Or use two square as a visual aid while you drill

[J. Z. Guest]

You could also get a cheap dowel jig and use it as a drill guide. This can do double duty for you.

[Randal Stevenson]

Some drills have levels in them, just for that purpose.

[Roger Warford]

Perhaps an inexpensive guide would help. You can find one here (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JCIMEA/ref=pd_cp_hi_0?pf_rd_p=277661601&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0000E6TM6&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=19PRKNZS5NN34QVJF5DJ). Or google "drill guide" for other options.

[James Carmichael]

My dewalt has a level, and I've never been able to see where the bubble is while the drill is twisting in my hand.

The cheap guide is an option. I have one from Harbor Freight, I see them just about everywhere now. It works OK, but keep the drill very slow, they vibrate like crazy and will produce eliptical holes. The Wolfcraft version in the Amazon link looks a bit better, IMO.

Another option if you have a router: Mill two square pieces of wood, then with a core box bit of the approximate radius you want to drill, cut a radius in each piece, then glue.

[Ray Newman]

I have a "General Tools" portable drill guide -- AccuDrill Precision Drill Guide.
www.generaltools.com/Products/AccuDrill-Precision-Drill-Guide__36-37.aspx (http://www.generaltools.com/Products/AccuDrill-Precision-Drill-Guide__36-37.aspx)

I don't use it a great deal, but @ times it has come in handy.

A similar unit from Highland Hardware.
www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3937 (http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3937)

[Ken Frohnert]

I thought about using the block set by the drill as the alignment tool. I have the same Dewalt drill with the level - it does not work for me either. I will look at lowes for a cheap drill guide to use until I get a drill press.

[Curt Doles]

Hi Ken,

Harbor Freight has this desktop drill press on sale often for around $50.
It's not a bad unit, I don't know how that compares to a drill guide pricewise.

We bought a couple of these for work, two years later they are still humming along.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38119

Good luck!
Curt

[Greg Crawford]

A couple of things that Woodcraft offers;

http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=380
http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=782

The doweling guide can also be used with both sides on the face of a board for a straight guide.

If you know someone nearby that has a drill press, they can make a guide from a block of wood.

[Ken Frohnert]

Interesting thing here. I have read so much about drill presses being the least used tool in the shop that I kind of thought I would not buy one. However, I think I will be buying one down the road - need a jointer and planner first.

[Kyle Kraft]

I use my DP almost as much as the table saw. The bandsaw is the least used tool in my shop, but that's a topic for another debate.

I picked up a little DP like the HF one on craigslist for $25...it gets almost as much use as my floor model.

[Michael McCoy]

I have the drill guide that's carried by Woodcraft. I use a lot of Miller dowels and I would not want to be without that thing.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I used to set a square on the surface near the drill and just sighted along that. A little practice and I got pretty good.

[Gary Friedlund]

This is what God made woodworking clubs for. I belong to 3 clubs. When I don't have a needed tool, I email the club list and ask for help. Check out your area. As a bonus we have just a great time together. Member Hickory Hills Woodworker, Grundy Woodworkers and Windy City Turners.

Gary

[Ray Schafer]

I have been looking for bushings just like the ones shown on the Woodcraft site. I am going to pick those up. I have been looking for something like that to use with my Confirmat drill bits to ensure that I drill straight. I am going to give that a shot.