any suggestions on drilling a straight hole without a drill press

[Ron Magen]

Mark, Already mentioned - twice - in the replies to date . . .

some type of alignment jig/tool holder that attaches to your drill. I have a 'PORTALIGN' attached to an old {ALL METAL} Rockwell {bought out by B&D, years ago}. Basically 4 parts - a 'Base' that has provision for two heavy steel rods, the two steel 'Rods', and a 'Holder' that attaches to the drill, behind the chuck. Except for the part on the drill, all the parts are separate.

I keep mine in one of my 'buckets' with an assortment of woodworking-specific tools. When I have to do some 'aboard work' it's amazing how it feels like I have a 'workshop in a bucket'. It's nice to be at a dock or workyard and be able to drill a hole through a 'reverse angle' transom and know it is perpendicular to the surface. Or attach a cleat to a deck, or cabin side, etc.

Regards & Good Luck, Ron Magen Backyard Boatshop

[bridger]

they get reviews from "worthless" on up. "exceptionally well" is the most credit I've ever seen them get. I have one and use it when I have to, but My take is "slightly better than by hand and eye alone"

[Australopithecus scobis]

1. Jig I copied out of a book is a squared square of 1x pine with a wire stuck in a straight hole (sorry, gotta start somewhere). You can bend the wire to an angle (set by protractor). Set the wire&block next to your work and eyeball the drill bit parallel to the jig. For 90 deg holes, use the squares as another poster suggested. You'll find that a pilot hole punched with an awl will help you avoid skittering at the start of your drilling; one less thing to worry about as you train your drill hand.
2. Another trick I found in a book is to saw a square chunk out of a small length of 2x4. You have an L-shaped piece left. Put your bit along the inside edge of the L to guide it straight into your stock.
3. To drill straight across the diameter of a dowel, saw off a 3/4 to 1" piece of the same stock. Mark the center of the disk. Clamp the disk atop the workpiece. Drill straight through the disk into the work. This'll work better after you've trained your drill hand.

__|__ | __|__ [_____] | [_____] __________ _ ( ( / \ ( ( | | (_________( \ / --

1. Practice. Practice is always boring, right? ;^P
2. Oh, and PLONK the a**h*le into your killfile.

[alexy]

All the answers so far seem to presume that a hand-held electric drill is the only alternative. IMHO, a brace is a much easier tool to get desired alignment, as is a push drill for small holes. And while I don't have an egg-beater drill or breast drill, I think those would be very easy to use accurately, too.

Secure your work well and securely, at a position and angle that allows the drill to be held naturally. Use guide sticks to align the tool.

BTW, by "straight" I presume you man "perpendicular or desired angle to the surface", since it's hard to drill a non-straight (curved) hole with any drilling tool I am familiar with.

[George]

I read all these posts. A lot of BS here. The one suggestion that works is the simplest one that was posted. Drill a straight hole in a block of wood and use that as a guide. Simple, cheap and works every time. Eyeballing works as long as precision is not required.

George

[Australopithecus scobis]

Yes, with a brace bit you can watch the spurs cutting and tweak your angle until both cut the same amount. Then hold that angle. Eggbeater drill is a cinch to keep straight. Push drills are trickier because your supporting and guiding hand is also pushing down. I find it easier to drill straight with a push drill if I drill horizontally, instead of vertically.

While we're neandering, let's ask the OP if he's drilling pilot holes; bradawls and gimlets are just the ticket for those little jobs.

[Swingman]

Short of a drill block, eyeballing with a framing square with a flange can get you closer in a pinch ... held or clamped on the surface of the workpiece and used as an aid/ guide to eyeball the drill relatively straight on both axes.

[Charlie Self]

lutherdail responds:

Ayup. Except it's not BS. First problem is getting the straight hole in your drill guide. After that, it's gravy. Except you don't really need the drill guide if you can drill the hole straight through it without some other form of checking as you go.

Charlie Self "When you appeal to force, there's one thing you must never do - lose." Dwight D. Eisenhower

[bridger]

the breast drill takes some getting used to.

heh. you haven't seen some of my drill bits....

[Mark Jerde]

I've had long bits smaller than 1/16th inch follow the grain somewhat instead of going straight through. With a DP I guess it's easier to force a small bit through faster than it's cutting.

I worked at Homestake Gold Mine in the 1970's. The 5 foot borehole bits had the same problem. Too much pressure and they would follow the softer rock.

-- Mark

[Bill Rogers]

Still a problem for anyone who leans to the left a bit. Try this:

Cut a squared block on the table saw. On one side cut a 45 two ways to form a slight groove. With the groove vertical, use that as a guide for the bit. Once well-started you can switch to eyeballing, or "feel". All of these ideas are only semi-accurate over a short distance, but near as dammit is to swearing.

Bill.

[CW]

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

[Robert Bonomi]

Answer: The chicken. look in any dictionary -- 'C' comes before 'E'.

[Robert Bonomi]

Answer: The egg. Dinosaurs laid eggs before there were chickens.

[Morris Dovey]

I recall using a miter box to make a small, approximately v-shaped notch (3 cuts, center cut deepest) in each of two pieces of 2x4. Carefully clamped the boards in the vise and screwed 'em together. The drill bit followed the diamond-shaped hole. This drilling guide worked passably well for all the holes in the project.

If you do something like this, remember to drill the smallest holes first (-:

[Old Nick]

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 20:04:05 -0400, [e-mail] vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Most holes drilled with a drill bit are _straight_ enough. IT's getting them in the right place that takes the effort.

[Bill Rogers]

True, but there's nothing to stop pre-punching to start the bit. That's as good for wood as it is for steel.

Bill.

[Lew Hodgett]

RE: Subject

Take a look at Fred Bingham's "Practical Yacht Joinery".

He covers it complete with sketches of jigs.

HTH

[Todd Fatheree]

Isn't this what brad-point bits are for?

todd

[crnl]

The rooster!