Drilling holes for dowels?

I keep on having problems drilling holes for dowels, sometimes the drill slips as much as 3 mm - I am thinking of using a fostner bit, but are there any good solution for doing dowels holes with a ordinary wood drill (bit)?

Basically: are there some good instructions/idea on the net (with pictures?)

WBR Sonnich

Brad point bit. Forstner is fine too but if I recall you can get a good brad point bit cheaper. You don't say what size hole you're drilling, I'm just assuming it's in the half inch or smaller range.

As you've found out the hard way, a standard wood bit is the worst thing to use for precision drilling. You might be able to get it centering better if you drilled a shallow hole in the center with a much smaller bit, but that's basically what the brad point drill does.

Slips? As in produces an oblong or oversized hole when done?

If you are set on using standard twist drill tooling rather than other wood bits, you could start using a drill bushing set-up to guide the drill... This generally "fixes" the drill in place so that it doesn't wander during the cut even if it hits a hard spot, etc. Some of our custoemrs drill raw timber that sometimes has nails from the field embedded... Ugly work. The only way to keep the drill straight when it hits a nail or even hard grain areas is to use a bushing... And even that sometimes won't help if you are too deep and the tool flexes.

Depending on your volume, if you are doing more than a single hole at a time, I have otehr ideas, but they border on advertising from me so I won't go into them at this time. :)

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr. (800) 871-5022

I did a fast search on the net, and cannot see what the difference is between a normal wood drill and a "brad point bit" is. Both are drilles, with the small 2mm tip in front? I have tried using a 2 mm drill bit, then a 6 mm drill bit. I use mostly 6 mm dowels, but also 8 and 10 mm.

bdp: As for not using dowels, the same problem apply: there are other ways of putting things together, but precission is the same problem. Then next problem is my work(shop) in my apartment and limited spaces :) Otherwise, I agree :)

Slips: I already have problems here with English, let me explain. When drilling a 6 mm hole, the drill goes in, and 0-4 mm down it might "jump" say 3 mm causing the hole to be out of place. Wander might be the right wonder. Also "drill bushing set-up" is not clear for me. I do furniture for myself, and when ordered, say I work in my spare time 2 weekends/month on orders. Max order ever was 6 chairs, but a volume of 10 is soon to arrive.

Yes, you might add some links to your shop, pictures will help me a lot.

WBR Sonnich

I did a fast search on the net, and cannot see what the difference is between a normal wood drill and a "brad point bit" is. Both are drilles, with the small 2mm tip in front? I have tried using a 2 mm drill bit, then a 6 mm drill bit. I use mostly 6 mm dowels, but also 8 and 10 mm.

bdp: As for not using dowels, the same problem apply: there are other ways of putting things together, but precission is the same problem. Then next problem is my work(shop) in my apartment and limited spaces :) Otherwise, I agree :)

This is a close-up view of a brad point bit.

A drill bushing is usually a hardened piece of steel that keeps the drill from moving at all.

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr. (800) 871-5022

Ah! Well, a biscuit joiner may be a better choice than dowels. Biscuits are much more forgiving.

I suspect that what you're using is not a wood bit, but a common twist bit. Those were designed for metal. Brad points are what you want for drilling in wood. Forstner bits are used when a flat bottom hole is desired, or when a large diameter hole is needed.

That said, it's almost impossible to drill matching holes for dowels without some sort of jig, even if only a homemade one.

But what some others will tell you, dowels are still a perfectly adequate method of joinery for most purposes - don't give up.

There are a dozen types of drill bits, of which four are important to woodworkers. These are auger (long spiral flutes, with screw-form pilot in many cases) for deep holes, brad point (a better point form for locating holes than the 135 degree split point drills used for metal), spade bits (fine for carpentry, but a last resort for woodworkers), and Forstner bits (good appearance at entry point, square bottom holes).

If you want a good hole location, use a drill guide bushing like in a doweling jig, or something like this:

Whatever bit you use won't solve the basic problem on its own. The point is to get accuracy (and most importrantly, repeatability) you need a placement mechanism other than trying to repeat the measurement of dead center on multiple pieces as well as on the centerline of the other axis.

W/o the reproducibility there, the drill is on the mark is still dependent on getting that mark which is a pita w/o a fixture.

Even if you make something extremely simple and it's not dead center it doesn't matter; simply register from the same surface and the offset is compensated. At least you're now down to only one axis to align to and once that is done (which is much simpler than holding the drill bit point freehand) having a guide cuts it to only the other axis at worst.

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The problem with Biscuits is that they are great for locating a joint while the glue sets but have little shear strength. Dowels do as do floating tenons. this means that using a biscuit joiner to replace dowels is usually a pour choice. If you want the speed and accuracy of a biscuit joiner but with the strength of a dowel then a Domino is the only choice now.

Did you make a dimple? Tighten drillpress table? Sharp bit?

I've had really good luck using a Forstner bit AND a doweling jig ... something like this one:

Brad point bit. Forstner is fine too but if I recall you can get a

I bought the HSS BP bits from Woodcrafters? and they are excellent and (watch your fingrs) very sharp.

I've come to the conclusion that biscuits aren't much good for position, either. Theit fit is too sloppy to register the pieces properly in either axis.

I'm fighting -- with every fiber of my being -- the overwhelming urge to respond with ... "good point!"

I fear my fight is not going well ;-)

Think clamp.