How to Drill Straight Holes

Accidentally discovered this and Proper Engineering a while back and subbed to both. Like most folk I can't drill a vertical hole to save my life, as the pole for my Swedish log chopper attests to. The little level on the end of the drill is genius and that's what I'll do. Cheers Stuart.

I'm a beginner woodworker. Thank you for these brilliant tips. I've been able to proceed forward with more accurate cabinet making. It's kind of funny that every time I use the jigs the music in this video comes back while I'm doing the work. Thanks a ton from Aberdeen, UK.

Great ideas thanks

Why are you wearing gloves for finish work? So much better finesse with bare hands!

Ok for a work shop. But if on a job with no reliably level surfaces, you can drill stright holes fairly well by eye, if you accuratley draw a cross centerd on the spot you want to drill into. The cross gives you points of refrence you can eye up when drilling the hole square into the surface.

Why don't the drill machines come built in with level indicators?

Can I Say jolly good?

These ideas carries a workshop with them!!!

Recommended, if you don't mind your "competition", is JSK-koubou. He does a lot of tool creation using linear rails and such to take hand tools to precision abilities.

One of his tools is a mobile vertical portable drill stand, much like you could buy. Just making that solitary item might cost as much or more than buying it off the shelf, but it'll be all metal and no plastic, and you'll almost certainly have additional components for making other things without a large outlay. He also has, for example, a setup for making a panel saw that uses a circular saw, and a precision metal cutter that uses an angle grinder. Lots of other tools, too, such as a belt sander (though I also like the one Stumpy Nubs has, for this).

I strongly recommend his channel for DIYers on a tight budget.

As far as the initial wood jig, you can nominally do the same with a block of steel, assuming you have some steel-grade drill bits. Even if they are cheap and it's a one-time use of them, it might be worth it. That would offer a much more effective long-term use, unlike the wood, which will obviously hole out over time. Another option -- even for the wood one, is to get some steel bushings, sized to match the holes you need. Not easy to obtain, but workable. Prob easier to just get a block of steel from somewhere.

The only downside to your bubble level method is that it only works vertically (e.g., suppose you want to drill a hole into a wall) and that it does allow for small errors to creep in as you try and keep the bubble level while you're maintaining pressure on the drill. Depending on the application, that can still be suboptimal.

Love the bubble idea I had actually thought of it before seeing this video

You can stick an aluminum duct tape to your surface and drill through it. Just make sure that your drill bit and its reflection form a straight line.

Legend !! I went to Amazon and added some to my wish list for Christmas :)

All drilled holes are straight!!!

I had cheapish Black & Decker 9v rechargeable drill 40 years ago which had a levelling bubble built in.

The videos are great... The music is bloody awful. I turn it off, then on; it doesn't suit the subject...

Ryobi used to fit buble,why not now?

get rid of the fuking background noise

WHEN GLUING THE BUBBLE TO YOUR DRILL rotate the drill to 12 oclock check bubble ,
then 6 oclock check bubble,
then 9 oclock check bubble,
then 3 oclock check bubble,
If the bubble moves you are not quite true.

I am not really sure if the title is appropriete. Drill straight holes, really?

Excellent idea! Thanks so much for sharing and the demo.

The nipple level seems the best, I may get 2.

So this problem has existed for ages and it's absolutely baffling why manufacturers haven't had spirit levels built in to drills, per default.

Please, please, please, don’t drill with gloves! I only narrowly escaped the glove, when the drill grabbed it!

Holes drilled are already straight, what you want are holes that are perpendicular to the surface in two directions

1st and last jigs looked helpful. I also have the milescraft 1312/kreig made drill block for $9, for common holes I drill,(bought 2nd one for go bag during prime days for $8.00 recently). I purchased one from Temu for $6 for metric sized bits if I ever get into boring with metric bits in the future. Just being aware before you pull the trigger I find helpful, I made a habit from my dad of sticking straight out my index finger and looking if it's perpendicular and the alignment before pulling the trigger to make me pay attn to plumb. Great video.

great video, I agree w2ith you of all the alternatives the bubble is the one I would use, but acquiring one is another challenge especially if one is NOT in the UK/USA I am in Bulgaria. Also, your comment about a Pilar Drill is also valid and most of the time they are large and cumbersome and not used very often for the occasional DIY er Pity there is not a horizontal bubble to attach to the side. I would use the bubble app I have on my phone for horizontal initial set up.

If you have a drill press you don’t need a jig

Howdy.
Amazing. Makes me wonder why hand drill manufacturers have not come up with the idea of mounting bubble levels on the drills. Would be an ace in marketing.
Regards.

Very useful video.
For drilling perpendicular to a surface at ANY inclination, the humble Jig No. 1 (created using the vertical bubble technique) is an excellent adjunct, so assisting perp drilling in just about any situation.
Right - I'm off to Amazon for those bubbles! 😊

Why do people still use ancient methods to make holes in materials? Where I live the cost of holes are very low, so instead of making them, we just purchase them. Holes for metal, wood and concrete . Round, square or polygonal. There are even previously used or reconditioned ones available.

25 mm. Don't you mean 1 inch? I don't like the socialist metric system.

I love that fourth idea, but realised the wood needs to be on a level surface for you to be perpendicular to it... 🙂

My DeWalt has slop between the chuck and the body of the drill. Really need an annular level that slips over chuck

Just found your site a great help

drill press

This makes me wonder why drills don't come with water levels built in??

I'm also a bubble-guy. Put it on all my drills.

I think one drawback to the bubble level, although I like it, is that it can't be used in "out of plumb" situations whereas the blocks etc. can be used on any flat surface to achieve perpendicularity. All in all a great video however. Cheers!

What is a drill press, Alex?

Jig outa mdf. And lots of ads I. Would rather watch the paint dry . First boy i seen wearing girls gloves . Not worth watching I saw 4 adds t
Trying this.

Next video, how to live life straight.

Why on earth cannot Dewalt, Bosch or any other drill manufacturer integrate a bubble into their drills? It would be so easy for them to do it.

Would the bubble work when drilling a wall?

Glueing the bubble is an amazing idea and now I’m angry it doesn’t come as standard in all drills. 😂

Surely the nipple level will only work if the wood you're drilling is flat and level with the earth's surface. Anything else will only produce a vertical hole no matter what angle you're wood is.

Very Clever, I LIKE . Subscribed.

This helped answer my question when drilling straight holes for wooden wagon wheel spokes without a drill press.

Why the heck do bubbles not come on drills as standard

Well done on innovation! A spirit level glued to the drilling casing can also work for horizontal applications.