Introduction: Getting the Angle Right With a Power Drill!
Drill presses are great. If you have one, by all means use it! If you don't, have no fear! This instructable is for you! Even if you have a drill press, what if you want a nice, perpendicular hole in the ceiling? In the wall? In the middle of a large table or sheet of plywood? For these situations, or if a drill press is not available, this quick, simple method works great. I did not invent this method, but I have been using it for some time, and it is so handy I thought there needed to be an instructable about it, so I can refer to it later. Let's grab some materials...
Step 1: Materials
Practice woodworking safety! For some tips on working with tools, check out this article.
Cut two pieces of roughly 2 x 2 lumber (5 cm x 5 cm) as precisely as possible to get a right angle on the end. For this, use a mitre box, or power mitre saw.
- One piece should be about 10 inches (25 cm) long
- One piece should be about 3 inches (8 cm) long
Wood screws or wood glue.
These sizes are very approximate. Use what you have, if you can.
Step 2: Tools
Step 3: Build It
If you are using glue, apply a thin layer to the smaller piece. Hold the two pieces together approximately as shown on a flat surface (like a countertop). Clamp them together. If using wood screws, pre-drill the holes about half the diameter of the screw body (not including the thread) and install the screws. See the glue manufacturer's directions for drying time.
That's it !
Step 4: Use It
As when drilling any hole in wood, if you want the back side to show, put scrap wood behind it to prevent tear-outs when your drill breaks through.
Mark where you want to put the center of the hole.
Use a punch or nail to make a dimple to keep the drill from walking.
Put the drill point on the dimple.
Hold the inside corner of the jig against the drill to keep it perpendicular, as shown.
Drill the hole using the jig as a guide.
That's it!
Step 5: P.S.
You can get even more accuracy and flexibility with a drill guide attachment.
If you like this style of step-by-step instruction, please share with others and subscribe, so you'll be notified when I post more. If you have questions, please post them in the comments. I will try to answer and probably update the instructions, too. Read about more of my woodworking projects and tools at ChipsWoodShop.com.
