drilling straight holes

[chuck-ia]

I seem to have a heck of a time drilling a hole straight by hand. Just drilled my trigger hole through the stock, thought all was well till I took the trigger out and stuck the pin through it, WOW,  way off up and down. (I was using a cordless drill) I don't know if I should redrill it or not, I can't imagine it will hurt anything, it just annoys the heck out of me. Usually when I do something I am not satisfied with, if I wait a couple days it doesn't seem quite so bad. The only good thing is when I get a serpent side plate, the plate might cover the hole, it looks like my pin hole is pretty much in line with the front and back lock screws. I was considering using my drill jig for drilling this hole, but thought, awww it's just one hole. Any advice? Or just practice? I do have plenty experience in this type of work, have been a mechanic for well over 30 years, just can't drill straight! chuck

[Ben I. Voss]

If it's the trigger pivot pin, then it should be at 90 degrees to the trigger or it could bind in the hole in the trigger itself. I,d redrill.

[johnhb]

I hate to try and sound like an old-timer but it is much easier to drill holes "square" using a hand crank drill. The longer axis of the drill makes it much easier to visualize square in both planes. Buy one from the flea market and use it where slow speed and careful alignment are important.

John

[chuck-ia]

I will look for a hand crank drill, for future holes. chuck

[Dave B]

Chuck,
 I noticed I have had problems with drilling small holes consisently straight using a hand drill and make this observation. You will always tend to wander a bit with one due to the fact that your hand is offset from the axis of the bit.  If you were to observe that bit with a camera when its just starting the  process you would see it bending under the  off set pressure. Its not much but it can make that bit come out where you  dont want it to.  I move my hand up on to the back of the drill so my palm is pushing more or less inline with the axis of the bit. You can improve your chances by going really slowly letting the drill to its work.  

I picked up some single fluted drill bits along while back that look like deep drills
used to bore out ramrod holes. They are stiffer when it comes to not flexing when in use. I noticed that they will wander also just not as much.

Cliff Noll from Idaho had a trick that used a square block of steel that had notch cut in each face that is the width of the drill bits used. It is placed on the surface of the object to be drilled so that the drill bit is enclosed by the slot. With the bit being supported on three sides it is less likely to wander. The fact that the block gives you a perfect reference to what is square also helps. Once you bottomed out on the block just drop it out and finish the hole. I have used this to great effect but have not followed up on making a complete set of slots. It is a challenge to make a perfect cube by hand.

[David Veith]

I would never think of drilling a persicion holes with a hand drill. Fom there it is jigs , measurement, and then stepping back and EYEballing it. Depending on what I am doing. An then I will still at time not go the way I want.
David Veith

[David Veith]

I would never think of drilling a persicion holes with a hand drill. Fom there it is jigs , measurement, and then stepping back and EYEballing it. Depending on what I am doing. An then I will still at time not go the way I want.
David Veith

[okieboy]

Dave B,

An easier way of doing what you are suggesting is to take a piece of scrap wood, inthis case aout 1x 2 x1/2" and drill a guide hole in the approx middle of it (drill presses don't offend me). Then put your drill bit in a pin vise, start drill your hole about 1/32" deep without the guide, then put the pin vised drill in the guide, get the drill point into the 1/32" starter hole and drill down slowly with your pin vise either till you are through or till you aredeep enough to guide you crank drill.
 If you wish to save your guide, it is a good idea to mark it with an ink pen or such " Guide 3 /32" " so you can recognize it, but these can be made so easily that it is no big deal to make one.
 If you don't have a pin vise, you can get a cheap one from a hardware store or a good one from MSC or a woodworkers supply.

Okieboy

[northmn]

You can also in this day and age get farily inexpensive bench top drill presses that will save you a lot of headaches.

DP

[Ken G]

Dave B,
Any chance of posting a picture of that jig.  Sounds interesting and little doddads like that facinate me. 
Ken

[billd]

I've noticed most rechargable drills don't have the rpms's needed for small drill bits.  Most people tend to push to hard and if it's not rotating fast enough it will have more tendancy to walk.   Even on my drill press, I slow it down for metal and sometimes am to lazy to speed it back up for wood.  Little drills walk more when I'm lazy.  

Bill

[Acer Saccharum]

I use a 1/16"  'aircraft drill'  ...

These drills are about 6" long, and have the flutes only on the end. The shank is stiff enough not to flex much, and the length is great for those who wish to 'eyeball' their holes. The extra length is also good for use in a jig, because you can usually drill completely thru the gun without having to remove the fixture.

Tom

suppliers:
Enco
MSC
McMAster-Carr

[frogwalking]

I can drill a crooked hole with a drill press!! 

[Joe Stein]

Somebody on the old ALR site (maybe Dave Rase?) gave this tip: cut a piece of 1/2" or so thick wood or metal to an "L" shape.  Make sure the inside surfaces of the L are exactly perpendicular to the side faces.  Lay it on its side on the piece to be drilled and use the inside 90 deg. angle to guide your drill bit.  You look at the bit and see if it is parallel to the faces of both legs of the 90 deg inside angle.

If you make the L out of polished, hardened steel it can serve as a guide for those small bits to keep them from flexing and breaking.  Just let the bit run its sides against the sides of the inside angle of the L: little or no flex, less likely to break.

I'm sure this is clear as mud, but I don't have a picture.

-Joe

[omark]

i made a jig for drilling pin holes from an idea suggested on this site, it may have been from dave rase,   just dont remember  . tried searching for it but no luck. any way, it was from an edge band holding clamp. this is a "C" clamp with 3 clamp screws, of which 2 are opposing each other. of the opposing screws, place a point on one. on the other, point it, then center drill it for the pin/screw size you need and adjust so the drill bit and opposing pointed screw meet precisely. place the pointed screw where you want the pin hole to come out of the stock and the drilled screw where the pin goes in. then drill. make different drilled screw sizes and it can be used for tang screws, etc. sure simplified it for me, and many thanks to the person that originally had the idea.  mark

[chuck-ia]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I will plug the holes and start over. Being a little more carefull this time. chuck

[Jim Kibler]

With care, straight holes can usually be drilled with a hand drill, but the safest bet is a drill press or mill.  I find myself using my mill more and more.  If drilling by hand, it really helps to have an additional person help align the drill.  It's much more difficult if you don't have anyone to assist.

[bluenoser]

I made the same jig Omark described and find it works well.  Made mine frim an old blacksmith forged C shaped clamp I found in my father-in-law's junk box.  Just had to drill and tap a hole in the foot opposite the screw and make the centering and pilot screws.  I used allen head screws for the pilot screws and use lock nuts to take any wobble out of the screws.

I also use L shaped jigs or small blocks of wood with an appropriate sized hole drilled through them on the drill press.  However, I do have an observation regarding the use of this type of jig when drilling across the lock and side plate panels.  If one is using a swamped or tapered barrel, the faces of the panels are probably not parallel.  As a result, wouldn't the drill emerge further back than expected on the opposite side?

Laurie

[Jerry V Lape]

Like this?  Copied from others on this board. 

[jwh1947]

Get out the toothpicks, fill and re-drill.

[davec2]

I agree whole heartedly with Mr. Kibler.  Use a drill press or a mill.  I don't care how good you are, I can beat you every time with a drill press for speed, accuracy of placement, and perpendicularity.  I suggested the same thing to someone else recently who gave me a blast of hooey about "cheating" with a drill press.  I asked him if he was building things by the light of a whale oil lamp or if he turned on the electric lights.....I think he's looking for a used drill press on e-bay now.

dave C

[Roger Fisher]

With care, straight holes can usually be drilled with a hand drill, but the safest bet is a drill press or mill.  I find myself using my mill more and more.  If drilling by hand, it really helps to have an additional person help align the drill.  It's much more difficult if you don't have anyone to assist.

Very true; but do not ever EVER have your wife or significant other do it!

[AndyThomas]

With care, straight holes can usually be drilled with a hand drill, but the safest bet is a drill press or mill.  I find myself using my mill more and more.  If drilling by hand, it really helps to have an additional person help align the drill.  It's much more difficult if you don't have anyone to assist.

Very true; but do not ever EVER have your wife or significant other do it!

I use a mirror, it doesn't talk back or make wise cracks, and is always ready to help. Unfortunately, it doesn't see any better than I do, the holes still come out a little crooked.

Go look at some originals, it'll make you feel better.

Andy

[coutios]

  I normally use a drill press for most holes.  However will use a hand drill for tenons. Just use a level on the top flat of the barrel and the level on the hand drill, match them up, watch side to side angle and drill. As long as your surfaces are 90 degrees things will work out...

Works for me
Regards
Dave

[Randy Hedden]

I don't care how good you are, I can beat you every time with a drill press for speed, accuracy of placement, and perpendicularity. 
dave C

Wow Dave,

That sounds like a bit of a challenge or have you been drinking and it is the liquor talking?? 

Randy Hedden