Drilling at an angle without a drill press

[Ben Lippen]

A member e-mailed me regarding my simple wall mounted rod holders in my fishing room from the fishing room thread http://www.stripersonline.com/surfta...d.php?t=621053

 

 

He doesn't have a drill press, which is what I used, and asked how he could drill consistent angled holes with just a cordless drill.

I figured I'd go all the way and do a thread on a real simple way to do it with minimal tools.

 

I grabbed a cedar underlayment shake, because it was handy, but this can be made with any piece of plywood or pine or even cardboard. Whatever works for ya.

 

As you can see I used my speed square to first (for photo purposes) draw a 90 degree square line

 

 

Then I dialed in a 7 degree angle off of that (note the degrees where the pencil is pointing)

 

 

 

Then I cut that line

 

 

After I put it up against the drill I found that it hit the chuck of the drill, and was therefore too long. So I cut it down to a better size. The angled part being about 3/4" less than the length of the drill bit after it was chucked up

 

 

Now, after you lay out your board for all your holes, all you have to do is hold the angle jig against the board and line your drill bit up to run parallel to it (the square is just there for show), and drill

 

 

 

 

That's all there is to it. Take your time and be consistent, and things will work out.

[rwalter7]

I did something similar for making hangers for all the garden and lawn hand tools. Rather than spending mega dollars for hooks and other gadgets I found it far more cost effective to use a couple of 2x3's and 1/2" doweling to make the hangers. I built a set of hanging racks for the tools for less than $10.00.

 

The issue I had when making the hanging system was getting the dowels at a reasonable and equal angle. So I built a jig that fit over the 2x3 and it was angled at 15 or so degrees for drilling the holes for the dowels. Also included a drill stop so the holes were of equal depth. The jig held or cradled the drill at the angle needed allowed the drill to move up and down but stop at the required depth. From there it was just a matter of drilling the holes in the various positions.

 

The jig was simply built out of some pine planks and cut to size.

[KevinB]

you can see the teeth marks of time on that Dewalt.

 

Cool tip, I hole sawed a 2x4 for the butts of my rods and routed a piece of pine for the tips, I like the angled dowels better.

[Ben Lippen]

Kevin, that's a real old 12v. drill/driver whose batteries were long dead. When I bought the 12v. impact a few years back, one of the first things I did was try one of the new batteries in the old drill. Different shape, but they snap right in and work fine. That old drill went from the shed, back into the truck Strictly for pilot holes and such, but what the heck.

[MCM308]

An easier and consistent way is to cut like a 2x2x2" block of some kind of hardwood... Drill a hole of your desired angle, use a small bit first...it's easier to make the angle and then open it up to the size you need, mark the top of the block so your angle is oriented correct, This is now your jig to make as many holes as you want with the same angle

[Ben Lippen]

An easier and consistent way is to cut like a 2x2x2" block of some kind of hardwood... Drill a hole of your desired angle, use a small bit first...it's easier to make the angle and then open it up to the size you need, mark the top of the block so your angle is oriented correct, This is now your jig to make as many holes as you want with the same angle

 

 

 

Slide a jig along, clamp it down, drill, unclamp, slide it down, clamp, drill etc.

 

VS

 

Align the drill bit visually and drill, again, ...

 

I'd rather do it by eye. And even if using a jig like yours, I'd still reccomend the use of an angle gauge like I mentioned. A 3/4" wood block aint gonna help a bad hand.

[PennRemasterd]

Awesome job and great Idea. I think I will be using this!! Just going to finish the wood. Very great idea!!

[Ben Lippen]

Thanks, but I cant take credit for the rod holder design. I "borrowed" it from my best friend

[MCM308]

you don't need to clamp anything. holding it with your hand is fine, just like you are with the shake. The block centers the bit both on the angle and perpendicular to the wall at the same time. There is no set degree to use...you can make any angle you desire and all holes will be exactly the same. makes for a nice uniform look when done. much less chance of veering off and screwing up, and when you mark it out correctly... it goes really fast. Set jig, drill, set jig, drill, etc.. just another way of doing it..

[Ben Lippen]

I'm not gonna hold a 2 x 2 x 2block/jig in my hand and drill thru it. Bit grabs that and it's spin-o-rama.

Got band-aid?

 

Not doubting yer idea. Just saying I wouldnt freehand a jig like that. I can do just as well with a gauge.

[striper_tamer]

Thanks Ben and others for the input. Project is underway. I will post some pics when done.

 

ST

[Ben Lippen]

Yer welcome ST.

Just remember to mount the boards the right way up, or all yer rods will come a tumbling down

[KevinB]

yeah its nice seeing old tools brought back to life, the drill looked like it had seen several tours of duty, rather then some display models people have at their home

 

I'm wondering, using the same principle but maybe increasing the angle, you think that method could be used to make some pocket holes in a pinch?

[Ben Lippen]

yeah its nice seeing old tools brought back to life, the drill looked like it had seen several tours of duty, rather then some display models people have at their home

 

I'm wondering, using the same principle but maybe increasing the angle, you think that method could be used to make some pocket holes in a pinch?

In some thick material, sure. Never do it in 3/4 stock, but you could drill 45 degree pockets in some 2 x stuff. with the right screw, it would work

Drilling by hand at extreme angles takes a different approach tho. A sharp brad point bit for starters, and a good VSR drill. Takes some experience to get good at......

 

Whereas, this is only twenty bucks...

 

[KevinB]

norm's fav