# Straight hole with a hand drill.



## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

I did not have a drill press for many years. When I began I doing toppers for canes and walking sticks I struggled with getting a good straight hole that was square to the base of the topper. Old timers are the benefit of being in a carving club when you are new. One of them showed me this simple trick.
First make sure the surface you plan to drill is level. I use a bubble level. They are cheap and work well. The next step is to take a one to two inch wide piece of thin metal, something like brass or flashing that is 4 to 5 inches long and bend one end (about 1 inch back) at a 90 degree. It makes it easy to see the bit is going straight down. This will work on any project that you a need a straight hole. Hope it is of some help to someone. You can just use a piece of cardboard.


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## Batakali (Feb 28, 2016)

Good tip! Thank you!


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

cutting a straight hole even with a eleltric drill can oftren go wrong as I mostly use hand eye co-or

If it happenns i stick a piece of dowel in and re drill it


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## RandyL476 (Aug 24, 2014)

Great idea I'll have to try it.


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## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Hi, whilst looking for something on you tube the other day I spotted this vid on making small sanders for a dremel but more importantly the method of drilling the central hole was worth adding to this topic for shank drilling, see attached pic's and you tube link FYI





























Link


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