Good quality drill bit stops or something else?

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JHZR2

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I'm in need of drilling some pilot holes for wood screws that end precisely at 1/2", perhaps even a tad shallower. I need a drill bit stop or means of preventing the drill from going too deep. I've not seen such a things at a box store, though it looks like using countersink bits, backwards, might work (they are often hex drive, so if I put the countersink part in no chuck, the 1/4" hex would act as a stop).

I've also thought that perhaps a series of washers stacked, or a piece of wood with the bit set to just deep enough past the bottom of the block with the drill going through it, might work.

So, what would you recommend? I'm looking at drilling for #6 and 8 screws.

Thanks!
 
Your vintage Sears drill press has a stop on it for exactly that scenario.

If the project is too large for a drill press, a piece of tape wrapped around at the stop point on the bit, combined with a careful hand works wonders.
 
Drill a deep hole in a small block of wood.
Cut the wood approximately 1/2" shorter than the drill bit.
Slide the block over the drill bit so that when you drill the hole the block acts as a stop.
Drill a test hole. Then adjust the drill in the chuck until you can drill to the desired depth.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Your vintage Sears drill press has a stop on it for exactly that scenario.

If the project is too large for a drill press, a piece of tape wrapped around at the stop point on the bit, combined with a careful hand works wonders.


Unfortunately the press would not be suitable due to size and location of drilling.

I'll be drilling upwards, so less controllability means tape won't be suitable here, otherwise it would be simple and my approach.

Thus I'm more comfortable with a mechanical stop, especially since I'm mounting something, so multiple holes need to be in proper alignment.

Originally Posted By: expat
Drill a deep hole in a small block of wood.
Cut the wood approximately 1/2" shorter than the drill bit.
Slide the block over the drill bit so that when you drill the hole the block acts as a stop.
Drill a test hole. Then adjust the drill in the chuck until you can drill to the desired depth.


That was essentially my thought on how to do it...
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2


Unfortunately the press would not be suitable due to size and location of drilling.

I'll be drilling upwards, so less controllability means tape won't be suitable here, otherwise it would be simple and my approach.



It's too bad you didn't bother to put that in your original post.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2


Unfortunately the press would not be suitable due to size and location of drilling.

I'll be drilling upwards, so less controllability means tape won't be suitable here, otherwise it would be simple and my approach.



It's too bad you didn't bother to put that in your original post.


Well it shouldn't matter... I asked for a mechanical means of making a stop, not a tape and steady hand. Other circumstances are irrelevant then.

I appreciate the suggestion otherwise; the approach was considered previously, and would be my approach in a simpler drilling geometry.
 
I don't work with wood but i can see a piece of wooden dowel drilled straight with the drill press then cut to the desired length with the bit fully seated in the drill would work real well.

You could even put a felt washer on the dowel so it doesn't mar the wood.
The HF types just spin up the drill bit flutes, worthless garbage.
 
Go through your drill bits and find the widest one that will disappear into your chuck leaving 1/2 inch protruding.

If you can live with the hole size it drills then you are good to go.

If you need to make it wider, you could turn down the speed on your drill and now be able to do it more carefully with the drill bit size you want to use. Perhaps go up a drill size or two as you go.

Or use a non wooden drill bit to make the hole wider. It will have difficulty going beyond the 1/2 inch already drilled but will more easily clear the wood around it.

Otherwise, I like Trav's idea of using a wooden dowel or similar object fully seated against the chuck.
 
Small shaft collars, only a couple bucks and lock on with a set screw. Most hardware stores or McMaster Carr will have them.
 
I guess I am old school. A piece of tape wrapped around the drill bit is what I use. It might not work well if you don't have a light touch.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: JC1
Originally Posted By: wkcars
Found this on google

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=448

and also a inexpensive set from HF http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece-drill-stop-set-38336.html


+1 on the cheap HF set. Can't beat the price of $2.99.

Regards, JC.


Have you read the reviews of those? Even if HF censures some reviews, they still only got one star...


No I didn't read the reviews. I actually have this set from Lee Valley that I bought a few years ago. I used them twice and they worked well at the time.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32244&cat=1,180,42311,42335

Regards, JC.
 
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I guess I am old school. A piece of tape wrapped around the drill bit is what I use. It might not work well if you don't have a light touch.


If I were drilling down or horizontal it would be fine. But I'm drilling up and I really only have a half inch to drill into, so it's somewhat sensitive.
 
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I guess I am old school. A piece of tape wrapped around the drill bit is what I use. It might not work well if you don't have a light touch.


If I were drilling down or horizontal it would be fine. But I'm drilling up and I really only have a half inch to drill into, so it's somewhat sensitive.
 
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