How to hand-drill precise angles without jigs

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*Tools used in this video:*

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★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE HAND TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWER TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE OTHER TOOLS★

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[StumpyNubs]

▼EXPAND THIS SECTION FOR IMPORTANT INFO▼
*Tools used in this video:*


★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★
*Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!*
(If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission)

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE HAND TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWER TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE OTHER TOOLS★

(If you use one of the affiliate links above, we may receive a small commission)

[HBlackhawkmtp]

I just bend the drill bit to the correct angle. It works every time.

[Erik_The_Viking]

I put a bubble level on my drill and it made a huge difference. Great tips as usual!

[kasbakgaming]

To make the last example even easier, make your angle block with a groove down the center; you can do that with a router, or by making it out of two pieces of wood, chamfering the edges and gluing them together with the chamfered edges in. That groove will help guide the shaft of the drill bit to the center of the block, allowing you to keep it aligned square to the edge by feel rather than needing to sight it. If you've got a particular angle you need to use a lot for drilling holes, a jig like this is a real time saver and makes them easily repeatable. You can also make a generic one by cutting the main shape for it as a 30/60/90 triangle; repeat the edge steps on all three sides and have one jig to make three of the most common angles.

[adamulias]

Yet again… the Stumpster steps in to save us some time and money, while looking out for the quality of our work!
STUMPY FOR MAYOR!!! 😃👍

[tombloy]

As a beginner I learned to draw a perpendicular line on the end of a piece of 2x4, put it next to the mark and line up the bit with the line. I drilled holes straight from then on.

[richardhaas]

I like how your videos engender a wide rage of discussion about all sorts of way of doing things. Each, useful, in its own particular case, and if that case is my case...

[michaelwilson]

I watched an episode of gridlessness featuring his neighbour making rustic furniture with handtools. His technique for drilling multiple angled holes used a mitre gauge set in front of the job with a mirror behind the job where he could see the angle in the mirror and hold the drill at that angle.

[wayneledford]

Thank you James for showing us how our ancestors did things. Often these techniques are cheap and easy and accurate enough for woodworking.

[HalWeiss-pfqw]

I watched a few other vids for drilling at an angle. I should have come to Stumpy's video first. Great job, as usual!

[garrettevans]

I truly don’t understand how Stumpy Nubs continues to put out such high quality, unique woodworking information.

[averageamerican]

Watching Stumpy Nubs while flipping through a Rockler mailer. Life is good.

[Kswiss]

I have a spinning wheel that was made in the 1860s. Always wondered how they got those spokes and hub just right. Been thinking of building one like it for the challenge of it.

[MCsCreations]

James, you're brilliant. Your video just made me see a solution for a problematic project I had! 😃
Basically, I built a bird feeder, but I need to remake it, because the sides I put in the bottom are too low, so they end up knocking lots of food to the ground... And I have cats. This issue is pretty simple, but the other is that pigeons started coming to eat as well!
So, the idea: to use dowels around it (exactly in the border I need to make taller), so it creates a "cage" around the feeder! 😃
Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[jobaecker]

One thing I was taught back in shop class (...about 50 years ago...) when drilling angled holes by hand, is to start off with a hole that goes straight down--just enough to seat the tip, otherwise the tip can wander off on you as you try to angle the drill. I know doing that also shifts the hole placement slightly. Not sure if you have a handy trick to compensate for this deviation.

[blueblur]

Great video! The use of mirrors helps you watch the drill and angle also. Greg Pennington also uses a awesome method using laser levels to hold the angle and shoot intersecting lasers you keep centered on top of drill. Great for some of the more difficult blind holes like on a Windsor Continous arm chairs. Thanks for the great content!

[bradklaatu]

Another excellent video. Never thought of using two "guides" but I'm sure going to give it a try.

[sapelesteve]

Gotta love SN videos as his tips & tricks are always on the level! 👍👍😉😉

[profcah]

Great video. The fact that this can all be done with just a drill reminds us of the fact that we don’t necessarily need all the fancy tools to do classic work! Thsnks!

[J-D]

Excellent video as always! Always learning something new.