Don't Force It
The image above may be an exagerration, but the message is that you should let the drill do the work. Your bit can actually work less efficiently if you put too much force on the drill, and you run the risk of breaking your bit.
Start Small
If you're looking to get the cleanest hole possible, start with a small bit and work your way up to the desired diameter. This might take a little longer with wood, but it results in a much cleaner hole. With metal it's often a faster process to start with a small bit and work your way up.
Metal: Go Slow and Use Oil
When drilling metal, make sure your drill is set to a slow speed, and use oil as you go. The oil acts as a lubricant and regulates the temperature of the bit and material. There are special types of cutting oil meant to be used for different processes, but usually any household oil with a decent viscosity will do for small projects.
Use the Right Bit for the Job
A properly used and maintained bit can last a long time, so know which bits are appropriate for which job. From left to right: small wood bit, high speed steel bit, spade bit, hole saw, cobalt bit, masonry bit.
Tread Lightly!
When using a high-powered hand drill such as this Milwaukee Magnum, be careful when drilling into dense or hard material, as the torque of the drill can actually rip it out of your hands. Use a right angle attachment if you have one, and grip the drill firmly, but not too tight. If the bit gets caught up as you're going, be prepared to let go -- it's the safest thing to do sometimes. I've sprained my wrist in such situations, and have known others to even break their wrists.
Keep those Bits Sharp
A dull drill bit is no fun. Avoid it by only using your bit for its intended material, and not letting it heat up too much. If it's smoking, stop! When a bit gets that hot you can actually remove the hardness and tempering in the metal. Also consider investing in a drill sharpener like the Drill Doctor to keep those bits going for years to come.
Setting the Depth of your Hole
Sometimes you don't want to drill clean through a piece of material. Here's a handy little trick to plunge in just the right amount. Measure your intended depth starting at the tip of the drill bit, then wrap a piece of tape around where you want to stop. I use pink gaff for high visibility, but many tapes will do. When you're drilling, just stop when the edge of the tape is flush with the edge of the material.
Use a Sacrifice Board
If you drill straight through a piece of wood, you'll often experience what's known as "blow out." This is when the bit comes out the other side and creates nasty splinters and chips. It's unsightly and dangerous. Avoid it by putting a piece of sacrifice board underneath the piece you're drilling through. It will make the back end of your hole come out a lot cleaner. This is a good habit when using both hand drills and drill presses.
Take a Step Back
When working with a hand drill, it's common to lean in close when you pull the trigger. Being so close can give you a lack of perspective as to whether you're drilling in straight. Take a moment and step back to gauge your angle, and then lean in to cut the hole.
Set it Straight in the Chuck
Don't just stick that bit into the chuck, make sure it's going in right. A bit that's not set properly will rotate with a wobble, make your work difficult, and risk breaking the bit. Often bits will have flattened edges at their base. Align these with the jaws of the chuck for a good grip.
View All
oh.my.god. This slideshow is driving me crazy. I don’t know if it’s firefox or what, but it absolutely isn’t working right. Why not just put them in an article layout!?!?!
Seconded on the slideshow being horribly broken.
I can’t even get to the second slide, so I only got one tip for drilling better holes.
Wow, that slideshow is a disaster. I get half-way through reading one slide, the next slides in. I hit the back button, it goes forward again. I hit “View All Slides”, I get the next slide. I try to write a comment, and the comment box jumps up and down the page. The big question: why a slideshow? Slideshows are for pretty pictures, not informative instructions.
Yes slideshow is terrible. At least allow manual control of the show.
The slide show has got to go!
And neither the slideshow, nor the manual controls, work at all in Chromium…
The slideshow does not appear to be working in Firefox. I agree with the other comments here. Slideshows are for the “People Magazines” of the internet. Make should strive to be *more* informative, not less.
Ditto all of the above. Chrome 24.0.1312.57
Slide show doesn’t work – Chrome Version 24.0.1312.57 m
I liked the blog stories better when I could actually read the stories and see something other than the first photo.
This couldn’t be any worse if it was done in powerpoint.
Argh! Why won’t the slideshow work for me?!?! I pretty much avoid any Makezine slideshows now just because they’re such a pain. I’ve been trained to not even bother.
Ditto on the slideshow not working. In fact, I don’t think it’s ever worked properly for me (in FireFox 18.0.2). Heck, even this comment entry form seems to be acting all screwy right now…
This slidewhow is stupid. I cant even read my own comment because it jumps up and down while typing.
thank you for taking the time to take pictures for us as for the slideshow did not have a problem with it
Interesting topic — please re-post as a normal article so we can read it. And PLEASE, no more slideshows!
At least in Firefox, the slideshow is indeed the above-mentioned disaster.
Where is the “Show All” button?
XOXO
this is not true for metal. with metal you need lots of force. the correct force for a 1/2″ drill in metal is 150 lbs !
again slide 2 tis false. one good bit is all you need. the only time you should use multiple bits is a very small pilot hole for a rather large bit. using multiple bits just wears out the shoulders.
wow, the slideshow sucks for me too, but because it just doesn’t play nice with my resolution. There’s a large space between the top of the pop in and the top of the webpage, then about the same amount of space for the title of the slideshow. By the time I get to actual content, we’re a solid third of the way down my screen. Absolutely terrible.
I have two safety-related suggestions to add.
First, certain types of bits such as Forstner bits and fly cutters should only be used in a drill press.
Second, whatever you’re drilling needs to be secured so that it won’t spin if the bit catches. Hand pressure is not enough. Workpieces need to be clamped down or held against a fence of some sort.
it is a nice , BASic instruction, but if you are using visuals to instruct, put glasses on. Visual learners will remember what they saw, not what you said…
In addition to correct pressure as Seth mentioned, drilling metal does not always require a slow speed. Speed should be matched to the hardness of the metal and the type of bit; charts for this are widely available. Going slow in a soft metal like copper wil hog the bit, breaking it or yanking the drill out of your hands, a situation the author mentions that he has been injured by.
Regarding using oil for drilling metal – old timer machinists have always recommended bacon grease (doesn’t matter if it is rancid or not); keep it in the fridge, a little goes a long way, and it’ll make your shop smell great (well, if you’re not a vegetarian/vegan, I suppose!)…
Ten Tips for Drilling Better Holes