Drill Bit Stop Collars...Are they all junk?

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 10:52 am

Greetings woodworkers,

I like to use a stop collar on my drill bits when doweling with my hand drill to make sure I get the depth I want. The stop collars I've tried slip or are otherwise difficult to work with. Any good ones out there? Thanks for your thoughts.

Best,
Tom

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:48 am

tomsalwasser wrote:Greetings woodworkers,

I like to use a stop collar on my drill bits when doweling with my hand drill to make sure I get the depth I want. The stop collars I've tried slip or are otherwise difficult to work with. Any good ones out there? Thanks for your thoughts.

Best,
Tom

Tried masking tape? Or a 'sharpie' marker?

anmius · Post by **anmius** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:50 pm

I much prefer using painter's tape (blue). Just wrap it where you want the depth indication like a flag. When it sweeps away the sawdust, you're there.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 1:08 pm

For just a few holes, the blue tape works quite well.
When I have a large number of holes to drill, I'll use a stop collar. My method of securing it is to insure that the clamping screw seats in a groove.
Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I can adjust the bit so the nose of the drill contacts the work as the bit reaches the correct depth. Most often, though the bit is too long.
Another trick is to use a scrap of wood as a stop. Drill through it and adjust the exposed bit to the depth you need.

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:15 pm

Thanks for your thoughts guys.

Gene, not sure why but I have always made sure the set screws landed on the flat, not in the groove of the drill bit. It never occurred to me to make the set screws land in the groove. Works much better that way! The hold is much stronger. And with the set screws in the groove but not tightened down I can easily micro adjust the depth by spiraling the collar up or down. Very nice...thanks again!

Best,
Tom

nil · Post by **nil** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:18 pm

Once I got my shopsmith this year, I have gone out of my way to use it for every hole I wanted to stop at a specific depth. I can't imagine using blue tape any more.

anmius · Post by **anmius** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:48 pm

nil wrote:Once I got my shopsmith this year, I have gone out of my way to use it for every hole I wanted to stop at a specific depth. I can't imagine using blue tape any more.

I agree. For multiple holes of the same size and depth, it is hard to beat the standard depth stop on the Shopsmith in the drill press mode. But for a few holes on something too large for the Shopsmith, I go with blue painter's tape. Simple, easy, and pretty accurate for "freehand" work.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:06 pm

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there will be times when you need to drill a hole whose location cannot be reached on the drill press.

If only those way tubes were not in the way.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:00 am

dusty wrote:I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there will be times when you need to drill a hole whose location cannot be reached on the drill press.

If only those way tubes were not in the way.

So true, Dusty. So true. Not to mention places around the homestead that can't be moved to the shop!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:13 am

The last time I had this problem, I cut a four inch square of 1" thick MDF and on the drill press put a 1/4" hole right in the middle. That provided a drill guide (to keep the hand drill vertical). All I had to do was locate the block of wood and I had holes almost as good as on the drill press.

Locating the holes was time consuming but I did manage to get them all in the right locations.