Drilling Straight Holes in Handrails?

Richard10002 · 19 Jul 2012

Bought these wooden hand rails to fix on top of existing 4mm steel hand rails:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-2-x18...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item3378a9223a

Bought some M6 x 60mm bolts, (& nuts & washers), but am not sure I can guarantee drilling straight holes vertically through the new hand rails. The ideal would be to clamp them to a bench mounted pillar drill, but I don't have one, nor do I know anyone who has one, (Manchester).

Any suggestions?

Richard

PS The new rails are going to support some planks which will run across the boat to fix a solar panel and storage box, and other stuff. The roof is curved, so the existing rails needed raising to clear the curve.

pete · 19 Jul 2012

Not sure if I have got this right but can you drill through a piece of scrap wood or preferably metal, as thick as your drill length will allow, use this as a guide. When you are happy that this hole is square clamp it to your handrail and drill through the lot starting through your scrap piece, It will not be perfect but should be very near.
Pete

rob2 · 19 Jul 2012

There is a type of drill press which simply stands on the object to be drilled, making the drill vertical (or perpendicular to the face). I've seen them in Axminster, but can't lay my hands on their catalogue at the moment.

Would this help?

Rob.

VicS · 19 Jul 2012

rob2 said:
There is a type of drill press which simply stands on the object to be drilled, making the drill vertical (or perpendicular to the face). I've seen them in Axminster, but can't lay my hands on their catalogue at the moment.

Would this help?

Rob.

Hold in vice or workmate

Drill pilot holes first. Centre punch the positions.

Hold in a vice or workmate get an "assistant" to sight the drill against a set square to get it vertical.

Wondering if turning the rails upside down drilling from the flat underside would help.

davidpbo · 19 Jul 2012

I use one of these if I need vertical holes. You need to have a drill with the right sized collar to fit. I ahve a Bosch mains drill which does. There are many Machine Marts around. Altrincham and Preston for two.

Lakesailor · 19 Jul 2012

Ideal. It's getting the hole off-vertical across the rail that is the main risk.

Richard10002 · 19 Jul 2012

The Machine Mart Pillar looks good, but I think I'm going to chicken out and get it done by a joineryshop I found today.

Thanks for all the replies.....

Lakesailor · 19 Jul 2012

Best bet.

David2452 · 20 Jul 2012

I have an attachment that allows one to do this kind of thing in situ, it clamps to the collar on the drill (even battery ones wth one of the split adaptors) and kind of turns it into a plunge router, but with a lot more travel. I’ve had it about fifteen years and wonder if they are still available, great for holes in panels, rails and stuff that need to be at 90 degrees to the surface.

Boathook · 20 Jul 2012

Richard10002 said:
The Machine Mart Pillar looks good, but I think I'm going to chicken out and get it done by a joineryshop I found today.

Thanks for all the replies.....

Good idea.

davidpbo · 20 Jul 2012

It should not cost much to have done.

Drill press from Axminster

and a pillar drill that I would have found useful if I had not had a friend with a machine shop up the road here. I always struggled to find a drill press with enough distance between the pillar and the chuck.

savsail · 20 Jul 2012

Pillar drill

We have a pillar drill in our boatshed. Checkout www.eltonsailing club.co.uk if you pop down on Saturday, I'm sure you could use it if you want to travel up to Bury.

prv · 20 Jul 2012

Looks like you're already sorted, but for what it's worth, bench drills are cheap these days. Aldi do one from time to time for £20 or so. May not be the highest quality, but still better than wobbling around with a hand-held.

Pete

Richard10002 · 20 Jul 2012

prv said:
Looks like you're already sorted, but for what it's worth, bench drills are cheap these days. Aldi do one from time to time for £20 or so. May not be the highest quality, but still better than wobbling around with a hand-held.

Pete

Can't believe how cheap these things are.... Even the Axminster at £170 looks quite amazing.

If I ever feel the need for a pillar drill again, I'll be looking at the Machine Mart stand for £30.

prv · 20 Jul 2012

Richard10002 said:
Can't believe how cheap these things are

That's the power of Chinese manufacturing.

When I first took my Dad to Machine Mart (to exchange some padded overalls I'd bought him for the right size) he was amazed at the prices on their tools. He picked up a large socket set more or less the same as his one and said it cost the same number of pounds now as his had in 1970.

Pete

davidpbo · 20 Jul 2012

Richard10002 said:
Can't believe how cheap these things are.... Even the Axminster at £170 looks quite amazing.

If I ever feel the need for a pillar drill again, I'll be looking at the Machine Mart stand for £30.

I thought the big Axminster one looked good but the Machine Mart drill stand has done me for a number of years.

Boathook · 20 Jul 2012

prv said:
That's the power of Chinese manufacturing.

When I first took my Dad to Machine Mart (to exchange some padded overalls I'd bought him for the right size) he was amazed at the prices on their tools. He picked up a large socket set more or less the same as his one and said it cost the same number of pounds now as his had in 1970.

Pete

Cheapish tools are ok for a while but the decent tools I purchased to keep my knackered mini running are still good. The cheap ones didn't last long and had to be replaced.

prv · 20 Jul 2012

Boathook said:
Cheapish tools are ok for a while but the decent tools I purchased to keep my knackered mini running are still good. The cheap ones didn't last long and had to be replaced.

Sure, but even the good quality (albeit not absolute top of the line) tools I've bought were way cheaper than they would have been twenty years ago.

Pete

BERT T · 20 Jul 2012

Drilling holes

http://www.wolfcraft.de/workarea/supplier/sWolfcraft/documents/190/4522000_aw09.jpg
http://www.wolfcraft.de/jcatalog_generated/en/products/product_groups/857_product.html

One of these is what you want from Wolfcraft. For any wood turners out there they can also be adapted to fit on the toolrest.

Richard10002 · 21 Jul 2012

BERT T said:
http://www.wolfcraft.de/workarea/supplier/sWolfcraft/documents/190/4522000_aw09.jpg
http://www.wolfcraft.de/jcatalog_generated/en/products/product_groups/857_product.html

One of these is what you want from Wolfcraft. For any wood turners out there they can also be adapted to fit on the toolrest.

Youre right - I want one!

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