Jigs, Guides, Supports: 5 Accessories for Making a Straight Hole

The nightmare for every industry professional: failing to drill a precise hole, perpendicular if needed. or inclined. The requirements are many and often you don't have machines that allow you to work with millimeter precision. For example, when it comes to drilling, there's always the risk of having to rework and improve a job that wasn't done properly.

It happens often, especially when working in uncomfortable positions, for long periods, and with tight maneuvering angles. But all these indications cannot be used as excuses: you must work well and with the maximum possible precision. How? There are various accessories to drill straight holes without burrs. Here are some useful ideas to take as reference.

Precision Bench Drill

More than an accessory, this is a power tool in its own right. Actually, when conditions allow, it's recommended to use a bench drill to drill a hole that demands great precision. This is because the tool in question allows you to proceed with controlled speed and maximum stability. There are no problems, inaccuracies, or burrs related to manual use.

Of course, all this has its validity if the conditions are met. That is, those that allow you to position the object to be drilled on the work surface. In many cases, however, you don't have the ability to use the bench drill. For example, when you need to drill a perpendicular hole in a wall or a particularly bulky wooden frame.

Laser and Sensors for Precise Holes

One of the most used solutions for drilling precise holes with the drill is the use of specific laser light projectors to get some useful guidance and avoid burrs. For example, some models have the pointer integrated into the structure. If the power tool doesn't have this technology – sometimes it's just an LED to improve visibility – you can use applications that project light beams that help you maintain the correct position. In some cases, we also find spirit levels that attach to the wall and guide the drill bit with a laser level that allows you to drill holes in the wall where and how needed.

Suction Cup Jig for Tiles

Excellent solution for drilling precise holes on a fragile surface that can be easily damaged. Drilling holes in tiles without chipping them is already an important challenge to overcome: if you need to work on a vertical or inclined surface, the difficulty increases.

The risk of ruining everything is real. But there are accessories for drilling precise holes, avoiding the risk of the drill bit slipping on the smooth ceramic surface. The Krino suction cup jig, for example, is perfect for this purpose: it attaches to the tile – even porcelain stoneware, not just ceramic – and allows you to drill precise holes with various bit sizes.

Guide for Pocket Holes

In carpentry, it can be important to drill holes that aren't visible: these are the famous pocket holes (here you have a detailed guide) that can be drilled at a defined angle. Let's give a definition of this operation? Perfect: the pocket hole is a type of notch in the wood with an angle between 15° and 20° to join two pieces without visible marks.

This is for a well-groomed and well-defined aesthetic. On the other hand, the name of this practice is already indicative: the hole creates a sort of oblique notch in the wood, where the screw is inserted. So, how do you drill wood with this technique and precisely follow the required angle? There are angled jigs that allow you to drill oblique holes to meet these specific needs.

Spring Structure for Hand Drill

We said that the bench drill – especially if you use a professional and quality model – is a good solution for drilling precise holes. But this is only true if, for example, you need to work on a plate or a small workpiece.

However, there are spring guides that mount around the structure of the hand drill and that can be angled or used to create perpendicular holes in walls or walls of any material: here it depends on the type of drill bit you use.