# Drill Stop



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You may not have a stop collar for drill bit. Or, the stop collar you do have comes loose, or leaves marks. This is a simple stop block for a drill bit. Very simple to make. Install the bit into the drill and measure the exposure you want, and then cut a block the correct length. Drill the center of the block with the drill you will be using.
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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Sweet idea CM. I can think of several uses for that. Thanks for the tip. :thumbsup:


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

i just mark the bit with blue tape
id make the block and spend an hr looking for it when i needed it


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Jack while the blue tape works, it can be inaccurate especially if you need to drill multiple holes. The block stops at the same point every time no matter how many holes.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

jack warner said:


> ...id make the block and spend an hr looking for it when i needed it



I leave those assemblies intact and together. They become dedicated. 












 





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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

jack warner said:


> i just mark the bit with blue tape
> id make the block and spend an hr looking for it when i needed it


LOL!

That was exactly my thought.

Oh, I also use the tape.

G


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

very true, if im gonna make a series of exact (duplicate) holes ill use my drill press with a fence and set the stop.
of course you have to have a dril press


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Been using that trick for decades. Simple but effective.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

Leo G said:


> Been using that trick for decades. Simple but effective.


Yeah, Mr. Cappel taught me that one in 6th grade shop class back in 1953. I still use it today. The huge advantage is that it doesn't slip up the drill bit.


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## tendres (Feb 15, 2010)

Years ago I bought a dowel jig and it cam with two plastic bit stops. These fit over the bit and you just tightened them by hand. I have not seen these any more I guess they were too cheep now all I can find are the collar where you need a wrench. Has anyone else seen these?


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## NYwoodworks (Sep 19, 2010)

I like cabinetmans Idea with the wood stop blocks. I have used the blue tape before but it is not accurate because the drill bit can self feed itself into the wood past the tape very easily if you are not careful.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

There is one other thing to do with the wood block system...

Measure the depth of the chuck on the drill with the jaws fully retracted. I've marked the chuck depth on the side of my tailed drills. It is an easy matter to measure the drill bit length and determine the length of the stop block needed. When drilling in wood, you can gently bottom the drill bit out in the chuck and allow the wood block to contact the material being drilled. There is almost no pressure on the top of the drill bit and the wood block doesn't slip.

The technique also works great with an auger in a brace.


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## J. Alexander (Nov 22, 2010)

I use dowel material and sand around the edge so as not to mark the wood I am drilling.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

tendres said:


> Years ago I bought a dowel jig and it cam with two plastic bit stops. These fit over the bit and you just tightened them by hand. I have not seen these any more I guess they were too cheep now all I can find are the collar where you need a wrench. Has anyone else seen these?


Yeah, I've been using them for decades. I got 3 in my set, bright red so even I have a hard time not finding them if I forget to put them back in the proper place. Everything in my shop has a proper place, I just can't remember where most of them are. :icon_smile:


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

cabinetman said:


> I leave those assemblies intact and together. They become dedicated.


Hm ... I don't get that one. Seems that this means that for any given drill bit size, you can only drill one hole depth. What am I missing? Or do you just have LOTS of drill bit sets?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

phinds said:


> Yeah, I've been using them for decades. I got 3 in my set, bright red so even I have a hard time not finding them if I forget to put them back in the proper place. Everything in my shop has a proper place, I just can't remember where most of them are. :icon_smile:



Are these the ones you are referring to? I have them too, and they slip on the bit. Not ultra dependable.











 









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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

cabinetman said:


> Are these the ones you are referring to? I have them too, and they slip on the bit. Not ultra dependable.


Yep, I have them. I used them ONCE for about 1/4 of the job. Then I went back to the block of wood solution, after remaking the piece that I was working on.


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## tendres (Feb 15, 2010)

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/phinds-8094/Hey phinds love your post that is how I spend most of my time trying to remember where my stuff is and what was I doing 5 minutes ago.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

phinds said:


> Hm ... I don't get that one. Seems that this means that for any given drill bit size, you can only drill one hole depth. What am I missing? Or do you just have LOTS of drill bit sets?



I think I only have about a half dozen bits used for dedicated drilling that need to be stopped. There is a slight adjustment with how long the wood is and how much shank is left, that can be depth adjusted in the chuck.












 









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## sweet willy (Jul 17, 2013)

I have the plastic stops too and they do slip. What I do after I set the depth that I want is I run some tape around the bit and the stop to keep it from slipping. Works just fine.


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

cabinetman said:


> You may not have a stop collar for drill bit. Or, the stop collar you do have comes loose, or leaves marks. This is a simple stop block for a drill bit. Very simple to make. Install the bit into the drill and measure the exposure you want, and then cut a block the correct length. Drill the center of the block with the drill you will be using.
> .


The first question that popped into my mind was "what keeps the stop block from slipping?"

RRich's solution makes sense. Is that what you do Cabbie?



rrich said:


> There is one other thing to do with the wood block system...
> 
> Measure the depth of the chuck on the drill with the jaws fully retracted. I've marked the chuck depth on the side of my tailed drills. It is an easy matter to measure the drill bit length and determine the length of the stop block needed. When drilling in wood, you can gently bottom the drill bit out in the chuck and allow the wood block to contact the material being drilled. There is almost no pressure on the top of the drill bit and the wood block doesn't slip.
> 
> The technique also works great with an auger in a brace.





phinds said:


> Yeah, I've been using them for decades. I got 3 in my set, bright red so even I have a hard time not finding them if I forget to put them back in the proper place. Everything in my shop has a proper place, I just can't remember where most of them are. :icon_smile:


Laughing!/Crying!

That system doesn't work for me either. 

The "place" I put things is a mystery until I happen to stumble on it later.

At that point my system makes perfect sense but by then I don't need the "thing" anymore!


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

The stop collars I have use a set screw that contacts the bit directly.

I don't use them because positioning the set screw at the proper depth AND between the drill bit flutes is a royal PITA.

I've been eyeballing this type. 

http://m.woodcraft.com/Catalog/ProductPage2.aspx?id=2003966&ProdId=9189&

The set screw cinches the collar to the bit evenly around its circumference.

Anyone use these?


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

I have. The work OK, until they don't. Really have to tighten them good and check them if you are using it on a long term basis.


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks Leo,

I haven't bought them because I wasn't sure.

Also, I hate to buy sets of anything anymore.

Most of the time I'll use one or two of a set and the rest gather dust.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

The ones I have are from Woodcraft.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

Leo G said:


> Been using that trick for decades. Simple but effective.


+1

Mr. Capell taught me that in sixth grade shop class.


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

This works good for drilling angles as well. Make the jig, then cut one ends angle on the Table Saw to the desired angle and then place it on the object to be drilled.


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## Tman1 (Jan 14, 2013)

jharris2 said:


> The stop collars I have use a set screw that contacts the bit directly.
> 
> I don't use them because positioning the set screw at the proper depth AND between the drill bit flutes is a royal PITA.
> 
> ...


I use collars like these in my job all the time and they work great. But, I use them on round shafts. Even though you are clamping with the full cylinder, the force is really only in the same direction as the screw. If you don't line up the drill bit correctly, these won't hold at all. I'm not sure how well they would clamp on a drill bit if you did line them up right. But, they should be better than the set screw variety. (Note the correct orientation would maximize the amount of valley next to the screw and on the opposite side of the collar, and the flute peaks centered 90 degrees from the screw.)


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