10 Tips for Drilling Holes with Hand Tools

I drill a lot of holes in wood. I have a Dremel tool, but I turn to the hand tools again and again because they are portable, don’t require electricity and I like the precision and control they afford me. Most of my drilling takes place when I am preparing a wooden clothes pin for arms and a neck to create one of my clothes pin dolls. I don’t know if you have tried drilling a clothes pin or a dowel, but it can be challenging. Here I will share with you the types of hand tools I use along with some tips on drilling.

 I use two different types of hand tools for drilling holes: a mini hand drill and a push drill.

These mini hand drills are the simplest hand drills you can buy. These are sold in many craft stores and even department stores. They are essentially a handle which you can feed bits into. That is about it. I have had this pair for 7 years and while I have changed out the bits a few times, the handles themselves have held up just fine. Sometimes the bit slips in the handle and requires the occasional twist for tightening.

To get the most out of a hand drill, I recommend you learn about the different kinds of bits you can use. I will include more on this in the tips section below.

Hand drills are so small and portable—wonderful if you just need to drill a few holes and you are seeking simplicity. They are also perfect for taking to workshops. If you need to drill more than a few holes or you have hand/wrist ailments such as arthritis, you should consider the push drill.

This is a push drill made by Garrett Wade. This push drill is based on the original Yankee Screw drivers also called Archimedean Drills (I prefer this last title because it sounds exotic ;]  ).

The push drill is about 12 inches long with a bit and weighs 9 ounces (yes, I just went and weighed it). The tool comes with several different bits which fit nicely in a secret compartment at the top of the tool. It retails for $59.95 on the Garrett Wade site. 

The mini hand drills I discuss above are awesome and portable, but I needed something I could use to make a lot of holes without my hands getting tired—generally I drill about 60 tiny holes in a session.

This drill has been the answer for me. You center the bit at the hole location and push down--the tool makes the bit spin and as you lift the tool it spins the other way to expel the debris.  Instead of manually twisting or using your wrists as you do with normal hand drills, you just need to push down on the tool.  

With this tool, I cut holes much faster and my hands don’t cramp up from repetition like they do with the mini hand drills. The one and only complaint I have for this product is that it requires specialty bits and I broke the smallest bit after a year of owning the tool. You can purchase replacement bits though and the break was my own fault for adding torque to the bit as I pulled it from the wood piece. Yes, this tool does cost a lot more than a simple mini hand drill, but if you are drilling a lot of holes, it is important to consider the toll repetition can take on your body. I have no affiliation with Garrett Wade—I am just really happy with my purchase! ;]

Here are some additional tips for drilling holes in small objects

• Bits have all kinds of different tips. Look for split points, pilot points and other modified tips—these will help drill more smoothly into the object, which means less effort required on your part.
• For loose bits, generally, gold colored bits are higher quality than silver. (Not always)
• Save money: Some bits can be sharpened with a dremel tool.
• Use a thin pointed file, such as a jewelers file to smooth the edges of your holes. This is especially important if you are running elastic or thread through the hole (such as for doll joints)—the smooth edges will protect the elastic from fraying.
• When drilling into a slippery, round or very hard surface, make a small dent with a center punch or a nail in the intended drilling location. This will prevent the drill bit from slipping.
• To prevent the wood from splintering on the opposite side of your drill, use a backing board (piece of scrap wood) underneath your project.
• Also, for small objects such as clothes pins or beads, it helps to go in with the drill on one side first and then flip the item and drill into the opposite end so your hole meets in the center of the object.
• Use a pencil to mark the location of the drill entrance and exit. The smaller the object, the more you need control and precision!
• Do not drill over your desk or other nice piece of furniture—even if you have a backing board—just don’t do it.  Also, not a good idea to drill using your journal or note pad as a backing board (the first image in this post is my result after 'borrowing' a note pad for a backing board) ;].
• Drilling can be messy—remember to keep the shavings away from your drying glues, paint and clays :]. Also, keep in mind the messiness if you take your drilling project to the couch as a ‘movie watching project.’