Anyone remember these drill guides?

[OccupantRJ]

I needed to drill a hole by hand relatively square into my Bridgeport table the other day so I broke out my old yard sale drill guide that I picked up quite a few years back. They work quite well for the purpose and also have an adjustable depth stop.

 

[seber]

I still have one. It gets used very very rarely, but when you need it nothing else will do.

 

[cgrutt]

Wait, it drills square holes? Had a bench top mortiser that did that in wood. Who knew...

Seriously glad it worked out. I do remember those (and think I have the same drill). Kinda ironic using it on a milling machine though.

 

[senlow]

Heck yeah. I have an old Portalign. I don't use it very often since I have a drill press. But, it's great when I need to drill a perpendicular hole in something that won't fit the drill press. It's a handy tool to have.

 

[Hal]

Used one to edge drill a bunch of holes in two by eights for a hay wagon. The edge board was strapped with quarter inch iron for cut in stake pockets.

 

[RTM]

A friend had a Portalign back in 1976 or so, was intrigued back then, except for the PITA of changing chucks back n forth. I saw one at a GS a few years back, and got it cheap. I had a spare chuck that fit, so it’s sitting, ready to go, when the right weird project shows up

 

[larry_g]

I needed to drill a hole by hand relatively square into my Bridgeport table the other day so I broke out my old yard sale drill guide that I picked up quite a few years back. They work quite well for the purpose and also have an adjustable depth stop.

I have an old 'Drill press' that you put your drill motor in similar to the guide you have. I have used it in places where you would normally use a mag base drill but instead use clamps like you show. Works for aluminum and wood where a mag base will not...

lg

 

[bwringer]

My Dad had an even crappier version where you just strapped a drill in with hose clamps, and I suppose you just had to do your best to square up and align the drill bits.

Am I the only one who thinks it's insane that very, very few handheld drills include any sort of reference surface or feature to keep you aligned and square to the work? It's all swoopy rubber and plastic ray gun greebling, nothing to help you eyeball a halfway straight hole.

 

[Skellyii]

Wow!

I forgot that those existed. Probably haven't seen one since the 80s.

 

[BrandonV]

Wow!

I forgot that those existed. Probably haven't seen one since the 80s.

Yup. They make a cheap one at Lowes or the Rockler.

https://www.rockler.com/catalog/product/view/id/44296?country=US&promo=shopping&gStoreCode=18&gQT=1

 

[geneg]

I needed to drill a hole by hand relatively square into my Bridgeport table the other day so I broke out my old yard sale drill guide that I picked up quite a few years back. They work quite well for the purpose and also have an adjustable depth stop.

I have one of those somewhere with a waster Craftsman 3/8 corded drill still in it. I also have a translucent Black & decker plastic one that acted as a chip catcher if you were drilling overhead. It had notches & vees to saddle irregular shaped items. I seem to remember that mine was branded Craftsman, but it is a B&D. If it wasn't so cold-I'd go out to look for them.

Found it online!

 

[gregs]

I have a version some where in my collection. I dont remember having to remove the chuck to use it though. I think mine has a hex drive on the drill end.

 

[dscheidt]

Am I the only one who thinks it's insane that very, very few handheld drills include any sort of reference surface or feature to keep you aligned and square to the work? It's all swoopy rubber and plastic ray gun greebling, nothing to help you eyeball a halfway straight hole.

Yes, it's nuts.

I've seen a couple drill motors -- all cheap homeowner ones -- that had a level built in, so you could drill a hole perpendicular to gravity. I think the craftsman drill the OP is using has a back that's flat and pretty parallel to the bit though, so you can put a level on that. My dad had that drill (or one very similar) and I remember him using a level on it.

 

[BTL-A4]

I have one. They are very useful. Mine is a General Tools one:

 

[BTL-A4]

Am I the only one who thinks it's insane that very, very few handheld drills include any sort of reference surface or feature to keep you aligned and square to the work? It's all swoopy rubber and plastic ray gun greebling, nothing to help you eyeball a halfway straight hole.

No, you're not the only one! I like the ones that have a level bubble in them, or at least a place to put one. They seem to be hard to find, though.

 

[Kscardsfan]

My Dad had an even crappier version where you just strapped a drill in with hose clamps, and I suppose you just had to do your best to square up and align the drill bits.

Am I the only one who thinks it's insane that very, very few handheld drills include any sort of reference surface or feature to keep you aligned and square to the work? It's all swoopy rubber and plastic ray gun greebling, nothing to help you eyeball a halfway straight hole.

At one time Craftsman put a bubble level in their drills but it didn’t last very long.

 

[BTL-A4]

At one time Craftsman put a bubble level in their drills but it didn’t last very long.

They probably cost-cut it out, or it seemed to "homeowner" and not "pro" enough.

 

[Nutria]

I really like my old Portalign (with an equally old Rockwell drill motor). I've used it in cabinets, making holdfast holes for my workbench, countless other jobs. Lots of things fail to fit on the drill press table.

 

[Beerhippie]

Since it's only been a month or so, I'm having no difficulty remembering:



Mine got an extended base:



"Approximately square" is right.

 

[Rusted Nut]

I have a General Tools model, use it a fair amount.

 

[BrandonV]

Seems useful for drilling into a door.

I totally have the by eye thing down.

 

[Beerhippie]

Seems useful for drilling into a door.

I totally have the by eye thing down.

That's what I bought mine for. Worked great and now it accumulates dust.

 

[Vinny]

Bosch makes drills with angle detection. Tools come with 45 or 60 degrees, but if you get the bluetooth thing on it you can use the app to put in whatever angle you want. It has an LED light on it that is green when you're at the angle and turns off if you drift too much.
Kind of neat, but I still prefer the jigs in this thread.

 

[Beerhippie]

Bosch makes drills with angle detection. Tools come with 45 or 60 degrees, but if you get the bluetooth thing on it you can use the app to put in whatever angle you want. It has an LED light on it that is green when you're at the angle and turns off if you drift too much.
Kind of neat, but I still prefer the jigs in this thread.

But does it work in both directions? Plumb AND square?

 

[oldtractors]

Kinda ironic using it on a milling machine though.

It is kind of like popping a pimple in the middle of you back. You just can't do it yourself.