Practice on Scrap Material First

Drill several practice holes in scrap material of the same type as your project, check them for squareness, adjust your technique, and then move to the real workpiece.

How It Works

Freehand drilling accuracy is largely a muscle-memory skill that improves dramatically with deliberate practice. By drilling test holes in scrap material and measuring them for perpendicularity, you calibrate your body position, grip, and visual alignment before committing to the actual workpiece. This is how experienced carpenters and woodworkers develop the ability to drill straight holes consistently without guides.

Instructions

1. Gather a piece of scrap material that matches your project (same type and thickness of wood, metal, or other material)
2. Mark several drilling points spaced a few inches apart
3. Position your body directly behind and above the drill, looking straight down the bit
4. Drill each hole with deliberate focus on keeping the drill perpendicular
5. After each hole, check it with a combination square or speed square placed against the drill bit (still in the hole) or a dowel inserted into the hole
6. Note which direction you tend to drift and consciously compensate on the next hole
7. After 5-10 practice holes, your consistency should improve noticeably
8. Proceed to your actual workpiece with the adjusted technique

Tips

• Most people have a consistent directional bias when drilling freehand — once you identify yours, you can compensate for it
• Standing directly over the drill and looking straight down provides the most accurate natural alignment
• Starting the hole at slow speed gives you more time to correct alignment before the bit commits to a path
• A center punch or awl mark at the drilling point prevents the bit from walking at startup
• For critical holes, drill halfway from each side of the workpiece and meet in the middle to minimize cumulative drift

Common Mistakes

• Practicing on a different material than your project — wood, metal, and plastic all respond differently to drilling
• Drilling at full speed from the start, which commits the bit to a path before you can adjust
• Not checking practice holes for squareness, which means you are practicing without feedback
• Standing off to the side of the drill instead of directly behind it, which introduces a consistent viewing-angle error