Drill through a template or jig plate

Create or purchase a drill template -- a flat plate (metal, hardwood, or acrylic) with pre-drilled holes at specific sizes and spacings. Clamp the template firmly to your workpiece so the desired hole in the template sits directly over your marked location. Insert the drill bit through the template hole and drill through into the workpiece. The template hole constrains the bit and prevents any lateral movement.

Why It Works

The rigid walls of the template hole physically prevent the drill bit from wandering in any direction. This is the same principle used in industrial drilling fixtures and CNC jig plates. The bit is guided for the first critical fraction of an inch until it establishes its own hole in the workpiece.

Tips

• For repeated identical hole patterns (e.g., mounting brackets, shelf pin holes), a single template saves time and guarantees consistency across every piece
• Use hardwood (maple, oak) or metal (aluminum plate) for templates that will be reused -- softwood templates wear out after a few uses
• The template hole should match the drill bit diameter closely but not tightly; 1/64 inch oversize is about right
• Clamp the template firmly -- if it shifts mid-drill, the hole will be off-location
• Commercial drill jig kits are available for common tasks like shelf pin holes ($15-30) and European hinge cup holes ($20-40)
• For one-off use, a scrap of 3/4-inch plywood with a carefully pre-drilled hole works fine
• Common mistake: not clamping the template, leading to the bit grabbing and spinning the template