A drill guide is an excellent addition to your drilling projects because of its accuracy and easy-to-use nature. Even though most people believe drill bits to be the best tool for drilling holes, they don’t necessarily provide desired depth and even holes.
Whereas, a drill guide guarantees to fulfil hole size and depth-related requirements with its availability of different types and sizes of options. However, this can also make the selection of the best portable drill guide a bit bewildering for you.
Handyman’s pick: Top 6 Best Portable Drill Guide
In this article, our sole aim will be to help you with this selection process. And to do so, we are going to talk about the top 4 portable drill guides that are currently available in the market and from which you can easily choose according to your preference.
We will describe each of the products thoroughly to provide you with a complete view and knowledge so that you can match them with your requirements.
Top Portable Drill Guide
Milescraft: Portable Drill Guide
- This drill guide has a completely metal head with a hex shank chuck for wobble-free, precise drilling.
- Design with solid metal base with three v-grooves, resulting in ideal for round stock drilling
- It includes a large handle that can be in a fixed position to ensure maximum support.
If you are a busy customer and need the most portable yet functional drill press stands, try this Milescraft Portable Drill Guide. With a combination of a 3/8 inch keyed chuck and self-centering base, this drill guide will boost the speed of productivity with easier operation. Compared to other guides, this Milescraft Drill Guide comes in a compact design with mostly metallic construction.
Its base is made of plastic which is pretty rouged and effectively prevents slipping and marring. This best drill stand for hand drill allows setting the angle at a different position from 45 to 90 degrees, though it’s a bit harder to change the setting. However, its solid lock secures the setting, making it ideal for drilling large holes in a short period.
- This drill guide is available at an affordable price that is extremely portable and has an adjustable depth stop. Plus, it drills via spring and bearings to prevent cutting tool damage, and the auxiliary handle ensures better control.
- The angle setting is a bit difficult, but it securely stays in place. Then its carriage locking screw isn’t captive.
Runner Up
Wolfcraft: Best Mini Drill Guide
- With a combination of anchor plate and stable column, this drill, stand ensures precise work.
- Compatible with a different brand with a certain diameter, this drill press stand is worth value.
- Its base plate is designed with a handle to allow use as a fixed drill stands at a horizontal angle if required.
This Wolfcraft Mobil Drill Stand is another portable drill press stand for hand drills that is compatible with most hand drills for plenty of accurate hand drilling projects. This drill stand is made of metal and is compatible with all 43mm-diameter hand drills. It has to swivel a double guide bar that can be adjusted horizontally up to a 45-degree angle for the most desired drilling result.
Another key feature includes that this drill stand has a depth adjustment lock for drilling at the most accurate level on various surfaces continuously. This Wolfcraft Mobil Drill Stand is a bit expensive compared to other competitors, but with great accuracy at a different angle, it is still worthwhile.
- It’s a portable drill press stand that is compatible with plenty of hand drills. Then the drill stand is perfect for drilling in a different position and its adjustable depth stop improves productivity.
- This drill stand is expensive but still worth the value as it accepts different types of drills thanks to its anchoring screw adjustment. Despite its base may cause a bit of vibration while drilling through hard material.
Multi Angle
Wolfcraft: Best Multi-Angle Drill Guide
- Wolfcraft 4525404 Multi-Angle Drill Guide directs the drill efficiently and properly.
- It is possible to operate it in different positions like- angle, vertical, or horizontal.
- The springs of the guide-bars ensure prompt return during repetitive drilling.
- The drill adapter of the guide-bars can easily slide both ways.
- Angle drilling of 45 degrees is possible.
- It’s capable of drilling round objects with its V-Groove base.
- The rubber pads maintain the position of the guide accurately.
- This drill guide fits drills that are of ⅜ inch or ¼ inch.
Wolfcraft 4525404 Multi-Angle Drill Guide is one of the best drill guides for both outdoor and indoor projects. This portable drill guide has made its place in the list of the bests with its unique features. One of those is its ability to work in vertical, horizontal, or 45-degree angled positions. This drill guide has a quick return feature due to the springs of the guide-bars that ensure more efficient repetitive drilling.
Unlike some of the drill guides, it can easily drill through round objects as well because of featuring a V-Groove base. Another great feature that guarantees both accurate drilling and no-slip operation is its rubberised base. The Wolfcraft 4525404 Multi-Angle Drill Guide also has removable handles that allow you maximum control and support while operating. The operation of this drill guide is also very easy because of the slidable drill adapter.
- Wolfcraft 4525404 Multi-Angle Drill Guide is highly portable. Multi-angle drilling is easier with this tool. You can easily set the drill guide for operation. It has easily removable handles. This drill guide has a rubberized base for accurate positioning.
- The material Wolfcraft 4525404 Multi-Angle Drill Guide is made of is said to be cheap and not worthy of the cost. You may find the alignment of this tool a bit difficult. Some parts of the drill guide can be loose and thus require tightening.
Best Overall
Kanzawa: Best Drill Guide Support
- Kanzawa drill guide is made of high-quality aluminum and steel.
- The strong build of this drill guide offers great durability and reliability.
- The drill guide provides accurate angled drilling.
- It is both scratch-resistant and rust-resistant.
- Mounting it on the work surface is easier due to the four holes at the base.
- The stable base ensures budge-free operation and ultimately precision.
- The friction pads it comes with guarantee slip-free operation.
- The base has a V-Groove that allows drilling of round stocks.
Kanzawa drill guide is one of the heavy-duty portable drill guides available in the market. As long as money is not one of your concerns, you can whole-heartedly rely upon this drill guide. Starting from its build to its features, it is one of the bests you’ll get. The strong build of aluminium and steel makes this drill guide extremely reliable and durable. These materials make it resistant to rust and scratch as well.
It ensures accurate and precise drilling with its budge-free and no-slip operation. You can further ensure the accuracy of drilling by mounting the drill guide to a work surface with the help of its base holes. Due to the sturdiness, it guarantees to give satisfactory results in drilling all types of materials. This drill guide can even drill through round stocks with perfection and precision due to featuring V-Groove at the base.
- Kanzawa drill guide has more stability than most other drill guides available out there. It has a high-quality build for longer service life. Rust and scratch are the two things you won’t need to worry about. You can easily mount this drill guide for better stability. It offers slip-free and budge-free operation for greater accuracy. Drilling round stocks aren’t any issue while using this drill guide.
- The only problem with the Kanzawa drill guide is its cost. If you are on a budget, then you should not consider buying this drill guide because you may not find it worth the price.
Premium Pick
Milescraft 1312: Handheld Portable Drill Guide
- Milescraft 1312 DrillBlock- Handheld Drill Guide guarantees precise alignment while operating with its centerlines.
- The drill guide has 6 different sizes of guides for accommodating all sorts of drill bit diameters and sizes.
- It is highly durable and is made of solid material.
- Marring and slipping are prevented with the help of the bulge-free feet holds.
- This drill guide can drill through cylindrical surfaces and corners due to featuring V-Grooves.
- It has an easy-to-use feature.
The Milescraft 1312 DrillBlock- Handheld Drill Guide has made its place in the list of the best drill guides because of the featuring several unique attributes. It is an easy-to-use drill guide that offers you maximum preciseness and accuracy. This drill guide provides a no-slip operation that prevents any sort of marring or slipping whole operating. Besides this, it also ensures further accuracy with its centerlines.
The Milescraft 1312 DrillBlock- Handheld Drill Guide can operate with 6 different sizes of drill bits. This feature makes it highly efficient and versatile. It is also highly durable and reliable. The V-Groove it features allow you to even drill through cylindrical surfaces and corners. Surprisingly, this easily operable, straightforward drill guide comes at a very budget-friendly cost.
- Milescraft 1312 DrillBlock- Handheld Drill Guide is the most straightforward tool. It provides accurate alignment. Its no-slip feature allows you to drill holes with precision and accuracy. You can easily use this drill guide for drilling cylindrical surfaces and corners. You can use most of the drill bits if you are operating with this drill guide. You won’t face any difficulty operating it as well. Lastly, it is quite budget-friendly in comparison to the features it has.
- The Milescraft 1312 DrillBlock- Handheld Drill Guide can only drill straight holes. So, you cannot use this drill guide if you want to make holes at an angle. It requires drill bits that are long in size which may be an issue. Lastly, it doesn’t have a drill press.
Customer Choice
General Tool: 36/37 Precision Portable Drill Guide
- General Tool 36/37 Precision Drill Guide has a built-in protector for variable-angled or right-angled accurate drilling.
- 0 to 45 degrees of adjustment is possible in the vertical direction with increments of 5 degrees.
- Accurate drill depth is possible because of the built-in positive stop this drill guide features.
- It is capable of drilling tubes, pipes, and round stocks due to featuring V-Groove.
- The slide lock it comes with greatly helps with the buffing and sanding.
- The anchoring pins securely place the guide on the work surface.
If you are in search of a drill guide that is not only low cost but also has several unique features for improved and accurate drilling, then the General Tool 36/37 Precision Drill Guide is the one you should consider. This portable drill guide is quite adjustable providing you with a wide range of applications. You can easily change the angle from 0 to 45 degrees for better accuracy while performing variable-angled or right-angled drilling.
The built-in protector also helps to achieve better precision during these drillings. This drill guide also features a positive stop that ensures accurate drill depth. General Tool 36/37 Precision Drill Guide is extremely versatile as it can drill through tubes, pipes, and round stocks as well with its V-Groove feature. Its anchoring pins also play a vital role in offering better precision by securely placing the drill guide.
- You can easily drill accurate variable-angled and right-angled holes with the General Tool 36/37 Precision Drill Guide. You can make adjustments up to 45 degrees for better preciseness and variable surface drilling. You can also achieve accurate drill depth with this tool. It features V-Groove. Buffing and sanding aren’t a problem with this drill guide. You won’t face any issues with placing the guide onto a work surface. Lastly, this drill guide is quite budget-friendly.
- The main problem you’ll find with the General Tool 36/37 Precision Drill Guide is that it is not ideal for heavy-duty operations. You may also face difficulty with aligning this drill guide while operating.
Factors to Pick the Best Portable Drill Guide
When buying a product like a drill guide, there are several things and factors to consider in order to make sure the one you are deciding on buying is correct and will fulfill your requirements. Those factors are given below for your consideration-
Multi-Angled Drilling: If you are settling for an angled drilling guide, it is important to make sure you are getting a wide range of angles to select from. Because this way you’ll be able to achieve more accuracy and precision while drilling. Therefore, make sure your drill guide has multiple angle settings before buying.
Accuracy: We use drill guides in order to make drill holes into materials. These holes need to be perfect and precise to get our expected outcome. Therefore, the accuracy that a drill guide offers is one of the top concerns of buyers as not every drill guide can guarantee it. So, before selecting your drill guide make sure to check its accuracy. The accuracy mostly depends on how rigidly it is possible to set the drill guide onto its work surface. So ensure your drill guide has a no-slip feature or anchoring pins.
Drill Hole and Drill Bit Size: The size of a hole solely depends upon the drill guide you are using to make it. Because this size varies from one drill guide model to another. So depending upon your project, make sure to choose the drill guide that can provide you with the right-sized hole. Another thing to consider is the drill bit size. As some drill guides can deal with different lengths of drill bits, the smart thing is to select those drill guides for operation.
Portability: Portability is an important feature to consider while selecting your drill guide. Because if your drill guide isn’t portable, you can only operate it at limited workstations. Whereas, if you get yourself a portable drill guide, you can easily carry it from one workplace to another without facing difficulty.
How to use a portable drill guide?
A portable drill guide is a tool that one uses in the place of a drill press. It offers great precision by mounting on regular drills without the help of additional special tools. Drill guides drill straight plumb holes without any trouble. You’ll need to use an angle or square guide to ensure angle accuracy by measuring the set angle.
When drilling through materials, make sure to apply downward pressure on the drilling spindle. Also, avoid putting extra pressure on the drill handle so that it doesn’t damage the material. Now, in order to prevent slipping, make sure to secure the base to the stock with a clamp or two.
This is especially important while drilling larger hole diameters. Moreover, if your drill guide has non-slip feet at the base, remove them and minimise slipping by using sandpaper at the bottom. Or you can just screw the base to your work surface. Now, just simply follow the instructions your drill guide came with for any additional information or feature.
FAQs on Best Portable Drill Guide
Can a drill guide replace a drill press?
For accurate drilling, you may think you need a drill press as you cannot rely upon hand drills, but you can easily replace it with a drill guide as it requires little space and proficiency. A drill guide has the ability to turn an ordinary hand drill into an extremely reliable tool. In fact, in many projects, drill guides can offer more advantages than drill presses as they can provide more accurate and precise drill holes. So, to answer the question, yes, a drill guide can undoubtedly replace a drill press.
How do you use a portable drill guide?
A portable drill guide is an easy tool to use. It doesn’t require much knowledge or proficiency. At first, you’ll need to set the drill guide accurately on top of your working surface so that you can get a non-slip accurate drill hole. Then you’ll need to set the material you want to drill through and correctly and apply downward pressure on the drilling spindle. While applying pressure, make sure that you are not exceeding the pressure your material can handle so that you don’t damage it. And that’s all you need to do for using a portable drill guide accurately.
Are drill guides any good?
Drill guides are exceptionally good for your drilling needs. You can easily operate this tool on projects in order to make the work simpler. They provide maximum accuracy during operation. These tools are not only easy to operate but also feature several different attributes that are rare to find. Drill guides come in different sizes, types, as well as at different price ranges. Therefore, working with this tool solves most of the problems that the users usually face concerning their requirements.
How do you drill a hole without a drill press?
There are some tools that you can use in order to drill a hole without a drill press. Such as portable drill guides, reusable jigs, etc. Among these, the most preferred tool is the drill guide. Because a portable drill guide is not only easy to operate, it is also quite easy to male at home with the help of scrap wood. Just by connecting woods with glue at an angle of 90 degrees, you can effortlessly make a drill guide. Therefore, a drill guide is a great homemade tool for drilling without a drill press.
Take the Best Portable Drill Guide
In this article, we have discussed the best portable drill guides you need to know about before buying one for your project-related needs. We have not only talked about the features of the products but also tried to provide you with information regarding their advantages and disadvantages.
Additionally, we have also given you a buying guide to help you understand what you should be looking for in a drill guide. We hope this article was of help to you and wish you all the best with your upcoming challenge.
