Well-Stocked Shop SNAPPY Quick-change chuck #830806, $9.99 Hex-Head

Accessories HighPoint F r i c ti o n- Ring holder Finish faster with these click-change arti sts. #620124, HighPoint $4.29 Super-Mag holder #620127, By Tim Snyder $7.69

Decades back, hex shanked Get a grip bits gained instant Your drill’s three- popularity because the shank jaw chuck can get provided high torque transfer a solid hold onto hex-shaped chuck with a locking ring to without requiring the user to shanks, but for speed and anchor the bit to your drill. cinch a chuck white-knuckle convenience, you’ll want a few tight. Since then, many more different bit holders. The Sink and bore 1 4" hex shank accessories have simplest rely on a small Combination followed⁄ the path set by the basic magnet and/or spring to grip and counterbore bits bit. Just as keyless chucks have onto short bits. Super-Mag (usually referred to simply as trumped keyed chucks, hex- has enough attraction to hold “countersink” bits) are often head drivers and bits can take longer on the tip of the called into play when making saving time to an entirely new driver. This ability comes in jigs and projects. Drill bits level. Here are some tips you can handy when assembling big snap long before the shank use to assemble your arsenal casework or hanging cabinets. wears out, so select a set that of drill-and-drive accessories. When holes, magnets accepts standard twist . aren’t enough. Retracting a Note that most of these bit from a hole will pull the bits are designed to drill a bit free from its holder. For countersink and a pilot hole, this task, you’ll want a quick- but not a clearance hole. change (or quick-release) (Without a clearance hole, the

Considering A Drill Or Impact Driver? Buy Both. Although they look alike, compact drills sporti ng quick-change chucks and impact drivers are not the same. An impact driver’s trigger isn’t designed to provide the same feedback or control you get with a standard power drill. The biggest diff erence arises when the going gets tough. When a driver encounters dense material, it shift s into impact mode. This acti on is great for driving screws, but it’s slow and noisy. In a pinch, you can drill in impact mode, buy you won’t want to for long. For that reason, I reserve my impact driver for screws and nuts. SNAPPY Countersinking Bit I keep a cordless drill nearby for pilot and clearance holes. (5 pc. bit set, #830846, $29.99)

70 woodcraftmagazine.com June/July 2012 ’s thread can engage the Self-Centering Plug Cutt er top board and lift it off of the (montanabrandtools.com, target board.) To incorporate a 3 pc. set, $27.99) clearance hole, follow up with a separate bit that matches the diameter of the screw threads. Now drive You’ll want to have a good selection of driver bits on hand. Switch in a new bit as soon as the bit’s edges appear worn to avoid stripping a screw head or damaging the workpiece. Good driver bits are inexpensive, especially when you buy them in bulk. I make sure to have a WoodRiver Shelf Pin Bit collection of 1" insert bits, plus 1 ( ⁄4"- or 5mm- dia., a few 2" and 3" bits for extra #150722-3, $8.99) reach. Longer bits can also be used with an impact driver. Perfect plugs You already know that cutting plugs from scrap stock saves time and money but you may not realize that most plug cutters are only intended for the drill press. (The shank’s shape prevents the bit from slipping when cutting dense .) For cutting plugs with a handheld drill, you need to use a cutter with a center point. SNAPPY Hinge bits (3 pc. bit set, Specialty bits #146721, $29.99) Using several drills with designated bits makes sense at the . But for the times when don't want to weigh yourself down, hex shank make more sense than round-shanked bits. For on-site cabinet work, Kreg Pocket Hole Kit such as installing shelves, (#148990, $29.99) drawer slides and hinges, self- centering shelf pin and hinge bits will earn their place in your toolbelt. Similarly, Kreg’s drill-and-drive kit can cut your drill count in half. The included chuck has found a permanent home on my favorite drill. I

Photos: Staff except Kreg and WoodRiver by Brian Francis June/July 2012 woodcraftmagazine.com 71 SUBSCRIBE! 2 YEARS for $29.99!

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