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The Milescraft Drill Mate is a portable drill press that offers a cost-effective solution for those who don’t have the budget or space for a full-size or benchtop drill press. With a price point of around $40, this tool is a great option for those looking to expand their drilling capabilities without breaking the bank.
Milescraft 1318 DrillMate Portable Drill Guide
Assembly of the Milescraft Drill Mate is quick and easy, requiring only a few bolts to put together. The angle adjustment features allow for drilling at various angles, making it a versatile option for both job sites and projects. Additionally, the self-centering feature and depth stop feature provide accuracy and consistency in drilling. With the ability to add functionality and create a fence, this tool can be customized to fit specific project needs.
Milescraft Drill Mate Overview
The Milescraft Drill Mate is a portable drill press that can be used with any drill that has a half or 3/8 inch chuck. It is an affordable option for those who do not have the budget or space for a full-size or benchtop drill press. The assembly of the Drill Mate is super easy and requires only a few bolts to be tightened. The angle nuts underneath have teeth on them to lock into place at any measurement, including 90, 75, 60, and 45 degrees, allowing for a variety of angles to be drilled.
The Drill Mate has its own chuck and a base with rubber feet to prevent slipping. It also has a handle to hold it steady while drilling. The base has a few unique features, including the ability to add a fence for repeatable accuracy from the edge of the board. The Drill Mate can also be used for masonry work, as it has self-centering built into it on each side, allowing for drilling holes right in the center without measuring.
The Drill Mate has a depth stop and a spring that gives feedback and resets the drill after pressing down, similar to a drill press. It has 6.3 inches of travel for drilling deep holes, and the spring and stop block can be removed for an extra 1 and 3/4 inches of travel. The Drill Mate’s angles can be adjusted by loosening the upright bars, moving it to the desired angle, and tightening it back down. However, some users have noted that the process could be smoother.
Overall, the Milescraft Drill Mate is a versatile and affordable option for those who need a portable drill press. Its unique features, such as the ability to add a fence and self-centering, make it a useful tool for a variety of projects.
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Assembly Process
Assembly of the Drill Mate is super easy and requires just a couple of bolts. The Drill Mate comes with two bolts that stick in from the bottom and lock into the angle lock nuts that are underneath. Users can simply slide the bolt into the angle lock and twist the two uprights until it is tightened down to the desired position.
The angle nuts under the Drill Mate have teeth on them, just like a gear, so they will lock into place at any of the four available measurements: 90, 75, 60, and 45 degrees. This feature allows users to drill angled holes or even straight holes on a job site or project where a drill press cannot be taken. The Drill Mate also has its own chuck, which comes with a key to ensure a secure grip on the drill bit.
The base of the Drill Mate has a couple of unique features, including rubber feet to prevent slipping and a handle to hold it steady while drilling. Users can also add to the Drill Mate to make it more functional for their specific needs. For example, users can create a base out of scrap plywood and add a scrap board as a fence to ensure repeatable accuracy from the edge of the board all the way down.
The Drill Mate also has self-centering built into it on each side, which allows users to drill holes in the center without ever having to measure anything. The Drill Mate has notches at 90 and 45 degrees for round stock, making it easy to drill holes in a DI rod or anything similar.
The Drill Mate also has a depth stop, which allows users to consistently set the right depth for their specific needs. The depth stop is removable in case users need to go all the way full depth of the Drill Mate. The Drill Mate has a 6.3-inch travel, which allows users to drill quite a deep hole. If users need more travel, they can remove the spring and the stop block, which will give them an additional 1 and 3/4 inches of travel.
Setting the angles on the Drill Mate can be a little clunky, but once they are set, users can loosen the upright bars and move it anywhere they want before tightening it back down. The handle on the Drill Mate is a nice add-on that gives users a little extra control when drilling.
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Angle Adjustment Features
The angle adjustment features include angle lock nuts with teeth that lock into place at any of the measurements, which are 90, 75, 60, and 45 degrees. Users can loosen the upright bars and adjust the angle to the desired measurement before tightening them back down. The adjustment process could be smoother, but it works well enough.
The Drill Mate also has a depth stop that allows users to consistently set the right depth for drilling. The depth stop is removable if users need to drill a deeper hole. The Drill Mate provides 6.3 inches of travel for drilling a deep hole, but users can remove the stop block and spring to gain an additional 1 and 3/4 inches of travel.
The Drill Mate comes with its own chuck and key, and the base has rubber feet to prevent slipping. It also has a handle to hold it steady while drilling. The base has a couple of unique features, such as notches at 90 and 45 degrees for round stock, and self-centering built into it on each side.
Users can also add to the Drill Mate to make it more functional for their needs. For example, they can create a larger base out of scrap plywood and add a fence for repeatable accuracy from the edge of the board. The Drill Mate is also useful for drilling holes in masonry, such as brick, to ensure a perfectly 90-degree hole.
Overall, the Milescraft Drill Mate is a great option for those who need a portable drill press with angle adjustment features. It provides stability and accuracy for drilling angled holes or even straight holes, and its depth stop allows for consistent depth drilling. While the angle adjustment process could be smoother, the Drill Mate’s other features make it a valuable tool for any DIY project.
Chuck and Base Features
The Drill Mate’s base has a couple of unique features that make it more functional. It has rubber feet to keep it from slipping around, and it can be customized to add more stability. For example, a scrap piece of MDF or plywood can be added to the base, and a hole can be drilled through it to see where the user is drilling. A fence can also be added to the Drill Mate for repeatable accuracy from the edge of the board all the way down through it.
The Drill Mate has self-centering built into it on each side, which locks in when twisted. This feature makes it easy to drill holes right in the center without ever having to measure anything. Additionally, it has notches at 90 and 45 degrees for round stock, making it easy to drill holes in a DI rod or anything similar.
The Drill Mate also has a depth stop that allows for consistent drilling at the right depth. The depth stop is removable in case the user needs to go all the way full depth. The spring on the Drill Mate gives feedback and resets the drill after it is pressed down, similar to a drill press with a spring and stop block installed.
The only downside to the Drill Mate is that setting the angles can be a little clunky. However, once the angles are set, they can be moved anywhere the user wants and tightened back down. Overall, the Drill Mate is an excellent option for those who need a portable drill press that is easy to assemble and use.
Adding Functionality
One can add stability to the Drill Mate by attaching a piece of scrap plywood or MDF and drilling a hole through it. This provides a stable base for drilling holes on thinner stock. A fence can also be added to ensure repeatable accuracy from the edge of the board all the way down.
The Drill Mate’s self-centering feature allows for drilling holes in the center of a 2x or 1x without the need to measure. It also has notches at 90 and 45 degrees for round stock, making it easy to inset and drill holes.
The depth stop feature allows for consistent drilling depths, making it ideal for projects that require specific depths. It has a travel of 6.3 inches, with an additional 1 and 3/4 inches of travel when the spring and stop block are removed.
While setting the angles can be a little clunky, the Drill Mate’s handle is a nice addition that provides extra comfort and control. Overall, the Drill Mate is a versatile tool that can add functionality to any regular handheld drill.
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Creating a Fence
One can add a fence to the Milescraft Drill Mate, which is very easy. The user can mark where they want the holes, lay out a set of holes that are 1 inch from the edge of the board, and then every 2 inches down the board. The drill guide is set on top and held close to the center, and a scrap piece of fence is held underneath. Clamps are used to hold it in place, and repeatable accuracy is achieved from the edge of the board all the way down through it. This is useful for drilling a perfect 90-degree hole consistently from the edge of the board.
The Milescraft Drill Mate can be used for a variety of projects, including building a dog kennel, breadboard ends, and masonry around the house. It has self-centering built into it on each side, and when twisted, it locks in place. The Milescraft Drill Mate has notches at 90 and 45 degrees for round stock, making it easy to drill a hole in a DI Rod or anything similar.
The depth stop is a useful feature that allows for consistently setting the right depth. The Milescraft Drill Mate has 6.3 inches of travel, and if more is needed, the spring and stop block can be removed, giving an extra 1 and 3/4 inches of travel.
Setting the angles on the Milescraft Drill Mate can be a bit clunky, but once set, it can be moved anywhere and tightened back down. The handle on the Milescraft Drill Mate is a nice add-on that gives a little extra stability while drilling.
Overall, the Milescraft Drill Mate is an excellent choice for those who don’t have the budget or space for a full-size or benchtop drill press. It is portable, easy to assemble, and can be used for a variety of projects.
Project Applications
Users can add a piece of plywood or other stable material to the base for increased stability when drilling thinner stock. Additionally, a fence can be added to the Drill Mate for repeatable accuracy when drilling holes at a set distance from the edge of the board.
The Drill Mate’s self-centering feature allows for drilling without the need for measuring, and it also has notches for 90 and 45-degree drilling in round stock. The depth stop and spring provide feedback and consistent drilling depth, with 6.3 inches of travel and an additional 1 and 3/4 inches with the removal of the spring and stop block.
While setting the angles can be a bit clunky, the Drill Mate’s handle provides stability during use. The Drill Mate can be used for a variety of projects, including masonry work, and it is a useful addition to any DIYer’s toolbox.
Masonry Use
The Drill Mate can be used in masonry around the house to drill a hole through a brick. It ensures that the hole is drilled perfectly at a 90-degree angle. The Drill Mate has self-centering built into it on each side, which locks in when twisted. This allows the user to drill holes right in the center without ever having to measure anything. The Drill Mate also has notches at 90 and 45 degrees for round stock, making it easy to drill a hole in a DI rod or anything like that.
The Drill Mate has a depth stop, which allows the user to consistently set the right depth when drilling. It provides feedback and resets the drill after pressing down, similar to a drill press with the spring and stop block installed. The Drill Mate has 6.3 inches of travel, allowing the user to drill quite a deep hole. If more depth is required, the user can remove the spring and stop block, which provides an additional 1 and 3/4 inches of travel.
While setting the angles on the Drill Mate could be smoother, it works well enough. The handle on the Drill Mate is a nice add-on, providing a little extra stability while drilling. Overall, the Milescraft Drill Mate is a great option for those who need a portable drill press but do not have the budget or space for a full-size or benchtop drill press.
Self-Centering Feature
The Milescraft Drill Mate, a portable drill press, has a self-centering feature built into it on each side. When twisted, it locks into place, especially on the edge of a 2 by or maybe a one by, then all you have to do is drill holes right in the center without ever having to measure anything depending on where you want it along the edge, of course, but in the center, you don’t have to worry about measuring center.
The self-centering feature has notches at 90° and 45° for round stock, making it easy to drill a hole in a DI Rod or anything like that. It provides a nice resting place for the stock, and it’s not going to move on you.
When setting the angles, it can be a little clunky, but once set, you just have to loosen the upright bars off, move it anywhere you want, and tighten it back down. The handle on the Drill Mate is a nice add-on to give you a little extra stability while drilling your holes.
Depth Stop Feature
The Milescraft Drill Mate comes equipped with a depth stop feature, which allows for consistent and precise drilling depths. The depth stop is removable, providing an additional 1 and 3/4 inches of travel for drilling deeper holes.
The spring-loaded feature of the depth stop resets the drill after each press, similar to a drill press. The Drill Mate provides 6.3 inches of travel, making it suitable for drilling deep holes with longer shank bits.
The depth stop is particularly useful for projects that require specific drilling depths, such as when setting rebar for a dog kennel. The depth stop is also removable, allowing for full-depth drilling.
Overall, the depth stop feature of the Milescraft Drill Mate provides accuracy and consistency in drilling depths, making it a valuable addition to any DIY enthusiast’s toolkit.
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Setting Angles
While setting angles can be slightly clunky, once set, the Drill Mate provides a stable and accurate drilling experience. The handle on the Drill Mate provides additional support during use, ensuring a steady hand during drilling.
Handle Feature
It also has a handle to hold it steady while drilling holes. One can add to the Milescraft Drill Mate to make it more functional. For example, a scrap piece of plywood can be cut to any size and used as a base.
A hole can be drilled through it to provide stability while drilling holes on thinner stock like 1×2 or 1×3. Additionally, the Milescraft Drill Mate can be used to drill a perfect 90-degree hole consistently from the edge of the board, making the work look better and more consistent.
The Milescraft Drill Mate has notches at 90 and 45 degrees for round stock, making it easy to drill a hole in a DI Rod or anything similar. It also features a depth stop, allowing the user to consistently set the right depth for specific projects. The drill press has 6.3 inches of travel, allowing for drilling deep holes, and removing the spring and stop block gives an additional 1 and 3/4 inches of travel.
The only downside to the Milescraft Drill Mate is that setting the angles could be smoother. However, once the angles are set, the upright bars can be loosened, and the user can move it anywhere they want and then tighten it back down. Overall, the Milescraft Drill Mate is a versatile and functional tool that can be used in various projects and applications, providing stability and accuracy to any regular handheld drill.
