Introduction: 3D Printed Drill Stand

By
About: Maker and engineering student from Germany, mechatronics enthusiast and woodworker. I love arts and gathering new skills, that's why I'm here.

If you ever tried to drill a perpendicular hole free handed, you probably know that this can be a pain in the *** - same as spending a fortune on a big drill stand. But since we are makers, why would we do that? There is a bunch of Instructables on building custom drill stands. This one is entirely 3D printable and makes a rock solid base for perfectly straight holes in wood and similar soft materials.

Versions:

There are two options to choose from: The low-budget edition using pieces of steel tube as gliding sleeves, and the sophisticated version with two LM8UU linear bearings. I am using the steel tubes without any problems. Bearings give you more accuracy but tend to suffer from the dusty environment. No need to say the are more expensive. Make this decision depending on what is available for you.

Supplies

printed parts:

  • roughly 180g of filament of your choice, depending on how solid you print

socket head screws:

  • 1x M8x25
  • 5x M4x12

additional components:

  • 2x steel rod (8mm diameter) of your desired length
  • 2x either 10x8x60 mm steel tube or LM8UU linear bearings

Step 1: Printing

If you have access to I 3D printer, I suppose you don't need further explanation on how to use it. These are the files. Use the filament of your choice. There is no need for support structures.

Depending on which version you want to build, make sure to print the correct machine carrier for either the bearings or the steel tube.

Attachments

Step 2: Usage

The drill stand is made for the standard "Eurohals" with a diameter of 43 mm. Tighten it around your drilling machine and start working. You can either hold the drill stand by hand or clamp/screw it to your workpiece for extra stability. To enlarge the bottom surface, you can as well fasten a piece of plywood or MDF under the base.

The depth stop enables you to easily drill a row of identical holes to a certain depth. Put it in its position, tighten the screw and have fun.

I hope this contributes to your tool arsenal and saves you as much frustration as it did for me. Thanks for reading (and voting for me if I ever put this in a contest).