Cheap small drill for drilling pickguard holes?

JamesC01

I recently bought a loaded pickguard, and the screw holes don't line up at all. The only drill I have is a big heavy one meant for drilling into walls. What's a cheap, small/light drill that will do the job for around £20? I won't be using it often, so I don't want to spend too much.

brucegill

Well if you’re only drilling small 1.5mm/2mm pilot holes, a hand drill would easily do and cheapest option I’d have thought. Just make sure the chuck will go down small enough for the size drill bit you want to use

Amtech F0300 Hand Drill
https://amzn.eu/d/95j3OJo

brucegill

That said, there’s loads of cheep cordless stuff on Amazon by the looks of it. Just check chuck specs

GoldenEraGuitars

As someone who drills a lot of pilot holes into bodies and headstocks I’d say your larger drill should be fine assuming it’s something like a cordless 18v dewalt/milwaukee/bosch etc. Obviously anything bigger wouldn’t be suitable. 

But if it is a cordless one take the following precautions -

- use something like a quick release door hinge drill bit to find the centre for the pilot hole. 
- use fresh quality drill bits (2mm or 2.5mm is good, I use Milwaukee drill bits)
- keep the power and torque down low on the drill and go slow and steady.


A pillar drill/drill press would be better for scratchplate holes, if you can get access to one. But the most important detail is using fresh drill bits.

JamesC01

brucegill said:

Well if you’re only drilling small 1.5mm/2mm pilot holes, a hand drill would easily do and cheapest option I’d have thought. Just make sure the chuck will go down small enough for the size drill bit you want to use

Amtech F0300 Hand Drill
https://amzn.eu/d/95j3OJo

Are there any problems that can happen when drilling slowly, that wouldn't happen with a powered drill, or is it just slower?

JonB

Are these silverline hinge bits any good? I saw a bloke on youtube using similar for tuner screw holes.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302440655518

Sporky

My experience is that Silverline tools aren't worth the paper they're made from. 

GoldenEraGuitars

JonB said:

Are these silverline hinge bits any good? I saw a bloke on youtube using similar for tuner screw holes.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302440655518

For all you’re gonna use them for, they’re fine. I couldn’t tell you where you mine came from but I use them regularly. The main work will be done by the pilot hole drill bits.

The hinge bits are one way of doing it, you could just use a hole punch pressed into the guitar body to create an impression for the drill bit to dig into.

JonB

Sporky said:

My experience is that Silverline tools aren't worth the paper they're made from. 

Yeah I know where you're coming from on that. I've had some shockers but also some stuff that's just done the job ok, certainly not up to trade quality.

PrecisionGuided

For scratch plate screws in bodies I don't bother drilling - I use a large, very sharp, awl - when pushed about 10mm into the body it makes a conical pilot hole and the screws bite really well.
Can't do this in maple (too hard) but works great in body woods.

prowla

I’ve got a little hand drill which is like a precision screwdriver but takes drill bits; it's great for little screw holes.