Toolbox: Hand Drills

But if you really like to get a feel for what you're doing, hand drills will suit you just fine. One model looks kind of like an egg-beater. It's about 60 years old, but it still works fine. Once you chuck the bit or tighten the bit in the jaws, all you have to do is place it down on your work and start cranking away. Just like making a cake. I use this for drilling small holes where I need a whole lot of precision.

Now another big guy is called a bit brace. It always uses a special bit called an auger. Once you place it down on your work, all you have to do is crack it. It clears out the wood very quickly. I use it for installing locks where you want a lot of precision and don't want to tear out the backside of the hole.

Finally, I never go anywhere without my push drill. When I'm installing siding, it's what I use. It's excellent for drilling pilot holes. Just place it down on the work and just push. That's why it's called a push drill. Once the hole is made, you can rest assured once your nail is installed the end of your board, it's not gonna split.