Drilling Consistent, Clean Holes

Drilling accurate anchor or pass-through holes can be tricky for a number of reasons, including the thickness of your post, and your ability to hold a drill level and steady. The drill guide features an adjustable 3-inch head that provides the necessary stability for drilling consistent 3/16-inch or 9/16-inch holes. To prolong the life of your drill guide heads, lubricate your drill bit and guide before each project. Make sure to wipe up any excess lubricant to avoid staining your posts or floorboards.

Drilling Pass-Through Posts

While the drill guide is useful for drilling clean Cable Bullet anchor holes at corner and end posts, it is extremely helpful for drilling especially angled cable pass-through holes. Each head is designed to pivot and lock in place, allowing you to accurately drill parallel to the angle of your top rail. The drill guide also helps ensure your holes remain even and on center all the way through your post, avoiding the appearance of uneven cables across longer spans.

Best Practices

1. Use WD40 on your guide and drill bit before each project. To avoid premature wear and your bit seizing in the guide apply WD40 as necessary.
2. For best results use a high-quality twist bit with good rigidity.
   The deeper the hole you are trying to drill, the more likely your trajectory will be affected by the change in wood density throughout your post. Thinner drill bits especially will want to bend and follow the softer grain. This can result in significant discrepancies between your entry and exit holes in pass-through posts, even with the help of a drill guide!
3. Consider the length of your drill bit.
   Consider the thickness of your post and the additional 3 inches added by the drill guide when selecting the appropriate length for the drill bit. Drilling a pass-through hole in a 4x4 post will require an 8-inch drill bit.
4. For larger pass-through posts, drill from both sides.
   Angled holes through 6x6 pass-through posts should be drilled from either side to avoid complications. For even thicker posts or columns, we recommend drilling from two sides or drilling a larger 9/16” pass-through hole and using intermediate dummy tensioners to stabilize the cable. Alternately you may want to consider using a new set of Cable Bullet tensioners at every post to keep your runs straight.

Available Options

The drill guide is available in two sizes, a single and a 6-hole template. Each includes interchangeable heads for drilling 3/16” cable pass-through holes, or 9/16” Bullet holes. The single-hole template fits one head and is perfect for small projects with a limited number of posts. The 6-hole template is recommended for larger jobs and professionals with multiple projects. Heads on the 6-hole templates are spaced every 3” on center.