Drill flag depth stop
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
Everyone knows about using a flag on a drill bit as a depth stop. Apparently everyone doesn't know how to use it.
We were drilling the holes in the bottom of the top for the cherry chest of drawers for mounting screws. Now it is a bad day to drill through and out the finished top. A depth stop is in order.
I use a flag on an optimum sized number drill and an "egg beater" drill to make the pilot screw holes. Son-in-law was drilling the holes and as he approached the proper depth he blew the chips away. WRONG!
It is ever so easy to push the flag up the drill with each hole drilled and eventually the drill comes through the top. The proper way to use a flag is to watch for when it sweeps the chips away as shown in Picture 2. When the chips are swept the flag is just above the wood surface and drilling is stopped.
I don't have a picture of the piece ready for delivery because I forgot to put the SD card in the camera. 