How to Mark Blind Holes for Drilling? (7 Easy Ways)

Drilling holes is a pretty simple step, isn’t it? But have you ever drilled for unknown or blink holes? Well, that is something to worry about. But this can also be done following some really easy steps. 

So, How to Mark Blind Holes for Drilling?

The steps are pretty straightforward. All you have to do is to be a bit more careful. You can try making small pilot holes. You can try making small holes using a sharp object like a nail or a chisel. You can also use a screwdriver or string. Even wire or bent paper roll works fine. And while using those, be careful.

Still confused? Well, don’t worry. We have a dedicated article about this topic with all the details.

If you are interested keep your eyes on the following. 

How to Mark Blind Holes for Drilling: 7 Methods

Although drilling into something is not very unfamiliar but what if you have to drill into an unknown hole? Sounds a bit overwhelming right? Well, we have tips and tricks for you so that the process becomes easier. 

However, the process would be effortlessly good if you can use the best drills for the job. 

There are a few tricks that would guide you to the unknown hole. In fact, you would know how to drill on the right place. And it’s quite simple to follow those. Let us know the tricks in detail in the following attachment. 

Method 1: Through a Small Pilot Hole

If there is any sharp object available around, you can probe the hole. You can probe all the surfaces until your hit the ground. Once you detect the surface, you can use a pointer to mark that place. 

As a sharp object, you can use anything like a pin, nail, knife, or something which has a sharp edge. If you have a smaller drill bit available, that would work great. 

Using that you can drill narrow holes around the specific surface. That way you would have an idea of where the actual hole should be placed. 

Method 2: Probing With a Sharp Object & Using a Chisel 

If there is no sharp object available around, you can go for a knife or chisel. Using those you can mark the drill location better. 

First, try to strike the surface gently with an object. That would help you to understand the hollowness of the surface. And then use a marker or pencil to point the surface around. 

Be careful while using a chisel or knife as there is a chance of the wood getting damaged. 

Method 3: Using A String

If you cannot find anything around, you can use a string. Using that you can mark the location of the drill. Tie one end of the string with the drill bit and place the other end against the wall. 

The pencil will guide you to the wall to mark the place. And that’s how you get the answer to how to mark holes for drilling. Again you have to be very careful while doing that. So that you don’t hit any wiring while drilling. 

Method 4: Using Screwdriver and Find the Middle Hole

If you cannot manage to punch you can go for a screwdriver. Even nails will also work in this case. 

First, you have to make a small hole in the center with the help of a drill. Next, you can use the screwdriver to detect the existence of the metal. But do not drill too deep, that might damage the surface. 

Once you figured out the center of the hole, insert the screwdriver. The screwdriver will guide you through the drill place. This will also help you to figure out if your screws are straight or not. 

If you are using the hand drill then keep the level in control. This step is more vital for drilling a flat surface. 

Method 5: Using Wire or Bent Paper Chip

Another very handy and convenient way to locate the drill is to use vented paper or small wire. First, decide the place where you want to drill. Poke the place deeper with the help of a wire or paper chip. 

These will help you to detect how deep you can drill. This step is a bit riskier. While drilling, you have to keep the machine straight. 

Otherwise, it might harm the surface. 

To avoid any risk you can also take the help of tape at the mouth of the hole. That will hold the wire in the right place. 

Method 6: Insert Other Ancho

When you are drilling into something where there is no guide or noticeable pointer it’s quite difficult. You at least want a guide where the drilling can be done smoothly. So for those cases, a bolt or anchor point really helps. 

Insert a bolt or an anchor point through the hole and use it as a guide. That will ensure the correctness of the drilling place. 

Method 7: Making A Template Using Cardboard

Using a cardboard template really helps in order to guide drilling. If you have a piece of cardboard the same size as the hole, use it as a template. It will help to mark the drill location.

First, mark the cardboard locating the center of the hole. Then you have to mark around the hole. And to have an equal measurement around, take the help of a ruler. 

Now connect the mark with a straight line. 

That way you have the guide of the marking line for drilling. You can also follow the same steps if your question is how to drill mounting holes. 

Sometimes it will also be helpful for uneven wood cutting.

Precautions to Take While Drilling

While drilling, you need to be very cautious about certain things. So here are a few tips for you so that you don’t end up making mistakes. 

  • While drilling on a blind hole, make sure you mark the exact place to avoid mistakes.
  • Mask in a way so that the drill position is evident and it doesn’t confuse you while drilling. 
  • Start drilling exactly on the marked location. So that you don’t make any difference. 
  • If necessary, you can take the guidance of a center punch. It will help you to drill the further location better. 
  • While drilling, do not make a hurry. Carefully see the motion of the drill and drill accordingly. 
  • Do not forget to double-check the drill location before starting drilling. 
  • The best way to stop deep drilling is using a drill stop. It will help you to avoid wrong drilling on a location. 

These are a few tips for you. If you can keep these in mind, the chances are very low of making unwanted mistakes. 

If you know a drill press alternative that would also be helpful for you. 

There are some products that can make your drilling easier. So here are a few products suggestion for you so that you can do the job easily. 

These are the few best products in the drilling field. Hope you found the products useful for your blind hole drilling. 

FAQs 

What is a drilling template?

A drilling template is basically a plane steel structure. Which is fabricated using beam elements as well as heavy wall pipes. It works as a guide frame for the drilling wells. It also works as a guide for jacket positioning installation of docking piles. Overall, it works as a guide throughout the drilling

What to do when drills don’t line up?

There are some simple ways of lining up the holes. You can redrill a hole a bit bigger than the previous one. Use a rotary file or any tool that would enlarge the hole as per preference. If you want instant results, take a small pin. And make sure you have chosen a very sharp drilling pin for this. 

How to know if 2 holes are at the same level or not?

The process is pretty simple for aligning two holes on the same level. First, start with the first hole and make it in the right position. Now make a horizontal line from the first hole to the second. You have to flip the level 180 degrees. Following the lengthways, you can mark the line for the second hole. 

Final Words

We hope we could enlighten you with all the necessary details regarding How to Mark Blind Holes for Drilling. Just follow those accordingly, and the journey won’t be that difficult for you. 

One added tip for you, do not risk using the drill without the drill stop to avoid extra drilling. That was it for today. Hope to see you soon with something really interesting. 

Till then, stay healthy!

Kevin Smith

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