Tried drilling through a 6×6 with a regular drill once. Disaster. Bit wandered everywhere. Hole came out looking like an oval. Never again.
That’s why beam drills exist.
What’s the Deal
It’s a drill on a frame. The frame keeps everything straight. You clamp it to your timber, drill, and the hole actually goes where you want it.
Sounds simple because it is. But man, what a difference.
Do You Need One
Depends. Building one timber frame structure? Probably not. Rent one or rig up a guide block and pray.
Doing this regularly? Buy the tool. Trust me.
Types
Portable ones clamp right to your workpiece. Mafell makes incredible ones. Expensive but incredible. Makita and Milwaukee have cheaper versions that work okay.
Shop machines are faster but you gotta bring the timber to the drill. Not always practical.
Money
Cheap ones start around $500. The good stuff runs into thousands. I know. It hurts.
But a beam drill turns a whole day of careful freehand work into a couple hours of consistent results. That math works out eventually.
Quick Tips
Get enough power. Bog down in hardwood and you’ll regret it.
Check the clamping system. Cheap clamps slip. Slipping mid-drill is bad.
Depth stops matter. Consistent hole depth keeps your joinery clean.
Once you use a real beam drill, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without one. I did.
