Milescraft 1318 DrillMate Portable Drillling Guide –
$39.98
Product Overview
The Milescraft DrillMate Portable Drilling Guide is a compact, precision-engineered jig designed to transform standard cordless drills into a functional portable drill press. Ideal for woodworkers, DIY enthusiasts, and professionals who value accuracy without the bulk of a traditional drill press, this versatile tool enables fast, repeatable drilling at multiple angles—whether on flat surfaces, round stock, or board edges. Whether you’re building custom furniture, assembling cabinets, or working on job-site projects with limited space, the DrillMate delivers professional-grade results using tools you already own.
Key Features
- Portable Design: Engineered for mobility, the DrillMate’s lightweight construction makes it easy to transport between workshops, job sites, or home garages—no permanent setup required.
- Multiple Angle Settings: Precisely mark and set drilling positions at 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90° with clear, easy-to-read angle readouts, ensuring consistent, accurate hole placement every time.
- Universal Compatibility: Securely attaches to any 3/8″ or 1/2″ cordless drill, making it compatible with a wide range of popular brands and models—no special adapters needed.
- Inclusive 3/8″ Chuck: Comes fully equipped with a 3/8″ chuck and key, so it’s ready to use straight out of the box without additional purchases or modifications.
- Round Stock Support: Features built-in centering channels in the base, allowing secure alignment and drilling of cylindrical materials up to 3 inches in diameter—perfect for dowels, spindles, pipes, or threaded rods.
- Precision Edge Drilling: Specifically designed to prevent slippage when drilling near board edges, ensuring clean, accurate holes even in challenging locations close to material boundaries.
Technical Specifications
- Chuck Capacity: 3/8 inch (10 mm)
- Compatible Drill Shank Size: 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch
- Maximum Round Stock Diameter: Up to 3 inches (76 mm)
- Available Drilling Angles: 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°
- Material: Durable engineered components built to withstand repeated use in woodworking and general carpentry applications
Benefits & Use Cases
The Milescraft DrillMate excels in situations where precision and repeatability are essential—without the need for a full-size drill press. Woodworkers frequently rely on it for assembling frames, installing brackets, crafting dovetails, or creating mortise-and-tenon joints where hole alignment directly impacts structural integrity and fit.
One of its standout features is edge drilling: by securely clamping your workpiece near the rim of a board, the guide eliminates guesswork and reduces waste from misaligned pilot holes. This is especially valuable when attaching hinges, mounting shelves, or routing cables through walls—tasks common in cabinetry and furniture assembly.
The integrated centering channels allow users to clamp round stock—such as dowels, dowel pins, or metal rods—with confidence. Unlike freehand drilling, which can cause rotation and uneven holes, the DrillMate locks the material in place, enabling perpendicular or angled holes with exceptional accuracy. This functionality is particularly useful for spindle work, pipe fittings, or creating decorative elements in turned projects.
For hobbyists and professionals alike, the DrillMate simplifies complex tasks. Whether building outdoor furniture, repairing cabinets, or tackling electrical installations, this jig enhances efficiency by reducing setup time and minimizing errors. Its compatibility with standard cordless drills also means you can maintain a single battery platform across your toolkit while still achieving press-quality results.
Many users appreciate the balance of affordability and performance, noting that it offers significant value compared to larger, more expensive drilling solutions. While not intended for high-speed or heavy-duty industrial use, it shines in environments where portability, versatility, and repeatable accuracy matter most.
Important Notes
While the DrillMate is widely regarded as a practical and cost-effective solution for precise drilling, some users have observed that bit stability may decrease during high-speed operation or when using longer or heavier bits. This can result in minor wobble or reduced precision, especially under sustained load. To mitigate this, ensure the chuck is tightly secured before each use, and consider using shorter, stiffer drill bits for critical applications.
Build quality perceptions vary among customers. Some report excellent durability and smooth operation, while others note slight looseness after extended use. As with any jig, inspecting the unit upon arrival and periodically checking all connection points is recommended. Always confirm that your drill’s chuck size matches the required 3/8″ or 1/2″ specification before attaching.
The included chuck uses a keyed design, which may require occasional re-tightening during prolonged projects. No additional accessories are provided beyond the DrillMate jig body and one 3/8″ chuck with key—so ensure your existing drill meets compatibility requirements before purchasing.
Despite these considerations, many find the DrillMate to be a reliable, time-saving addition to their toolkit—especially for those who frequently drill at angles or work with irregularly shaped materials. When used within its intended parameters, it delivers consistent, professional results without the space or expense of a stationary machine.
10 reviews for Milescraft 1318 DrillMate Portable Drillling Guide –
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Redfox –
A welcome addition.
I recently received a Milescraft Drillmate 1318. Assembly went smoothly, and the parts appear to be well made and nicely finished. The angle adjustment seems easy to use and should be useful, although perpendicular holes are its main attraction for me. With a little work, I could set the drill angle at something other than one of the 15 degree increment pre-sets.So far my use of the Drillmate is admittedly limited. Not surprising, I found the Drillmate to be somewhere between a handheld drill and a drill press. It does not have the precision or controlled feed of a drill press, but the Drillmate is much more portable and versatile. It certainly offers a lot more precision than a handheld drill, at least in my hands, where perpendicular holes are embarrassingly rare.Attaching a power drill to the chuck shaft requires working around the post extensions in order to tighten the power drillâs chuck, which felt a little odd. Apparently I have only dealt with chucks in wide open spaces in my, up to this point, sheltered life. But it is certainly doable, and I attached an 18v Makita drill. I donât have any handheld power drills around anymore that have a keyed chuck, but like my drill press, the Drillmate does. Using the Drillmate actually requires dealing with two drill chucks.My first project with the Drillmate was to enlarge the dog holes on my workbench from 1/2 inch diameter to the more common 3/4 inch diameter, using a spade bit. With spade bits, I find it easier to control the feed, although there would not be any material to guide the center point in this case. Twist drills sometimes want to grab and chip. In my experience, It is relatively easy to enlarge holes using a drill press and much more difficult to do with a handheld drill. But enlarging these workbench holes on my drill press was not possible. Enter the Drillmate.To give myself a better chance of minimizing tear out and avoiding irregular holes when enlarging them, I like to make a template with a hole drilled in it of the desired size. I made a template with a piece of 1/2 inch thick panel about 10 by 10 inches, and drilled a 3/4 inch hole in the center with the Drillmate. I then positioned this template hole over a bench top hole to be enlarged, centered the template as best I could, and clamped it to the bench top. I positioned the Drillmateâs base onto the template, lined up the drill bit in the templateâs hole, and powered on the Makita. I proceeded to make a 3/4 inch dog hole out of a 1/2 inch hole.I was quite pleased with the results – the edges were clean, the hole was round, and the drilling was quick and drama free. Thirteen more holes to go, and all went well. I was impressed with the holes and the Drillmate. It worked smoothly and precisely. I never felt that I was fighting the return spring. Perpendicular holes – at last!The Drillmate has a rather small base, but a larger, auxilllary base can be used unattached as I did, or attached, which I am considering. I found the auxilllary base or template to be necessary when drilling holes near edges where the Drillmate base alone would hanging over the edge and unstable.One thing I remember about chuck keys is that every stinkinâ one of them disappears. And that drills with keyed chucks are worthless without the correct key. And that no key ever fit another other drillâs chuck. So I just ordered a couple of extra chuck keys for my Drillmate. FYI – extra keys are available from the Milescraft website by clicking on Products, Drilling / Precision Drilling, 1318 – Drillmate, View Replacement Parts.Inexpensive, nicely made, versatile, a quality of work improving device, this Drillmate. Yet another tool I wish I had picked up a long time ago.
Dude from LA –
What a clever jig! Not for high precision work though
I purchased this setup as I did not want to go out and buy a drill press to drill 3/16″ holes into the ends of 1/2 X 1/2 inch acrylic rods . I tried clamping them to a workmate but kept getting the holes drilled at funny angles. I purchased this jig with a multi angled vise and got nearly perfect holes. YMMV but this jig is clever and effective for DIY projects. The price is extremely decent for what you get. If you have stuff that needs to be held within +/-.005.. No this will not hold up. but if you can deal with +/- 1/32″ This will work just fine. It is not made of Chinesium but rather die cast aluminum and mild steal rods. The most impressive part is the decent quality bearings for the Jacobs Chuck assembly. No discernable wabble and holds drill bits perfectly. Glad I made this purchase.
Dave Libertyville –
Very sturdy, fine quality, quite handy
Purchased this on the recommendation of a YouTube furniture maker. Glad I did. Though I have a drill press in my shop, this tool is very quick and easy. I use it even with my drill press a few feet away, and find it very useful “in the field” doing volunteer construction work. Very sturdy, good quality. For the price, an excellent value. I’ve found other Milescraft tools to be similarly good purchases.
Pictureman –
Great handy “portable drill press”
I bought this out of curiosity. I find I use it a lot. I do not have a shop so my projects are done inside on a table or outside where ever. I used to have a woodworking shop at my previous house and I do miss my regular shop tools.I find the accuracy to be good. Stores small, lightweight but solid and well designed. Well designed useful base with V groves for round stock. For small projects and portability this DrillMate does well. At this price point, I wish I had purchased one long ago.Disadvantages: No drill through base so anything you drill has to fit between the bit and the base. With my battery drill, or any drill, this tool is top heavy and will try to fall over when you take your hand off the drill. Just be aware and hold on to it or secure it with a clamp. Considered drilling two holes in the base so I could screw it down to a base, but as yet haven’t. That is an option.Would I buy it: Yes. Would I recommend it: Yes. It is Not a drill press, but it does a good job for it’s capabilities. Even when I buy another drill press, this Drillmate will still be worth having.
Brent –
Better Than Freehand
This is somewhat helpful, but I can’t decide whether it hinders more than it helps.- It’s heavy.- It’s mechanism gets stuck in the down position and doesn’t want to come back up. The rails are not parallel, so it gets narrower at the bottom causing the slide to bind and get stuck in place. It takes a lot of finagling to get it back up for the next cut. Even a healthy dose of lithium grease did not solve it, although it was a bit smoother. (The shorter distance of the rails at the bottom than the top still caused it to bind and stick somewhat.)- The spring reduces the movement downward. This reduces the drilling depth by a half inch. I had to dissemble the unit to get the spring out and drill deeper holes, as I needed that extra reach.- There is too much play. About a quarter inch movement from side to side, even fully tightened.- It comes loose with heavy use (after 30-40 holes). If you don’t notice this, you will drill angled holes without noticing, because you’re convinced that they’re straight. Hand-drilling them would be much straighter in this case.For light drilling, and under the right conditions, this can still be cheaper and more convenient than a drill press.And it has a superpower: Drilling a new hole that overlaps an existing one! I was able to fix some holes that were in the wrong place with new ones that overlapped the wxisti one by 1/3 the bit diameter. Amazing.It took some pressure, and a slow progression, but this would be impossible freehand.
Paul L –
Great construction.The black parts are cast aluminium, and the rest is chrome steel.It’s built really solid and works great. Probably as solid as the more expensive ones.Not a defect or anything, I bought and swapped out a chuck that will handlea bigger bit as it didn’t quite fit the max size I needed to use in it.It was easy to swap as long as you order the right type(see below), but keep in mind thatthe screw inside the chuck is REVERSE thread, so clockwise to loosen,otherwise you’ll strip the head thinking it’s on too tight( hear that will happen, but not to me, no whoever said it happened to me is lying 😀 )** Then the chuck will spin off normally, Just DOUBLE CHECK the size of the part that the chuck screws/mounts into,there’s 2 different width standards.
Agenor P. –
Produto parece de ser de ótima qualidade, porém aà da não fiz uso do material
Ricardo Estrada –
HabÃa comprado una de menor precio y llego incompleta y no era tan sólida, por lo que la devolvÃ. Pero ésta es otra cosa, totalmente funcional, bien empaquetada y robusta. La usé para hacer hoyos de 19mm a mi mesa de trabajo para usar perros de acero y prensas de sistema rápido; hice más de 50 rapidÃsimo y exactos.Sólo deben tener cuidado con ajustar perfecto la broca, el broquero de pronto se aflojó. Una vez que lo apreté con mucha fuerza funcionó perfecto.
Webby –
I’ve only tested it and it feels good and solid. I’ll probably make a larger base plate from plywood to screw it to for more stability.
T Yanger imsong –
Received on time… And well package.