Milescraft 1312 DrillBlock: Six Hardened Bushings for Straighter Hand-Drilled Holes

A hand drill can look square from the operator’s side and still lean forward or sideways. The mistake often appears only when the bit exits off-center, a dowel sits crooked, or two parts refuse to line up. The Milescraft 1312 DrillBlock gives the bit a short, rigid 90-degree guide at the surface, making it a compact option for repeat holes when a drill press is unavailable or the workpiece cannot reach one.

Six imperial bushings cover common repeat work

The black 1312 DrillBlock contains one heat-treated metal bushing block with six openings: 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, and 1/2 inch. Those fixed openings keep a matching twist bit upright at the start of a hole, which is especially useful when drilling shelf-pin test pieces, joining parts with dowels, or repeating pilot and clearance holes across a project.

That fixed set is also the first buying boundary. The 1312 is the imperial model; Milescraft sells a separate metric DrillBlock, and the red DrillBlock+ is a different product with more guide sizes. A bit must match one of the six listed openings. This block does not cover fractional sizes between them, and forcing an oversized or damaged bit through a bushing can harm the guide or the bit.

The V-groove gives round stock and corners a reference

A flat drill guide can rock on a dowel, pipe, or rounded handle. Milescraft molds a V-groove into the underside of the 1312 so two edges contact cylindrical stock and help center the selected bushing over the crown. The same geometry can register against a project corner when a hole needs to enter where two faces meet.

This is a practical advantage over trying to balance a square block on a curved surface, but the work still needs secure support. Clamp the round piece against rolling, mark the entry point, and keep the DrillBlock seated before starting the motor. The V-groove provides a reference; it does not replace a vise, safe workholding, or control of the drill’s torque.

Centerlines and TPE feet help preserve the mark

Vertical and horizontal centerlines molded into the body let you align the chosen bushing with layout lines from two directions. Non-slip TPE feet add friction and help avoid marring a finished face, while the reinforced-nylon body gives your free hand a broad place to hold the guide away from the spinning chuck. Together, those details make setup more deliberate than eyeballing a bit from one angle.

For best results, bring the stationary bit into the bushing before starting, confirm both centerlines, and apply pressure straight down. Withdraw occasionally when chip clearance demands it, especially in deeper holes. The metal block guides direction at entry, but heat, packed chips, bit flex, and excessive side pressure can still affect the cut.

Know when a hand guide is not a drill press

The 1312 is most convincing for installers, repair work, small shops, and occasional builders who need a portable 90-degree reference in six familiar imperial sizes. It is inexpensive in space as well as complexity: no chuck, fence, base, or adjustment mechanism has to be set up.

Skip it when the job requires an angle other than 90 degrees, a metric or unlisted diameter, controlled depth, very deep bores, or drill-press-level repeatability. It also cannot correct a bent bit or stabilize a loose workpiece. If your project depends on tightly located holes across many production parts, a drill press, purpose-built jig, stop collar, or boring guide may be the better system.

For the right task, the Milescraft 1312 solves a narrow but common problem: it gives a handheld drill a hard reference exactly where the hole begins. Buy it for the six documented sizes, the round-stock V-groove, and quick alignment on work that is awkward to bring to a machine—not as a promise that every hand-drilled hole will be perfect.