How do I not have this happen again?

My initial thought is that the spurs on the brad point bit are dull. Rather than slicing cleanly through the veneered plywood they are tearing through as the bit spins…..
May I ask…..What are all those holes for ?

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

Is that the entry hole? If so I would say you need a better drill bit. Even my budget brads leave a pretty clean entry hole compared to that.

-- If someone tells you you have enough tools and don't need any more, stop talking to them, you don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

The tips on the bit were dull, or that looks more that blowout on the bottom. If you’re unsure next time, use a forester bit, or use a brand new brad point- in fact, in that application, get a few new brad points, that is a lot of holes.

other thoughts, horrible runout in the chuck, the bit not being square to the surface when engaged, speed on 2 RPM….. not sure hat else.

No wait, it just hit me. You had the slicing tips in the wood then hit the button on on your drill. You need to have only the bit tip engaged, have the bit going full speed then plunge. yep, thats it. its a technique issue, the hand drill is a tough to get good results in that application.

You need a drill press for this, no doubt about it.

GatorJim, are those “entry” holes or “exit” holes?

-- ....And on the seventh day the Lord created the Les Paul...and it was good.

GatorJim, are those “entry” holes or “exit” holes?

- OldRocker

v
v
From the photos, the holes don’t go all the way through, so they are entry holes

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

You need a better quality drill bit.
The bit needs to be good and sharp.
The speed needs to be high.
Fix those three things and your hole problem will go away.

Go in with the bit until just the pilot spur breaks through, then use that hole as a guide to come in from the other side and drill until you complete the hole.
Hope this helps.

-- Eric, central Florida / Utor praemia operibus duris

Wouldn’t that just screw up the other side?

-- ....And on the seventh day the Lord created the Les Paul...and it was good.

Go in with the bit until just the pilot spur breaks through, then use that hole as a guide to come in from the other side and drill until you complete the hole.
Hope this helps.

- Eric in central Florida

v
v
The holes aren’t all the way through. He has a stop collar on the bit and the photos show they don’t

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

I had the same kind of problem with a new bit used in pine, . I was using a Rockler shelf pin guide and I may have hit the wood before it was up to speed. if you get this figured out let me know

-- "The pursuit of perfection often yields excellence"

Some of the vets out there correct me if I’m wrong, but shouldn’t that bit be going FULL speed when it contacts the wood?

-- ....And on the seventh day the Lord created the Les Paul...and it was good.

I dislike the chip clearing abilities of 1/4” forstners, but they do make a clean entry hole. I also assumed those were blowout on exit, but I now see they are not through holes.

-- I admit to being an adrenaline junky; fortunately, I'm very easily frightened

No wait, it just hit me. You had the slicing tips in the wood then hit the button on on your drill. You need to have only the bit tip engaged, have the bit going full speed then plunge. yep, thats it. its a technique issue, the hand drill is a tough to get good results in that application.

You need a drill press for this, no doubt about it.

- BLarge

Winner I bet. What you can do is put a piece of waste wood, like 1/8 ply, between the pegboard and cabinet so the drill will be full speed when it hits the good wood.

-- Rick M, http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/

sacrificial board on bottom and top, drill both sides at the same time…........ gone

easy fix for what I see, just run it through the thickness planer and gonzo goes the blowout

-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso

sacrificial board on bottom and top, drill both sides at the same time…........ gone

easy fix for what I see, just run it through the thickness planer and gonzo goes the blowout

- Moron

NO NO NO, this is in plywood. You wouldn’t run that through a planer.

-- Check out my projects and videos http://dlgwoodwork.com