I'm new to drilling. I actually thought I was a failure for failing to drill a straight hole. Nice to know that this problem is so common that products have been made to solve it.
Have seen too many videos on this topic and almost gave this one a pass, but then, glad I watched it. Very nice video, no fuss, straight to the point and most importantly, very nice options listed out. Do post more tips&tricks for DIY'ers..
I have one of those Drill Blocks I bought a few years ago. They work great. Better than trying to eyeball the drill. Yes you cant drill a deep as you would like, but the hole becomes your guide to finish drilling.
Since I have a drill press, I drilled a hole into a block of wood, put it on the bench and made sure it was level. Then I chucked the bit into my hand drill and stuck it into the hole. Then I glued a circular level to the back of the drill and made sure it was level. Now, I can free-hand a vertical hole pretty well by keeping the bubble centered in the level as I drill.
What if you need to drill a hole straight into the face of a board that is attached at and angle or at least not perfectly level? Your method is good for things like anchor bolts but the video is much more practical for the things most people will encounter.
@@joshcowden6163 If that is the unfortunate situation that you find yourself in, then I cannot help you. I would consider hiding under the bed, or, better, changing your name and moving out of town.
A major plus for the drill block you showed is the V shaped cutout in the bottom that allows you to drill crosswise through the centre of a dowel or pipe.
Thank you! The portable drill guide looks perfect for drilling horizontally - it's so easy to get this wrong if the hole is a different height than you are, or if drilling into brick etc. Off to buy one now.
The only cutting faces on a drill bit are the two leading edges so once you've got the hole started the rest will follow, so removing the drill block to drill deeper or thorugh a peice is no issue so long as you let the hole guide the bit. Nice post by the way.
You can also use a plunge router to start a straight hole at least. It has the flat bottom plate to align it with the material you want to drill. It functions similar to the alignment tool. Just the travel is pretty limited. .. :o)
Excellent. While I am sure that drilling straight into a block of wood siting on your bench maybe easy for some, these tips have really helped me drilling straight into wood where I have very poor access. A small scrap wood 90o jig was a brilliant idea. Thank you.
The CD Reflection works pretty good for me. Key point, I need to examine the reflection from two viewing directions while drilling to make the hole perfectly vertical.
I’m here because I’m unhappy with my kreg drill block. It works fine for shallow holes, but when I had to drill a 3” hole in a block of wood I was sorely disappointed when the hole wasn’t perpendicular - not even close. I’ll try the CD method, but if that doesn’t work I’m gonna get a proper drill guide. I really don’t want to make space in my shop for a drill press, so a drill guide seems like exactly what I need. Thanks for a great and informative (and efficient) video!
I haven't used the kreg drill block, but my Milescraft drill block works great. In my opinion, a portable drill guide would be perfect for you if your space constrained but want something a little more robust than a drill block.
I use an drill block or guide made by Big Gator Tools. It has the v shape cutout on the bottom for drilling in round pieces. It works very well. I bought it online from USA. And this purchase has a little funny story. At customs office when I received the package and opened it for inspection the customs dude was stunned. He had never saw something lile this until then and called a coleague to look at the guide, to make sure it's not a firearm part. I was prepared for that and I pulled out an drill bit from my pocket and showed them how it works. They asked why I bought it from USA, because there are some taxes I have to pay. I told them that their reaction to seeing it is the answer. There was nothing like that guide, to be found on Romania's tools market, and the EU sellers asked more than double the price in the US. This happened more than 10 years ago. Now there are several options to buy, locally, but all are polymer body with metal bushing, not solid hardened steel like the Gator guide.
Wow... I didn't realize the drill blocks were so hard to get in other countries. If I had to go though all that hassle to get one at a reasonable price I would have went for an all metal one too. Good thing you thought ahead and had a drill bit handy for explaining it to customs.
This video helped a lot. I'm building an end table and I realized after doing the glue-up that it's not going to fit in my drill press. I have an old Craftsman drill guide with drill permanently attached drill but it has the smallest jacobs chuck I have ever seen and can't take the bit I need.
You have to be a bit more careful with the jig you mentioned, on the other hand it's easy and cheap AND offers better visibility of the drilling location. With the (Big Gator brand) drill guide I usually have to put it on the drill bit, then touch the drill bit on the spot where I want to drill, then lower the drill guide flat on the surface, then start drilling.
It could be problematic to find the right size washers? E.g. let's say I want to drill a 6 mm hole. A washer for an M6 screw has a ⌀6.4 mm hole (per DIN 125). There's no washer with an exactly ⌀6 mm hole.
Thank you for your video. (That scrap wood jig has worked well for me. But I think I'd like to graduate to a drill block. I may purchase one soon. Thank you again for your video). God[Bible] Bless.
You can start with drill block then use the wood blocks to keep you straight. 🎸. Great video. Thanks. I'm putting handles on cabinets not sure if a portable drill press is necessary. If holes are less than 1" inch deep then ill be okay without a press.
Great video! Thanks for sharing bro. I have a little recommendation to save some money. It will either be for free pretty much or really cheap! and all it takes is a little effort and scrap metal. you can make your own drill blocks! if you already own a drill press, mill or even a metal lathe or maybe can get access to one of the above. All you really need is a scrap piece of steel, cast iron, Aluminum, possibly bronze or even a hard wood a could work in a pinch. So bring your most used drill bit sizes with you. Simply drill a series of all your most used Drills and then you have a drill press accurate Drill block that works great! And youll save alot of money! The gator brand drill blocks are pretty pricey for all sizes. so i did this to save money. I had some scrap metal so i didnt spend a dime on it. You may ask why would someone need this if you have a drill press? Well the short answer is the portability of the drill block. Sometimes i have to go to sites and need to drill fairly accurate holes but only have a power drill. So this works great for those situatuons, Or maybe you just need one hole and dont want to go in your shop to drill it lol (ive been this lazy many times!) Lol anyways its useful and youll find yourself using it almost anytime you need to drill holes. If you use hardwood it will not last as long or stay as accurate as steel, cast iron or even Aluminum or some other harder metals maybe even softer like bronze could work for a while. Well good luck everyone and i hope you all have a nice day. Thanks for reading my free book lol
Thanks for the positive feedback. I totally agree that making your own drill block is a lot cheaper if you already have a drill press. I was specifically thinking of those who didn't have a drill press and needed to be able to make a straight hole on occasion. Good tips though for making a drill block for those times when a drill press is unfeasible or inconvenient.
For the second con of the drill block (drill bit not matching the hole), you can drill a hole one size smaller, and then widen it with a bigger drill bit.
well finally --never knew there was such a gadget as a drill block ==love your two wood guide for straight drilling --90 degrees -----thankyou --many of us cannot afford a fancy drill post guide ----well done--- from the poor artisans club !
That's a good idea. I used to have an old drill with a level in built into the head although it was vial style so no side to side accuracy unfortunately. I could see your way with a bubble level being much more useful then what I had.
DUDE... Thia video is exciting ! Thanks fir the tips.... this old man 74 can use etc. make more video's please ! Mike Hendershot, Beaumont, California. Oct. 23. 2021
I bought a Cheap drillpress 14 years ago, 30 euros, 350 Watts; still fine and accurate, wood or metal, semi_pro use. Cheaper than your handbill and lots of fiddling
Good point... I probably should have mentioned that in the video. The portable mini drill press also has a V machined into it's base for the same purpose.
You could make a 90 degree scrap jig with a notch at the bottom for the bit head to fit. As long as the shaft of the drill bit is nestled in the corner, it would probably work.
As a locksmith I drill a horizontal 1/4" pilot hole through doors using a 12" long drill bit because it's easier to judge whether or not I'm drilling perfectly straight...
Use a table saw. Make sure your fence is square to the blade. Adjust the blade height to half the blade thicknes.. run a scrap piece across. Use a depth guage to make sure the cut is even throughout....repeat this process with another piece. Join the two pieces together with wood glue making sure the cut is aligned. And now use a bit that is the same thickness as the blade and now you have a perfect 90 pilot hole jig.
I’ve always wondered why manufacturers don’t include.a flat surface to the top of their machines which lies parallel to the axis of the drill bit? This surface could then be lined up with anything that would give the required straight hole. Also a spirit level, perhaps two lying at right angles to each other could guide when drilling holes in walls.
I know some manufacturers, like Ryobi, have added bubble and/or spirit levels to their drills in the past to help you line things up. Drilling perfectly perpendicular holes to a work surface is a pretty specific requirement most cordless drill owners probably won't care much about when buying a drill so I'm not surprised manufacturers don't focus on it much.
Here is a good idea to springboard off of one of your methods. Go to someone's house that has a drill press and make your own (free) drill block. Anyway, thanks for the video, I never would have thought of that if you didn't present the block idea.
I was going to make a floating shelf out of a 1 inch board and I needed to drill on the thickness of the board so this is what I did to make my whole straight I got a another piece of board and cut out A straight piece and made it 1 and 1/2 in in width 6 in in length after drilling the straight hole into the middle of the thickness of the wood I then glued a piece of wood on top that was 1 in thick 6in log 6 in width top and bottom so that it slides it looks like a c-channel like a letter C if you look on the side of it and that slides into the board because the one and a half inches will guide your drill bit nice and straight and Improvement to the idea you could add a piece of pipe so that you don't mess up the hole that's made out of wood since the drill could go sideways a little and then make the whole crooked so that's why you would put a piece of pipe but since I had steady hands I just did it this way I didn't feel like doing extra work with the pipe plus I didn't have a tool to cut the pipe ended up not using that wood cuz it was too heavy so I ended up using quarter of an inch plywood some high density spray foam and I just put a hole using some Square Dill rods to create the holes that the pipe with or the spike or whatever you call it that goes through the holes to hold it up and I glue those in there where all the holes needed to be at and the rest I just sprayed it was pray foam to keep the spray foam from bending the wood I just made another floating shelf out of thicker wood and then that would fit inside that that's keeping from warping it and that's how I did it and then I just shaved off a chunk with an utility knife those ones that you can pull it out more and more blade a light weight strong making a lightweight floating shelf i did not needit to hold heavy thing it worked out fin
How dare you make an informative video in under four minutes? Great info and to the point.
I know right... I should have babbled on and on.
@@DIYWithAaron Where was the ad for Square Space?
And no annoying background music.
I'm new to drilling. I actually thought I was a failure for failing to drill a straight hole. Nice to know that this problem is so common that products have been made to solve it.
My first drilling attempt was last week. I feel better now about my slightly unparalleled holes!
Just used the two blocks of scrap wood in the clamp option. Fantastic result. You will make experts of us all 😀
Have seen too many videos on this topic and almost gave this one a pass, but then, glad I watched it. Very nice video, no fuss, straight to the point and most importantly, very nice options listed out.
Do post more tips&tricks for DIY'ers..
Thanks... I'm glad I hit the mark with this one. I'll be sure to keep posting more vids.
Agreed. Best part, no stupid, loud guitar riff intro like most creators use.
Thank you for making this as straightforward as possible
I have one of those Drill Blocks I bought a few years ago. They work great. Better than trying to eyeball the drill. Yes you cant drill a deep as you would like, but the hole becomes your guide to finish drilling.
I've used a drill block for years, and it's great. My top pick.
Yeah, I really like them too. Cheap and effective for most tasks.
Since I have a drill press, I drilled a hole into a block of wood, put it on the bench and made sure it was level. Then I chucked the bit into my hand drill and stuck it into the hole. Then I glued a circular level to the back of the drill and made sure it was level. Now, I can free-hand a vertical hole pretty well by keeping the bubble centered in the level as I drill.
What if you need to drill a hole straight into the face of a board that is attached at and angle or at least not perfectly level? Your method is good for things like anchor bolts but the video is much more practical for the things most people will encounter.
@@joshcowden6163 If that is the unfortunate situation that you find yourself in, then I cannot help you. I would consider hiding under the bed, or, better, changing your name and moving out of town.
This is why I love youtube. Thanks for posting this.
You're welcome
A major plus for the drill block you showed is the V shaped cutout in the bottom that allows you to drill crosswise through the centre of a dowel or pipe.
Definitely!
The clamping together of 2 pieces of wood is a great idea since it is quick and the surfaces can be shifted/re-sawn as they become worn.
Thank you for sharing this. I used a speed square with mixed results. A drill block is in my future. Thanks man.
Dude, thank you so much. Im here because I made a mistake, more than once. Headed to Lowe's for both a drill block and drill guide.
I really liked it and ended up buying a drill block, many thanks !
Thank you! The portable drill guide looks perfect for drilling horizontally - it's so easy to get this wrong if the hole is a different height than you are, or if drilling into brick etc. Off to buy one now.
Glad it helped!
The only cutting faces on a drill bit are the two leading edges so once you've got the hole started the rest will follow, so removing the drill block to drill deeper or thorugh a peice is no issue so long as you let the hole guide the bit. Nice post by the way.
Great tips, went for the 90-degree jig today worked like a charm. Can't believe I've tried to do this freehand for years...
Excellent video. Great ideas, clearly presented. Very helpful. Thanks.
Super helpful!!! Thanks for putting this out there for us perfectionists…
I love the CD trick, I'll try it next time
You are a great teacher! Looking forward to see your channel grow exponentially! 💪👏
You can also use a plunge router to start a straight hole at least. It has the flat bottom plate to align it with the material you want to drill. It functions similar to the alignment tool. Just the travel is pretty limited. .. :o)
Excellent. While I am sure that drilling straight into a block of wood siting on your bench maybe easy for some, these tips have really helped me drilling straight into wood where I have very poor access. A small scrap wood 90o jig was a brilliant idea. Thank you.
Exactly the video I was hoping for. Thanks Aaron.
Excellent and well researched advice.
Comprehensively explained in clear concise language. Many thanks! 🙏🏼
this is really helpful for guitar builders on a budget, thank you so much
Happy to help!
The offset blocks are a great idea. Great info!
Thank you for this sensible, useful information!!
The DrillBlock is for me. I appreciate your to-the-point videos minus stupid blasting music and an audition.
The CD Reflection works pretty good for me. Key point, I need to examine the reflection from two viewing directions while drilling to make the hole perfectly vertical.
I’m here because I’m unhappy with my kreg drill block. It works fine for shallow holes, but when I had to drill a 3” hole in a block of wood I was sorely disappointed when the hole wasn’t perpendicular - not even close.
I’ll try the CD method, but if that doesn’t work I’m gonna get a proper drill guide. I really don’t want to make space in my shop for a drill press, so a drill guide seems like exactly what I need. Thanks for a great and informative (and efficient) video!
I haven't used the kreg drill block, but my Milescraft drill block works great. In my opinion, a portable drill guide would be perfect for you if your space constrained but want something a little more robust than a drill block.
I use an drill block or guide made by Big Gator Tools. It has the v shape cutout on the bottom for drilling in round pieces. It works very well. I bought it online from USA. And this purchase has a little funny story. At customs office when I received the package and opened it for inspection the customs dude was stunned. He had never saw something lile this until then and called a coleague to look at the guide, to make sure it's not a firearm part. I was prepared for that and I pulled out an drill bit from my pocket and showed them how it works. They asked why I bought it from USA, because there are some taxes I have to pay. I told them that their reaction to seeing it is the answer. There was nothing like that guide, to be found on Romania's tools market, and the EU sellers asked more than double the price in the US. This happened more than 10 years ago. Now there are several options to buy, locally, but all are polymer body with metal bushing, not solid hardened steel like the Gator guide.
Wow... I didn't realize the drill blocks were so hard to get in other countries. If I had to go though all that hassle to get one at a reasonable price I would have went for an all metal one too. Good thing you thought ahead and had a drill bit handy for explaining it to customs.
great video, used your link and bought the drill block
Awesome, thank you!
This video helped a lot. I'm building an end table and I realized after doing the glue-up that it's not going to fit in my drill press. I have an old Craftsman drill guide with drill permanently attached drill but it has the smallest jacobs chuck I have ever seen and can't take the bit I need.
Great tips! Have a project I've been working on that stumped me about how to drill some holes straight. Now I know how- Thanks! Liked and subscribed.
Thanks man! High value, straight to the point
#4 works great. They even make ones for drill and tapping holes in pipes that had a curved base.
Short and to the point. I like it. Thanks for the good information.
Best video on the subject.
Big gator tools drill guides, they make a few varieties. I use them for attaching door hardware either mag locks or door holders.
Thanks for the information buddy! You are the man 💪
New to the channel, but based on how great this video was, I will be checking out more of your content!
Awesome, thank you!
Great video. I will make that jig with the 2 pieces of wood but those drill blocks look pretty sweet too.
You have to be a bit more careful with the jig you mentioned, on the other hand it's easy and cheap AND offers better visibility of the drilling location. With the (Big Gator brand) drill guide I usually have to put it on the drill bit, then touch the drill bit on the spot where I want to drill, then lower the drill guide flat on the surface, then start drilling.
I've taped washers the same size of the bit together to make a guide. It works well.
Clever
It could be problematic to find the right size washers? E.g. let's say I want to drill a 6 mm hole. A washer for an M6 screw has a ⌀6.4 mm hole (per DIN 125). There's no washer with an exactly ⌀6 mm hole.
That was just what I needed! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the reminder. I have a drill block, now just locate it 😅
Thank you SO much. Great ideas Bud that WORKED fine for me.
Thank you again. 👍🏻👍🏻🙏🙏
This is extremely useful. Thanks
Thank you for your video. (That scrap wood jig has worked well for me. But I think I'd like to graduate to a drill block. I may purchase one soon. Thank you again for your video). God[Bible] Bless.
There is hope for my project. Thank you.
Nice video mate, it's really helpful...
Wow a speed square actually works really well, thanks
Excellent info, exactly what I was looking for! Thanks 👍
Drill blocks are used expensively in the aircraft industry but with a little foot on each corner to accommodate the curvatures
I did not know that... you mean extensively not expensively right?
@@DIYWithAaron yes extensively I used them nearly everyday as aircraft Fitter with Airbus
You can start with drill block then use the wood blocks to keep you straight. 🎸. Great video. Thanks. I'm putting handles on cabinets not sure if a portable drill press is necessary. If holes are less than 1" inch deep then ill be okay without a press.
CD was interesting to say the least. Thank you
Excellent advices
Great video! Thanks for sharing bro. I have a little recommendation to save some money. It will either be for free pretty much or really cheap! and all it takes is a little effort and scrap metal. you can make your own drill blocks! if you already own a drill press, mill or even a metal lathe or maybe can get access to one of the above. All you really need is a scrap piece of steel, cast iron, Aluminum, possibly bronze or even a hard wood a could work in a pinch. So bring your most used drill bit sizes with you. Simply drill a series of all your most used Drills and then you have a drill press accurate Drill block that works great! And youll save alot of money! The gator brand drill blocks are pretty pricey for all sizes. so i did this to save money. I had some scrap metal so i didnt spend a dime on it. You may ask why would someone need this if you have a drill press? Well the short answer is the portability of the drill block. Sometimes i have to go to sites and need to drill fairly accurate holes but only have a power drill. So this works great for those situatuons, Or maybe you just need one hole and dont want to go in your shop to drill it lol (ive been this lazy many times!) Lol anyways its useful and youll find yourself using it almost anytime you need to drill holes. If you use hardwood it will not last as long or stay as accurate as steel, cast iron or even Aluminum or some other harder metals maybe even softer like bronze could work for a while. Well good luck everyone and i hope you all have a nice day. Thanks for reading my free book lol
Thanks for the positive feedback. I totally agree that making your own drill block is a lot cheaper if you already have a drill press. I was specifically thinking of those who didn't have a drill press and needed to be able to make a straight hole on occasion. Good tips though for making a drill block for those times when a drill press is unfeasible or inconvenient.
For the second con of the drill block (drill bit not matching the hole), you can drill a hole one size smaller, and then widen it with a bigger drill bit.
Very helpful video! Thank you!
Thanks for the video, very informative and helpful; will try finding a precision drill guide.
well finally --never knew there was such a gadget as a drill block ==love your two wood guide for straight drilling --90 degrees -----thankyou --many of us cannot afford a fancy drill post guide ----well done--- from the poor artisans club !
I glue a small round bubble level to the back of the drill. Not perfect results but helps a lot if I want to quickly drill free hand
That's a good idea. I used to have an old drill with a level in built into the head although it was vial style so no side to side accuracy unfortunately. I could see your way with a bubble level being much more useful then what I had.
DUDE... Thia video is exciting ! Thanks fir the tips.... this old man 74 can use etc. make more video's please ! Mike Hendershot, Beaumont, California. Oct. 23. 2021
Thanks Mike! Glad you liked it... I'll try to get more vids out soon.
I bought a Cheap drillpress 14 years ago, 30 euros, 350 Watts; still fine and accurate, wood or metal, semi_pro use. Cheaper than your handbill and lots of fiddling
Wish I had a cheap drill press, but I still don't have one. Spent too much on my drill I guess.
The drill guides usually have a V shaped groove in the base so you can put a pipe or other cylinder in it to drill centered holes.
Good point... I probably should have mentioned that in the video. The portable mini drill press also has a V machined into it's base for the same purpose.
Thanks fot demonstration. I already subscribed.
Great video man
good stuff man!
Most useful video!!
Glad it was helpful!
Trick no 3 is GODLIKE!
thanks for the tips!
Thanks for this you are a top man! 👌😀
Great video brother. Good job!
Appreciate it!
So helpful, ty!
Excellent info thanks
You are the man
Great video bruh❤🔥
Great guide! I am wondering , if there is a home-made jig for a forstner drill bit at all?
You could make a 90 degree scrap jig with a notch at the bottom for the bit head to fit. As long as the shaft of the drill bit is nestled in the corner, it would probably work.
Great tips! Thank you!
Great info, thanks
Thanks for the video
Really useful, thanks man
Howdy.
Bewilders me that drill manufactures have not thought of furnishing drills with bubble levels ...
Regards.
I have an old Ryobi with spirit levels built into it. Not a bubble level, but adding levels did cross at least one manufacturer's mind.
Great video, I subscribed immediately, thanks for the great tips
Thank you very good job
Great video! Excellent tips.
Awesome thank you 😊
#3 is awesome
As a locksmith I drill a horizontal 1/4" pilot hole through doors using a 12" long drill bit because it's easier to judge whether or not I'm drilling perfectly straight...
I love the simplicity of your method. Great tip.
Use a table saw. Make sure your fence is square to the blade. Adjust the blade height to half the blade thicknes.. run a scrap piece across. Use a depth guage to make sure the cut is even throughout....repeat this process with another piece. Join the two pieces together with wood glue making sure the cut is aligned. And now use a bit that is the same thickness as the blade and now you have a perfect 90 pilot hole jig.
Nice tips!
I epoxied two 1 inch spirit levels to my drill. One for level and one for plumb. Or I use a drill guide.
Great tips!
I’ve always wondered why manufacturers don’t include.a flat surface to the top of their machines which lies parallel to the axis of the drill bit? This surface could then be lined up with anything that would give the required straight hole. Also a spirit level, perhaps two lying at right angles to each other could guide when drilling holes in walls.
I know some manufacturers, like Ryobi, have added bubble and/or spirit levels to their drills in the past to help you line things up. Drilling perfectly perpendicular holes to a work surface is a pretty specific requirement most cordless drill owners probably won't care much about when buying a drill so I'm not surprised manufacturers don't focus on it much.
CD mirroring is genious
Here is a good idea to springboard off of one of your methods. Go to someone's house that has a drill press and make your own (free) drill block. Anyway, thanks for the video, I never would have thought of that if you didn't present the block idea.
You could definitely do that to save a buck
Greattt
I was going to make a floating shelf out of a 1 inch board and I needed to drill on the thickness of the board so this is what I did to make my whole straight I got a another piece of board and cut out A straight piece and made it 1 and 1/2 in in width 6 in in length after drilling the straight hole into the middle of the thickness of the wood I then glued a piece of wood on top that was 1 in thick 6in log 6 in width top and bottom so that it slides it looks like a c-channel like a letter C if you look on the side of it and that slides into the board because the one and a half inches will guide your drill bit nice and straight and Improvement to the idea you could add a piece of pipe so that you don't mess up the hole that's made out of wood since the drill could go sideways a little and then make the whole crooked so that's why you would put a piece of pipe but since I had steady hands I just did it this way I didn't feel like doing extra work with the pipe plus I didn't have a tool to cut the pipe ended up not using that wood cuz it was too heavy so I ended up using quarter of an inch plywood some high density spray foam and I just put a hole using some Square Dill rods to create the holes that the pipe with or the spike or whatever you call it that goes through the holes to hold it up and I glue those in there where all the holes needed to be at and the rest I just sprayed it was pray foam to keep the spray foam from bending the wood I just made another floating shelf out of thicker wood and then that would fit inside that that's keeping from warping it and that's how I did it and then I just shaved off a chunk with an utility knife those ones that you can pull it out more and more blade a light weight strong making a lightweight floating shelf i did not needit to hold heavy thing it worked out fin
I didn't quite follow your entire description of what you did, but I think I got the gist. I'm glad it worked out for you.
This is how videos should be done.
Great video help. I tried one of your methods and struck oil.