The Pivoting Bit Holder Is A Tool You'll Wish You Had Sooner

Here's a frustrating scenario for you. Say you're trying to drive screws into your burgeoning crafting project, but one of the spots you need to secure is at a bizarre, unwieldy angle. Cordless power drills only drill in a straight line, so your only real option is to orient yourself at a similarly unwieldy angle, which can ultimately result in awkward, crooked driving. That's also banking on the assumption that the spot you need to drill has enough space for the bulky chuck or handle of a power drill. 

It's not an ideal situation, to say the least, but there is a surprisingly simple way to remedy it. If you can't drill something using a straight line, why not use a curved line? No, you can't bend the shank of a drill bit, but you can add something to the end of the drill that can fit in those tight spaces. Specifically, you can add a pivoting bit holder, a delightfully simple little invention that will allow you to tackle your drilling tasks from all kinds of new angles.

A pivoting bit holder is effectively what it says right on the label: It's a bit holder that has the ability to pivot at different angles. It's a similar concept to a right-angle drill bit holder but with much more flexibility. You just insert the hex shank into the front of a power drill or impact driver, the same as you would any ordinary drill bit, then stick a drill bit into the tip of the bit holder. Between the front and back of the holder is a pivoting joint, usually locked in place by a small button. 

Just unlock the joint and angle it to your ideal orientation, and you can use your drill as you normally would. A pivoting bit holder is equipped with a special barrel between the shank and the tip that transfers rotational power from your drill's engine into the bit, so you shouldn't lose noticeable rotational power, even at weird angles. Depending on the strength of the pivoting holder, you can use it with both regular power drills and impact drivers, with the holder engineered to withstand the powerful force from both.

Pivoting bit holders are readily available at your local Home Depot, avaiable from major tool brands like DeWalt and Milwaukee. There are also generic pivoting bit holders available on Amazon, though you might not get as much quality out of these.

One of the more popular versions of this concept is DeWalt's MAXFIT Pivot Holder, available at Home Depot for $10.97. This nifty doodad can pivot up to 15 degrees and is equipped with an impact-rated hex shank for use in both power drills and impact drivers, a magnetic holder at the tip for securely carrying 1-inch bits, and a hog-ring for tightly holding accessories. Alternatively, there's the Milwaukee Knuckle Bit Holder, also available at Home Depot for $27.99. The higher price is due both to the fact that it comes bundled with 10 drill bits and that it can pivot up to 30 degrees.