Plug cutters tend to come in two basic flavors—those that cut straight-sided plugs and those that cut tapered plugs. The straight-sided cutters are a little more versatile because, in addition to plugs, they can be used to cut round tenons on small parts such as drawer pulls. When I make plugs to fill screw holes, I prefer tapered cutters, which make for a tight, gap-free fit during installation.

The Montana Brand plug cutters that I tried are tapered, but they offer a slight twist. They’re the only cutters I know of that are self-centering and can be used with a handheld drill as well as a drill press. I’d only ever used a drill press for plugs, but I decided to try a hand drill this time around. I started out a little wobbly, but got the hang of things after a couple of attempts. The cutters work as advertised, and the key is a spring-loaded retractable centering tip on each bit. If you need to cut tapered plugs away from the shop or you don’t have a drill press, I’d recommend adding these to your tool kit.

 

—Michael Pekovich is FWW’s creative director.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Veritas Standard Wheel Marking Gauge

A wheel-type gauge is the easiest to use, and this wonderful Veritas model is a steal at $38.

Buy at Lee Valley

Compass

An essential tool for drawing circles and curves accurately. Also good for layout.

Buy at Amazon

Stanley Powerlock 16-ft. tape measure

With its smooth lock, tough case, compact size, and excellent accuracy, this Stanley tape is perfect for workshop use.

Buy at Amazon