An apparatus includes a spindle, a pecking mechanism, and a clutch mechanism coupled to the pecking mechanism. The spindle includes a drill tool and the spindle is configured to be fed in a first direction during a drilling operation. The pecking mechanism is configured to retract the drill periodically during the drilling operation. The clutch mechanism is configured to selectively engage the pecking mechanism during a portion of the drilling operation. The clutch mechanism is configured to constrain the rotation of the washer such that the spindle drill is retracted a predefined distance periodically.