On Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:48:43 -0500, the infamous
scrawled the following:

On Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:46:55 -0500, wrote:

I've got myself into a situation -
I need to drill through 6 2X8 joists which are accessible only from
the one side. They are spaced 2 feet on centers. (need to pull cable
across to the center of the floor). The joists are sitting directly on
concrete, and the decking is 1 1/2" (you read that right) plywood.

What does the decking have to do with drilling joists? You don't want
to pull it?


What is the lowest power-requiring type of drill to use/ since it
needs to be run on a 12 foot long extension-----.

Use a 12ga extension. HF has 25' x 12ga for $10 which are nice. I use
mine all the time for their 12" SCMS. YOu don't mean 12' metal
extension, do you?!?


I tried a speed-bore type spade bit, but it has a bad habit of
"catching" just as it breaks through - putting a severe strain on the
connection between the bit and the extension.

Would a forstner type work better? Or an auger?
Augers self-feed and don't break out as hard. There are short auger
sets available if you like 'em.


Still looking for a viable bit extender setup as well - thinking I
might need to go to 1/2" steel waterpipe with a 7/16 or 1/2" hex shaft
welded into the one end for the chuck to grab. In 3 or 4 foot length
with couplers it should be handleable?

Oh, you do mean physical, not electrical. Why don't you just unscrew
the decking and have a friend help lift it? Or did some jerk just
nail it in? grrr Ooh, flooring might be glued, too, huh? Skilsaw,
cut a long slot, lift it, replace and reglue with caulk as an
adhesive. Cost: 1 sheet of flooring. Time saved: a day. Frustration
saved: Humongous amounts.


Forgot - the hole needs to be 1 1/2 inch diameter

I'd hold my light sabre down there for a couple quick punches through,
one from each side. No extension necessary.

--
There is no such thing as limits to growth, because there are no limits
to the human capacity for intelligence, imagination, and wonder.
--Ronald Reagan