According to xrongor :

"Mark and Kim Smith" wrote in message
...
Paul R wrote:

Is there any way to drill a hole thru a finished cabinet, as in
installing handles, and not have the wood finish at the other end of the
hole (the exit point) become splintered or otherwise split when the bit
comes thru? FWIW, I'm using a variable speed drill.

Use a brad point or forstner bit and when the pilot breaks through, finish
drilling from the other side. The best method was already mentioned.
Clamp a piece of backing material to the piece you are drilling.

masking tape on the back should be plenty... no clamp needed.

How well is masking tape going to hold when you're on the other side leaning
into the drill going through particle board?

Not much.

The "drill almost all the way through, and finish from the other side" works
with augers, spade bits and some large diameter brad points.

But for a teensy hole for a handle screw? You'd be lucky if you pulled it
off one time out of four.

1/8" forstner? You must be joking ;-)

With care, you can do this with _sharp_ brad points when the material
is simply held down flat (the firmer the better) sacrificial horizontal
surface. Like a piece of scrap plywood on a workbench. But don't push
too hard on the drill.

If you have to do this "in the air", clamp on scraps. Really.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.