I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Apr 3, 10:27 am, "AlanC37" wrote:
I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Have you considered drilling from each side toward the center? It is
better to drill a through hole, no doubt but I'm sure you can also
measure as accurately as you can from each side and use a square
against the building to guide your bit. After you put the pipe
through you will probably use some type of caulk or foam anyway.

On Apr 3, 10:46 am, "Lawrence" wrote:
On Apr 3, 10:27 am, "AlanC37" wrote:

I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Have you considered drilling from each side toward the center? It is
better to drill a through hole, no doubt but I'm sure you can also
measure as accurately as you can from each side and use a square
against the building to guide your bit. After you put the pipe
through you will probably use some type of caulk or foam anyway.

Good idea Lawrence,,I would use one of the smaller bits and drill
through dead center then just follow that from both sides to meet in
the middle..Drilling at a slight angle down from inside to out will
prevent water from running in if the outside seal ever leaks.

On 3 Apr 2007 08:46:24 -0700, "Lawrence"
wrote:

On Apr 3, 10:27 am, "AlanC37" wrote:
I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Have you considered drilling from each side toward the center? It is
better to drill a through hole, no doubt but I'm sure you can also
measure as accurately as you can from each side and use a square
against the building to guide your bit. After you put the pipe
through you will probably use some type of caulk or foam anyway.


4" soil auger bolted to your pickup truck?

On Apr 3, 12:17 pm, "Dean" wrote:
On Apr 3, 10:46 am, "Lawrence" wrote:





On Apr 3, 10:27 am, "AlanC37" wrote:

I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Have you considered drilling from each side toward the center? It is
better to drill a through hole, no doubt but I'm sure you can also
measure as accurately as you can from each side and use a square
against the building to guide your bit. After you put the pipe
through you will probably use some type of caulk or foam anyway.

Good idea Lawrence,,I would use one of the smaller bits and drill
through dead center then just follow that from both sides to meet in
the middle..Drilling at a slight angle down from inside to out will
prevent water from running in if the outside seal ever leaks.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I agree, I would drill through the wall with a lampmaker's bit and
then use that as a guide to follow.

good luck

nate

On Apr 3, 12:19 pm, "N8N" wrote:
On Apr 3, 12:17 pm, "Dean" wrote:





On Apr 3, 10:46 am, "Lawrence" wrote:

On Apr 3, 10:27 am, "AlanC37" wrote:

I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) an
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Have you considered drilling from each side toward the center? It is
better to drill a through hole, no doubt but I'm sure you can also
measure as accurately as you can from each side and use a square
against the building to guide your bit. After you put the pipe
through you will probably use some type of caulk or foam anyway.

Good idea Lawrence,,I would use one of the smaller bits and drill
through dead center then just follow that from both sides to meet in
the middle..Drilling at a slight angle down from inside to out will
prevent water from running in if the outside seal ever leaks.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I agree, I would drill through the wall with a lampmaker's bit and
then use that as a guide to follow.

good luck

nate- Hide quoted text -
center
- Show quoted text -

Alan,
If you drill with a 3/8" bell hanger drill you lose the center of the
hole. This will make it very diffiicult to use a bit with a center
worm. I would suggest you us a full size Forstner bit with some
extension rod between the bit and the drill. You will also be well
served by a half inch drill motor. I don't think most 1/4"drills are
up to such a task. The Forstner will also leave a smooth bore.
Joe G

"AlanC37" wrote in message
.. .
I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12
inches thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at
3.5 inch diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8
inch) and chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for
an old guy so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm
sure big holes in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any
advice will be gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37


A company named Bosworth makes large mortise and tenon shaping tools for log
applications. They may have something. Try googling for log tools. In
this world of specialization, someone's gotta make something like that, even
if it's a huge Forstner.

Steve

"Steve B" wrote in
:


"AlanC37" wrote in message
.. .
I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for
cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12
inches thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough
drill at 3.5 inch diameter so am considering drilling a number of
small holes (3/8 inch) and chiselling out the remains of the log.
Might be a bit tough for an old guy so I am hoping someone could
advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes in logs often need to
be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be gratefully
received. Thanks, Alan C37


A company named Bosworth makes large mortise and tenon shaping tools
for log applications. They may have something. Try googling for log
tools. In this world of specialization, someone's gotta make
something like that, even if it's a huge Forstner.

Steve




IIRC,they make 3' Forstner bits.You would need an extension shaft to drive
it deep,though,and a powerful drill,like a HoleHawg.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

On Apr 3, 9:19 am, "N8N" wrote:
On Apr 3, 12:17 pm, "Dean" wrote:





On Apr 3, 10:46 am, "Lawrence" wrote:

On Apr 3, 10:27 am, "AlanC37" wrote:

I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Have you considered drilling from each side toward the center? It is
better to drill a through hole, no doubt but I'm sure you can also
measure as accurately as you can from each side and use a square
against the building to guide your bit. After you put the pipe
through you will probably use some type of caulk or foam anyway.

Good idea Lawrence,,I would use one of the smaller bits and drill
through dead center then just follow that from both sides to meet in
the middle..Drilling at a slight angle down from inside to out will
prevent water from running in if the outside seal ever leaks.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I agree, I would drill through the wall with a lampmaker's bit and
then use that as a guide to follow.

good luck

nate- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Going for cheap, use a "Speedbore" with an extension. Probably
cheaper than a lampmaker's bit and the speedbore can be a reasonable
size. A 3/8 drill would handle around 1 1/2" one or larger.

Harry K

Thanks. I can do that but the 3.5 inch hole cutters I can find only go a
couple of inches deep. Maybe a reciprocating saw will do the job once I
have made a hole big enough to accept the blade. I'm going to try this when
the rain stops. Alan C

"Lawrence" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Apr 3, 10:27 am, "AlanC37" wrote:
I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables
and
pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12
inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5
inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch)
and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old
guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big
holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Have you considered drilling from each side toward the center? It is
better to drill a through hole, no doubt but I'm sure you can also
measure as accurately as you can from each side and use a square
against the building to guide your bit. After you put the pipe
through you will probably use some type of caulk or foam anyway.




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"AlanC37" wrote in
:

Thanks. I can do that but the 3.5 inch hole cutters I can find only go
a couple of inches deep. Maybe a reciprocating saw will do the job once
I have made a hole big enough to accept the blade. I'm going to try
this when the rain stops. Alan C

Use a drill bit extender. Here's a site with a variety.

http://www.doityourself.com/icat/drillbitextensions

On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 11:27:27 -0400, "AlanC37"
wrote:

I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables and

You really need 3.5 inches?

pipes for a big split type of heat pump. The total length, including
plaster and siding, will be about 15 inches and the logs are about 12 inches
thick. I have, so far, been unable to find a long enough drill at 3.5 inch
diameter so am considering drilling a number of small holes (3/8 inch) and
chiselling out the remains of the log. Might be a bit tough for an old guy
so I am hoping someone could advise me of a better way. I'm sure big holes
in logs often need to be drilled but don't know how. Any advice will be
gratefully received. Thanks, Alan C37

"mm" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 11:27:27 -0400, "AlanC37"
wrote:

I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables
and

You really need 3.5 inches?

The equipment has a 3.5 inch diameter pipe to be used as a sleeve through
the wall. I guess I don't have to use it if it isn't necessary though and I
could use a bit of plastic tube of a smaller diameter. The next model down
in size (12000Btu/hr) needs only a 2.56 inch hole. Thanks for the
suggestion. I'll check what I need for two insulated pipes (3/8 inch and
5/8 inch OD copper) plus a bunch of electrical cables and a 3/4 inch drain
pipe.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

2 inch hole is a bit too small but a 3 inch one will work fine. A bit
easier to do I hope. Thanks again, Alan C

"AlanC37" wrote in message
.. .

"mm" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 11:27:27 -0400, "AlanC37"
wrote:

I need to make a 3.5 inch diameter hole through a log wall for cables
and

You really need 3.5 inches?

The equipment has a 3.5 inch diameter pipe to be used



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com