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.


--
Paul R
-------------------------------
For email reply, please remove 195

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.

Clamp a piece of scrap to the back, and do clamp it; don't try to hold it.
--
Bo Williams -
http://hiwaay.net/~williams/

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.

"Bo Williams" 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.

Clamp a piece of scrap to the back, and do clamp it; don't try to hold it.
--
Bo Williams -
http://hiwaay.net/~williams/

use a brad tip bit. when the brad tip breaks through, stop, and drill from
the other side.

"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.

randy

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.

On 2004-10-14, Chris Lewis wrote:

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

For twist drill bits, what about drilling a smaller hole all the way
through from one side, and then enlarging from each side?

Cheers, Wayne

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?

try it before you judge it. and if you are leaning on the drill to get
through particle board, you dont know how to use a drill.

randy

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 18:06:13 GMT, 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.

Clamp a scrap piece of wood on the exit side. There are other
methods, but I found this one works every time.

Phisherman wrote:
Paul 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.

Clamp a scrap piece of wood on the exit side. There are other
methods, but I found this one works every time.

Agreed. Usually don't even need to clamp it if you can get both
hands involved in the action, the weight of drilling will keep
the good and the scrap pressed up against your other hand.

--
The real Tom Pendergast [ So if you meet me, have some courtesy,
aka I-zheet M'drurz [ have some sympathy, and some taste.
Accept no substitutes! [ Use all your well-learned politesse,
$1 to Mick for the .sig ---[ or I'll lay your soul to waste.

From: Paul R

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.

Paul, i read the replies to this post and while they are good ideas they are
indeed overkill....i install kitchen/bath cabinets for a living, so drilling
for hardware is an everyday occurance...i never use a backer, or a bradpoint
bit, i never have to drill from both sides, and i don't have the backside "blow
out" in either real wood or laminated particleboard...secret? sharp bit and let
the tool do the work...don't force it, don't "lean" on it, just hold light
steady pressure and the bit will do its job quickly and neatly...

Chris Perdue

In article . net,
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.


--
Paul R
-------------------------------
For email reply, please remove 195

Clamp a piece of scrap wood over the area where the bit will emerge.

--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

According to xrongor :

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?

try it before you judge it.

I have. Lots.

and if you are leaning on the drill to get
through particle board, you dont know how to use a drill.

"Leaning" was an exaggeration. You can't drill thru PTB without
at least _some_ pressure. With fragile veneers or melamine,
it's too much, even with a very sharp brad point without _firm_
backing.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Chris Perdue wrote:
From: Paul R


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.


Paul, i read the replies to this post and while they are good ideas they are
indeed overkill....i install kitchen/bath cabinets for a living, so drilling
for hardware is an everyday occurance...i never use a backer, or a bradpoint
bit, i never have to drill from both sides, and i don't have the backside "blow
out" in either real wood or laminated particleboard...secret? sharp bit and let
the tool do the work...don't force it, don't "lean" on it, just hold light
steady pressure and the bit will do its job quickly and neatly...

Chris Perdue

Thanks! I had brand new bits so it must have been my adding extra
pressure to the drill. I was able to repair the splintered areas with
wood filler that came with the cabinets. Can't tell it happened,
actually. Next time I'll let the drill do its work.

--
Paul R
-------------------------------
For email reply, please remove 195

Phisherman wrote:

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 18:06:13 GMT, 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.


Clamp a scrap piece of wood on the exit side. There are other
methods, but I found this one works every time.

I had thought of this one, for it makes sense intuitively. However, I
didn't have a way of clamping the wood at the time I had to drill the
holes, so I didn't. Thanks for the info!

--
Paul R
-------------------------------
For email reply, please remove 195

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?

The head of the screw that holds the handle from the back will cover the
small amount of tearout.
Ease up as it goes thru.

In article Ec1cd.750925$gE.363003@pd7tw3no, Rudy
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?

The head of the screw that holds the handle from the back will cover the
small amount of tearout.
Ease up as it goes thru.

Clamp a piece of scrap in place on the backside. No tearout.

From: Dave Balderstone

Clamp a piece of scrap in place on the backside. No tearout.


sharp bits used properly....no tearout
-------------------
Chris Perdue
"I'm ever so thankful for the Internet; it has allowed me to keep a finger in
the pie and to make some small contribution to those younger who will carry the
air-cooled legend forward"
Jim Mais
Feb. 2004

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.


The most common way is to clamp a scrap on the back. You can also take a
very small bit all of the way through, then use the full size bit from both
sides going half way each side.