Best technique for drilling a large hole in oak

[Ginflyer]

Need to drill a number of 56mm holes for spotlights in a 15mm oak board.

I don't really trust my hole saw set (one of those with 6-7 different removable blades you can choose from).

Any good ideas on how to best do this for a neat and precise result?

// Janne

 

[klaskarlsson]

Jigsaw?
A spotlight should have a frame of at least 5-10mm that can cover any mistakes, so that's the precision you need when cutting in that case...

/K

 

[Ginflyer]

Mmmm, thought about that too, but 56mm is quite narrow. Could saw a star first to make it easier. If there had been a drilling solution it would have been simpler and faster

 

[AndersS]

It works perfectly with your hole saw even if it is of a simpler type. I can't imagine that the spots require exact mm precision, so if it ends up being 58 because the saw doesn't center properly, it's fine. Just take it easy and don't use too high a speed, and it should work.

 

[Ginflyer]

I'll go ahead and try with a spillbit. My drill set just seems so flimsy, hence my hesitation.

 

[yens]

I was going to make 102 mm holes in 38 mm oak (for a powerport) and it was the single most dangerous task so far during my renovation. I spun more than the hole saw when it jammed like crazy. I ended up running the saw backwards (!?) to make an approximately 10 mm deep groove, then I used a 22 mm wood drill and jigsaw until the hole was finished, it worked excellently.

 

[pinebar]

If it's a loose board, maybe you can find a workshop that has a sturdy pillar drill + a good drill bit that can help you? But it might be optimistic to find such small workshops nowadays.....

 

[andersmc]

There is a very big difference between drilling 102 mm holes and 56 mm. Get a high-quality hole saw, not one of those sets with 8 bits for 39.90. You have to use a proper drill, a regular screwdriver won't handle it.

 

[naresjo]

Measure the outer diameter of your spotlights (the outer ring that covers the hole), then measure the outer diameter of the part that goes into the hole. This way, you'll see within which tolerance you should be.

And you'll see how big a hole you can have.

I used Biltema's hole cutter set for my spotlights, and they are not the best, but they worked perfectly.

Alternatively, drill a small groove with your set about 3-5 mm deep, drill a hole with a wood drill on the inside of the groove, straight through and then use a jigsaw following your drilled groove as a template. This will make it look nice. Otherwise, I think it can be quite tedious to drill with a hole cutter set that is not of good quality in oak, which is a "bit" hard...

Good luck!

 

[Ginflyer]

naresjo: That was a good tip. I have a little room to work with since the inner diameter is 56 mm and the outer is 70 mm. I'll test it out and see how it goes.

 

[P-plats]

I would recommend a really good hole saw like, for example, the Starrett Multi-Purpose MPH / (FCW). It has carbide teeth and is suitable for solid woods and MDF. Make sure to keep it sharp, and it can be sharpened if needed. Also, remember to use the correct speed, see the table: http://katalog.toolstore.se/portalshare/katalog/gemensam/v15/tekniskinfo_pdf/se/C454SE.PDF More info about the saws: http://katalog.toolstore.se/webspee...t_bid=V15&dokid=5199611&katnr=2&katsektnr=101

 

[Ginflyer]

Parking space: What do these cost?

 

[Pysslarn]

P-Space: What do these cost?

Certainly not cheap but look at it this way: now you have a good reason to buy really good stuff!

 

[snickarboden]

One option is to rout the holes with the hand router; if you don't get through, the routed edge can help guide the jigsaw blade a little.

/Kent

 

[Ginflyer]

All reasons to get quality stuff are always welcome

I was considering milling it out, but I was wondering if that was the right path to take as it is a small hole in milling context. Got my circle attachment for the 1010 yesterday, let's see if that's an option.