How to make a hole in a corner?

[Pat Barry]

I have a fully assembled hutch project that I'm finishing up for my wife. The thing is, last weekend I decided that I would install dimmable LED strip lights into the upper section (3 places - under the top and then under each of two shelves).

Of course, now I need to fish wires from the top section to the middle section to the lower section of the hutch top and that's a problem because i dont want these wires to stick out like a sore thumb.

I figure that I need to get a couple of 3/16" dia holes to fish the wires through but I don't want to see them so they need to go into the front corners behind the face frame so they won't be visible. I'd like to get them as close to the actual corner as possible. If I use my Makita drill for example, the holes will be inset from the corner due to the size of the tool. I'm thinking now the best way is to drill at an angle from both top and bottom so they meet in the corner and then take a small round taper file to clean up the transition so I can fish the wires through.

The shelf thickness is 3/4". The material is pine. The face frame overlay is about 1 1/4". The shelves are spaced ~ 12" apart.

Any other ideas for me?

[Sean Hughto]

There are better ways. Flex extension, for example.

[Paul F Franklin]

Would you be better off running the wires outside the hutch on the back and coming inside under each shelf location? Assuming it's low voltage you could cover them with a little strip of matching trim. Otherwise your idea of two angled holes is probably the best approach.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I've actually driven an auger but with a small wrench or chapman style offset ratchet to do similar in my tool cabinet. Worked well enough with a good lead screw.

[Pat Barry]

There are better ways. Flex extension, for example.
I was thinking of the idea of using a long skinny (flexible) drill bit but I don't have a lot of overhead space to fit it in there. I don't think I could do it with a pin vise and a long bit that i could flex. Maybe?

[Pat Barry]

I've actually driven an auger but with a small wrench or chapman style offset ratchet to do similar in my tool cabinet. Worked well enough with a good lead screw.
Good thought - maybe could make something like that work.

[Pat Barry]

Would you be better off running the wires outside the hutch on the back and coming inside under each shelf location? Assuming it's low voltage you could cover them with a little strip of matching trim. Otherwise your idea of two angled holes is probably the best approach.
If I run the wires out the back then I will need to cover them so she doesn't see exposed wires next to her china! Maybe, if all else fails this could be done.

[Sean Hughto]

No not the bit. I'm talking about this sort of thing for a hand drill or Dremel:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61qL2LXREML._SY355_.jpg

[Jim Koepke]

This may be the tool for the job:

http://makezine.com/2012/04/17/tool-review-garrett-wade-yankee-push-drill/

Almost forgot, if you do have or use one of these it is very tempting to push the drill storage up by the nut and tighten. Instead the drill basket should be pulled up and then tighten the nut. If done pushing the nut up and then tightening it will eventually strip out the nut. You can likely figure out how I know this.

jtk

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Could you use a right angle drill like this: http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/milwaukee-2615-20-m18-18v-cordless-lithium-ion-3-8-in--right-angle-drill-driver--bare-tool-/miln2615-20,default,pd.html?start=3&cgid=milwaukee-cordless-drills-and-hammer-drills ?

[Pat Barry]

No not the bit. I'm talking about this sort of thing for a hand drill or Dremel:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61qL2LXREML._SY355_.jpg
Very interesting. This looks like it can get in much closer to the corner than the other options!

[Morey St. Denis]

You might also wish to consider a compact right-angle drill adapter. DeWalt has come out with a nice one and it's readily available at your local Borg. The one I just got goes by the packaging moniker: DWARA100 (http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-Right-Angle-Drill-Adapter-DWARA50/203867866) , although HD incorrectly shows only a model DWARA50. It magnetically captures any rotary bit having a 1/4" hex drive, including quick-change drill bits and drive extensions. As usual, the bozos taking marketing pictures don't include much in the frame for actual scale, so you can't readily appreciate just how compact this thing is... Not including that hex drive shank, the size of this right-angle drill adapter measures only 4.8" x 1.2" in width. Nose in, you can square up a drill bit within 0.56" of any tight corner, laterally within about 0.60", but with an extra-long hex drive extension you're likely only limited by the outer radius of a 1/4" hex socket chuck. It appears to have accumulated some fans and a number of positive reviews.

335300

Now I've done it! Inadvertently placed a power tool accessory on the Neander forum. Guess it could also be made to work with a Yankee hand-drive drill...
Here's some further news; metal gearing on the model DWARA50 is standard, while for about $2 more you can have the DWARA100 boasting an alleged 5X lifetime and is rechargeable Impact Drive rated!

[Bill Houghton]

I concur with Jim; a push drill should do the job and you need one anyway, because they're so useful for cabinet hardware and the like.

[lowell holmes]

I have Yankee push drill and not long after I bought it, I acquired a new old stock set of bits. I love it.
I think I'm a telephone repair man.

For you young guys, back in the 50's and 60's, all Bell installers had one. They could run the wire on the base board and when needed, drill a hole.

[Patrick Chase]

This may be the tool for the job:

http://makezine.com/2012/04/17/tool-review-garrett-wade-yankee-push-drill/

Almost forgot, if you do have or use one of these it is very tempting to push the drill storage up by the nut and tighten. Instead the drill basket should be pulled up and then tighten the nut. If done pushing the nut up and then tightening it will eventually strip out the nut. You can likely figure out how I know this.

jtk

I like those Yankee push drills, but I don't think that's the answer here. The 12" inter-shelf clearance seems problematic, and the width of the chuck will make it hard to sneak the holes in behind the face frame.

[Pat Barry]

I went to Menards after work and found this Hitachi flex attachment for my Makita. It works very good for what I needed. The collet is only about 1/2" diameter so it got nicely into the corner, maybe a little over 1/4 from the corner. It was only $11.99. This one wouldn't quite make a 90 degree turn but that was ok for my task today.
Thanks Sean!
335318

[Pat Barry]

Lights off:
335319

Lights on:
335320

Getting close now, just need to install the glass, clean up the wiring, buff it out with some wax and install the knobs for the upper and lower doors.

[Sean Hughto]

Great looking cabinet!

[Pat Barry]

Thanks Sean! Its been in work for quite a while. Way too long actually/

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Nice work! Looking great!
I was thinking push drill, too, but I've never seen one go out to 3/16" bits