Need some ideas-- Need to make a hole in an electric box that is in the wall

[George Bokros]

to add a feed for some under cabinet lighting. How would you do it? These are Bakelite boxes. I do not want to make a hole in the drywall that I need to patch if at all possible.

I thought of a Dewalt right angle drill adapter with a stubby drill bit but it seems that it is a little large to get in the box and the largest stubby drill I can find is only 5/16.

Ideas, thoughts??

Thanks

[Jamie Buxton]

Can you approach the box from the other side of the wall?
Or can you get to a box which is further away, but in an area where you are willing to patch?

[George Bokros]

Can you approach the box from the other side of the wall?
Or can you get to a box which is further away, but in an area where you are willing to patch?

Cannot get to the boxes from other side of the wall in two of the three boxes. I am not totally adverse to patching the wall just want to avoid it if possible.

[Bill Dufour]

I believe Dremel makes a right angle head or they make right angle die grinders. A aircraft pancake drill or pancake adapter will allow you to drill out a ring of small holes. Also known as porkchop drill. I have never seen a threaded drill bigger a then 3/8" bit
Bill D.

ARO and Jiffy are big names in the aircraft drill industry

[Jim Morgan]

Drill through the back of the box.

[keith micinski]

I frequently am able to drill holes in soft and hard plastic boxes with a normal drill and a 1/2 inch spade bit. Why can’t you get a hole in the back of one of the sides at a slight angle?

[andy bessette]

Use a long (~12") drill bit to drill through the side or bottom of the box, on an angle. This gets the drill motor out of the way.

[Bill Dufour]

soldering iron?

[rudy de haas]

Unless you have a reason to keep the existing box you can just break it up to get it off and replace it. The only tricky part would be the removal of the existing screws and fastening the new box by driving new screws in at a steep angle.

Make sure the power is off :)

[Tom M King]

I use a long, 1/2" twist drill that I've had so long I forget where it came from.

[Michael Pyron]

Unless you have a reason to keep the existing box you can just break it up to get it off and replace it. The only tricky part would be the removal of the existing screws and fastening the new box by driving new screws in at a steep angle.

Make sure the power is off :)

???

most every single plastic electrical box I've seen is fastened to the stud with 2 nails that are pre-attached to the box...what I do to remove them with sheetrock present is to first pry it off the stud to get a smidgen of space, then use a sawzall to carefully cut the fasteners coming from the middle of the box and working to the nails...of course this leaves the issue of where the nails are attached to the box, but geometrically one can rotate the box out then replace it with a remodel box.

as noted, make sure the breaker is thrown off and one would be wise to carefully inspect the wires to make sure they didn't get nicked

[keith micinski]

The bake light ones actually break up pretty easy and you don't have to get a second tool out, but again if all you need is a hole to run cabinet lighting any bit over 5-6 long will do the trick

[keith micinski]

Plus introducing a sawzaw blade to those nails when someone could have stapled the wires anywhere around the box and you can’t really see them doesn’t sound like a particularly good idea to me.

[Lee Schierer]

If you have an oscillating tool, get one of these blades and grind off the little wings on the end of the cutting edge until you get a narrow blade.
387960

[Michael Pyron]

Plus introducing a sawzaw blade to those nails when someone could have stapled the wires anywhere around the box and you can’t really see them doesn’t sound like a particularly good idea to me.


point taken and I obviously forgot to mention I have some very old blades that are really short that I use for this task (never seen any like them in the stores and they came with the sawzall I got at a pawn shop 30 years ago...said Milwuakee tool was all metal and literally almost as old as I am (55 years old))...to keep total control one can also of course use one of those hacksaw blade tools used by hand and make sure not to allow the blade to get above or below the box...

either way, getting rid of the existent box and replacing with another seems like the logical course of action

[Tom M King]

Here's a bit like I use. I drill the hole in the corner next to the stud, being as careful as possible not to let it break through any more than needed, to lessen the chance of hitting a wire. There are thin fiberglass "pulling rods" sold in different lengths, with a small eye on one end. By drilling the hole next to the stud, the pulling rod will run along the stud, bypassing insulation bats if they're in there. I use the rod to pull a line back into the box, and then the line to pull the wire, with the attachment streamlined as much as possible onto the wire with 33+, so it will ride over any bump.

Once the wire is in the box, I seal around it, in the new hole, with fire caulking.

I like to redo all the wiring in the box rather than just add the new one somewhere. If the device looks like its a couple of decades old, it a good time to replace that too.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1-2-in-x-12-in-Black-Oxide-Drill-Bit-DW1614-G/202579649

[George Bokros]

Thanks for all the ideas. I to bite the bullet and cut a hole in the wall and drill the hole needed to get the new wire into the box to run the power for under cabinet lights.

[Tom M King]

I just drill the hole in the box corner, from the inside of the box, with the device out. I wouldn't cut a hole in the wall if you don't absolutely have to.

[Bernie May]

cut up the bakelite box with tin snips and pull the nails. Use one of these remodel boxes.
Madison Electric Products MSB1G One Gang Device Box with Depth Adjustable

[George Bokros]

cut up the bakelite box with tin snips and pull the nails. Use one of these remodel boxes.
Madison Electric Products MSB1G One Gang Device Box with Depth Adjustable

I am surprised you could cut one with tin snips. Seems thicker than I would think you could cut with snips. I like those boxes, have never seen them usually just the ones with the wings that grip the drywall.

[Tim Hoyt]

Just destroy the existing box, which shouldn't be difficult and get a old work box of whatever size you need. the most difficult part of the endeavor will be threading all the wires into the new box. Spend some time straightening out the wires prior to removing from box, it's time well spent. Can't figure out what an old work box is? Call an electrician...

[Mike Heidrick]

The bakealite not have the tab like holes like blue boxes have?

[George Bokros]

The bakealite not have the tab like holes like blue boxes have?

You have to break out the plug for the wire entry with a hammer and screw driver or punch. My understanding is sometimes the box shatters when you do that.

[Adam Bullington]

Turn the power off label any existing wires pull them out of the box "break or pry loose the existing box go to the big box store get a remodel box with the tabs that secures it to the drywall instead of the studs insert new and old wires and your done.

[Bill Dufour]

cut up the bakelite box with tin snips and pull the nails. Use one of these remodel boxes.
Madison Electric Products MSB1G One Gang Device Box with Depth Adjustable



AFAIK those only work with drywall. My walls are button board and plaster too thick for such an easy fix. I would expect lath and plaster to also be too thick.

[lowell holmes]

I think Adam nailed it.:)

[George Bokros]

cut up the bakelite box with tin snips and pull the nails. Use one of these remodel boxes.
Madison Electric Products MSB1G One Gang Device Box with Depth Adjustable

Bernie, Thanks for the product recommendation. I just ordered 3 two gang boxes for my kitchen remodel.

[Peter Stahl]

When I replace a box it's usually to go from a single to a double but here's how I do it. I pry the box away from the stud just enough to get a hacksaw blade or sawzall (which I prefer) and cut the nails holding it. Push it into the wall, pull the wires out then pull it out through the hole or just leave it in the wall. I use a old work box like the picture I attached, they have the screws inside the box. HD sells them or go to a electrical supply.

[Mark Kanof]

If you are going to go the route of breaking out the box and replacing with a remodel box, you might want to consider these:

http://www.aifittings.com/catalog/specialty-boxes/one-box-non-metallic-outlet-boxes/F101

They have two drywall type screws set at an angle on the inside side of the box, so you can slip them into the existing hole, next to the stud, and screw them into the stud. I find these to be a lot better than the typical remodel box with the little tabs that just never seems to fit in place as tight as I would like and sometimes the front part of those tabs prevents the switch plate from sitting flush to the wall depending on type of switch plate you are using.

[johnny means]

This is exactly what a professional would do to replace an existing box. Shouldn't the breaker already be off?

[Floyd Mah]

If what you want is to make a hole to feed a wire into or out of the plastic (Bakelite) box, there are several methods that would work.
. Long drill
. Short drill with hex drive and a flexible extension.
. Dremel tool or similar with a cutting bit. Or you can use the rotary tool to drill a series of holes and then smooth them with the rasp bit.

By the way, Harbor Freight sells stubby drills that go up to 1". Better hurry before the Trumpariffs take hold and make them 25% more expensive.

Actually, I don't see what the big deal is. It's a plastic box. Nothing can be easier to cut. If you make a mistake and the hole is bigger than you want, you can glue or wedge in a metal patch with the exact hole size. That might be recommended in any case if you are concerned about keeping all the electrical stuff inside the box. Your only catastrophe is that you blow the box up with the wrong tool. In that case, metal patch again or Bondo.