How to question/ blind shelve supports

[Craig D Peltier]

Hi this Monday im installing a 100 inch 1 1/8 shelve beech 6 inch deep onto drywall inot the studs. I purchased these http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?offerings_id=17507&r=2 for the install. When im on site im going to have to find the studs an then mark them accordingly on back of shelve. This is where my question lies.
How would you drill the 7/16 inch holes 5 inch deep in the back and make sure its straight so you have a level shelve. I dont have a drill press, I dont have a drill guide. I have a drill with a regularr bit (brand new), a spade bit or forstner bit. My drill does have a level on the top of it. So the meat on each side of bit will be about 1/4 inch.

Thanks

[Bill Huber]

Here is some food for thought....

I could explain it if needed but I think you can see where I am going.
Some scrap plywood and a few other bits of scrap and I think it would work.

74499

[Grant Morris]

Put an ad on Craigslist offering $20 to use someones local drill press for a few minutes. You may well find a taker.

You could even go down to your local tool rental place and drop one of the guys $10-20 to do it for you.

Heck you can probably buy a used drill press for $40-60 from Craigslist.

Just make sure you have the correct spots marked on it before you start.

[Todd Burch]

If you have an auger (yes, a hand drill with auger bits), it would be quite easy. That's because augers are usually long, and for this solution, you'll need about 8"-9" of bit.

Make yourself a wooden 3"-4" deep bushing with your tablesaw. Make a 7/16" wide dado (or groove) in a board, 7/16" deep. then, glue another board over that to enclose the square hole. Then, wrap that with other wood pieces so you can clamp it in the center of the edge of your shelf board over your hole locations.

Another option would be to use a try square as a guide to hold your electric drill (or auger) at the correct angle. Set the fat leg of the try square on the edge of the shelf with the long edge up in the air. The longer the drill shank, the easier it is to keep it aligned (otherwise your drill motor body gets in the way and you have to abandon your guide part ways through the cut.

Next time you do a shelf like this, design it in the two pieces. The first piece mounts to the wall, and the shelf proper mounts to the piece you just bolted to the wall. Much simpler. The back of the shelf is hollowed out in a square "U" shape that fits over the wall piece. A few small nails on the top side and you are done.

Todd

[andy brown]

Hi,
When I drill out for door closers(similar idea) I think I would transfer that method to your shelf.

Clamp stuff to both sides of the shelf to discourage breakout by the drill. Stand the shelf vertically. Easier to see you're going straight in.
Tie a big washer to a piece of string and another washer on the other end and hang that on the shaft part of the bit. Now you know you're staying level when the string doesn't run up and down the bit! This is not an original thought by the way; I haven't had one of those for years.

I stick a bit of electrical tape round the bit to let me know when it's gone deep enough.

Andy.

[Craig D Peltier]

Thanks for the ideas, as usual alot of good help and experience.