I am trying to install a vent for a fan and have to drill the 4″ hole through a 2 x 10 header then old exterior drywall/stucco combo then another 2 x 10 from a deck header. Oh and there is the stucco lathe. A wood bit will get toasted quick. a masonry bit will not make it through the wood and I can not get a cutout tool or a router into the access space. Any ideas?
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You have a wood sandwich with the stucco/lath as the cold cuts, right?
Get a 4" bi-metal hole saw, drill first from the inside, taking the plug(s) out of the header. Stop at the hard stuff. Chuck up a masonry bit the same size as the hole saw pilot and go thru the stucco. Chuck up a regular (long) wood bit the same size as the hole saw pilot and go the rest of the way thru the deck header. Chuck up the 4" hole saw again and go outside, find the pilot hole and take the plug(s) out of the deck header. This leaves the hard stuff. Bash out the stucco with hammer and cold chisel and then run the hole saw thru to clean it up. You'll probably end up with a dull hole saw but you'll have a pretty neat hole. Just make sure that the vent pipe will fit thru a 4" hole before you waste time drilling an undersized hole. And measure twice if there's a possibility you could be placing the hole into the end of a deck joist.<G>