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There's a Better Way - Fine Homebuilding Reader Quick Tips

Drilling out a 1-1/2 inch deadbolt hole to a new 2-1/8 inch hole

By simven, member

I recently had to install a new 21/8 deadbolt in an old 11/2 inch hole.  I was going to cut a plug with my 11/2 inch saw but I realized it would be sloppy in the hole.  Instead, I just screwed my 11/2 inch saw onto the mandrel inside my 21/8 inch saw and used the smaller saw as a guide for the larger hole saw.  It worked perfectly!

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  1. DanMorrison | Aug 12, 2010 05:03pm | #1

    Great tip simven. Much easier than cutting a plywood template and aligning it properly each time you want to make a new hole.

    This could stay assembled and live in a remodeler's tool box because this sort of thing comes up over and over again.

    Thanks,
    Dan

  2. Ron_Trebbi | Aug 25, 2010 10:42pm | #2

    I like this idea too ... wouldn't have thought of it ... I've only ever done it like Dan ... GREAT IDEA!!!!

    Ron

  3. ramblingroad | Oct 03, 2010 12:55pm | #3

    This is a very helpful idea. Beats trying to hold the larger hole saw steady long enough to start the cut with no drill bit as reference. Thanks.

  4. cowtown | Oct 09, 2010 12:38am | #4

    I think you'll find that Starret makes what they call a "boo-boo" arbour to handle exactly this kind of situation.

    Now, if only they'd made a device to make the hole smaller!!!

    Eric

  5. Canuckaluckchuck | Aug 15, 2011 02:35am | #5

    Good one....Thanks

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  10. chasnune | Jan 08, 2012 05:56pm | #10

    I like this idea very much. I'm about to do the same thing for a client. After screwing around with a cut plug it dawned on me to turn a plug on my lath. I can get the plug as tight as I need and with some glue I'll be good to go.

    However, I will try this first before I slip in the lath plug.

    thanks,
    Chas

  11. BobJ57 | Apr 18, 2012 05:15pm | #11

    Excellent, thanks for the tip.
    Bob

  12. User avater
    OwenLowe | Jul 01, 2015 02:35am | #12

    Its length may be somewhere a loose point

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