The Best Tools for Drilling Big Holes

When plumbers and electricians need to drill a large hole in framing lumber or other material?to make way for pipes and wiring?they usually opt for a self-feed bit (above). Such bits max out at a diameter of about 4 inches. Another choice for the pros is the auger bit, which can drill holes about half that size. Holesaws present a third option, though they can be problematic, which I address below.

The last part of your question tells me that you understand an important, basic fact about using these bits: It takes a big drill with lots of torque to spin them. Plumbers and electricians use specialized tools with the chuck at a right angle to the motor. The 90-degree design allows what is known as a joist drill, or a stud-and-joist drill, to fit between wall studs and floor joists while driving the stubby self-feed bit. A popular version of the tool is the Milwaukee Hole Hawg (great name, eh?), an 11?-pound machine with a long piece of pipe for a handle. More advanced versions of these drills have a clutch that prevents them from breaking your arm if the bit grinds to a halt and the torque transfers to the handle. Note: The Hole Hawg does not have a clutch; if you're concerned about this, opt for Milwaukee's Super Hawg, which has a clutch in the low-speed setting.

So, can a standard ?-inch drill power a self-feed bit? Maybe. Your drill will certainly get a workout?and you may risk frying the motor?if you use a bit larger than 2 inches. Any bit bigger than that probably dictates that you rent a more powerful drill; ditto if you're going to be cutting a lot of holes. Even so, this type of drilling is tough work. Take your time, and be sure to use a 12-gauge heavy-duty extension cord.

That brings us to holesaws. Certainly one of these bits can bore through framing lumber, especially when chucked into a ?-inch drill. But holesaws have some drawbacks. Their shape and cutting action don't eject chips and sawdust, so you have to repeatedly back out the saw to clear debris. That makes a holesaw slower in thick material than a self-feed bit. You also need to pry out the plug of wood that the saw creates. Better-quality holesaws have stepped slots in their body to make removing the plug easier.

Be sure to gauge the size and position of any hole you drill so that it doesn't damage the framing lumber. The International Residential Code allows a hole that's up to 40 percent of the width of a stud in load-bearing walls or 60 percent in nonbearing walls. (That translates to holes of 1? inches or 2? inches.) In either case, the hole should not be closer than ? inch to the lumber's edge.

Those are the basics. For a more detailed take on the topic, have a look at the Western Wood Products Association's notching and boring guide online.

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