12 year project or folly...

[BillJ]

This is my project that I started when turned sixty (folks said I was crazy - just maybe they were right) and I am finally back on track (I hope). Had to take of some years to tend to aging parents, etc. and in that time it turned into a junk storage place. I stick built the place pretty much by myself as I could afford to pay for the materials. I had to work to get the outside cosmetically OK so the neighbors would not howl too much.

It is essentially a pole barn using 6 x 6 posts and 2 x 6's. I used plywood on the sides to add strength and rigidity. I have 220 to a breaker box in the building. now I need to do the wiring for the outlets and for the lights so I can close up the walls.

My question is what is the best and safest way for a seventy two year old guy to drill the 6 X 6 posts so I can run the wiring for the outlets?

At one point I thought about closing up the walls and then running the outlets externally using conduit and boxes, but on second thought that looks like a ridiculously expensive option.

I am looking for suggestions for what a single individual on a limited budget can do to move this thing forward.

I am hoping to make some significant progress on it this summer.

All suggestions will be welcomed.

 

[fivespdcat]

Drilling 6x6? A good powerful 18v and an auger bit. I have a Bosch and it cut threw them like butter!

 

[beelsr]

well, my father-in-law is 71 and he's still as tough as nails. He started his dream house at 60+ as well. What he'd use is his Milwaukee right-angle drill with an auger bit. In fact, he did just this last week on the last room in the house.

You just get the auger screwpoint started and then you can lay the handle end down on the ground and use the floor/wall as a brace and avoid the whole twist your hand off your arm torque reaction effect.

If you don't have one, I bet your local Ace or tool rental place will have one. Lay out your wiring on paper/draw it on the walls and you could drill all the holes you need in a few hours.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

Why drill the 6x6's? Drill thru the 2x6 horizontals in the picture since you are going to cover them anyway. Do your runs in the ceiling. Depending upon the spacing of the 6x6's and your outlet spacing this may be easier.

ArkTinkerer

 

[gorilla]

Harbor Freight has a knock off of the right angle Milwaukee Hole Hog for about $100.00. I needed to drill about 30 7/8" inch holes in some steel I beams and it worked well for that. IMHO it's the right tool for the job.

 

[Falcon67]

You could also consider using MC cable on the surface - much less than conduit. Otherwise as noted above - use a good angle bit on a 1/2" drill and get a Irwin speed bit set and it'll chew right through.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...=-1&keyword=irwin+speed+bit+set&storeId=10051

I used these on my build for cable runs. These go through a 2x4 in seconds. 4 2x4s in a few seconds. Blasts through a double top plate.

 

[matouse3]

I agree with the right angle if you swing it. Get a couple bits and change them once you hit a nail (and you will).
I also used my 18V impact driver with great success. It is shorter than my standard drill so it fits in the stud wall easier. The impact action helps too.

 

[John in OH]

well, my father-in-law is 71 and he's still as tough as nails. He started his dream house at 60+ as well. What he'd use is his Milwaukee right-angle drill with an auger bit. In fact, he did just this last week on the last room in the house.

You just get the auger screwpoint started and then you can lay the handle end down on the ground and use the floor/wall as a brace and avoid the whole twist your hand off your arm torque reaction effect.

If you don't have one, I bet your local Ace or tool rental place will have one. Lay out your wiring on paper/draw it on the walls and you could drill all the holes you need in a few hours.

^+1 regarding the right-angle drill and the auger bit. As beelsr says, once you get the screw point of the auger bit started it will essentially pull itself through the 6x6 with no effort on your part except keeping the drill motor supported. Don't use the speed bits (spade bits) as they take way too much effort to force through and they can sometimes catch and nearly jerk the drill motor out of your hands ... and then the bit shank is bent and you have to throw it away.

Actually, since your 6x6s are probably spaced far apart you may be able to get by with a normal straight 1/2" drill motor rather than going to the expense of buying a right-angle drill. But definitely go with the auger bits.

 

[Falcon67]

I agree with the right angle if you swing it. Get a couple bits and change them once you hit a nail (and you will).
I also used my 18V impact driver with great success. It is shorter than my standard drill so it fits in the stud wall easier. The impact action helps too.

FWIW - I found that my 1/2" corded Craftsman drill worked 100x better than my 19.2V impact or regular drill. I marked all my holes first, used a 25' cord from the one hot outlet and started makin' chips like crazy till it was all done. I punched about 70 holes without stopping.

 

[KEH]

I used metal conduit on the inside walls of a concrete block building. However, in your case it looks to me like a regular drill would fit beside the 6 x 6 posts.

KEH

 

[trbomax]

Why drill the 6x6's? Drill thru the 2x6 horizontals in the picture since you are going to cover them anyway. Do your runs in the ceiling. Depending upon the spacing of the 6x6's and your outlet spacing this may be easier.

ArkTinkerer

^^^^^^ This.I would never drill the posts,and I dont think there is anyplace where code would allow it anyway. Even if you are scabbing the job in and there is no permit/inspection,dont do it.

 

[camarotoolman]

Any average size drill with a sharp or new bit should go right through a6x6. You might need to get a bit with a longer shank, but thats no big deal.

 

[BD1]

How many switches and or outlets are we talking ? As far as 6x6's go ,I would
run it right on the face . If you run conduit just add a 1x6 above and below.
If you use romex, run on face and dado out 1x6 and screw to 6x6. You could use multi layers of drywall too. I don't like drilling the 6x6.

 

[ForceFed70]

Auger drill bit. You have lots of room, no need for the right-angle drill.

I wouldn't bother with a cordless. Do all your holes at once and run an extension cord.

 

[cyamaha2007]

Drilling the post with a auger bit will be pretty easy. My angle drill has a handle that is removable a piece of 3/4 black iron pipe fits the thread so you can thread a longer handle for better control. My kit supplier said it was ok to drill as many 1in holes through a 6x6 as long as they were spaced by 6in vertically and in the center of the post left and right. He said holes side by side were a no no. He also said when "jumping the corner" do space holes 9in vertically. Mine was really easy to do w/o a angle drill just dont use a bit that is dull i did and it makes it 10 times harder of coarse. I had to drill 21 posts in 5 places so thats 105 holes that i did with a single bit. I should of changed bit at 75 holes. Just take it slow and im sure you can do it with the corded drill you already have. I used a coat hanger as a fish tape to "jump the corner"

 

[kbs2244]

Milwaukee make something they call a Hole Hog.
A designed to be right angle drill.
A super tool.
If you want to drill, I would rent one with the screw tip auger bits.

But I would just use a circular saw to cut a notch in the face and cover the notch with nail guard plates after running the wire.

 

[BillJ]

Thank you for the great responses; it is always good to bounce ideas off of others and take advantage of their experience and knowledge.

I have decided to do the drill thing as recommended by many of you. I had forgotten about the Hole Hawgs ( I remember seeing them in the tool room at a Tech school where I once worked, ages ago). So today I did the Craigs List thing and got lucky. I found one; it is not pretty, but it works and everything is here and I got it for $99.00. Now I just need to get some new bits and and wait for cooler weather (104 here today).

I now have another question. How many pieces of Romex can I pass through a one inch hole safely and meet code?

Again, thanks for all of the help and support.

 

[cyamaha2007]

please dont shoot me but i think one.

 

[BillJ]

Thanks, cyamaha.

I don't want to do any thing that is either stupid or that I have to re do.

 

[beelsr]

one or two, i think but best to go ask in the electrical forum, to be sure.

 

[cyamaha2007]

Ok i have some more info for you. The wire cannot be within 1 and 1/4 inches of the surface of the post with out nail protection. This shouldnt be a issue with a 6x6. I read the nec and asked my brother who does residential wiring for a living, he said you can pass as many wires that will fit through the hole with out the insulation becoming under compression. He said this is that case until the wires are "bundled" This is when the wires are tight to each other for more than 24 inches. To avoid being in a bundling class you could use "cable stackers". This is what i did and it made for a clean install. heres a link to what i used http://www.idealindustries.com/media/img/product/medium/BPSTCKR-15.jpg

 

[ForceFed70]

I now have another question. How many pieces of Romex can I pass through a one inch hole safely and meet code?

Again, thanks for all of the help and support.

Warning! Canada Code (which seems to be 99% the same as US, but you never know).

I asked my inspector the exact same question. The answer isn't simple.

Basically, he said that there is no code for how many pieces of romex can or cannot go through a hole (a hole, not conduit).

He said the concern is friction burning off the jacket when pulling the 2nd, 3rd, etc cable. Generally, he said 2 in a hole is best practice but 3 is OK if it's just a short pull. If he is inspecting a building with 3 or more cables sharing a hole he starts looking very closely at the romex jacket to make sure it's still intact. If he sees any holes in the jacket he'll make you pull a new cable.

It's suprising easy to wear through the jacket of 1 piece of romex just by pulling another across it. I ended up doing this several times in my shop. Most of the time it happened when trying to put 3 cables in the same hole, but once it happened with just 2 cables sharing a hole and the 2nd cable was a long run.

If putting multiple cables through the same hole, try to pull them all at the same time to avoid this problem.

 

[MrMark]

The right angle Milwaukee would be a lot easier to control even if you have the room. It's pretty much an essential tool for plumbing or electrical. I wouldn't be able to do much without it. You can get them for 100 on CL. It's easier to hang onto the right angle drill because you brace it on your thigh. Easy peasey. If a heavy 1/2" straight drill catches it will hurt you. I consider the 1/2" drill a tool to respect.

There are a couple std sizes for romex pulling. 3/4 or 7/8 with augers, I like the Milwaukee augers. No strict rules on # per hole but this is what makes some sense: 2 for a 3/4 hole and 3 for a 7/8 hole. I don't usually drill 1" holes. Smaller is generally better with holes.

 

[Norcal]

Milwaukee make something they call a Hole Hog.
A designed to be right angle drill.
A super tool.
If you want to drill, I would rent one with the screw tip auger bits.

But I would just use a circular saw to cut a notch in the face and cover the notch with nail guard plates after running the wire.

It is actually called a "Hole Hawg". They were a great tool, but since they are ChiCom built, have no idea on quality now, the old ones were 3/4 horse w/ gear reduction so if a user hits a knot & not paying attention they will have some sore knuckles.