Enlarging a hole for a deadbolt

[willshak]

That's the best, and easiest, solution so far.

[Joe Fabeitz]

[Sam Schmenk]

I've also used this method with success. Make a little jig from scrap ply with a stop for correct backset, bore hole in it, and clamp to door. If you're like me, layout a horizontal center on door edge and jig so you can align both sides of the door accurately. AND remember, most lock sets allow some margin of error. You're lucky if you won't have to fool with filling the old lock mortise in. I spent 3 hrs last weekend retrofitting a Schlage unit to a mortised skeleton key setup. It was funny... Prepping the stock, fitting, and gluing up the mortise was easy, but matching the small unfinished areas of a 100 year old oak door took the majority of my time.

[firstjois]

[snip]

[snip]

I found the article, just a snippet, really - "The Family Handyman" October

2004. pp 19. It syas to use two hole saws, the pilot saw the same diameter os the existing hole and the larger hole saw (the correct size) - install both. Go slowly until the pilot saw aligns the larger.

Looks soooo easy,

Josie

[Doug Kanter]

Really makes you want to slap the bejeezus out of whomever designed lock packaging containing the words "Easy Installation!" :-) Nothing in home repair is as quick as we wish it would be.

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Use your 2 1/8" holesaw to drill a hole through a short piece of a 2X6 or similar, then clamp that on the door so the drilled hole lines up with where you need the new hole in the door. The (dare I say it) predrilled 2 1/8" hole will act as a guide for the holesaw.

[chibiabos]

Yep.

-chib

[Upscale]

Using a saber

My hole saw setup lets a person attach two hole saws to one mandrel. In effect there's one hole saw inside a bigger one. Could you do something like that ~ put a hole saw for the existing sized hole inside the bigger one you actually want?

[dadiOH]

Got a router? Got a 3/8 cutter with a 1/4 shank? Extend the bit so it cuts the underside of the hole about 1/2 the thickness of the wood. Use the shank of the bit to run around the top edge of the hole. You have now enlarged the diameter of the bottom half of the hole by 1/8. Turn the door over, set the bit so it cuts what wasn't cut before. Repeat until the enlarged part of the hole is the correct diameter then switch to a 1/4 bit and trim the rest of the hole flush with the enlarged part.

Takes more time to tell than do, makes a nice vertical hole.

-- dadiOH _____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.0... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[Doug Kanter]

Yet ANOTHER good idea! I don't think about my router at times like this because frankly, I'm not that skilled with it. Out comes the scrap wood for practice purposes.......

[Eric Ryder]

That would work with the el-cheapo stack holesaw sets, but ain't gonna make it with my Lennox set.

[Jeff Cochran]

Tack a 1/4" piece of plywood across the hole, use a hole saw to drill the new hole. Plywood acts as a guide, pull the tacks and a few tiny holes to putty and repaint.

Jeff

[Clark Griswold]

Just *jam* a piece of wood in the hole. Drill your new hole.

[Dan Lanciani]

| > [snip] | >

| > I found the article, just a snippet, really - "The Family Handyman" | > October | > 2004. pp 19. It syas to use two hole saws, the pilot saw the same | > diameter | > os the existing hole and the larger hole saw (the correct size) - install | > both. Go slowly until the pilot saw aligns the larger. | >

| > Looks soooo easy, | >

| > Josie | >

| >

| >

| >

| | That would work with the el-cheapo stack holesaw sets, but ain't gonna make | it with my Lennox set.

The Starrett Oops arbor will fit your Lennox saws (as well as Milwaukee and Blu-Mol). It seems very handy in concept, though I admit that I have not opened it since I bought it...

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

[Joe Fabeitz]

1) Remove door from hinges and lay it horizontally on the table of your drill press. Support the outer portions of the door with a platform made of 2 x 4s and plywood (or OSB) left over from previous projects. 2) Adjust the height of this platform to match the height of your drill press table so the door is level. 3) Apply wide duct tape (or masking tape left over from a previous painting project) to the underside of the door hole, making sure to seal the tape around the hole in preparation for the next step. 4) Create a mixture of "Bondo" and wood chips recovered from your shop dust collection system. If you have recently cleaned out the dust collection system and don't have enough chips you may substitute 1/2 lb. of toothpicks run through your office shredder. (Many folks don't realize this little "trick of the trade"). 5) When it is about the consistency of toothpaste (Crest), pour it into the old hole, making sure to completely fill the opening. 6) When this 'plug" has set up, drill your damn hole!

[Mike Reed]

You keep your used masking tape from previous projects? Seems strange that you're into saving stuff like that, but then want to waste some bondo and a 1/2 lb. of toothpicks to fill a hole that you're about to remove.

The best solution I read in the original thread was to cut the new size hole in a scrap of plywood. Clamp this over the old hole, and use it for a guide. Cut halfway through, then flip the door over and repeat from the other side. You can ensure correct placement for the back cut by placing alignment marks on some masking tape (new or old) on the door edge and on the plywood, then matching them up on the other side.

Waiting for Bondo to set? You're obviously charging by the hour. It certainly would work reliably though...

-Mike

[Mike Reed]

You keep your used masking tape from previous projects? Seems strange that you're into saving stuff like that, but then want to waste some bondo and a 1/2 lb. of toothpicks to fill a hole that you're about to remove.

The best solution I read in the original thread was to cut the new size hole in a scrap of plywood. Clamp this over the old hole, and use it for a guide. Cut halfway through, then flip the door over and repeat from the other side. You can ensure correct placement for the back cut by placing alignment marks on some masking tape (new or old) on the door edge and on the plywood, then matching them up on the other side.

Waiting for Bondo to set? You're obviously charging by the hour. It certainly would work reliably though...

-Mike

[Doug Kanter]

A (very young) guy at Home Depot suggested that I just try and hold the larger hole saw really steady, and that hopefully, once it bit in 1/4" or so, the wood would guide it. Obviously, his dad never taught him the meaning of "cob job". :-)

I really appreciate all the GOOD suggestions here, by the way. Now, I'm waiting for the hardware store guy to key the new locks alike, and I'll select the most exciting idea from the list!

[Joe Fabeitz]

[Doug Kanter]

Worst idea so far - my son's. He suggested I try enlarging the hole with a curved rasp. I told him "knock yourself out - just set aside the entire morning". He changed his mind. He emphasized that ***I*** was to do the work.