Peep-hole installation

[skeezix]

I know this is probably a very stupid question. But I have to ask. I installed a Peep hole in my front door years ago and I had the hardest time drilling a straight hole all the way through. Do you guys know any tricks to drilling a straight hole all the way through a door? Thanks.

[Phelps]

You mean to tell me that you can't drill a straight enough (level and perpendicular to the door facing) hole through a distance of only 1 3/4 inches?

The way I do it is I first use a sharp thin drill bit for a starter hole. Then I upsize to nearly the size hole for the peep hole...but about 1/8 inch undersize, about. Then I use my cone shaped reaming tool.

Why do I do this? Well...this is for those foam core steel doors. Since a standard peephole has only like 1/16 inch lip on it...if your drill corkscrews through the thin sheetskin of the door, oblong...you are f***ed (or you have to buy the big lipped version) So I prefer to undersize drill it and hone it true with that cone shaped metal cutting tool that goes in your drill. You can buy at home centers.

[skeezix]

Nope, I can't drill straight to save my life, but I can shoot straight, maybe I should shoot a pilot hole with a .223 (hmm... my across the street neighbor wouldn't be happy though.)

I may have found another solution today. Sears sells a drill guide for about $25 bux and it basically turns your cordless drill into a mini portable drill press. And I like your idea of drilling undersized hole and using a reaming tool to fine-tuning the edge. Thanks.

[Phelps]

Is it one of those steel skinned doors or a wood one or ?.

If steel, do not overtighten the peep hole either, as the core is not solid there and you can dimple it in, by overtightening.

When I mentioned about 'corkscrewing' in my earlier post: What happens is that with a standard drill bit, because to the spacing of the spiral, you can actually create and oblong hole even when you think you are hoding the drill tight! It has to do with how the drill bit spirals it's way through the thin metal. The metal is thinner than the spiral cut in the drill. That is why. So by undersize driling it..if it gets oblong a little, the reaming bit will make it round again. The reaming bit I have is like 1/2 inch maximum diameter (maybe a little more) and comes to a cone tip at the end and is only about 1 inch long...and then the shaft of it, of course.