Tried to use a 2-inch spade bit on a 1x4 and it blew out the back

Was building a simple planter box in my garage. Drilled a hole for drainage with my new Bosch bit. The wood just splintered completely on the exit side. Learned you need a backer board or to drill from both ends on thin stock. Anyone have a better method for clean holes in pine?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jake23d ago

Oh man, been there. I ruined a whole shelf piece doing the exact same thing with a 1 1/2 inch bit. The backer board trick is solid, but I've also had good luck just putting a piece of scrap plywood under the work piece. Clamp it down and it catches the blowout.

olivia_hernandez23d ago

That whole idea of putting something sacrificial underneath to protect the good stuff... it's everywhere once you start looking. Like using a cutting board so you don't ruin the counter, or laying down a drop cloth before you paint. It's all about making the mistake happen in the cheap, replaceable layer instead of the thing you actually care about. Kind of a smart way to live, really. Lets you work without being so scared of messing up.

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noah91423d ago

Read an article once that said to drill most of the way through, then flip it and finish from the other side. That way the bit's point can find the starter hole and the tear-out happens in the middle where it doesn't matter. The backer board is easier for a bunch of holes, but for a single hole in a planter box, the flip method is pretty clean. Just have to be careful lining it up on the second pass.