Need Construction Advice - Installing Outlets in Existing Wall
 

My current project is remodeling a 95yr old kitchen.

Issue: I'm Installing counter height electrical outlets (3) and I've already cut out the holes for the outlet boxes and I'm now running the Romex wire. On two of the outlets, it's not a straight path to the bottom sill plate. In the middle is a "not fire break but rather a diagonal support". I need to drill a hole thru this diagonal 2x4 for the wire, but my long drill bit wants to slip to the very lower corner. I want to drill in the center.

Hope that makes sense. I have access to under the house but the space below the wall sill is only about a foot, so a long drill bit from underneath is not an option. I was thinking of using a short drill bit with sever extensions until I reach the diagonal support.

I'm hoping that I don't have to open the wall, but I will if I have too. It's lath & plaster so not as simple as cutting out a section of drywall. But, if I have to cut out, it will be covered by cabinets in the long run.

Just checking with the brain trust here as many have more expertise than me.

Could you put a string around a chunk of wood and drop it on the diagonal support so the bit bangs into it and then drills straight?

Bit with a screw tip?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eagle-Tool-US-Auger-Style-3-4-in-x-24-in-Cable-Installer-Bit/1001438804

Depending on your access and angle of attack, one thing you can do is get a hole saw and substitute a longer bit for the pilot bit. With some patience you can get the pilot to start in the angled brace and the hole saw will follow. If the pilot bit wants to keep skipping down the brace, start with a small enough bit or even a nail, punch or some way to make enough of a nick to get a bit to want to stay there.

Seems to me there was a bit with 3 nasty looking points that if started sorta near perpendicular that once the self threading lead got into the wood you could rock it back to as much as 45º and it would do it. Look for Diablo SPEEDemon, but that's not the one I have. They may have taken it off the market because it was unruly and somewhat dangerous if you didn't anticipate all kinds of binding and kickback. Brutal tool.

Are the lower cabinets in? Can't you cut away the plaster?

I think with the aggressive spade bit you can chew up the surface of the diagonal piece enough to get something for the bit to catch on and drill into.

Now that's a smart option - I hadn't thought of that - thanks!

No cabinets at this point, just a bare wall. I may have to cut into the wall for access but I was hoping to avoid that since it's plaster and not as easy to patch. But, If I can't figure out how to drill a hole from the top or bottom, I will do that.

I like the drop a block idea.

Failing that, you could drill a little hole in the wall, just big enough to slip in a stick or bar or something to block the drill bit from slipping.

That's what I'm currently doing but the screw tip wants to hit the corner vs. the middle due to the 45-degree angle of the cross brace. If it was a simple horizontal fire break, it would be no problem.

I'll see what I can do tonight. I might try hammer tapping the spade bit with screw tip before attaching to the drill. The current spinning action just wants to move down to the corner.

I would cut the plaster where the brace is and either notch it or jump over it. If it's hidden by cabinets, no need to patch, spray foam, cut flush after it dries.

A flexible auger with screw tip…go in from the outlet hole and angle it “uphill”. I have had the exact scenario and this worked.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1753830232.png

Another great idea! Thanks

If no cabinets are in I think you would be more efficient to just remove the drywall, address what is needed, then screw in new drywall. Go big with the removal and the larger replacement pieces are easier.

This.
If it’s covered up anyway go for the fastest solution.

Drilling the hole near center of the diagonal bracing is the easy part, fishing the wire through will cause you to learn how to cuss properly. May I suggest you take a 2.5" hole saw and drill through the plaster right where the bracing is and use a spade bid to cut out a small flat hole to fish the Romex through. This way, you can actual see where the wire is coming through and guild it through the hole or flat spot you created with the spade bit. Install nail plate, cover hole with mesh and plaster if you want to go purist route. I like Fix-All for stuff like this. Or cut out a piece of drywall with the same holesaw and screw in place, patch with Fix All.

Cut a scrap of 2x4 to match the corner angle so that the other end is where you want to drill and tack it in place. When your bit slips to "the corner" it will be in the right place.

I’m going to revise my suggestion of dropping a board down the hole first and go with: get a chunk of wood that is long enough on one direction that it can’t turn in the wall, use your bit to drill through it, then drop the works into the wall and drill your hole.

The wood piece will hold the bit and you’ll be able to drill where it lands.

Start the hole by running the drill in reverse first to establish the drill point, then set to forward and continue.

I didn't do anything last night. I worked on a different project - I will tackle this tonight or this week for sure.

I did this kind of thing for a living for 50 years. It's always amusing to see the various answers. For instance, the one I quoted mentioned drywall and yet the OP stated it was lath and plaster.

For sure there are many ways to skin a cat. Placing another piece of wood in the cavity is not a bad idea, but just how is vague, so far. One thing to note is the plaster keys inside a L&P wall that you really don't want to break. The net dimension inside between the keys could be as little as 2.5 inches.

The one type of customer that more often that not that had suggestions on how to go about a task was usually an engineer. Just like doctors and lawyers, I avoided working for them.

Now there is really no absolute necessity to bore this hole straight in line with the studs. Romex (or NM-B as it is properly known) will snake though an angled hole. It will take some lube to do so.

It was not mentioned that many times once a hole is drilled in wood, a standard 2 flute twist bit can be rotated to widen the hole even giving it a "mouth."

I can think of half a dozen ways to fish a pull line into some very peculiar situations. If Jeff's (look171) suggestion is used there will be much less work running the cable. Likely the time and aggravation saved will be a lot more than a 2" patch.

Back in the days when wallpaper was popular I faced many situations where the wall surface could not be disturbed. So some method of getting through the various fire stops, blocking and bracing needed to be employed. In my days as a door and window contractor I did a lot of window opening cut-downs to install an exterior door. Almost every one had an electrical cable running under the window. Since an exterior light is required at all entries and the cable had to be reconnected, I can't count how many times I had to cut in an exterior light box and an interior switch which facilitated restoring that circuit. Of course there is blocking at every window both sides. I can say with confidence that I know how to do this and quickly. The goal was to complete each of these jobs in one day with no touch up required. That's exactly how it went down 99% of the time.

By the time these discussions have come to a reasonable conclusion I would have been done, paid and gone.

You might find this thread interesting: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/zekes-old-house-wiring-tip-1.256898/

Yep.

I know lots of people don't want to open up walls and are afraid to patch. Sometimes, that's the easiest solution. Getting a wire through a blind, small hole is difficult and frustrating. A hold saw will and should not screw up the lath behind there because of the blocking. Small patch and be done with it in couple hours. If you must drill through, get a augur bit and start drilling at an angle and straighten it as the bits pulls you through. That's if you have the room or long enough bit to do it. Many times, and I assume a wire is coming through the top plates to avoid patching?