Sounds like you have a plan that will work. All I can say is don't use the long flexible drill bits, and don't ask why I know:biggrin:


Tim.

 

I have one of those 4ft Flexible bits, I can imagine the damage they can cause. I heard of one guy drilling ceiling joists in the living room, the bit went up through the floor and through the front of a dresser.

 

Rackatiers sells a gadget that lets you make an extension of any length with threaded rod.

 

Thanks, I'll look at that.

 

I'd stay with the heavier bit, as you'll have more control with it. Can you lay the post on it's side? If you can, then level it, mark the center on each end, and start drilling. If you have someone that can monitor that your drill is going level and square (eye balling from the end) you should be good. Even using a string line ran down the long axis of the post, below it, and about 3' past it might help You should be able to drill both ends to the middle too, so long as you are square and level while drilling.
I saw it on Timber Kings where they had to drill something similar. Just remember there'll be a fair amount of torque on your bit if left to do the whole thing, so I'd be leaning to frequently pulling the bit out to clean it up.

 

Go with the 18" auger bit, I use one for log homes and they will stay straight, just keep an eye on it.

 

Another way to go, you could take it to a window & door shop. They have bits made for coring doors, they are used for electronic locks / strikes etc., those go to 48" - 54" for big doors. They are made to drill super straight so they don't ruin the doors.

 

This is the one, I couldn't remember the name, the Javelin

https://www.rack-a-tiers.com/product/the-javelin/

 

In the old days one would drill at a 30 degree angle down the post and chisel out an area for a square patch. Do that for the length of the pole until you get far enough along to do what you need to do. There are many better options today, but just make sure and practice on some scrap first if you can.

 

Damn Mike...How old are you? :wink:

 

Thanks everyone. There has been good advice here. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

good luck I think you may need a little.

 

I've drilled ten foot down thru Ohia tree trunks that were used in the interior of fancy houses as posts for balconies and beams . Jeff Johnson (deceased) was the builder. Anyway up along Ke-nui road there are a dozen of houses Jeff built using this type of post. We welded a 7/8" Greenlee ships auger into a 1/2" Galvanized Rigid conduit. On the other end we welded some stock that was just like the beveled dumb end of a ships auger bit. That became our Ohia tree bit. We would drill it down to the chuck. Then use another bit to drill out a spot to fit a switch box into. The cables were already coming thru the top beams by the time we stood up the posts. We fished the cables into the posts as we stood em up and then Jeff nailed em off. End of story.


And now to piss off Sabrina: Jeff Johnson's nephew is the singer songwriter Jack Johnson. End of story.

 

We drilled two posts and it worked out well. I screwed long 2x4's to the post as guides, one for horizontal, one for vertical. It took about an hour on each post because the cedar was wet and stringy. We spent more time cleaning out the saw dust than we did drilling, but it worked out.
Thanks for everyone's advice.

 

It's cool it worked for you. Just for discussion, what if you used some 1/2 EMT as a sleeve for long flexible bit to stiffen it up from bending?

 

i like the way you think.

 

I'm glad it isn't just me. I had one go sideways on me and make a mess, I was just glad it didn't go sideways the other way and go through an outside wall. I decided to only use them as a last resort, haven't used on in quite a while.

 

If it was for me, I would cut the post in half lengthwise and router a channel down the middle and fasten the two halves back together.



I never had much luck with long bits going the way I wanted.



I take that back.



One time.