Hello;
I am putting a new receptacle in an upstairs room. I also want, during the same process, to run several new #12 (20A) lines up to the attic where I can then distribute them to upstairs rooms.
I have chosen an inside wall to use for my route, mainly because I can use the new outlet hole to help fish the wiring through. I chose a location for the new outlet upstairs so that it lies above one that is on the same wall downstairs. The two walls are aligned, and sit over one of the main support beams of the house.
The house is 80 years old, just so that you know as you read this through.
I cut the hole for the new outlet upstairs in the baseboard, since this will provide much better mounting than the plaster/lath wall.
I used an electronic stud finder w metal detection capability to locate the studs, then I drilled small pilot holes into the wall just above the baseboard to confirm the studs.
After cutting the hole for the outlet, I see that the header at the bottom of the upstairs wall is only about 1/4" below the hole that I cut. When I cut the hole, I used another one, also on the baseboard as a guide.
So, this part is no problem. I just need to locate my wiring hole to one side of my new outlet, so the box doesn't get in the way of the wire.
I had to drill another hole in the wall just above the baseboard to get a good angle to drill down into the header, since my outlet hole is too low to achieve this angle.
This too is OK. I can easily patch extra holes in the wall.
I drilled first with a smaller bit, I think 3/8" to see if I could get through the header, but that bit wasn't long enough, and would not fit into my extension.
So I "went for broke" and began drilling with the 7/8" wood bore, which is extra long.
I went as far as I could, but didn't get through the header. I could feel the bit going through one layer of wood, but right into another. I assume that is because headers are usually at least double thick.
For the 7/8" bit, I was able to use the extension, so using the extra hole to insert the bit, I was able to work through the header, eventually.
The problem is, first, I believe I have only broken through into the space between the floor upstairs and ceiling downstairs (but still within the wall space). I believe that my floor joists are 7" wide (remember, this is an old house), going by the ones in the basement.
So, it looks like either I need a very long extension that would allow me to drill down through the header in the downstairs wall, or that I have to drill a hole in the downstairs wall somewhere below the ceiling, and use it to angle the drill through the downstairs wall header.
Problem with using two separate drilling entries, is that my holes will probably not line up exactly, and it may be impossible to get my fish rod through without having to make a larger opening in the wall downstairs anyway.
I suppose having to do this might not be such a bad thing, if i can align the hole with the lighting fixture, then have an access point from which to also rewire that fixture.
Another thing you need to know is that I am drilling with a hand-held pistol grip drill (corded). I don't think these tools are very stable with very long extensions attached.
I would like to know whether I'm on the right track here. Is there a better way?
How do the pros usually do this?
Thanks for the advice
FW
I am putting a new receptacle in an upstairs room. I also want, during the same process, to run several new #12 (20A) lines up to the attic where I can then distribute them to upstairs rooms.
I have chosen an inside wall to use for my route, mainly because I can use the new outlet hole to help fish the wiring through. I chose a location for the new outlet upstairs so that it lies above one that is on the same wall downstairs. The two walls are aligned, and sit over one of the main support beams of the house.
The house is 80 years old, just so that you know as you read this through.
I cut the hole for the new outlet upstairs in the baseboard, since this will provide much better mounting than the plaster/lath wall.
I used an electronic stud finder w metal detection capability to locate the studs, then I drilled small pilot holes into the wall just above the baseboard to confirm the studs.
After cutting the hole for the outlet, I see that the header at the bottom of the upstairs wall is only about 1/4" below the hole that I cut. When I cut the hole, I used another one, also on the baseboard as a guide.
So, this part is no problem. I just need to locate my wiring hole to one side of my new outlet, so the box doesn't get in the way of the wire.
I had to drill another hole in the wall just above the baseboard to get a good angle to drill down into the header, since my outlet hole is too low to achieve this angle.
This too is OK. I can easily patch extra holes in the wall.
I drilled first with a smaller bit, I think 3/8" to see if I could get through the header, but that bit wasn't long enough, and would not fit into my extension.
So I "went for broke" and began drilling with the 7/8" wood bore, which is extra long.
I went as far as I could, but didn't get through the header. I could feel the bit going through one layer of wood, but right into another. I assume that is because headers are usually at least double thick.
For the 7/8" bit, I was able to use the extension, so using the extra hole to insert the bit, I was able to work through the header, eventually.
The problem is, first, I believe I have only broken through into the space between the floor upstairs and ceiling downstairs (but still within the wall space). I believe that my floor joists are 7" wide (remember, this is an old house), going by the ones in the basement.
So, it looks like either I need a very long extension that would allow me to drill down through the header in the downstairs wall, or that I have to drill a hole in the downstairs wall somewhere below the ceiling, and use it to angle the drill through the downstairs wall header.
Problem with using two separate drilling entries, is that my holes will probably not line up exactly, and it may be impossible to get my fish rod through without having to make a larger opening in the wall downstairs anyway.
I suppose having to do this might not be such a bad thing, if i can align the hole with the lighting fixture, then have an access point from which to also rewire that fixture.
Another thing you need to know is that I am drilling with a hand-held pistol grip drill (corded). I don't think these tools are very stable with very long extensions attached.
I would like to know whether I'm on the right track here. Is there a better way?
How do the pros usually do this?
Thanks for the advice
FW