Enlarging a hole in counter for a soap dispenser

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Terry

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I have a job where the existing soap dispenser holes are too small. I need to enlarge the holes to a standard size without the drill bit skating around and marring the laminate. Does anyone know of a bit that centers up and allows a larger cutout? The 1/4" pilot on mine is useless.
 

Reach4

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Ideas:

1. With the hole saw, drill a hole in a piece of plywood or, even better, hardwood. Position that hole over the existing hole and clamp that down. (that clamping would be the hard part). Then drill from above.

2a. Drill piece of wood with a hole saw. Make the OD of the resulting removed cylinder be a tight-enough fit for the existing hole.
2b. Replace the pilot drill of the hole saw with a rod OR turn the pilot drill around to make the

shank stick out OR use a long "Aircraft Drill Bit" for the pilot,


.
drill-america-twist-drill-bits-dwda-cx121-4-64_145.jpg


This avoids the pilot drill from milling the hole oblong.
3c. Glue the cylinder into the existing hole, glue the cylinder to the pilot rod/drill, OR support the cylinder from below somehow.
 

Bert Lee

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A hole trick I have used for speaker cabinets and such is to make an MDF template, any dimension outside, square, rectangle, doesn't matter, and drill the size hole I need with that hole saw. The double stick that template over the smaller hole using that MDF template as an outside guide for the hole saw. No pilot required. Keeps that from walking and once you're in a small ways on the new hole it will guide itself. Should fine on any smooth surface, non marring, etc.

You'll get the idea from this project. You can clamp, double stick tape, or there is a really cool and effective masking tape and super glue trick I can share if interested.

Hole 1.JPG
Hole 2.JPG
Hole 3.JPG
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Clamping a jig is probably the best way.. Start nice and slow or even in reverse to score the laminate.
 

Michael Young

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I have a job where the existing soap dispenser holes are too small. I need to enlarge the holes to a standard size without the drill bit skating around and marring the laminate. Does anyone know of a bit that centers up and allows a larger cutout? The 1/4" pilot on mine is useless.

I would try a varibit
upload_2019-11-23_9-30-47.png
 

Bert Lee

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Step drills are great for thin materials up to to the depth of each step's respective shoulder height but if his hole is deeper that that say 1/8" how would that help? It might get a hole started and create a boundary that his hole saw could follow and prevent wandering I suppose. But a prr drilled scrap template, clamped or adhered to the surface would do the exact same thing for about $75.92 less.
 

Jadnashua

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Superglue it to the tape. When done, pull the whole thing up, including the tape.
 

Michael Young

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Step drills are great for thin materials up to to the depth of each step's respective shoulder height but if his hole is deeper that that say 1/8" how would that help? It might get a hole started and create a boundary that his hole saw could follow and prevent wandering I suppose. But a prr drilled scrap template, clamped or adhered to the surface would do the exact same thing for about $75.92 less.

It's worth a try. And Terry's been doing this a long time. He already owns a step bit
 

Bert Lee

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I am interested. How do you get superglue to let go when done?
This video will show the way. Where I learned it. Easy peasy. Technique starts around 2:54. Understand he's a guitar builder so he's using in that application but the idea works with any flat/smooth to flat/smooth surface. Holds tight and releases, cleans up easily.


Woodworker applications:


Machinist application:
 

LLigetfa

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With compatible materials, I find hot glue works very well to hold a template and can later be removed with no residue. I use diamond core drills with hot glued templates to drill through tile or granite.

Another trick I've done with hole saws that have a 1/4" pilot drill to enlarge an existing hole is to make a hardwood plug that is a close fit in the existing hole using a smaller hole saw. Then just slip the plug over the pilot bit with a bit of Teflon tape and the plug acts at the pilot.
 

Bert Lee

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I use a special hole saw arbor that will take 2 hole saws at once. The smaller saw is the original hole size, and acts as the pilot. The larger is of course the new
size you want. For instance:

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-HE1-2-Piece-Hole-Enlarger/dp/B000WA7A56

Cool tool. This looks interesting and simple too. But for existing holes larger that 3" so no good for smaller holes.

https://www.amazon.com/Hole-Pro-Enl...CT9QK1EWEGS&psc=1&refRID=GXZZJF6S5CT9QK1EWEGS
 
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