Hole Saw Trick (Making Holes Larger)

[@peter_castle]

Great video, also description helped me understand, please next time at 2:02 SHOW the new circle tacked to the door with the nails. People like me have a hard time figuring things out, we need help and pictures! Thank you, great video

[@chaim0001]

If you insert a piece of wood from the side of the door where the latch goes, you will have a place for the bit to hold and cut a bigger hole

[@mikemorgan5015]

Using the other piece you cut the plug out of allows you to just use clamps to hold it an allows you to visually see that it's centered if that's important. It also allows you to cut off center as well. This gives a lot more support for the hole saw. I also recommend running the drill in reverse slowly for short time to "set the track" of the saw, then continue in forward. Lots of ways to skin this cat. Go with what works for you.

[@briholt100]

Came here to say you can use the hole rather than the plug. And since 2 1/8 is pretty standard, you can use it multiple times. I have 4 hallway doors needing new knobs and they all need a larger hole.

[@xbrizzcakez]

nice job, A trick I use is to clamp a thin scrap of wood on the door that has a pre-drilled 2/1-8 hole already cut through it, I center it over the existing hole and it acts as a guide for the new and larger hole saw cut.

[@theplinkerslodge6361]

Good idea.

[@stuartschindler9435]

2 alternative ways to do this that seem better/ easier than this. I’ve used and had great success with both. First: If you can stack 2 hole saws on the same bit. The first is the size of the existing hole and keeps things centered. The second is the size of the hole need and actually cuts the hole. Second way: cut a hole the size you need in a piece of scrap. Clamp the scrap with the hole centered over the existing hole and the scrap will keep your hole saw in place as you cut. On a door it’s best to cut only half way through then cut from the other side. Gets a cleaner cut with less surface tear out

[@Maltloaflegrande]

The second way is the way I do it. If I was modifying the hole on a door in situ, I'd clamp a second piece of wood to the other side and use 2 clamps to get both scrap pieces tight against the door surface. that way you'd get a nice clean cut when the cutter "breaks out" at the other side.

[@macksmensir8328]

As someone working with limited tools, your first suggestion was exactly what I needed! Thank you!

[@j10001]

Excellent ideas!!

[@tfriedmann5908]

Wait what method do you use to clamp the wood in place? If there's a clamp head in the way how can you run a hole saw over it?

[@j10001]

@@tfriedmann5908 The scrap board needs to be long enough to extend well beyond the hole itself. Clamp away from the hole.

[@edover50]

Nice trick! I will give this a go, the solution I use is the exact opposite using the hole from the scrap piece, not the centre you did, only clamp it in place, the hole keeps the bit from drifting. No brad holes to fill afterwards.

[@dandesloover5541]

No brad holes anyway. You end up cutting that bit of wood out.

[@trogdor1977]

If the old hole is only the tiniest bit smaller than the new hole, the brad nails can't be used since there's not enough material to nail to. In which case, the solution that Ed Over50 had seems to be better to keep the hole saw in place, although there's nothing guiding the pilot bit.

[@edover50]

@@trogdor1977 Correct, the outer hole holds the bit in place so the pilot bit isn’t even required

[@stephengorczyca7624]

When this problem came up at my job we would put the smaller size hole saw inside the bigger one to hold it in place that also works pretty well.

[@kevinlersch6484]

I had this exact problem with 17 of the doors in my home. The way I approached it was to use a long arbor and use two hole saw blades. One the same diameter as the original hole (to use as a guide) and one for the new hole. I got them all done in a day with only a little bit of trouble getting the wood from between the bits. Hope this helps.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

That’s a great idea Kevin-it never occurred to me! I’m putting it in the toolbox 🧰. Thank you for sharing!

[@kevinlersch6484]

@@TheHonestCarpenter sharing is how we expand everyone's knowledge. Keep making your videos. They help.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Kevin Lersch will do, thank you!

[@denisefusco7303]

Is there a video on this method? I think it sounds easiest for a not very tool savvy handy person like myself!

[@Chris-iy4vr]

U got 17 doors in ur house? Wtf?

[@MamaGin]

Yay!!!!!! I found it! I can do this in reverse! Make a hole and wedge it into the existing ones with wood glue and saw dust, then sand the crap out of it and paint it!!!! Voila! Holes filled.

[@renegadewa4183]

I recently had a customer who had purchased new locks for all of the interior doors in her house and she was going to install them herself. She called me and asked a few questions about the degree of difficulty in doing that and I told her that locks are fairly easily swapped out. She called me again a few days later frustrated beyond belief telling me that she was struggling to get the new locks installed properly and there was something wrong with the locks, they didn't fit properly, etc etc. etc. It turns out that the issue she was having was more that the doors were bored and mortised so poorly and that was the main issue she was having. I used the same technique mentioned by someone before of combining two hole saw bits together and I can attest that it does work really well. I've also squared a scrap of wood after drilling the proper hole size in it and clamped it to the door being careful to center it as close as possible to the backset of the lock. Several different methods of doing this and usually common sense wins out in the end. I'm an "old" old school old guy and it's great to see a young man like yourself showing the right way to do things. It's pretty obvious that you've been around older guys and paid attention!!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Hey @Renegade Wa, thanks for writing in with the work story! I've used the square block method you mentioned too. I'm yet to use the two holesaw bit method, but it's brilliant--I'll definitely be trying it next time. I really appreciate the support! I always do my best to try to give clear, logical reasoning behind what I do in the videos. They're tricky to film on a job site, but I'm getting a little better with each one. And you're right, I've got about fifty great tradesmen to thank for much of what I know! Any bad habits I might have are of my own making--I still learn with each and every job. But the folks I've worked around down the years, including my father and grandfather, have been masters of their professions, and I strive to be like them. It terrifies me to think that so much of their knowledge will be lost as we move from one generation to the next. That's a big reason behind why I started this channel--to hopefully try to encourage folks my age and younger to get involved in the trades while we have previous generations of tradesmen/craftsmen here to learn from. There are some ideas and methods you just can't get back easily, if at all. I'm gonna keep making videos--thank you for watching and supporting!

[@dukenukem6137]

@@TheHonestCarpenter beautifully spoken 👍🏻 We as a species are in great danger of losing the knowledge and wisdom of the older generation. We must strive to do our best to preserve and passed down this priceless knowledge 📚

[@markproulx1472]

I am confronted with this very problem today, so this video was super helpful!

[@Mysailingvacation]

I think this is a great idea. A lot of yours are and that's why I recommended your page to my inexperience brother I hope he does when I told him and subscribe to you and watchs your vids. I am a retired Industrial Arts instructor as well as a vocational instructor and also in my free time LOL built many structures from sheds to houses to businesses, what I like best about your videos is there pretty straight to the point and safety in mind as well. As you know some KZbinrs are showing people how to do things that they haven't even done yet themselves pretty scary if you know what I mean.. I was hoping that your video on the sleeve extender or bit extender whatever you please you showed sliding the sleeve first inserting the screw especially if any tight spot that you could not get your fingers to hold the even if it was even if it was two feet above your reach with a second long extender in the drill. As I thought my brother knew wouldn't extender was when I was working with him I asked if he had one. So I sent him your video on that to give him a clue. As well as your one on rip fence for a circular saw. He emailed me back and said oh is that what that was for. It was easier for me to convey it to him by saying watch this guy's he's pretty darn good. As far as this one goes sorry about the long rhetoric. Sometimes instead of nailing your guide to the on the door or whatever it might be. You could also clamp with protection on your clamp of course for the door. The the outer hole piece onto the door inserting the the hole saw into that to guide the starting of the hole. Kind of what you would do with a diamond bit drilling a hole in glass. Especially if someone doesn't have a brad gun to nail the center of the hole piece . Method A and method B I guess. I don't recommend too many KZbin sites because because of the old boy look what I did I'm going to show others yeeha you seem very professional I usually refer to the sites of manufacturers . Now of course my brother might think that nobody else makes the bit extenders DeWalt. Through my years I find dewalt is more with carpentry Milwaukee with plumbing, and old-school Ridgid with plumbers. The reason I say that as you remember Ridgid was basically plumbing tools thredding machines. I know from my light needed items I did get there Max multi tool and 12 volt drill set thank you keep with me in one bag for small jobs in case I had some small job everything was there just change the head. And with the lifetime guarantee I got three sets of batteries I knew drill that ended up being the 18 v a great deal but now I have to carry either a large bag or two bags because it doesn't fit with any of the 12-volt and sadly the multi-tool interchangeable that I have six different heads for from 3/8 drive ratchet to whatever is great still until something happens to it and then what will they do for me with the they would have to give me several different tools when that one when that one power head dies. I thought you might be interested in that even though it does not seem too go with this video as a comment. I guess I probably should have looked on your site for another spot to make a different type of comment like this. But what do you expect from an old retired teacher I'm trying to learn from my students and do it the easiest way possible😂

[@gergemall]

Congratulations on your success. You’re genuine and honest, comes from your heart. Happy Easter 😊, recent Passover or an atheist. May you have a great Sunday tomorrow cst

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you, Jon! 😄

[@maxximumb]

I've had this problem too, but tackled it with the piece of wood you left on the bench. I drill out a hole in a piece of scrap wood and then clamp that over the hole. It's easier to eyeball the centre as you can see the old small hole. I also clamp a piece of scrap wood to the back of the door to eliminate tear out as the hole saw comes out the other side. Then you place the larger hole saw in the template hole and start drilling. For thinner pieces of wood, just clamp a piece of scrap wood to the back of the wood you want to cut a larger hole in and the guide drill bit will bite into the sacrificial scrap wood first, holding the bit while the saw teeth bite into the wood where you want the hole.

[@robg4843]

Just cut a hole in new wood the size of the existing hole. Then slip the plug on the pilot bit for the bigger whole saw. The plug will act as a guide in the old hole and keep the new bit centered..

[@topherrigrpg]

Thanks for the tip. Worked perfectly.

[@FadeToZach9982]

A similar trick I recently used was to make a circle out of a scrap piece of wood and hammer it into the existing hole in the door. I had a 1 3/4 inch hole saw so I used it to make the circle and hammer it into the door and then was able to use the 2 1/8 hole saw on the door.

[@codysillanpaa2399]

I have used a piece of 1X4 and drilled the required hole size in that, than I just c-clamp it to the door as a template. It seemed to work great for me!

[@johnwente1413]

If you have a hole saw the same size as the old hole, you can tack a square or rectangular piece of scrap to one side of the door and then insert the saw through the other side and drill a pilot hole in the scrap. Now go back to the side with the scrap tacked on and drill your new hole with the correct size bit for the larger hole. Using this method, the scrap probably needs to be not less than 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick to give the hole saw plenty of support when cutting into the door. This insures the new larger hole has the same center as the old hole.

[@RealWorldMeditation]

Thanks for this. Couldn't work out how to do this till I saw this. Worked perfectly.

[@drewsheffield3834]

Haha saw this.

[@calmmeditation9001]

Worked great, thank you!

[@juancgarcia3535]

Many thanks indeed. I followed your example and although it worked fine, after some doors fixed your way, I realized I could use my Dremel drill's mini-sander to just enlarge the hole to the left and right at 0 and 180 degrees, just enough to allow the door know to get in. That is a 30 second fix. Sharing my solution to the handymen out there.

[@theplinkerslodge6361]

Thanks a million. Supergluing or even hot gluing the pattern piece is an option.

[@jc.e.1543]

May i know,what kind of tools i needed to make my room a Hole?!and fix my doonknob?! Plssss,kindly rply..because im new be here and i am a woman that need help like you,sir..🙏🙏🙏

[@louisrouthier9901]

I just installed the small bit together with the large one You're welcome

[@johnkelley9877]

I never thought of doing that. I always used a Dremel with a cutter but this is a lot better. Thanks for this tip. I will certainly use it!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

John Kelley You’re welcome!

[@benvastine257]

Will this work for a fire-stop door (like a garage door). It seems these doors are a laminate of wood as an interior material and a metal sheet as an outer material.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@Ben Vastine Yes, but you'll need a hole saw bit suitable for cutting through the thin sheet metal cladding of the fire-stop door. I think the ones I'm using here have too much tooth. But, with the right bit, I do believe you can do it. Definitely want to approach from both sides though!

[@justinlocke]

I can certainly see how this would be handy in many situations, however, if one is specifically drilling a hole for a deadbolt, a ryobi deadbolt jig worked well for me.

[@troysexton3107]

I just screw on the hole saw I want the hole to be, then find the hole saw the size of the existing hole, and screw it onto the 2 remaining threads inside of the hole saw I just chucked up. Basically chucking up 2 hole saws on one arbor. Much easier and I saw that in another video. I always used your way before learning that. Still use your way drilling stone.

[@ZafodB3]

What was important here was how you shot your brads to hold the circular guide piece without hitting the brads with your hole drill bit???

[@jenniferheelan3682]

How can you do this with 1/8" plastic. Original hole is 3/4" and I need it to be 1-1/8"

[@shuvel77]

Awesome. Thanks for the help. Good video

[@gulfmen86]

I have a hole thats 3 inchs and a desk grommet thats also 3 inches... it wont fit. I dont want to put too much pressure and break the grommet. How can I open that hole just a little bit so I can fit it in?

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

I don't usually recommend this shawshank, but maybe just some aggressive sanding with 60 grit paper. You could use some kind of spindle sander, like a dremel. But you could probably also ease it by hand with some effort. Low grit is the key though since it'll be hidden.

[@gulfmen86]

@@TheHonestCarpenter I will definitely give that a try!

[@bretttassinari5811]

It would be a lot easier to drill the hole thru the plywood then clamp it to the door set the hole saw in the template and drill

[@neildahle7638]

Thanks a lot for making this vid. I just installed a Nest X Yale lock today and had to make the hole larger to accommodate the hardware. This trick worked!

[@chasmarischen4459]

Thank you!

[@jacklucas7265]

I couldn't believe I saw a Harbor Freight drill in your hands.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

The thing just won’t die, Jack 😂 Ive predrilled whole decks with it

[@HungLikeScrat]

I've actually done this before without any prior knowledge of this trick. Here I thought I was being original. Lol.

[@bartbug1]

Was just thinking to use a piece of scrap on one side of the door to centre you're hole drill , then fix a small scrap on the other side to align it. Then just bang in the hole saw size you need. Bobs you're uncle mate.

[@henrycarey1128]

Thank you. I have to do this and was wondering how I was going to tackle it.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@henrycarey1128 You're welcome! I'm really glad it helped :)

[@SeRaPh-2]

U can use tht hole on ply board as well just cut it and place on hole and use it

[@jasonbronson672]

To me it makes more sense to just use a door knob jig or door lock installation kit. Way easier and a lot less steps.

[@jerrygarcia113]

Putting holes in doors can be a big PROBLEM! My simple fix is to use Gorilla Tape. I then attach a stick of dynamite to the door. Ka-Blooey. No more problem. This fix also give you enough room to put in a DOUBLE DOOR... and a small restaurant.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Are you the real Jerry Garcia? 🤔

[@baolongnguyen1080]

thanks your tip

[@RixtronixLAB]

Cool trick :) thanks

[@BigVine-m5i]

Just clamp a small scrap over the hole measure to the proper center and drill. Much simpler.

[@GlennRichardson]

This is going to save me when I install a new smart lock on my front door! Thank you!

[@patxidiaz7052]

I'm doing the same type of project but I have a metal door. Are there any tricks for metal holes?

[@joeselzer850]

ps on the second idea if the one inch is to thick you can go less thick u just want enough that the hole saw will have some kind of guide just go slow so u not jump out of the broad

[@scottr8588]

Good Tip

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Scott R Thanks!

[@ss-pw4zj]

I had a door knob hole that was 1.5 and off center by like .5 in. Making a bigger hole and cutting half the old hole. Not easy. I over cut the door in the wrong spot cuz the bit slipped.

[@donesixfour]

I just use a fresh install jig.... I have an old one made of metal

[@arrealhandymanservice4459]

Cant you just use one of the tool guide for that more simple

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

ARreal Handyman Service Yes that works too! Just need to have a hole saw the size of the original hole 👍

[@tonywpt]

Thanks for this, you sir are subscribed.

[@chrisbriggs9635]

Why not just clamp the scrap piece of wood u pulled the plug from on the door n use the plug hole as your guide?

[@ItsNikoOnTheTube]

instead of going through all the trouble of cutting a circular hole, why can't you put a regular piece of wood, like a 2x4 where you put the circle piece of wood..... why make it a circle? just use a piece of wood.....

[@joeselzer850]

the way i do is i get a piece of round wood that fit in the hole of the door tightly. like a plug for the door hole. then i glue it in then i can make the bigger hole the other way is to get a 1 inch thick wood board. cut the bigger hole u need line it up with the hole in the door. then clap it down super tight then the board with the bigger hole become the guide. because the hole saw fit the boas hole just right. but my first way is easier to do

[@mikeycurtis7861]

I've never heard of someone doing this and, no offense, but THERE'S A WAY EASIER WAY! Put the existing hole's correct hole saw, into the sized hole saw u want.. there's no guess work, no cutting other plugs and eyeballing, none of that. The smaller hole saw will center the larger one for u.

[@meandyou917]

Just make a Template.

[@derpherpp3]

What to do if metal door