Blind drilling is definitely not suggested for the uninsured. But if you are going to do it, I suggest you know where the water and gas shut off valves are. Using a scope can definitely help and stopping as soon as the bit penetrates and checking again with the scope, will help with uneventful drilling.
It’s a living room. I’m sure there’s no gas line or water line in that area,& I’m sure he checked. You’ll almost never find waterlines or gas lines above the living room area lol.
Why's everyone giving this guy a hard time about drilling blind? It's his house, and he's done a good job. There's no magic device to find out what's in the ceiling. Apart from making holes and looking, all you can do is go by what you know from experience, and look at what's near/ above where he's working. I steer clear of those long drill bits only for the reason that the ones I use are prone to going through the floor above. Nice job on the install
I appreciate the positive support. Ultimately, I do not claim to be a professional and there is a ton of knowledge in the online community that folks share pretty freely. I know the layout of my house pretty well and I made an educated assumption based on the plumbing and electrical layout of my house that this area was clear of obstructions (I was correct). Ultimately, these discussions have encouraged me to invest in two different styles of metal detector to assist in testing for the presence of pipe or conductor.
I'm have many years as electrician and im impressed how he went through the studs , but if is not your house it's alot of liability if you damage something but is worth the risk if oner wants to take it
@@Sean-mc4iq Unfortunately, sometimes you have to open up the ceiling a little more. I'm thinking of buying a Walbot phone attachment that allows you to see objects inside the wall.
@@truthbebold4009 same here.. you just cut 6inches width of drywall then drill holes on frames then run the wires. After that, you just put that drywall and mud it and sand and paint.. i know a lot of works.. its basically about time. this is a long work or this is shortcut as long as there is no any blocks or pex, or whatever.
I would not recommend drilling where you cannot see. - You may end up hitting another wire and not knowing it until it burns up. Flex bits are great but you shouldn't drill through something without knowing what is on the other side. It's better to cut the necessary holes (to see) rather than damaging something and not finding out until it's too late. Trust me on this one, I do this stuff for a living.
I agree. I felt very uncomfortable watching him use that flex bit. I would've cut out a large section of drywall from the ceiling to expose a couple joists. That way I know what I'm dealing with and I can easily hang that drywall back into its place. It's easier to patch a large hole than a small hole, especially when there's something to screw onto. Luckily I live in a single story house so I have attic access for projects like this. But I plan to move to a two story house, so I like to be prepared sooner than later.
A little story for you. During my apprenticeship I was instructed never to use push-in wire connectors by my Journeyman for that exact reason. Also drilling blindly(I assume blindly because of how its shown in the vid) is a terrible idea. Especially that close to the HVAC.
@@Kaneneville This is my solution also. Just use a flexible camera to see what's in each bay. The only issue is trying to find the hole again with the drill bit. You can also look around the room to see if any hvac or plumbing might be feeding a vent or plumbing or electrical device. If there's nothing in the room then you're probably good to drill, but if there is something and you think it's traveling across your bay then the endoscope is best.
Thanks, this is helpful. I have access to see between all my joists so I won't be drilling blindly, I just wanted to see the technique since I could avoid removing the drywall if I can manage this.
Thank you! Fishing the wire ended up taking two people and I got sucked into actually getting the work done instead of filming. We ended up using a 10-foot long fish rod to chase the holes the auger made.
I hate plastic electrical boxes. A lot of people are using them for DIY when the metal box is better in almost every way. Imagine when there is a fire, the metal box will not burn whereas a plastic box is going to burn. Also, a metal box will take tons of abuse whereas a plastic box will cry when you smash it with a hammer or strip a thread. If you are going to DIY any project, I'd recommend sticking with the metal box even if it cuts your hands up. They do sell old work metal switch boxes.
Good tip, I don’t usually see the old work metal boxes at the hardware store, but I’ll keep an eye out from now on. I don’t see why it would be any harder to use a metal box and they definitely have durability benefits.
I do see the benefit of these long flexible spade bits , however sometimes it seems much easy /faster just to take out a piece of drywall and then drill your hole then just install drywall back/Spackle over. I guess I like to see a situation when one uses these flexible bits and it actually safe you in material cost alot over just patching a few drywall pieces and not dealing with this type of extra equipment.
Those search bits are risky especially if there’s a bathroom above you. Drilling blind can hit water electric hvac or even flex gas lines. Sometimes it’s easier to take a chalk line and cut out a two ft wide trench and take the drywall out all together. Those lights are also obsolete. Those connectors are dangerous as well easiest is not always safest.
i have a 6feet flex bit and i love it , but on my last work , the flex bit kick and i have drill directly on the opposite wall , the moment was very funny to see that ahah!
I am not a electrician but agree. The old method just work the best in this situation. I have experienced issues with snap on electrical. Work for cars at times, not home. One more thing you did not show how the box is attaching without nailing to stud. I think I know but was wondering if something new is availability since I don't frequently get into this need.
William Johnson He used an “old work” gang box which typically has plastic ears that flip outwards and draw tight against the wall when tightening the screws. Just in case your still wondering about this a year after you commented.
there may not be plumbing up in the ceiling but there could be electrical. If you hit a line with that bit you could get lit up like a Christmas tree. I would use a stud finder with an electrical line detector across the ceiling.
Just a bit of advice... I am an eletrician and will NEVER EVER use those quick connectors. I havr been called on service calls to hunt down issues with recessed lights and its always one of those damn connectors. Over time and with heat they just wiggle their way out. I ALWAYS cut off, strip, twist, and wire nut and then tape. I want to be sure to NEVER have to take that can down.
Though this is a residential application, On all the commercial jobs I've run, it is a code requirement that the fixtures come equipped with a quick disconnect. These use the push in style connection same as the quick cubes shown in this video. Regardless of whether wire nuts are used or quick connects for the rest of the power system, the last connection on the fixture is required to be a push in style disconnect. Additionally, I have found call backs are mostly from component failure. neon ballasts back in the day, and now subpar LED drivers and boards. Cheap or brand name, if you install enough of the them you end up with a bad batch here or there. ( the last large job I ran had a 20 page light detail with over 70 styles of fixtures.)
I was a remodeling contractor licensed since 1986. On projects like this I open drywall. Your going to have to open drywall to get thru the top plates. Its not that much more work repairing multiple holes versus one hole. Drywall is easy to repair and you'll get a better job. I don't blind cut or drill any thing . If you do it will eventually bite you in the butt. Concerning remodeling cans, I try to not to use them. The clips just don't hold them secure.
Blind drilling is insane. Never do it. I use a standard-size mortar trowel as a template to mark around and make sheetrock cutouts on every ceiling/floor joist, centered over each one. This allows room to drill horizontally through each framing member and makes fishing wire so much easier. I can't count how many times I've found water pipes, vent pipes, drain lines, and electrical wiring in the way while drilling holes for recessed lighting. The patching you do is more than worth the headache of a liability insurance claim or lawsuit, not to mention cleaning up the mess.
not sure that you will see this in time, however how do you patch this? im debating cutting a strip down the entire ceiling at the moment opposite of the rafter direction seems easier then patching a bunch of holes and finding wood to make nailers for them etc
@@niceshot7613a strip big enough to fit a drill and 👋 in is the way we used to do it. I’m always interested in easier less intrusive ways though for sure. Hope he sees these I’m getting my 8 cans at the store right now. Seems like the little patches he’s talining about wouldn’t have any bearing to screw the patches to without making some kind of makeshift lath and that seems daily time consuming for the drywall guy who is unfortunately gonna be me. Lol. Maybe we are missing something. .
@@johnny_corleoneI'm putting mine in at the moment just drilled the 6 holes I think I'm just gonna cut wall to wall I plan on putting ceiling speakers in too for Dolby atmos so I figured might aswell run the surround speaker wires to the back wall if I'm doing this
I have to be honest. You are lucky to not hit any water piping or other obstructions. Those flex bits are like gambling. Especially if you're working in someone elses home. Luckily in this area there is always strapping below the joists so fishig romex is fairly easy in newer construction. Then you have to chisel the ceiling where it meets the walls to get down to the switch.
How is the wires on the back side of the wall in the furnace room? did you conceal the wires or switch legs. Also, you are risking drilling through plumbing and wires and other LV cables or ducts when not checking between the joists. Better to drill 4" holes in the center of the bays and patch or use a scope. Too risky.
I have done 100's of those same applications, never would I ever use that extension but, you could drill through plumbing vent , plumbing drain , electric service cable , water lines , that's a deal breaker for me .
Looks like a lot of these comments are the same. I’m sure everyone can drill a hole for the light and drill through the joists blindly (at their own risk) but I was hoping for more info. If I already have a single light in the room, can I not just use that wire to feed all the new pot lights? Why did you run 2 wires instead of one? Thanks
@Blake darling, need advice. Our builder is doing either of the led or pendant, but we want to get both installed as we want a pendant over the dining table. What should we do get the led installed and get done the pendants later, can the switch for led work can be resued for pendant.
Hello and thanks for watching! Pendants and recessed lights are completely different fixtures. Recessed lights have a junction box attached to the top of the can whereas a pendant relies on a ceiling-mount junction box to both suspend the pendant and provide a box for the wiring connections. The best option, if you can’t decide which way to go, would be to install the smallest recessed light you really need (4” perhaps) and make sure the hole in the ceiling is not any larger than that required by the ceiling junction box (to be installed in the future with the pendants).
I wonder why someone has not come up with a central power hub, and low voltage sent to the LED lights? You would have voltage on the order of doorbell current. No danger in handling that , less code ( or maybe none ).
Hey Blake, great info, and a great channel. You provide excellent, and most importantly, correct information to your viewers! Thank you. Keep up the great work. This really helped me plan my recessed lighting project.
use a multi-tool to precision cut the pieces and repair with a drywall repair kit, then paint. It's less time consuming. You will need to buy a gallon of paint though.
A question about using the flex bit in a wall: How do you avoid missing the center of the stud? Seems you could blow the edge distance and have a wire in danger of being hit with a nail by someone else years later?
For a run of joists you cut a large enough hole in drywall to drill the first hole of joist center. Run 3/4" PVC pipe that was cut the length to cross all the joists to be cut or length of your Klein tools Flexible drill bit kit. Now you feed the PVC through hole till it hits the next joint...this will hold flex bit on center for next joist...and so on down the line. When done there is a sleeve for the flex bit that attaches to the wire to pull the wire through the just cut holes. You may leave the pipe in once finished or pull it out for the next set of joists. The pipe is less than $4 at home depot.
@@stevensmith1268 That's brilliant....even just a simply tightly fit piece of pvc pipe through the first joist until it butts up against the next joist will ensure that the bit continue to go straight for any other remaining joists. I'm about to start a project like this, so this will be of great help, thank you.
@@stevensmith1268 I know this is a year old but I was just thinking about this exact thing! I'm glad I'm not the oy one. I am about to do 6 rooms for this guy and all the rooms need lights lol. Built in the 40s. I did one already but thought of this last night. Does the PVC need to be flexible? How would one keep feeding it through if it's rigid?
As an electrician i have to say that those flexible bits are not my favorites, they could damage a water pipe or some other wire running along the stud your are drilling and in that case you are done . for me i rather cut and patch but dont take the chance.
The main run of romex from the switch only has to go to the first fixture. Each fixture thereafter is connected by a new run of romex. The last fixture on the radial will have romex coming in and terminating at the fixture. This looks like “daisy chaining” but all of the fixtures are wired in parallel (i.e. hot-to-hot and neutral-to-neutral at every fixture).
You should not drill through studs if you don't know what is on the other side of that stud. You could hit wires or a pvc pipe. I saw a guy hit a plumbing pipe and it was a disaster.
I normally only drill as far as I can touch. I'll stick my hand into the hole for the pot light and get a good feel and look inside. I wouldn't mind making some holes in the ceiling to make sure I am not going through a vent or pex pipe but the problem is with stucco ceiling where you have to refinish the entire thing after your done.
No, I have not drilled through existing utilities. It is important to open inspection holes between joists or use a metal detector with electric current detection capabilities before drilling blindly.
thanks for the video. Just a curious question as I start my first recessed lighting update in my kitchen. What are all the wire groups going into your switch? did you run wires from each light back to the switch? Could you not have put them in a parallel and daisy chained them with only one wire back to the switch(and one from the power supply)?
Great idea using that tupperware as a dust collector ! & i never knew the upside down plug meant its switched ,thanx. Question. Does drilling threw trust weaken it ? Is there a requirement of where the hole should be placed ?
Thanks for your comment! That hole saw is a game-changer, I have found a few different versions at the big box home stores. Drilling through floor joists can cause weakness. Every region has its own codes, but the hole location is usually restricted to the outer 1/3 of the joist’s unsupported length. Please check and understand the building code in your region before drilling holes.
you could use the bending tool with the flex bit - its a wire handle that bends the shaft the degrees you need . But like some have commented a lot of potential danger drilling blind.
Going under the joists through the drywall and then patching is what worked best for me. No need to drill through joists and weaken the load bearing support.
I would have to try it but it seems without an open wall to see where the end is drilling exactly into your going to have to be a little impresses where it drills thru what joists / studs in some case which is not the greatest thing... I.e if you had accidentally drilled thru to the outside wall it could be a pain a little to fix not the end of the world though as people make it out to be.
They came with the house, but the previous owner ran all the Cat5 along the outside of the house and came through the walls in a few places. I would go wireless if I were starting from scratch.
Super video, thanks. I've always wondered about this blind drilling the first floor joists. How do you control the placement of the hole on sequential joists with that long extension such that you don't end up with a series of holes bored through the top inch of each joist?
That’s actually exactly what you end up with. The flex bit is designed to ride against the sheathing of the second story floor and drill through the top of each joist it encounters.
That bowl idea to catch the falling pieces is amazing!
It's sold by Milwaukee and works great....i use it every week.
The family in the background put a smile on my face ☺
Blind drilling is definitely not suggested for the uninsured. But if you are going to do it, I suggest you know where the water and gas shut off valves are. Using a scope can definitely help and stopping as soon as the bit penetrates and checking again with the scope, will help with uneventful drilling.
It’s a living room. I’m sure there’s no gas line or water line in that area,& I’m sure he checked. You’ll almost never find waterlines or gas lines above the living room area lol.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your vodeos. u have made life soo much easier to understand, your like the ai robot of diy project any
Oh that sweet angel cheering you on.
Wow came out nice!!!!! Talented. Wish my a husband could do these projects. Save a lot of money.
no talent needed. just motivation and persistence. you can do it too
I like that bowl recycled into a dust catch. Clever idea!
This has been the best version of a drywall hole saw I’ve ever used. It’s made by Milwaukee.
Why's everyone giving this guy a hard time about drilling blind? It's his house, and he's done a good job. There's no magic device to find out what's in the ceiling. Apart from making holes and looking, all you can do is go by what you know from experience, and look at what's near/ above where he's working. I steer clear of those long drill bits only for the reason that the ones I use are prone to going through the floor above. Nice job on the install
I appreciate the positive support. Ultimately, I do not claim to be a professional and there is a ton of knowledge in the online community that folks share pretty freely. I know the layout of my house pretty well and I made an educated assumption based on the plumbing and electrical layout of my house that this area was clear of obstructions (I was correct). Ultimately, these discussions have encouraged me to invest in two different styles of metal detector to assist in testing for the presence of pipe or conductor.
nice use of the flex bit , having the long extension real help with the angel , i use it to go down walls if attic permits.
I'm have many years as electrician and im impressed how he went through the studs , but if is not your house it's alot of liability if you damage something but is worth the risk if oner wants to take it
What do you recommend to do? To ensure no damage?
@@Sean-mc4iq Unfortunately, sometimes you have to open up the ceiling a little more. I'm thinking of buying a Walbot phone attachment that allows you to see objects inside the wall.
@@truthbebold4009 same here.. you just cut 6inches width of drywall then drill holes on frames then run the wires. After that, you just put that drywall and mud it and sand and paint.. i know a lot of works.. its basically about time. this is a long work or this is shortcut as long as there is no any blocks or pex, or whatever.
Terrific video! I've watched a lot and this one answered all my questions. Huge help! Thank you so much for making this.
Omg 😳
I would not recommend drilling where you cannot see. - You may end up hitting another wire and not knowing it until it burns up. Flex bits are great but you shouldn't drill through something without knowing what is on the other side. It's better to cut the necessary holes (to see) rather than damaging something and not finding out until it's too late. Trust me on this one, I do this stuff for a living.
Same here. I hate flex bits threw joists. They never run horizontal..
If your not carefull your threw the finished floor above.
They sell snake camera for your phone. Helps out a lot
Also, it’s best to drill in the center of the hoist
I agree. I felt very uncomfortable watching him use that flex bit. I would've cut out a large section of drywall from the ceiling to expose a couple joists. That way I know what I'm dealing with and I can easily hang that drywall back into its place. It's easier to patch a large hole than a small hole, especially when there's something to screw onto.
Luckily I live in a single story house so I have attic access for projects like this. But I plan to move to a two story house, so I like to be prepared sooner than later.
Agreed
i am about to tackle this in my own home, thanks for your demo and tips!
I'm going to build my dream home by watching UA-cam videos.
Drilling light holes dust container great idea buddy. Thnx very helpful
Some mighty big lights you have there
what is price value
A little story for you. During my apprenticeship I was instructed never to use push-in wire connectors by my Journeyman for that exact reason. Also drilling blindly(I assume blindly because of how its shown in the vid) is a terrible idea. Especially that close to the HVAC.
What are you supposed to do if there are no other options other than to blind drill?
@@scottcoleman7304 I think you can use endoscope to check before drilling.
@@Kaneneville This is my solution also. Just use a flexible camera to see what's in each bay. The only issue is trying to find the hole again with the drill bit. You can also look around the room to see if any hvac or plumbing might be feeding a vent or plumbing or electrical device. If there's nothing in the room then you're probably good to drill, but if there is something and you think it's traveling across your bay then the endoscope is best.
@@Kanenevillehow would u see whats on the other side of the joist tho?
Good job
Thanks, this is helpful. I have access to see between all my joists so I won't be drilling blindly, I just wanted to see the technique since I could avoid removing the drywall if I can manage this.
I used Gree Lee flexbits they do work eat , with nice 3/4 auger bit cuts like a knife through a butter.
Great video !!!
Great video, would have liked video of actual fishing wire. Thank you for the info.
Thank you! Fishing the wire ended up taking two people and I got sucked into actually getting the work done instead of filming. We ended up using a 10-foot long fish rod to chase the holes the auger made.
I hate plastic electrical boxes. A lot of people are using them for DIY when the metal box is better in almost every way. Imagine when there is a fire, the metal box will not burn whereas a plastic box is going to burn. Also, a metal box will take tons of abuse whereas a plastic box will cry when you smash it with a hammer or strip a thread. If you are going to DIY any project, I'd recommend sticking with the metal box even if it cuts your hands up. They do sell old work metal switch boxes.
Good tip, I don’t usually see the old work metal boxes at the hardware store, but I’ll keep an eye out from now on. I don’t see why it would be any harder to use a metal box and they definitely have durability benefits.
I do see the benefit of these long flexible spade bits , however sometimes it seems much easy /faster just to take out a piece of drywall and then drill your hole then just install drywall back/Spackle over. I guess I like to see a situation when one uses these flexible bits and it actually safe you in material cost alot over just patching a few drywall pieces and not dealing with this type of extra equipment.
Those search bits are risky especially if there’s a bathroom above you. Drilling blind can hit water electric hvac or even flex gas lines. Sometimes it’s easier to take a chalk line and cut out a two ft wide trench and take the drywall out all together. Those lights are also obsolete. Those connectors are dangerous as well easiest is not always safest.
Thanks for video
It's a lot of work, but when done, you can sit back and enjoy, for a little while, and then think of the next project.
Thats mè all the time lol!
Good video 😃
Thank you!
Great advice. Easy to follow. Helped me with my home lighting project!
good job
Genius guy!
i have a 6feet flex bit and i love it , but on my last work , the flex bit kick and i have drill directly on the opposite wall , the moment was very funny to see that ahah!
I am not a electrician but agree. The old method just work the best in this situation. I have experienced issues with snap on electrical. Work for cars at times, not home. One more thing you did not show how the box is attaching without nailing to stud. I think I know but was wondering if something new is availability since I don't frequently get into this need.
William Johnson He used an “old work” gang box which typically has plastic ears that flip outwards and draw tight against the wall when tightening the screws.
Just in case your still wondering about this a year after you commented.
that drill ..... is a monster
there may not be plumbing up in the ceiling but there could be electrical. If you hit a line with that bit you could get lit up like a Christmas tree. I would use a stud finder with an electrical line detector across the ceiling.
Just a bit of advice... I am an eletrician and will NEVER EVER use those quick connectors. I havr been called on service calls to hunt down issues with recessed lights and its always one of those damn connectors. Over time and with heat they just wiggle their way out. I ALWAYS cut off, strip, twist, and wire nut and then tape. I want to be sure to NEVER have to take that can down.
This has been my conclusion as well. I liked the convenience until I was pulling a light down immediately after install.
funny, i've installed probably 300+ (some new construction) cans, always used the quick clips & NEVER had a call back
Michael Richardson because after you are long gone i am the guy who gets called to figure out why their lights aint working lol...
BMW Mike
Though this is a residential application, On all the commercial jobs I've run, it is a code requirement that the fixtures come equipped with a quick disconnect. These use the push in style connection same as the quick cubes shown in this video. Regardless of whether wire nuts are used or quick connects for the rest of the power system, the last connection on the fixture is required to be a push in style disconnect. Additionally, I have found call backs are mostly from component failure. neon ballasts back in the day, and now subpar LED drivers and boards. Cheap or brand name, if you install enough of the them you end up with a bad batch here or there. ( the last large job I ran had a 20 page light detail with over 70 styles of fixtures.)
I was a remodeling contractor licensed since 1986. On projects like this I open drywall. Your going to have to open drywall to get thru the top plates. Its not that much more work repairing multiple holes versus one hole. Drywall is easy to repair and you'll get a better job. I don't blind cut or drill any thing . If you do it will eventually bite you in the butt. Concerning remodeling cans, I try to not to use them. The clips just don't hold them secure.
You helped me a lot...! Thank you very much
Thanks for making this video. It was very helpful
Blind drilling is insane. Never do it. I use a standard-size mortar trowel as a template to mark around and make sheetrock cutouts on every ceiling/floor joist, centered over each one. This allows room to drill horizontally through each framing member and makes fishing wire so much easier. I can't count how many times I've found water pipes, vent pipes, drain lines, and electrical wiring in the way while drilling holes for recessed lighting. The patching you do is more than worth the headache of a liability insurance claim or lawsuit, not to mention cleaning up the mess.
not sure that you will see this in time, however how do you patch this? im debating cutting a strip down the entire ceiling at the moment opposite of the rafter direction seems easier then patching a bunch of holes and finding wood to make nailers for them etc
I’m also interested in that as well. How to patch that v
@@niceshot7613a strip big enough to fit a drill and 👋 in is the way we used to do it. I’m always interested in easier less intrusive ways though for sure. Hope he sees these I’m getting my 8 cans at the store right now. Seems like the little patches he’s talining about wouldn’t have any bearing to screw the patches to without making some kind of makeshift lath and that seems daily time consuming for the drywall guy who is unfortunately gonna be me. Lol. Maybe we are missing something. .
@@johnny_corleoneI'm putting mine in at the moment just drilled the 6 holes I think I'm just gonna cut wall to wall I plan on putting ceiling speakers in too for Dolby atmos so I figured might aswell run the surround speaker wires to the back wall if I'm doing this
@@justinmight5974 nice. what kind of hole saw did you use for your cans
Recommend to all diy viewers cut off the wegos and/or the orange connectors and strip then twist your wires & put a wire nut to hold the connection
Good video thank you for the ideas this was very helpful and you know haters will hate.
What is you have an attic with no access and no floor above to run your drill against? Any trick there?
Excellent video
Keep up the good work !!!
Thanks Nice Job Done
So. . .I see you drilling holes and then wire magically appears? Can you share that magical spell with the rest of us?
How do you fish that far through those tiny holes with a fish tape?
Do you don’t have attic access to climb in to attic and make it easier
I wanted to see how the wire was fished from every hole
I use to practice this technique until I drilled thru drain line causing water damage in a home.
Lol
lol
lol
Man, I was wondering about that blind drilling through more than one rafter. I'd probably end up going through the floor above.
what's your method for drilling now?
One thing you need to make sure you don’t drill through that air duck tubing as well.
I have to be honest. You are lucky to not hit any water piping or other obstructions.
Those flex bits are like gambling. Especially if you're working in someone elses home.
Luckily in this area there is always strapping below the joists so fishig romex is fairly easy in newer construction.
Then you have to chisel the ceiling where it meets the walls to get down to the switch.
How is the wires on the back side of the wall in the furnace room? did you conceal the wires or switch legs. Also, you are risking drilling through plumbing and wires and other LV cables or ducts when not checking between the joists. Better to drill 4" holes in the center of the bays and patch or use a scope. Too risky.
I have done 100's of those same applications, never would I ever use that extension but, you could drill through plumbing vent , plumbing drain , electric service cable , water lines , that's a deal breaker for me .
based on the floor above you its pretty easy to get an idea where your vents are and if there is no bathroom there is no plumbing to worry about
Wow you are soooooo smart, not really..
Good job . I like your work
What did you use for the drill bit and extension? Thanks! Cool video
Can I get a link to your flex bit? I can not find anything that flexible
describe more about the tool. there no info about this tool on youtube.
a $15 circuit detective will also identify which breaker goes to which outlet....great investment
Looks like a lot of these comments are the same. I’m sure everyone can drill a hole for the light and drill through the joists blindly (at their own risk) but I was hoping for more info. If I already have a single light in the room, can I not just use that wire to feed all the new pot lights? Why did you run 2 wires instead of one? Thanks
Where can I purchase the flexible drill bit with bumper ball in pa
@Blake darling, need advice. Our builder is doing either of the led or pendant, but we want to get both installed as we want a pendant over the dining table.
What should we do get the led installed and get done the pendants later, can the switch for led work can be resued for pendant.
Hello and thanks for watching! Pendants and recessed lights are completely different fixtures. Recessed lights have a junction box attached to the top of the can whereas a pendant relies on a ceiling-mount junction box to both suspend the pendant and provide a box for the wiring connections. The best option, if you can’t decide which way to go, would be to install the smallest recessed light you really need (4” perhaps) and make sure the hole in the ceiling is not any larger than that required by the ceiling junction box (to be installed in the future with the pendants).
I have that flex bit and doesn’t always come out where it is suppose too.
Holes where you don’t want them .
Customer not happy when this happens !!
I wonder why someone has not come up with a central power hub, and low voltage sent to the LED lights? You would have voltage on the order of doorbell current. No danger in handling that , less code ( or maybe none ).
Hey Blake, great info, and a great channel. You provide excellent, and most importantly, correct information to your viewers! Thank you. Keep up the great work. This really helped me plan my recessed lighting project.
Bullshyt. He edited out all the good stuff.
I had the same problem with a can light. You have to really make sure the wires are seated in there tight or they will pop out.
How do you fish wire like that for the first floor?
WOW 😯
Never ever ever ever drill blindly. I've met many electricians that learned this the hard way.
use a multi-tool to precision cut the pieces and repair with a drywall repair kit, then paint. It's less time consuming. You will need to buy a gallon of paint though.
A question about using the flex bit in a wall: How do you avoid missing the center of the stud? Seems you could blow the edge distance and have a wire in danger of being hit with a nail by someone else years later?
For a run of joists you cut a large enough hole in drywall to drill the first hole of joist center. Run 3/4" PVC pipe that was cut the length to cross all the joists to be cut or length of your Klein tools Flexible drill bit kit. Now you feed the PVC through hole till it hits the next joint...this will hold flex bit on center for next joist...and so on down the line. When done there is a sleeve for the flex bit that attaches to the wire to pull the wire through the just cut holes. You may leave the pipe in once finished or pull it out for the next set of joists. The pipe is less than $4 at home depot.
@@stevensmith1268 That's brilliant....even just a simply tightly fit piece of pvc pipe through the first joist until it butts up against the next joist will ensure that the bit continue to go straight for any other remaining joists. I'm about to start a project like this, so this will be of great help, thank you.
@@stevensmith1268 I know this is a year old but I was just thinking about this exact thing! I'm glad I'm not the oy one. I am about to do 6 rooms for this guy and all the rooms need lights lol. Built in the 40s. I did one already but thought of this last night. Does the PVC need to be flexible? How would one keep feeding it through if it's rigid?
Where do I get a long drill bit like that?
Was waiting for a water burst video, you’ve got a lot of balls drilling that blind lol
Same here brother. Never blind drill. SMH. He got lucky.
Nice
As an electrician i have to say that those flexible bits are not my favorites, they could damage a water pipe or some other wire running along the stud your are drilling and in that case you are done . for me i rather cut and patch but dont take the chance.
What flex drill bit did you use?
Cool video. Just can't help but wonder why in your finished product, the tv/sound bar wire is on the outside of the wall?!
it's very hard work crezy time.
thanks.
Nice ...what the name of this tool????
Nobody shows the wiring work. Should I daisy chain? 1-2, 2-3 etc?
The main run of romex from the switch only has to go to the first fixture. Each fixture thereafter is connected by a new run of romex. The last fixture on the radial will have romex coming in and terminating at the fixture. This looks like “daisy chaining” but all of the fixtures are wired in parallel (i.e. hot-to-hot and neutral-to-neutral at every fixture).
Thanks Blake
Awesome video, Never seen it done like this . seemed impossible until you did it whats the name of that long drill bit?
Flex bit?
You should not drill through studs if you don't know what is on the other side of that stud. You could hit wires or a pvc pipe. I saw a guy hit a plumbing pipe and it was a disaster.
nice trick with the microwave cover..saves the face !!!
That actually isn't a trick. It is just a special bit made by Milwaukee. It is called the Milwaukee adjustable hole saw.
What if there are wires or a pipe on the other side of the wood members, blind drilling will cost you eventually, it's inevitable.
I normally only drill as far as I can touch. I'll stick my hand into the hole for the pot light and get a good feel and look inside. I wouldn't mind making some holes in the ceiling to make sure I am not going through a vent or pex pipe but the problem is with stucco ceiling where you have to refinish the entire thing after your done.
Have you ever drill through the plumbing pipe or electrical wires behind the stud by accident
No, I have not drilled through existing utilities. It is important to open inspection holes between joists or use a metal detector with electric current detection capabilities before drilling blindly.
How long is that flexible drill bit ?
What method did you use to fish the wiring throw the small holes you drilled ?
flex bits have a hole in the bit so once drilled through, you attach wire to the bit using the hole then pull it back out with the wire attached.
thanks for the video. Just a curious question as I start my first recessed lighting update in my kitchen. What are all the wire groups going into your switch? did you run wires from each light back to the switch? Could you not have put them in a parallel and daisy chained them with only one wire back to the switch(and one from the power supply)?
Great idea using that tupperware as a dust collector ! & i never knew the upside down plug meant its switched ,thanx.
Question. Does drilling threw trust weaken it ? Is there a requirement of where the hole should be placed ?
Thanks for your comment! That hole saw is a game-changer, I have found a few different versions at the big box home stores. Drilling through floor joists can cause weakness. Every region has its own codes, but the hole location is usually restricted to the outer 1/3 of the joist’s unsupported length. Please check and understand the building code in your region before drilling holes.
Hey Blake....how do you prevent the flex bit from walking up too high on the joists? And also, how did you fish the wire through?
I just read how you fish the wire through.....but still curious how you prevent the walking of the bit.
you could use the bending tool with the flex bit - its a wire handle that bends the shaft the degrees you need . But like some have commented a lot of potential danger drilling blind.
Going under the joists through the drywall and then patching is what worked best for me. No need to drill through joists and weaken the load bearing support.
As a structural engineer I can tell you these small holes do not weaken joist members..
Embedding wiring in drywall and covering it up with mud is dangerous and 100% violates code.
I would have to try it but it seems without an open wall to see where the end is drilling exactly into your going to have to be a little impresses where it drills thru what joists / studs in some case which is not the greatest thing... I.e if you had accidentally drilled thru to the outside wall it could be a pain a little to fix not the end of the world though as people make it out to be.
Damn nice job, and nice vid. Thanks.
What was your box fill?
Blind drilling could end up a bit mistake
Did you keep that outlet still controlled by the switch ? Or did you disable the outlet to be controlled to the switch ?
Nice. You got video on how you install the surveillance cameras?
They came with the house, but the previous owner ran all the Cat5 along the outside of the house and came through the walls in a few places. I would go wireless if I were starting from scratch.
Super video, thanks. I've always wondered about this blind drilling the first floor joists. How do you control the placement of the hole on sequential joists with that long extension such that you don't end up with a series of holes bored through the top inch of each joist?
That’s actually exactly what you end up with. The flex bit is designed to ride against the sheathing of the second story floor and drill through the top of each joist it encounters.
What was that container you used to keep the dust down when you drilled the holes. I loved that and need one of those. Thanks
home depot drywall bit 20 bucks it is adjustable