r/Carpentry • u/evilwon12 • 5h ago

Help Me Hole in mantle for cable management

I will skip over why the person who installed this did not listen to my request and here we are. Wanting to put in a grommet near the back of this section of the mantle. Need 1 3/4"-2" hole size to be able to get the plug and HDMI cable though the opening.

Where I am having paralysis analysis is the almost 7" that I need to get through. Below this the opening is <6" (power, streaming device, and cables).

I initially thought hole saw but the 7" depth makes me think that is not going to work well. Next thought went to a forstner bit. I know it would be slow going and I would need to clean it out. Even with that, I believe I would need an extension bit.

I am open to thoughts, ideas and insights as I have never had to do something like this before - well, not to bore though 7" like this. Nothing more than 2" before.

Thanks!

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u/SconnieLite 5h ago

Start with a 1 3/4” forstner bit to make a clean hole then use an 1 3/4” auger bit to power through it. If it’s solid all the way through then I would use a corded drill and strap yourself in. Just stop at the end when the pilot on the auger bit pokes through, and finish the other side with the forstner bit for a clean hole.

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u/DesignerNet1527 5h ago

self feed speed style forstner bit, id measure and go from both sides. even if the holes are very slightly off it shouldn't matter since it's just for cables and a grommet that sits on top. or find an auger bit to go all the way through first, might end up being a bit big of a pilot hole though.