Drilling holes for drawer pulls

[J_Graham]

I am finishing up these drawers, and my wife has purchased pulls for the drawers that match the room etc. Unfortunately the post of the pull is too short. I have looked for replacement posts but they are kind of unique and I haven't had much success with that. My other idea was to drill out the back wide enough to countersink the nut that holds the post.

So my question is, what bit should I use for this?

I have regular, forstner, and spade bits. My concern is tearing out the back of the drawer face really badly. I know you wouldn't see it, but I would know haha.

 

[jcz]

Forstner bit would get my vote.

 

[Robert LaPlaca]

I would use (as I have myself used) a forstner bit to create a counter bore for the post and nut. See photo below..

Since my post holes were already drilled, I used a template out of 1/4" plywood drilled with the forstner bit the center to center of the hardware, then double sided tape the template to the back of the drawer, then drilled the counter bore on the back of the drawer with the forstner.

 

[JGregJ]

Forstner are best choice as they will cut a clean edge, flat bottom, with small center point.
Spade bits do not generally make a clean edges, and the long center tip could create problems like punching to the front depending on the clearances you are trying to achieve - if the holes for the handles are already drilled, the spade in an existing hole can be very difficult to keep centered.
Brad points have edge cutters, so I'd think they would cut cleaner to 'regular' twist bits.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I vote for a forstner bit, with one caveat. Forstner bits drill their truest when the brad point goes into solid wood. Your drawer fronts have the center drilled out for the handle bolts. Two more ways to deal with this:

1. Insert a dowel in the drawer front holes and you can put the forstner bit brad point into it. Wax the dowel, and it will punch out easily.
2. Clamp the drawer front firmly onto your drill press table and proceed cutting the hole very gently. Line it up using a standard drill bit the size of the existing hole. Just plunge the bit a tiny fraction of an inch at a time until you're about 1/8"+ deep.

I also suggest putting washers the same size as the forstner bit behind the nuts. This will prevent future loosening of the handles from the nuts cutting into the wood.

 

[HITCH-]

I would check McMaster Car or Fastenal. I bet you could find the appropriate bolts.

 

[mquan01]

Take a screw to big box, check size in one of the size thing-a-ma-jigs that have, then got a longer version. A lot are plain 1/4-20

 

[Cuthriell]

See if you can find connector caps. They work like a saw nut.