Best way to cable wall lights when cornice exists

[Chri5]

1st floor flat in an Edwardian House with cornice on the ceiling, wants 4 wall lights.

Normal method (for me) is to chase wall up to near where the cornice starts (about 6" from ceiling line) then use a 15mm x 300mm SDS bit without the SDS action to break a route up to the ceiling line.

Then use a 10mm x 300mm HSS drill to get through the beam / rafter that inevitably sits in the way between the ceiling line and breaking through to the loft. All the walls are internal rather than external.

Would I be better off taking the drill through at 15-20 degs and trying to come through to the loft on the other side of the beam / rafter?

If I'm being a numpty, then please offer your method of doing the cable route.

Ta.

 

[ricicle]

I used to use an old 15" long drill bit but with a curve bent into it.That way you can poke up behind the COVING without pulling it away from the wall.This also keeps the bottom end of the drill bit away from the wall making it easier to tap

 

[Chri5]

Surely a bent drill is going to 'helicopter' when rotated, thus rimming out a large hole and vibrating to the point where cornice / plaster will get damaged?

The cornice already has a few cracks in it and I really don't want the grief of having to repair any that gets damaged.

Could you explain how your solution works ? Am I having a blonde moment

 

[Adam_151]

Put the stick down and try the other end...

 

[ricicle]

The drill bit wasn't put in a drill, it was lightly tapped with a hammer.You could use any bent piece of metal, it's just an old blunt 10mm masonary drill approx 15" long was to hand one day and I carried on using it from then.

 

[Chri5]

I understand now

Silly me, fancy think a drill bit would go in a drill

 

[RF Lighting]

You don't put the drill bit in a drill, you knock it up with a hammer.

If you hit a beam first time, then go on a slight angle from the same stating place.

I personally use a bent piece of M8 threaded rod about 20" long, but the same principle.

Also a thin meter long drill bit is quite handy.

The worst one I have had to do so far was this. It was a groung floor flat, so there was no access above the ceiling. It was like this in all the rooms, and we were doing a full rewire.

 

[Chri5]

How did you get the ceiling rose rewired ????

Beautiful looking ceiling, but what a PITA

 

[RF Lighting]

Slowly

It took alot of fishing and a bit of notching of some of the flat parts of the ceiling, avoiding the fancy plasterwork.

A good bit of filling by the decorators, and you can't tell the ceiling had been touched!

It looked superb when fully decorated and the mouldings were picked out in a different colour by the decorators.

It took about 1/2 a day per light!!

 

[Steve]

It took about 1/2 a day per light!!

Your usual tight schedule then, eh Rob?

 

[securespark]

Yeah, I used to use a piece of brass rod, easy to bend.

Gently does it!!

 

[ColJack]

spare piece of capping that was left over.. flat into the chase then hit the hell out of it..

if i hit wood then a starret holesaw with a long exension.. or a long flat bit..