Drilling Diagonally

[LennieB]

I am looking to spur off an existing socket to put in an additional double socket. I am fine with the electrical work but I am trying to work out how best to run the cable.

The socket I will be taking the feed from is about 20cm from where I want to put the new socket, which would be on the side cutout of the window casing (not sure if that is the right term, the original socket is one one wall with a window about 20cm away, the window is set back into the wall with a window cill, so it will be on the inside of the cutout of the wall).

The easiest way to do it would be to drill from inside the back box from the socket I am spurring from diagonally upwards at about 45 degrees to the point where I want the new socket, I have a 13mm bit that would do this.

I am basically wondering whether this would be OK structurally, as I remember when I was looking into chasing cables into walls that you should keep things either horizontal or vertical. Walls are brick, part of an extension built in the early 90's.

I am just trying to avoid having to chisel a channel and plaster/repaint, especially as the room was decorated by the previous people and I would most likely struggle to get the same paint colour.

 

[kazuya]

you'll be ok drilling the hole at an angle, you might want to start with a smaller drill bit first though
The horizontal and vertical part when chasing, is so you have a rough idea where cables are, if everyone sticks to this rule then it makes life easier.
for example never drill or knock a picture hook into a wall if its in line with a switch or socket horizontally or vertically without checking first which way the cables run with a cable finder or something.
some people might say always check anyway

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

The problem as I see it is not the 45 degrees upwards left/right but the angle in/out. You are starting at the back of the original box, say 1" back from the plaster front. You want to end up about 3" in from the plaster front but in the window recess. So your drill will go inwards by 2" over the length of 8". Unless you have a really long drill (> 24"), you will end up with the chuck or drill body rubbing on the plaster opposite where you want to start the hole in the original box.
Frank