Replies

1. 
   frenchy | Dec 01, 2009 09:20pm | #1

   If you can find a Mikita groove cutter.  With one of those there are two ways to deal with the wires..

    first you could route a deep channel and put the wires inside then plate over the wires with a selected piece of wood cut to top off the groove..  Nearly invisable unless really close examination is done..

    Second you could carefully  take a self feeding one inch milwaukee bit,  several extensions,  and center drill.  with care and a lazer beam you can keep the hole in roughly the center of the post. Coming out at the top and then using the Mikita groove cutter run your wire chase to whereever you need it.

     True with a great deal of Time and  patience plus some jigs you do duplicate the same effect with a router. 

    If you look at the timbers in my house you'll see the effects of hiding wires in timbers..

2. 
   Sphere | Dec 01, 2009 09:51pm | #2

   Find a local bandsaw mill and saw the posts in half, rout the wire channel and glue it back up. BTDT.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   PROUD MEMBER OF THE " I ROCKED WITH REZ" CLUB

    

3. 
   IdahoDon | Dec 01, 2009 10:36pm | #3

   Personally I'd run a 1" x as long as you can find auger bit through the centers, coming at it from both ends.  Often with a 5' deep hole bored from one end of a newel post the hole are close enough to overlap an outlet recessed in the post to get your 14-3 through fairly easily.   A handy trick to boring down the center is to put the posts on saw horses and every inch of depth for the first 12" or so turn the post 90 degrees--it just keeps your eyes honest. 

   If after you've run the holes from both ends past each other and if they don't interconnect then I'd run one of the flexible electrician drills down the hole to curve over as needed.  If your first post is a pain in the butt I'd change to a 1-1/4" bit.

   A very short auger bit or one of the other designs resembling a forsner bit could be used with a number of short extentions to act like a flexible bit siince there is a bit of flex in each connection but I haven't tried it since a smaller electrician bit works so well.

   What if you drill the holes and nothing interconnects and you can't figure out what direction to go with a flex bit?  Ace hardware often stocks a 1/16" x 4" long drill bit that is very fragile but will make a hole that all but disappears for what you're doing and simply drill a few holes and shine a flashlight down it and you'll see where the ends of your deep holes are.  Personally I'd use a 1/8" bit and plug it, but you get the picture.

    

   Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.

4. 
   clinkard | Dec 05, 2009 06:32am | #4

   Batteries? LED lights and just replace as needed?
   I think the most practical is cutting down the middle with a bandsaw, grooving and re-gluing. Not sure where you would like to place lights (regarding length of wire in timber) but it can be really tricky to line it up.

   If you were to drill it, you could rent extensions for a masonry drill/hammer drill with a good auger bit.

   Good luck!

5. 
   clinkard | Dec 05, 2009 06:35am | #5

   Not sure where you are, but I found this so the drill bits are out there.
   http://www.advantage-drillbits.com/auger.html

1. 
   roger g | Dec 05, 2009 04:37pm | #7

   Now that site was interesting. Thanks clinkard.roger

1. 
   KFC | Dec 05, 2009 04:53pm | #8

   No doubt. 184" augers... niiice. Can I chuck that in my old 9.6 Makita?
   k

1. 
   roger g | Dec 05, 2009 05:01pm | #9

   I have one of those very flexible 72 inch electrician bit (3/8"). I use it very seldom when I need flexibility. Drilling straight would be an exercise in futility. roger

1. 
   KFC | Dec 05, 2009 05:14pm | #10

   Yeah, I've seen those. I'm imagining the 184" auger is rigid, for some reason. Still seems like you'd wander, but man, it'd be fun to bring that to the job site...
   "'scuse me while I whip this out"
   k

2. 
   Sphere | Dec 05, 2009 05:53pm | #11

   Imagine boring the old water pipes. They used shell augers or spoon bits, Jennings hadn't invented the spiral auger yet, and every thing was twisted with a "T" handle. 

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   PROUD MEMBER OF THE " I ROCKED WITH REZ" CLUB

    

6. 
   popawheelie | Dec 05, 2009 07:13am | #6

   You could drill it. Buy a bit and weld on a rod.

   As long as the bit is bigger dia. than the rod it will work.

   "There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
   Will Rogers