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I am having new Mid-Continent kitchen cabinets installed. The vendor has attempted to drill holes in the cabinets drawer faces for the "Pull Handles" that we selected. I would think that this would be easy. When he drills a 1/8" hole in the front of the drawer to mount the handle, the drill bit tears the surrounding wood surface finish around the 1/8" drilled hole. And the "Foot print" of the Pull Handle does not cover up the torn finish.

So how do I drill a 1/8" hole without marring or tearing the wood surface around the hole?

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One way to avoid splintering the front of the drawer is to clamp a small piece of wood on top of the area to be drilled, and drill through that bit of wood, into the front of the drawer.

This should (if you have the clamp firm) prevent any sparring or splintering on the finished surface of the cabinet drawer.

Try it on an inconspicuous area first (like a drawer near the floor or ceiling) to be sure it will work.

Another option is to try using a brad point drill bit (like one of these). They usually create a cleaner hole than standard bits.

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  • In a pinch, drilling through a piece of masking tape can help too, but a clamped layer of wood (as suggested) is better.
    – MT_Head
    Feb 2, 2013 at 22:20
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    I totally agree that a brad point bit is the proper bit to use. If a sharp bit is used properly, chipping should be minimal. The bit needs to be sharp, start the brad point slowly, but bring the bit to full speed before contacting the main diameter of the bit to the wood. Use gentle pressure until the surface is penetrated. Chipping occurs when the bit is forced and not allowed to cut it's way into the wood.
    – shirlock homes
    Feb 3, 2013 at 10:51

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