I'm tasked with drilling a hole that's 16 inches wide and 8 inches deep into a tree stump for a planter. I'm unsure if my regular Milwaukee drill will suffice for this task or if I need something more heavy-duty. Any advice on how to tackle this?
3 Answers
If you’re looking for a more aggressive option, using a chainsaw to outline the hole and then chiseling or hammering out the pieces can be super effective. Just a heads-up, chainsaw disks can be intimidating, but they can really speed up the process if you’re comfortable with them!
For a project like this, I’d recommend marking the circle on the stump and using a circular saw to cut around it. After that, you can pop out the pieces with a hammer and clean up the edges with a gouge or chisel. It sounds like a solid plan to me!
I did something similar and found that drilling overlapping holes with an auger bit worked well. Just space them closely and chip out the leftover pieces with a hammer. If you’re struggling with the full 8 inches, you might go 4 inches deep, clean out, and then go deeper. Just remember, the edges might be a bit rough afterward, so clean them up with a chisel.
That's a great method! I usually do something similar for making lamps from logs. Just drilling around the edge and chiseling the center leaves a cleaner hole than just using a chainsaw.
Totally agree! The chainsaw method does sound fun, but those disks definitely have a reputation for being a little scary.