confined-spacedrillpowertools
I have a very narrow kitchen cupboard I'd like to make some changes to (add shelves maybe). Almost any change will require drilling holes though, and there's not enough room for a standard electric or manual drill, so the first problem to solve is how to drill holes. It's only around 170mm wide.
How can I drill a hole with only around 170mm of space?
The holes would only need to be about 12-15mm deep.
Wrap a bit of tape around the bit, to mark the desired depth. Then carefully drill your holes, stopping when you've reached the tape.
I've also seen this done with a bit of wire.
WARNING: Wrapping the wire in the wrong direction, can lead to property damage, injury, and death.
Or you could purchase a drill stop.
Which are also available in plastic
There are also portable drilling guides available.
I tried one of these and it was total crap, so I wouldn't recommend it. Your mileage may vary though, so give it a try if you like.
Make a bow drill:
Get a block of wood big enough to hold in your hand. Scrape out small hole in the wood. The non-pointy end of the drill bit goes in that hole. This is called the "hand hold".
You're going to use this wood block to push the drill bit against the door.
Make a bow with some strong wood and strong string. Wrap the string around the drill bit, perhaps a couple times to get a good grip on the bit.
Drill into the wood by pushing on the handhold and moving the bow.
You can find more thorough instructions on creating a bow drill for firestarting here:
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/bowdrill/pmoc/basicbowdrill.html
Best Answer
They sell what is called an "Offset" drill. Instead of the chuck being inline with the motor, it is turned 90°.
They also make drills where the chuck can be turned to get into tight spots. They also make an offset attachment for most drills.