Spade bits can be used to pull electrical cables through holes in wall studs, ceiling rafters and floorboards, to save the hassle of trying to poke the cable through without being able to see where it is going.
Step 1 – Drill hole
Drill a hole with your spade bit. Once you are finished, push the bit into the hole as far as it will go. You’ll might need to ask a helper to hold onto one end of the driver (whichever type you chose to use) so that it doesn’t fall or detach from, or bend the bit while you’re on the other side of the hole.
Leaving your helper to hold down the fort, it’s time to trot off to find the other end of the bit and attach the cable.
Step 2 – Attach cable to bit
This is usually done by tying the cable to a piece of string or thin wire, which is then threaded through the end of the bit (as insulated cables might be too thick to fit through the bit’s hole).
Step 3 – Remove bit from hole
Return to your original location and pull the bit slowly out of the hole.
Wrenching it out of the hole forcefully could cause the cable to become unattached half way through the hole, which would be unfortunate!
Step 4 – Detach cable
You can now detach your cable from the bit and continue with your DIY project.