Avoiding chip-out when drilling access panels

[Radian]

Here's a quick and dirty way to prevent plywood from chipping when drilling holes close the end grain (Shown in the bottom picture ).

If you don't have two pieces of scrap wood to sandwich your material between while drilling, this can get you by without much more sweat. It's a matter of lightly pinching the wood with pliers near the hole until the bit cuts through.

[bzb]

Nice tip, but here's another one: round over the edges

[Bryan316]

Drill a pilot hole as small as you can, hit the backside of the hole with a countersink bit, then drill from the top.

Also, I've heard of using bit fat fender washers to clamp in place with the vise grips. Again, a pilot hole is useful here to make sure you don't drill into the fender washer.