No box

[laketime]

Working on a custom cedar log home and there is romex stubbed out of the logs for outside lighting. I was planning on using pancake boxes behind the lights but the sconce back plate isn't deep enough to bury the box in. I was thinking of forgetting the box and just mounting the fixture with a universal plate right to the wood. Any other ideas, besides routing the wood out for the box?

 

[augie47]

as far as legality:
300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings ? Where Required.
A box shall be installed at each outlet and switch point for concealed knob-and-tube wiring.
Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific wiring methods for which they are designed and listed.
Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise permitted in 300.15(A) through (M).
as far as ideas, none other than routering.

 

[wireguru]

shouldnt be hard to router out room for a pancake box.

even if not caused by your work, this is one of those times where they pick a light fixture with some romex hanging out of it, and a box nowhere in sight, out of the smoldering remains of the house and proclaim it an electrical fire and blame it on you.

 

[George Stolz]

I was planning on using pancake boxes behind the lights but the sconce back plate isn't deep enough to bury the box in.

Can you elaborate?

 

[buzzbar]

I use a 3 5/8" hole saw, chisel out the wood, and put in a full-sized plastic cut-in box. The lights are easy because you can use a hole saw. When it comes time to install the flush-mount receptacle, then the sawsall steps up to the plate.

 

[buzzbar]

After I hit 'send', I realized that you can't use a hole saw with a wire in the way. lol

If you can't stuff the wire back into the log, then I'd drill a series of small holes in a circular pattern, then chisel out the excess wood.
Good luck.

 

[ceb58]

Working on a custom cedar log home and there is romex stubbed out of the logs for outside lighting. I was planning on using pancake boxes behind the lights but the sconce back plate isn't deep enough to bury the box in. I was thinking of forgetting the box and just mounting the fixture with a universal plate right to the wood. Any other ideas, besides routing the wood out for the box?

Tell them that when the carpenter routes out the hole for the box you will be glad to mount the light.

 

[iwire]

then I'd drill a series of small holes in a circular pattern, then chisel out the excess wood.
Good luck.

Same here, you could remove most of the wood with a spade bit and just clean it up with a chisel.

 

[macmikeman]

Thomas and Betts #5080 surface pancake box.http://s7d3.scene7.com/is/image/ThomasBetts/5080white_ub1?$datasheet_500$

Probably not a good fit to a curved surface like a log house however, but maybe you could flatten out the area of attachment .

 

[jaylectricity]

Thomas and Betts #5080 surface pancake box.http://s7d3.scene7.com/is/image/ThomasBetts/5080white_ub1?$datasheet_500$

Probably not a good fit to a curved surface like a log house however, but maybe you could flatten out the area of attachment .

That plastic box would completely ruin a cedar log home.

 

[ItsHot]

That plastic box would completely ruin a cedar log home.

Do they make wooden ones?

 

[Cold Fusion]

Working on a custom cedar log home ...

Jay nailed it dead center. Why consider anything less than making it look perfect? Anyone spending that kind of money doesn't want second rate.

cf

 

[electricguy61]

You can use a hole saw if the wire comes straight in. You just have to be really careful:grin:

 

[220/221]

After I hit 'send', I realized that you can't use a hole saw with a wire in the way. lol

If you have some back/forth play in the cable you can. Just put the pilot off center.

Routering a pan box hole is pretty easy with a paddle bit.

 

[LarryFine]

Do they make wooden ones?

They might. I once saw a high-quality wood stove; made of 100% oak.

 

[readydave8]

I use a 3 5/8" hole saw, chisel out the wood, and put in a full-sized plastic cut-in box. The lights are easy because you can use a hole saw. When it comes time to install the flush-mount receptacle, then the sawsall steps up to the plate.

arlington makes a round box that the receptacle mounts in, I haven't used any but saw them in catalog and then one time in the real world, use a hole saw to cut your receptacle box in siding.

 

[jaylectricity]

Do they make wooden ones?

We'd be getting a little crafty (pun intended) but you could fashion one yourself out of a piece of wood. Sort like wooden siding blocks, but with moulded edges and a fancy shape.

 

[sparky=t]

try using a roto zip, much better than trying to use a 3-5/8 hole saw or driiling a thousand little holes and using a chisel, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF YOU BUT I LIKE THIS TRADE BECUASE I CAN SEE WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND TAKE PRIDE IN MY WORK!!! **what better advertising?**

 

[1793]

I have taken a piece of 3/4" plywood and drilled it with a hole saw then removed the pilot bit and use the 3/4" plywood to hold the hole saw, template, in place to drill out the opening for the box.

 

[marcerrin]

If the fixture is mounting to a rounded surface; how will the fixture sit flat? I'd have the carpenter mount a flat cedar block in all locations where there are lights. It will look better when its all done too. Have him do the same for w/p receptacles.