Lighting - making the grooves

For those of you who follow my blog(s) and have a good memory I proffer my apologies as I am sure I must have blogged this before; but for my record of the build and for any newbies here we go ...

I think I have tried everything under the sun to make grooves for wires and have failed dismally with - lino cutter, or just using a knife, or using a rotary tool.  Many people will swear by these tools and have great success with them, so don't let me put you off trying.  I am just sharing what I do.

ignore the rotary tool - I forgot how much I didn't want to use it!

I draw a line from the hole straight to the back wall and drill an exit hole there.  I then use a box knife (Stanley knife) and a steel ruler and cut a line along this mark, two or three times.  I then budge the ruler a little and do the same again.  I then use any of the files (any pointy ended tool would do) to gouge out the material between the cuts - it comes out very easily.  These files were about three pounds from Aldi at some time so you can get them cheaply.  Being files I can then go on to enlarge the channel and tidy it up using pretty much any of them.  I then go over the top of the channel with a bit of sandpaper as it always raises a little ridge.

Use an old paintbrush to remove the dust and a very slightly damp cloth is good for finishing off the dusting - don't wet the MDF - it is just that a slightly damp cloth picks up the dust better.