installing a deadbolt in a steel door?

[bgosh]

I previously stated to use a drill bit for the corners and after thinking about that the size you would need would be too big, so use a bitt big enough for and use a carbide bit in a Dremel and carefully rout out those corners.Will need a steady hand and a lot of patience. Or change that to a square corner one.Lots easier.

[Cooler]

Jig saw and then a file.

And angle grinder to cut the metal and a jig saw to cut the wood.

I have a small plunge circular saw (Porter-Cable) that accepts 3-1/2" blades.  It came with a stone cutting blade and steel cutting blades are available.  I find the ergonomics to be fairly crappy, especially if you are working overhead (which is why I bought it).  

With the laser guide it would be handy for this job, especially if you have loose pin hinges and can lay it on its side.   It was $90.00.  So far it has not earned its keep.   I didn't realize it was a plunge saw when I bought it.

[Cecil]

Take help from a SPAMMER as they can cut the area cleanly and then install the deadbolt without affecting the paint and board.

These spammers are getting good.

[FS7]

One wrongly drilled hole and you get out the Bondo and paint!!




Al

This. I've done this before.

I replaced all of the house locks with electronic ones, and on one door - a patio door - the glass pane was large enough that the space between the edge of the "window" trim and the center of the deadbolt hole was just a hair too small for the electronic piece. There was about 1/16" - 1/8" of overlap with the edge of the window trim (small-ish decorative molding). I thought I could either chisel out a small section, which wouldn't look as good, or take the door off, clamp a straightedge to the door, and use a flush trim bit to shave off just a bit of the molding. 

That didn't go perfectly, for whatever reason, and I ended up shaving off the moulding (in most spots) but also paint and steel in others. One spot on the door was apparently so high that I cut through the steel and exposed insulation. In any case, lots of Bondo, paint, and caulk, and you can barely tell the difference. Steel doors aren't hard to fix.

Back to the original point, you have two easier options. They do offer drive-in options, which is what you do in this case generally - use a hole saw to bore the hole, and drive in the bolt with a circular sleeve. This is common with interior doors and their strikes. The other option is to get a deadbolt installation jig - the Irwin one comes with hole saws and guides for multiple backsets and plate options. I did this to add a bolt to a door that didn't have one, so I was starting from scratch, and I didn't have a problem. You don't need to drill through the door, but it might help you just the same.