Reply to: DIY Thread: Drilling

[d000hg]

It's been a while since we had a DIY thread so here goes.

Whilst trying to install a curtain rail, when I drilled the holes with a (hammer) drill all went well until I hit, I presume, solid brick which the masonry drill bit I was using failed to penetrate.

Is there another stronger type of drill bit I should use?

I have some titanium coated hss drill bits - would they do the trick?

No, it's well known by all tradesmen that brick is impossible to drill through.

Brick isn't even hard, you want to try drilling granite... that really does need a professional tool.

Have you tried turning the hammer part on?

[conned tractor]

Hiring a decent drill from a hire shop shouldn't cost too much....make sure it is the right sort of drive, SDS, ect.

Edit: If you can get a 7mm SDS bit with a decent drill you should eat through it in no time at all.
Now, if you had 4 feet stone walls, like my old mans old place (which he renevated) then you'd be after a different sort of tool altogether.

Or of course, as someone has said already, and if its a good suface, get a strip of wood slighly loger than the distance betwwen the curtain thingys by about 6"(?) by about 1/2=>1" and no nails this to the wall. Then use woodscrews to fix the curtain rail. Warning, may require extra work getting the wooden batten to your desired finish. Or if you live in an ultra modern place look totally out of place.

[DaveB]

When I started my first real job on a building site I was given a hand drill and asked by the foreman to drill through an engineering brick the long way. Now that took fooking hours.

Had similar when I was labouring on a site back in my student days. It was a house renovation down in Cornwall, big old stone built place with huge chunks of granit in the walls. Spent days chasing out the stonework for plumbing and electrical fittings. Even with a power chisel it was bloody hard work.

[Sockpuppet]

A.K.A. an engineering brick.

They tend to be bluer than yer common or garden house brick.

I recall chasing out an engineering brick for a double socket.

It took years.

Or felt as if it did.

When I started my first real job on a building site I was given a hand drill and asked by the foreman to drill through an engineering brick the long way. Now that took fooking hours.

[DS23]

Drilling a hole in an engineering brick is very much like making love to a beautiful woman.

[geoff from contracta IOM]

It's quite possible you have only hit a reinforcing bar in the concrete lintel ( steel unlikely in a 1930's house ) try just moving the hole position about 1 cm and adjust the other fixings according or just cheat and use a really good epoxy 2 part adhesive

[NotAllThere]

Drilling a hole in an engineering brick is very much like making love to a beautiful woman.

... Take it gently and slowly so you don't knacker your bit, take longer, but you'll eventually get to the depth you need ...

[Support Monkey]

I was going to argue that your non enthusiast wouldn't be spending circa 200 notes on a DeWalt but then I found this little bargain

I still say your B&Q 12V Homebuyer Special isn't going to dent 1930's brick.

its true, unless your gonna spend good money on dewalt or makita your average price homebase cordless is unlikely to be any use, i would suggest a decent corded hammer drill (more Torque)would be a better bet, they knew how to make concrete in the 30s

[Support Monkey]

your hitting either a concrete or steel lintel, if your drilling up as opposed to the sides and with it being 1930s i would expect it to be a concrete lintel, easy test would be get an old HSS Metal Drill bit and if it wont go in then its concrete, if the metal drill bit goes in its a metal lintel

If its 1930s concrete your gonna need a fairly substantial drill and drill bit to put a hole in it or most blind brackets can be fixed to the side as well so you could try fixing to the side rather than the top as chances are this will be brick and easier to drill

my house (1970s) has metal running up the sides and along the top

[pacharan]

Try and drill into the mortar.

It's a bit trial and error, your pole may be a bit wonky and you will end up with lots of unwanted drillholes.

These can always be filled in with polyfilla once you've finished

HTH

Pacha

[Pondlife]

I disagree. Most decent drills (DeWalt, Makita) are minimum of 18V or some are 24V, and are more than adequate for simple jobs like that, especially the SDS ones. I know a lot of guys in different trades (plumbers, joiners etc) and I can't remember any of them taking a wired drill on site for years, unless a big job breaks out.

I was going to argue that your non enthusiast wouldn't be spending circa 200 notes on a DeWalt but then I found this little bargain

I still say your B&Q 12V Homebuyer Special isn't going to dent 1930's brick.

[ChrisPackit]

Is it a cordless drill? If so, it's basically an electric screwdriver. Get a decent drill with a cord.

I disagree. Most decent drills (DeWalt, Makita) are minimum of 18V or some are 24V, and are more than adequate for simple jobs like that, especially the SDS ones. I know a lot of guys in different trades (plumbers, joiners etc) and I can't remember any of them taking a wired drill on site for years, unless a big job breaks out.

[Pondlife]

Is it a cordless drill? If so, it's basically an electric screwdriver. Get a decent drill with a cord.

[Troll]

I get this at Troll Towers when fitting curtains or blinds - the house has concrete lintels above the windows & the drill goes in a couple of cm in-no problem but then I have to really push in when I hit the lintel - no easy answer but just push as hard as you can and make certain the drill isn't just rubbing on the concrete

The worst is fitting blinds into the top inside of the window - you can't get your body behind it so have to use your arms to push the drill upwards

[Clippy]

Thanks for the tips - will take another look at this tomorrow.