I can finally drill! Oh wait. What is the matter here?

[Garald]

So, armed with a metal and electricity detector, I discovered that my worst enemy had been fear: I can now drill holes in walls!

 

At first, it all went well. I think here I'm just drilling through sound insulation boards put on the walls separating me from the cabinet of the GP who is never there.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, however, I'm trying to drill holes to put a coat rack closer to the wall, and I am stumped. In this section, there seem to be two materials: one is easily drillable up to 2cm or so (but holes bored in it seem to become larger); the other one cannot be drilled beyond a few mm. What is the reason? What to do?

 

[SteamyTea]

What sort of drill bit are you using, and are you using the hammer attachment on the drill?

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, Garald said:

...

Now, however, I'm trying to drill holes to put a coat rack closer to the wall, and I am stumped. In this section, there seem to be two materials: one is easily drillable up to 2cm or so (but holes bored in it seem to become larger); the other one cannot be drilled beyond a few mm. What is the reason? What to do?

...

 

Your drill is an SDS (Slotted Drive Shaft, or SDS +) drill , and the drill bit is SDS rated ? And the drill is set on hammer ? And the drill bit is new, and clean?

 

 

Quote

... Now, however, I'm trying to drill holes to put a coat rack closer to the wall ....

 

First hole (pilot hole) about 4mm or so. Then drill out to 6.5mm  (if necessary). Drill the hole 10mm deeper than needed

Hoover, hole, suck (or blow out -eyes- , care)

 

Use 6.5mm concrete screws to attach (whatever you want) to the wall . Countersink the hole and hide the screwhead with a wood plug.

 

YT is your friend - here's a playlist

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sds+drill+vs+hammer+drill

 

 

[Garald]

27 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

 

Your drill is an SDS (Slotted Drive Shaft, or SDS +) drill , and the drill bit is SDS rated ? And the drill is set on hammer ? And the drill bit is new, and clean?

 

 

 

Uh... my drill is an ordinary Bosch Universalimpact 700W; not sure it has a hammer mode. (I can't find a clear answer online. There is a switch on the top part of the drill, but it's just for switching between screwing screws and drilling.) It's my first time hearing of SDS. I was just using a standard Bosch masonry drill (nearly new though not that clean).

Edited February 6 by Garald

[Jenki]

Is this the drill ? It has hammer mode.   Make sure you buy "quality" Masonry drill bits... and it should drill thought most materials up to 10mm no problem

[Garald]

Right, that's the drill. Ah, I suppose I have always been using hammer mode, even to drill through wood; I've used the other mode only to drive screws into wood. Is that bad?

 

I've been using Bosch drill bits- I thought they were quality? At any rate, you can see my results in the above.

 

Edited February 6 by Garald

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Garald said:

Bosch drill bits- I thought they were quality

Bosch is one of the reliable brands so that isn't the problem..

I think you may have reached structural concrete or a lump of something very hard. 

Have you tried different speeds? Fastest is not best.

Also don't push to hard as it reduces the banging effect.

 

Failing that, buy or borrow or hire an SDS drill. this isn't especially expensive, but good sds bits cost much more than poor ones.

An sds drill bit rattles loosely in the drill and so chips rather than scrapes at the material.

And/or try a different type of bit. Tungsten heads sometimes work better on hard materials. Or there are diamond bits, readily available at the merchants.

Edited February 6 by saveasteading

[Garald]

Ah, I was in non-hammer mode all along (and that was enough when I was drilling through wood or plaster). And I already filled the holes I made with plaster! Darn. Is that enough to explain my troubles?

 

Yes, this is a structural wall, either brick or concrete. I've always started slow (speed 1 or at most 2) simply because I'm a bit frightened of what I could do at high speeds (to give you an idea, I don't drive).

 

 

[SteamyTea]

7 minutes ago, Garald said:

was in non-hammer mode all along

Thought you might have been.

 

Get the smallest masonry bit you have, drill at top speed, you will find it goes in no problem.

Then get the drill bit you actually need, probably 7mm for a 'brown' wall plug, and follow down the original whole.

 

You can always practice against the wall outside in the courtyard.

The biggest problem with drilling through plaster is when you hit between brick and mortar, that throws the position off.

 

[Garald]

3 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Thought you might have been.

 

Get the smallest masonry bit you have, drill at top speed, you will find it goes in no problem.

 

 

 

Wait, so top speed *is* better? I thought lower speed meant higher torque - do I not want that?

[ProDave]

Once you have tried an SDS drill you will NEVER want to use anything else for masonry. 

[SteamyTea]

Just now, Garald said:

 

Wait, so top speed *is* better? I thought lower speed meant higher torque - do I not want that?

Not really as it is an electronic speed controller. 

When drilling masonry, you are really chiselling it, unlike drilling an elastic material like steel.

You really won't come to any harm with a 700W drill and a 7mm drill bit and n 100 year old brick.

[Garald]

6 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Not really as it is an electronic speed controller. 

When drilling masonry, you are really chiselling it, unlike drilling an elastic material like steel.

You really won't come to any harm with a 700W drill and a 7mm drill bit and n 100 year old brick.

 

Victory! Switched to hammer drill mode, used a 4mm drill bit, then a 8mm drill bit, and went all the way in. (At some point I hit a void - probably air inside brick.) 

 

No idea why the plugs won't go all the way in. Should I have drilled a second time with the 8mm bit? (That was the recommended size for the plugs, and that's my largest bit.) Also, is it best (as a friend has just told me) to drill at a slight angle downwards?

 

At any rate, I'm surprised and happy, and may let it be for now.

Edited February 6 by Garald

[ToughButterCup]

Now buy yourself a stud-finder. Here's a google list of the kind of tool I mean

 

SDS + sharp drill + enthusiasm + heavy metal thrash on at top volume + a glass of giggle water =       (sometimes)   wait for it.........

 

 

 

a big bang and smoke coming out of wires or a wet face

[Garald]

On 07/02/2024 at 10:38, ToughButterCup said:

Now buy yourself a stud-finder. Here's a google list of the kind of tool I mean

I have one, from Bosch! Otherwise I would not have dared!