I am getting ready to tile my bathroom floor. Starting from scratch with the basin, wc, bath, radiators to be fitted afterwards. I will need to drill holes through 10mm thick porcelain tiles. This is to enable fitting around 15mm copper pipes and for fixing screws for the WC pan etc.
I've searchrd Screwfix.com and come up with a 6mm and 18mm diamond core drill bits:
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don't appear to need arbours nor is there any mention of needing them. So my question is: would I be able to hand hold these and satisfactorily make holes.
>> They don't appear to need arbours nor is there any mention of needing them.
I've just completed this exact task (up to grouting). This is the first time I've ever done anything with a tile, let alone drill, cut and fit, so this is the voice of an unpractised hand(!)
I bought a set of tile hole cutters from B&Q's tile accessory section. They were the cheapest they had and came with an interchangeable centre bit which I found useful to get me going. I was tempted to leave the centre bit out (it does slow you down before you get on with the actual hole cutting) but decided against it.
If you use the hole cutter only, you cannot correct for misalignment or a little slippage before you've started to cut a deeper groove, as the tile would already be marked in the wrong spot whereas, with the centre bit, you can adjust within a margin and realign until happy that you're perfectly aligned, before you actually start to cut the larger hole's groove.
It's then easy to take the centre bit out and cut the hole through the tile.
As a novice (with tiles, at least), I found this worked fine.
I've used it, and it does do a good job. I had limestone tiles to do for my cloakroom involving a number of smallish sizes plus one specific pair of about 53mm for a Hansgrohe tap, so I bought a packaged set and the specific drill for the tap.
The 365 system involves using a plastic template with soft pads underneath. This is aligned over the markings for the hole and the drill used inside the hole position to start it. After the first couple of mm. the template is removed and drilling continues without. Holes were clean and in the correct position.
I couldn't imagine using a core drill without some kind of arbor on porcelain.
I've done similar before but then tried masking tape in a cross where the centre point should be. After marking up some white tiles to drill I couldn't see very well where to start off. Masking tape does a good job and allows me to see the mark of the centre point easier.
Best way to diamond drill holes into porcelain tiles is with the BFKMX from http://ww= w.365drills.com
365drills.com sell mid priced diamond drill kits.
Other solutions like Rubi or Armeg need a pilot drill to steady the crown
365drills use a template or drill guide to contain the crown and prevent drill slip or= drill wander.
Prices about =C2=A330 to =C2=A350 per kit. Main kit the BFKMX or the "Bathroom Fitter= s Kit - Max" has seven drills in five popular sizes of 6mmx2 8mmx1 16mmx1 30mmx1 and 40m= mx1 =
These represent the common sizes that tend to crop up on a routine basis such as
15mm ra= ditor pipes, hot and cold feeds to sinks, 22mm bath feeds, shower heads, body jets and= then finaly the 40mm does the waste pipe.
Other specialist sizes from 6mm to 125mm available in 37 different sizes. Covers eve= rything a specialist would need and everything an installer would need.
Other solutions like Rubi or Armeg need a pilot drill to steady the crown
365drills use a template or drill guide to contain the crown and prevent drill slip or drill wander.
Prices about £30 to £50 per kit. Main kit the BFKMX or the "Bathroom Fitters Kit - Max" has seven drills in five popular sizes of 6mmx2 8mmx1
16mmx1 30mmx1 and 40mmx1
These represent the common sizes that tend to crop up on a routine basis such as 15mm raditor pipes, hot and cold feeds to sinks, 22mm bath feeds, shower heads, body jets and then finaly the 40mm does the waste pipe.
Other specialist sizes from 6mm to 125mm available in 37 different sizes. Covers everything a specialist would need and everything an installer would need.
Drill guide works perfect on porcelain tiles.
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looked at 365drills and found them to be expensive. I bought some from elsewhere (forget the place). The drill guide is easily made by drilling the appropriate diameter in a piece of scrap ply or plasterboard.
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