Drilling masonry in a confined space

[Rob]

How's this done, when a corded or cordless drill won't fit? I tried an angle drill, but the lack of hammer action made it pretty useless.

Rob

[John Rumm]

Could you give us a bit more info on the circumstances?

[js.b1]

Are you just trying to fit rawlplugs or anchors?

If just fitting rawlplugs...

- Go to Ebay and search for "8mm diamond core drill"

- About =A38 from Hong Kong (Blue or Orange)

- The thick tab/annular end is sintered diamond

Do not use tile-bits, they are usually thinwall with a diamond coating not a thick wall of sintered diamonds (100s of holes).

I use them often in 8-20mm for various tasks, domestic & industrial machining. The diamond does the work so you can use a small 9.6V right angle cordless drill in a confined space.

[The Medway Handyman]

The Bosch multi purpose bits will drill masonry pretty well without hammer action. Brilliant things.

[Rob]

It's to fix some battens to the sides of this opening:

and stone - an old mains hammer drill goes through it with ease.

I had intended to fill with a metal airbrick, but after a fruitless search I fixed some wire mesh secured (for now) by battens at each side. This was after trying 4 clay traditional air bricks - nice fit but no light and seemingly poor air flow, coupled with my laughable cementing skills in a confined space.

I've since bought an impact driver - that seems to have masonry pretensions, packed as it was with several masonry bits. I'll give it a go later.

Rob

[Rob]

Many thanks (and js.b1) - good plan.

Rob

[fred]

If you don't mind a lateral slant, how about these two options:

1. Don't use any fixings at all but use interference fitted vertical battens at the ends to wedge top and bottom horizontal battens, add further wedged intermediate battens if you like.
2. Make a rectangular frame for the opening and fix it into the sides using slant drilling, with the drill body outside the opening, the longer the drill bit, the shallower the angle. No real need to fix the frame top and bottom.

[John Rumm]

Ah, ok. BTW the screwfix plastic ones let through a decent amount of air.

Unless its one of the posh four function[1] cordless drills, then it won't have a hammer action - and will do not much better than an angle drill.

My approach would probably be a long (i.e. 400mm or more) masonry bit used at a slight angle. Failing that, simply fix the airbrick with a bit of expanding foam, and then point up the facia.

[1] There are some drill/driver/hammer/impact machines about now.

[Roger Mills]

something between them to hold them in place until the Gripfill goes off - but, once set, it will be as solid as a rock!]