Hard brick drilling

[David Lang]

1/4" masonry bit? You can't go around drilling imperial holes these days! The EU have banned imperial holes, has to be 6mm now!

[David Lang]

I've got an 18v Hitachi SDS which has a 'soft' setting. Still hammers, but not as much. Not used often, but very useful.

[Fredxxx]

Sounds a useful feature and might have stopped a couple of embarrassing moments of mine!

[tony sayer]

In article , AnthonyL scribeth thus

LOL!, Brain fart!.

This is the sort of number:)

And it might seem expensive but its worth every penny!.

[harry]

Depends on the aggregate. Which can range from granite and quarzite to limestone.

[newshound]

I have something similar to this one

Just used it to break up a 2 - 3 inch concrete slab with plenty of cement in it.

In your case, if you really only need 6 mm holes that would be

1) Overkill

2) A heavy lump for wielding around above head level.

So I would go for something in the 2 kg range. As a matter of interest, is your existing B&D a hammer drill? If not, you might not even need an SDS.

[Dave Liquorice]

Sounds like poor technique, you know the thickness of the wall. Mark that on the bit and when you get close to the last inch or so ease off leaning on the drill and just let it work it's way through. No guarantee that you won't get any spalling but you shouldn't knock a scaucer sized lump off.

Alternatively go through with a smaller drill first, gently again then go to the other side and drill a couple of inches with the full size drill.

[Dave Liquorice]

Black &

Directive EU0104/2013/EC/277453665 states that holes must be 6.35 mm.

[Fredxxx]

I think I might have learnt my lesson by now!

Great idea, except the size of the saucer exit seems independent on the size of bit!

[AnthonyL]

The drill that was loaned to me has the special bits with grooves. Whether it is classed as SDS or not I don't know - just says Metabo Hammer on its description. I'm going to get an SDS (not just hammer) one following one of the recommendations or wait till Lidl have an offer.

[AnthonyL]

All of you? Why would you assume that? It's a little Black & Decker I bought in Australia c1973, two speed, one for wood, one for metal, and some attachments and a stand so I could use it for grinding. Still going strong and this is the first time I've not been able to do the job asked of it.

[AnthonyL]

It not only seems expensive ... I suspect now that I'm only going to need anything special for curtain pole supports where the lintels are hiding. My neighbour says the house bricks are fairly normal so the old Black & Decker will be fine for that.

[Clive George]

Because hammer action has been a pretty standard feature of mains drills for many years now. Though maybe not ones as ancient as yours :-)

[polygonum]

My ancient B&D of a slightly earlier year (I think maybe 1966/7) had hammer action. And two speeds!

[John Rumm]

Sounds like a SDS then...

Easy to recognise as the shank is always the same size regardless of the drill diameter, and as you say, grooves etc:

[John Rumm]

The only comment I would add is I have never regretted buying a decent quality tool. Can't say the same for the budget ones though. So quite often its cheaper to buy a good one once, rather than upgrade your way to it through one or two other purchases you later regret.

[John Rumm]

Its where a good speed controller comes in handy - you can use a very slow rotation speed and hence gentle hammer, without the rotation stalling.

I was installing some data, phone and TV feeds for a customer the other day, and needed to drill through their external wall in a couple of places, where the exit surface was rendered with decorative pargetting. Last thing I wanted was a "sky installer special" divot of an exit wound you could stick your fist in! So the last inch or so was taken very gently... even though I was using a 16mm diameter bit, the spalling was minimal.

[charles]

a great many years ago, I invested in a Bridges power drill. Eventually I had to buy a replacement. A work colleague remarked that he was just about to get his 4th B&D - in the same time period.

[charles]

Otherwise use a thin pilot drill and enlarge from both sides. I have a 1m long 10m SDS bit. Came in very hand in daughters house with 2' thick stone walls

[Dave Liquorice]

Isn't that a bit unwieldy and there can't be much of the house left after you used it. B-)