Thanks for the overall idea - there would be some benefit in being able to see what you're drilling into, but it strikes me that trying to mark the holes to the accuracy required for mirror screws wouldn't be easy due to the plaster thickness.
I did drill pilot holes with a 3mm drill anyway, but something's still not right.
I've put mirrors up a few times in the past and can't remember having this much difficulty - I think that perhaps I was just in the wrong frame of mind!
If it is into thick plaster you may be lucky and get perfect holes. I have a ruler with guides for making the job easy.
If you drill very oversize holes and then fill with plaster you can then drill accurate holes when it sets, or even push the plugs into the wet plaster to set insitue.
or you could get a foot or two of pallet wood, cut a hole in the plaster for it, nail and screw the wood into the wall (trying a few times until you get a good joint) then screw the mirror into the wood (the wood will be hidden behind the mirror, and gaps can be polyfilled, (I use plaster cement cos its cheaper and harder)
[g]
I've found that masking an A4 bit of paper along its length on the wall and then bending the opposite end nearly back on to its self and affix with masking tape going the opposite way works great. Both hands are then free and it collects ALL the dust.
I was looking for something to show it online as I'm sure that's where I got the tip from.
Similar to this
Better to use quick set cement.
Body filler is faster, so you can simply fill the hole and re-drill 10 minutes later. I think Halfords is the cheapest retail outlet. 1.75 kgs for under a tenner. Can't imagine life without it
Problem I face on a daily basis. I'd love to meet the pratts who design these things.
Quite common to have the holes at something like 58.5 cm apart, just to make it difficult to divide & measure, when they could be 60 cm apart & make life easy.
Exactly what I do to make sure things are level & holes in right place.
Good question. As I said the pratts who design these things should be shot. It is very difficult indeed to get spot on accurate holes in masonry.
A few things I've found - Bosch multi material drills
Second, I don't use the hammer action until I have too, seems to help. Third, plugs with a 'lip' have silghtly more tolerance.
Yup, thats the way to go. I carry envelopes & tape in the drill driver bag!
I saw the envelope thing on a Tommy Walsh show ages ago.
drills
I've suddenly remembered seeing wall plugs with the hole offset - you rotated them to align the hole. Did I dream that or do they actually exist?
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If you're doing a lot of mirrors you might invest in a special jig. There's a whole range of them available, all of which I'd forgotten about because I use mine for other purposes. Wolfcraft do two different types for wood (but probably also suitable for mirror fixing accuracy) and a tile drilling jig which would also do the same job.
See
Cic.
Hmm, that triggered a memory, although the ones I saw were for plasterboard, not brick, and took a particular standard bolt thread (I don't recall what, now) - they weren't for screws.
Another way is to drill the hole as usual and then user a bigger drill to open up the outermost 10mm or so of the hole. Put the plug to the back - beyond the opened up bit. Do not fill or replaster. Then there's some lateral adjustment possible as you tighten the screw.
Robert
That would be OK on something like batten or shelf bracket, but a bit dodgy with a mirror - it would be stressed the screw tried to straighten. Also, there really needs to be support against the back of the mirror to keep the top-hat washer in place.
On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:14:43 -0700 (PDT), Rory had this to say:
For something like a mirror, I'd be tempted to attach a plywood board to the wall, then screw the mirror to that. Fitting such a backboard to a wall would be a lot easier than the mirror.
Frank Erskine coughed up some electrons that declared:
I've done something similar in my plumbing cupboard - vertical battens every
2 foot - much eaiser to clip pipes to wood in quantity than farting around with plugs :)
I find that this is where the old fashioned Rawdrill comes in handy and I always start off in plaster with it. Mark up, line up the Rawdrill with the mark, one hard whack with the hammer to take it through the plaster, then a couple more whacks to start the hole in the base. then use a masonry drill to finish off.
Now
A way that I use (works for starting holes in tiles as well) is to use a wheel brace and 'rock' it so that the bit does about half a turn, then turn the bit a quarter turn and repeat a little. Easier to do if holding the wheel rather than the handle.
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