Belfast sink - tap hole punching (scared!)

[Fash]

Just received my beautiful villeroy and boch double belfast sink with drainer. Now need to install a tap in the 'part-drilled' tap hole. The instructions say transfer the hole position to the top of the sink which is fine. Then hit it with a centre punch to crack the glaze, drill a hole with a masonry drill and then 'chip it out'.

I am (understandably I feel) a little nervous about taking a hammer to more than =A3300 worth of sink. Has anybody done this operation? I'm tempted to skip the centre punch bit and drill through it with a tile drill to start the hole. I think this is one where I'm tempted to go to the tip/someones skip and get an old sink to practice on.

Advice on how not to destroy the sink very much welcomed.

Fash

[Frank Erskine]

Proper Belfast sinks don't have tap holes. The tap is a bib-c*ck attached to the wall.

[Fash]

Fine, lets describe it as a double butler fireclay sink if you prefer.

Any advice on how to make the holes in it since the tap for a double butler fireclay sink is not a bib-c*ck on the wall, and the sink is unlikely to transform itself into what you would be happy to call a Belfast sink.

I love a good pedant myself!

Thanks,

Fash

[EricP]

It sounds easy, but I would share your concern.

I have a dremel clone type drill and one of the bits is a small ceramics cutter. This would make short and safe work of this particular job, as it can *stroke* the material away.

[David Kerr]

I am (understandably I feel) a little nervous about taking a hammer to more than £300 worth of sink. Has anybody done this operation? I'm tempted to skip the centre punch bit and drill through it with a tile drill to start the hole. I think this is one where I'm tempted to go to the tip/someones skip and get an old sink to practice on.

-------------------------------------------------------------- Hi,

I'd recommend not to use the hammer! I'd do it like this:

1. Mark hole position (use fine-tipped felt pen)
2. Cover this with masking tape (you can still see the mark through the tape)
3. with a sharp steel bradawl, press hard with twisting action on the marked point to pierce the tape and make an small indent in the glaze
4. Use a tile or masonry drill bit on a slow speed setting to drill your hole - the tape helps to stop the drill slipping and the indent should also locate it.

Hope this helps.

David Kerr

[Andrew Mawson]

hole.

prefer.

You need a diamond drill like these:

very slowly and use water as coolant and lubricant

AWEM

[Fash]

Still not keen on the hammer, but...

Look at

Of course if he makes a hash of it he can just get another off the shelf!

He's not pussyfooting around with the centre-punch though.

Fash

[dingbat]

Bludgeon a very small hole in the middle, then use a carbide half-round "tile file" to take it out to size. Personally I'd put the initial hole in place by a bit of chain drilling with a 6mm carbide leaf bit, same as I use for drilling tile or glass.

Drilling hard brittle ceramics with a high frit content it's hard to cause any damage more than the thickness sideways of where you're walloping it, unless you hit it hard enough to cleave thhe whole thing in two. If you can keep the brutal stuff at least a thickness away from the edge you care about, then you're fairly safe.

[John]

I am (understandably I feel) a little nervous about taking a hammer to more than £300 worth of sink. Has anybody done this operation? I'm tempted to skip the centre punch bit and drill through it with a tile drill to start the hole. I think this is one where I'm tempted to go to the tip/someones skip and get an old sink to practice on.

Advice on how not to destroy the sink very much welcomed.

Doesn't help your sphincter much but I had the same concerns once on a 'standard' ceramic sink. On the underside of the sink the tap 'hole' was cut into the ceramic. I just bit the bullet and did it with a centre punch straight through and nibbled the rest away, it went well and I didn't cause any damage to the sink. If it helps do like I did and close your eyes when you do the first hit!!

Let us know how you get on.

HTH

John

[auctions]

Follow the manufacturer's instructions EXACTLY, and preferably film the process. That way, if it all goes horribly wrong, you can insist on the nice people at villeroy and boch giving you another one to try!

Andrew

[John]

You could ASK but THAT is not going to happen!!

As I said in my previous posting, bite the bullet and DO IT. How many sinks of this ilk have been sold (regardless of manufacturer) and how many have been returnrd dur to breaking because of a manufacturing fault? Let me guess Sold = Lots, Returned = very few (if any). If the manufactures thought it was going to be a problem would they tell you to hit your new sink with a centre punch? I think not! Or alternatively they would sell 'handed' sinks and increase their manufacturing and stock holding by two fold. JUST HIT IT!

HTH

John

[John]

Follow the manufacturer's instructions EXACTLY, and preferably film the process. That way, if it all goes horribly wrong, you can insist on the nice people at villeroy and boch giving you another one to try!

Andrew

You could ASK but THAT is not going to happen!!

As I said in my previous posting, bite the bullet and DO IT. How many sinks of this ilk have been sold (regardless of manufacturer) and how many have been returnrd dur to breaking because of a manufacturing fault? Let me guess, Sold = Lots, Returned = very few (if any). If the manufactures thought it was going to be a problem would they tell you to hit your new sink with a centre punch? I think not! Or alternatively they would sell 'handed' sinks and increase their manufacturing and stock holding by two fold. JUST HIT IT!

HTH

John