Drilling into an RSJ

[Endulini]

Hi Everyone,

I'm putting up a curtain rail above a door and have hit what I assume is an RSJ lintel (it's much harder than then the plaster and shiny!), I've got an HSS bit to drill the necessary holes but was wondering if this was the best strategy and if anyone else had a better idea before I proceed?

Thanks

[Tim Watts]

If it's over a door, I would assume it's a hollow box section steel lintel - can't imagine there being anything heavier there, unless there have been major alterations in the past.

If so, run an HSS bit through it - should be no more than 2mm thick steel.

Either way, whatever it is, a small hole in a steel beam will not affect its integrity in the slightest.

Cheers

Tim

[Hugo Nebula]

If it's above an external door it's almost certainly not an RSJ (or a UB). As Tim said, it's probably a steel hollow box section lintel, & the rest of what he said applies.

If it IS an RSJ (or UB), then you have hit the flange, which is about

10mm thick. Go about 20mm higher or lower and you will hit the brick above or the infill between the flanges.

Of course it may well be an Angle, in which case it'll take no end of drilling to get through. If so, give up and use No-Nails!

[Tim Watts]

On the subject of drilling angle iron, I had to use some 1/8" ish thick stuff to brace a small fireplace opening lintel where most of the support had been removed by some numpty and a nice triangular crack was appearing above (BCO's suggestion - he instructed on the correct installation method).

Anyway, I was fearing a degree of tedium trying to drill bolt holes without a pillar drill. By coincidence I had just bought some of these bad boys from screwfix:

of a difference over "normal" HSS bits - made a pretty straightforward and quick job out of it...

[fred]

Good but more brittle than hss, def best to use them in a stand.

[Frank Erskine]

Test drilling?