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I was trying to drill in some brick columns yesterday with a masonry bit and a PorterCable 1/2'' 19.2V cordless hammer drill. It would drill into the mortar just fine but the brick was much too hard. The bit just wasn't able to penetrate. Took forever just to reach 1/8'' depth. It was like the bricks had been baked to ceramic hardness.
What type of bit would you use in a situation like this........diamond? Thanks
[ August 29, 2003, 01:42 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7409 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Do yourself a favor and go down to your industrial supply house or a home depot and buy a Hilti or Boshe "Hammer Drill" and the appropriate masonry bits. You can drill those holes in seconds with the right drill and bits. Don't waste your time trying to use a regular drill for this project, even with masonry bits. You will use the drill over and over and be glad you made the investment!
Mike Jackson
-------------------- Mike Jackson Golden Era Studios Jackson Hole, Wy www.goldenstudios.com/ Posts: 390 | From: PO Box 7850 | Registered: Nov 1998
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Thanks guys, But the drill is a 19.2V PorterCable hammer drill and there was no electricty to use for a plug-in one.This place was out in the boondocks about five miles from the Okeefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia. Nothing but pine trees and palmettos for miles. I should have taken a generator. Didn't expect the brick to be that hard.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7409 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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If you don't need to drill large diameter holes, you may want to consider a 1/2" rotary/hammer drill. A flip of the lever or twist of a knob lets you switch from a regular drill to hammer. I've used Milwaukee, Bosch and Dewalt and they all work good. Check out this [url= http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=1%2F2%22+hammer+drill]link[/url] for more info.
-------------------- Dave Johnson Saltsburg, PA
724-459-7240 Posts: 228 | From: Saltsburg, PA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Buy the best quality industrial masonry bit you can find. When brick or concrete is really hard, those cheap bits will burn up fast. Slow down also, so as not to smoke the bit and spray some water in the hole as you go to cool and lube the bit. Also keeps the brick dust down.
posted
Instead of lugging a generator, try a power inverter. You can pick them up pretty cheap. They plug right into your truck or better yet clamp it right to the battery. Ditto on the hammer drill also. I love my miluakee.
-------------------- Ryan Ursta Ursta Graphics 116 B North Mercer Avenue Sharpsville Pa. 16150 Call: 724•962•2206 "We make YOU look good"
Known as "Ugraph" on mirc Posts: 558 | From: Sharpsville Pa. USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Hammer drill is about the only way to go---carbide tipped masonry bit too. Variable speed doesn't hurt.
Couple of other things as well--- carbide bits can be sharpened, but I wouldn't use a carborundum grinding wheel. If I remember right, these need a silicone carbide wheel. These wear down real fast, and make you wonder how anything wearing that fast can sharpen--but it works.
These wheels should be available at most any good-sized hardware place.
On the brick thing---there's brick, and then there is BRICK, and some of these are about like trying to drill granite. Have run into both at one time or another, and the hard stuff can be a real pain.
Another handy tool is something called a star drill. This looks sort of like a Phillips screwdriver on steroids, and without a handle. Strictly a hand tool, and you whack at it with a hammer. Crude, but usually effective.
FWIW
-------------------- Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
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I think Bill Preston hit the nail on the head. There are different types of bricks, and some are easy drilling and others are so hard that you can burn out many bits. There is nothing like a good hammer drill.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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There are hammer drills, and there are Hilti hammer drills. The latter have a different motion than the others, and it cuts through masonry at least twice as fast. I don't know how many holes you're drilling, but I think checking out a rental might be a good idea. Hilti's are expensive, but they save so much time and aggrevation that they're worth it.
I had to chuckle at Bill's post. When I was starting out, that's all we had was those star bits. They worked pretty good too, once you got used to them. I don't think they had hammer drills in the 50's, did they ? Anyway, they were like a long cold chisel, with an "x" at the tip. You would hit it with a hammer, rotate a little, then hit again, etc.
One more thing....sometimes brick has hard spots within the brick itself. Sometimes it may be quicker to move a hole, if that's the case.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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There is a difference between hammer drills and rotary hammers. Hammer drills usually have a cam that moves the chuck assembly to give the hammer action. The amount of hammering is also dependent on the pressure you apply. Rotary hammers usually use pneumatic pressure to do the hammering action and are far more robust (and heavy).
If you can manage to get paid by the hour to drill holes in anything tougher than mortar, hammer drills will provide long term job security. When being paid by the hole, rotary hammers are a must.
My AEG rotary hammer only requires about 2 lbs. of pressure to drill and probably bores a hundred times as fast as my 18V cordless hammer drills. I can run it all day on an 800W generator. It uses the SDS bits, the same as my old Hilti TE-17.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5114 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hey Jeff, Before owning a drill, the star drill was the thing, and sign hooks. After hand drilling the holes, you had to shape a wood plug to drive into the hole and then hammer in the sign hook. That was the way we hung signs in the ancient past.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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I have a Bosch hammer drill and even with it I prefer to start my holes with a quarter inch bit on real hard stuff(as a pilot hole)...them move up to 5/16" then to 3/8" or 1/2" it really takes less time is less abusive to the drill motor and bits and a lot more accurate than trying to take to big a bite all at once.
Coincidently I had to drill some really hard baked block a week ago and thats exactly how I did it and it worked great.
Still I would recommend a Hammer drill (we been using cords a long time and they aren't that big a headache)...especially if it works and it doesn't sound like what you have does...just a thought!
"werks fer me maybe it'll werk fer you"
[ August 30, 2003, 10:57 AM: Message edited by: Monte Jumper ]
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
posted
Hey Wayne, sounds like you might be in the market for a gross or two of my ready made holes? I have a Makita rotary hammer. I just place one of my ready made holes on the end of the drill bit, turn on the drill and it goes right into the brick.
-------------------- Frisby Signs, Inc. El Dorado, Arkansas Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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SDS Spline drive shaft Drill its is a rotary hammer drill or regular drill or just a hammer motion for chisels. got a 1 inch from harbor frieght its a Milwalkee with a regular chuck that you can change for wood or metal. the rock/concrete drills work well you can buy any brand they will not slip or spin in the chuck. The chisel bit 1 1/2 inch will knock out rock or concrete for the square holes or larger holes in cement you also can make up a bit to drive grounding rods in for electrical service work if needed. bits range from 3/16 on up, also from 4inches to 36" if you like to stay far from your work. As for the brick if it has a hard or shinny glase on the outside. A center or prick punch to crack the glaze in the area of the hole will speed things up and save bits. A large squeeze bulb like they used to add water to batteries in the olden days works wonders to blow out dust and bits from the holes. A turkey baster would work but will require a few more squeezes. Harbor frieghts sds drill motors are cheaper but they will not hold up for multi holes in a short time period.
-------------------- PTSideshow, been there, probally done that. Wizard Works Show Supply Magic Props FX Signage Banners Ect. Posts: 120 | From: Mount Clemens,MI,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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