I'm currently trying to drill 12x 6mm holes in my new porcelain tiles
after the fitter gave up.. Claiming they were too hard.

I've tried a glass/tile drill bit (7 quid from Homebase), but it's
really slow going... (I have a small mark where the first hole goes...

Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...

On or around Sun, 06 Nov 2005 19:25:21 +0000, Hamie
mused:


I'm currently trying to drill 12x 6mm holes in my new porcelain tiles
after the fitter gave up.. Claiming they were too hard.

I've tried a glass/tile drill bit (7 quid from Homebase), but it's
really slow going... (I have a small mark where the first hole goes...

Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...

Sharp masonry bit.
--
| Stuart @ SJW Electrical. Please Reply to group. |

Lurch wrote:
On or around Sun, 06 Nov 2005 19:25:21 +0000, Hamie
mused:


I'm currently trying to drill 12x 6mm holes in my new porcelain tiles
after the fitter gave up.. Claiming they were too hard.

I've tried a glass/tile drill bit (7 quid from Homebase), but it's
really slow going... (I have a small mark where the first hole goes...

Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...


Sharp masonry bit.

Sharpen it myself I assume? I don't think I've seen one sold sharp.

H

Hamie wrote:
I'm currently trying to drill 12x 6mm holes in my new porcelain tiles
after the fitter gave up.. Claiming they were too hard.

I've tried a glass/tile drill bit (7 quid from Homebase), but it's
really slow going... (I have a small mark where the first hole goes...

Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...

Is the 'bit' tungsten carbide and if so are you using a rotary action
drill?
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Hamie wrote:

I'm currently trying to drill 12x 6mm holes in my new porcelain tiles
after the fitter gave up.. Claiming they were too hard.

I've tried a glass/tile drill bit (7 quid from Homebase), but it's
really slow going... (I have a small mark where the first hole goes...

Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...

Start by breaking the glaze. An automatic centre-punch is excellent for
this. Then use a masonry bit, rotated fairly slowly, without hammer action -
but lean on the drill to generate quite a lot of pressure.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

On Sun, 6 Nov 2005 20:59:18 -0000, "Set Square" wrote:

Start by breaking the glaze. An automatic centre-punch is excellent for
this.

Only when it's easy to replace the tile though ! (ideally before
setting the tile on the wall). Do a dozen holes this way and there's a
real risk of cracking at least one tile.

I find tiles pretty easy to drill and the trick is to use a sharp tile
or glass bit, not a masonry bit. This is a carbide "leaf" bit and it has
a sharp cutting edge, unlike a masonry drill that's just a blunt chisel.
You will need to lean on the bit with plenty of force to get through
that initial glaze.

Oh, and tape the hammer selector on your drill firmly into the "off"
position. It's even worth using two drills here, or drilling in two
batches, non-hammer to drill the tiles, then switching to hammer to
drill the wall behind. Switching over for each hole is a bad idea - one
time you'll forget to switch back. If you touch a tile with the drill in
hammer mode, then you'll crack it (yes, I've done it).

Andy Dingley wrote:
On Sun, 6 Nov 2005 20:59:18 -0000, "Set Square"
wrote:

Start by breaking the glaze. An automatic centre-punch is excellent
for this.

Only when it's easy to replace the tile though ! (ideally before
setting the tile on the wall). Do a dozen holes this way and there's
a real risk of cracking at least one tile.

I find tiles pretty easy to drill and the trick is to use a sharp tile
or glass bit, not a masonry bit. This is a carbide "leaf" bit and it
has a sharp cutting edge, unlike a masonry drill that's just a blunt
chisel. You will need to lean on the bit with plenty of force to get
through that initial glaze.

Oh, and tape the hammer selector on your drill firmly into the "off"
position. It's even worth using two drills here, or drilling in two
batches, non-hammer to drill the tiles, then switching to hammer to
drill the wall behind. Switching over for each hole is a bad idea -
one time you'll forget to switch back. If you touch a tile with the
drill in hammer mode, then you'll crack it (yes, I've done it).

He's talking about 'A tile' here, a tile that you'd swear it was mixed with
iron filings and granite. I know the trouble he's having and I've been
there and that was only one tile I had to drill. The way I done it was to
drill a pilot hole first with a sharp masonary bit(10 minutes later) I put
a carborundum bit in the right size for the hole and put my drill in rotary
hammer action applied oil periodically and slowly applied pressure it was
drilling and chamfering and took me a good 20 minutes to get three quaters
of the way throught the damn thing, I then turned the tile over to complete
the cut because there was a chance of cracking the tile had I not turned it
over.
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Hamie wrote:


I'm currently trying to drill 12x 6mm holes in my new porcelain tiles
after the fitter gave up.. Claiming they were too hard.

I've tried a glass/tile drill bit (7 quid from Homebase), but it's
really slow going... (I have a small mark where the first hole goes...

Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...

I've done it with an SDS hammer (and the tiles didn't break, but I'm not
coming round to replace yours if they do!)

"Hamie" wrote in message
...

I'm currently trying to drill 12x 6mm holes in my new porcelain tiles
after the fitter gave up.. Claiming they were too hard.

I've tried a glass/tile drill bit (7 quid from Homebase), but it's
really slow going... (I have a small mark where the first hole goes...

Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...

I've just had the bathroom tiled with porcelain tiles. I think the secret is
to drill small pilot holes first with a glass cutting bit, then use a larger
glass bit. The tiles were drilled after being laid. There'll be more holes
drilled tomorrow. I'm hoping that it goes smoothly.

I would probably not have chosen these tiles if i knew what a hassle they'd
cause. I understand that another customer tried to take the tile shop to
court after she used a bath cleaner on the tiles and they reacted. I've been
warned in no uncertain terms never to let anything acidic near them.

Good luck.

Paul

On Sun, 06 Nov 2005 19:25:21 +0000, Hamie
wrote:


Is there a better/easier way? I"m doing it nice & slow & wet so as not
to cook the bit...

Normal tiles are easy - break the glaze and anything works. Fully
vitrified ones are a different kettle of fish, my tiler neighbour
uses diamond faced drill bits on them. Normal masonry drills simply
crack them and HS drills have no effect. I will ask him for any other
ideas tomorrow!


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/