I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 4 Mar, 00:10, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

* * Dave Plowman * * * * * * * * London SW
* * * * * * * * * To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Are porcelain harder than "normal" tiles? I've had a bit similar to
the erbauer set of three on that linked page for about 10 years and it
has gone through many tiles without difficulty. 20 x 6mm holes
doesn't sound a big deal; why not plump for the set at £5.99 and if
you break a bit, just buy another one!

Matt

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

too many pix at 1am ...


What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

I'd use one of those heart shaped drills - ISTR the last one I bought
cost about a fiver worked with tiles and 6mmm glass




--
geoff

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

On the hardest tiles you can probably get no more than a dozen holes
using the solid carbide Armeg bits - and you will also need to be
prepared to take your time drilling them (10 - 15 mins per hole).

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

The diamond core drills are probably the best solution:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6mm-DIAMOND-CO...QQcmdZViewItem
or probably better:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6mm-diamond-co...742.m153.l1262


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

wrote:

On 4 Mar, 00:10, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Are porcelain harder than "normal" tiles?

Yes, much much harder!

I've had a bit similar to
the erbauer set of three on that linked page for about 10 years and it
has gone through many tiles without difficulty.

Ordinary clay backed tiles are a world apart from the hardest porcelain
ones. Ordinary tiles bits will give up all pretence at cutting before
you are even through the glaze.

20 x 6mm holes
doesn't sound a big deal; why not plump for the set at £5.99 and if
you break a bit, just buy another one!

You are right it sounds easy - but it can be surprisingly difficult.

One solution that can work in some applications where the mounting
"hole" will not be seen, is to cut a slot big enough to get a screw
through in the tiles using a good diamond disc on a small angle grinder.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
John Rumm wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles
for bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid,
with the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

On the hardest tiles you can probably get no more than a dozen holes
using the solid carbide Armeg bits - and you will also need to be
prepared to take your time drilling them (10 - 15 mins per hole).

Yes - they look similar to other carbide tipped drills which I've tried
with little success.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

The diamond core drills are probably the best solution:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6mm-DIAMOND-CO...QQcmdZViewItem
or probably better:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6mm-diamond-co...742.m153.l1262

I was hoping to pick one up one today - which meant Screwfix.

--
*Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular?*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article
,
wrote:
On 4 Mar, 00:10, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Are porcelain harder than "normal" tiles?

Very much so - think normal bricks against granite.

I've had a bit similar to
the erbauer set of three on that linked page for about 10 years and it
has gone through many tiles without difficulty. 20 x 6mm holes
doesn't sound a big deal; why not plump for the set at £5.99 and if
you break a bit, just buy another one!

Time factor. Took me about 1/2 hour to drill one hole with a combination
of 'tile' drill and universal one.

Matt

--
*All generalizations are false.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
geoff wrote:
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

too many pix at 1am ...


What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

I'd use one of those heart shaped drills - ISTR the last one I bought
cost about a fiver worked with tiles and 6mmm glass

Porcelain tiles are something else.

--
Small asylum seeker wanted as mud flap, must be flexible and willing to travel

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:04:23 +0000, John Rumm wrote:

Ordinary clay backed tiles are a world apart from the hardest porcelain
ones.

I've never had to drill porcelain but I've read enough to know that it can
be a challange. Do the holes have to be in an *exact* position or can they
be plus/minus a cm or three? It doesn't really matter where the the loo
roll holder is within a few cm.

I'm thinking that drilling the tiles before fixing to the wall is
something to try. Set up suitable bit in a pillar drill, lightly center
punch or otherwise damage the glaze where the hole should be, surround
this with a bit of plastecine, blue tac or WHY, to make a well. Clamp the
tile and a bit of backing scrap timber to the drills table. Start the
drill on slow/medium speed and get the bit centered and running with just
a drop of water as lubricant/coolant. Once going fill the well with water
and gently rest ones hand on the feed and wait...

With thought and careful measurement even holes for the fixing of a towel
rail could be pre-drilled. Might be harder for those required for a
radiator as there is less flexabilty in their location.

--
Cheers
Dave.

It is important to check the point - it needs to be a good crisp edge to cut
through - many drills get a bit rounded off and will only create heat.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

I used a cheapo diamond. Yes you need to stop and wet sponge it halfway
through each hole, but it works.

On 4 Mar, 00:10, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

* * Dave Plowman * * * * * * * * London SW
* * * * * * * * * To e-mail, change noise into sound.

For small holes, go for one of the spear-shaped diamond drills, you'll
get much more wear out of them in really hard porcelain if you drill
them before installation. After going through a couple of drills on
some really hard porcelain just using water spray to lubricate, I
ended up getting a big shallow plastic storage container from a pound
shop. I use it as a water bath on a pillar drill, propping the tile
up on some plywood to prevent it going through the plastic, and
immersing the tile completely. The humber of holes per drill went up
massively (10x).

wrote:
On 4 Mar, 00:10, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
I'm going to need to drill quite a few holes in porcelain wall tiles for
bathroom fittings. So it looks like I'll have to get one of those
expensive diamond drills. They seem to range from about 8-25 quid, with
the most expensive requiring a water cooling kit in addition.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A237690...ts/Tile-Drills

What would be the best value for perhaps 20 6mm holes?

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

For small holes, go for one of the spear-shaped diamond drills, you'll
get much more wear out of them in really hard porcelain if you drill
them before installation. After going through a couple of drills on
some really hard porcelain just using water spray to lubricate, I
ended up getting a big shallow plastic storage container from a pound
shop. I use it as a water bath on a pillar drill, propping the tile
up on some plywood to prevent it going through the plastic, and
immersing the tile completely. The humber of holes per drill went up
massively (10x).

If you have an assistant, icecubes held against the bit provide cooling
and a "solid" source of water for lubrication /cooling .

Dave Liquorice wrote:

I've never had to drill porcelain but I've read enough to know that it can
be a challange. Do the holes have to be in an *exact* position or can they
be plus/minus a cm or three? It doesn't really matter where the the loo
roll holder is within a few cm.

Drilling the grout instead is another option if the tiles are not too
tightly spaced.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 4 Mar, 11:06, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

I used a cheapo diamond. Yes you need to stop and wet sponge it halfway
through each hole, but it works.

There is porcelain, and porcelain. With all but one of the porcelains
I've used (which was Turkish made unlike the other 5 or so which have
all been Italian or Spanish), you'd go through a drill bit for every
hole if you did it that way.

In article ,
John Rumm wrote:
I've never had to drill porcelain but I've read enough to know that it
can be a challange. Do the holes have to be in an *exact* position or
can they be plus/minus a cm or three? It doesn't really matter where
the the loo roll holder is within a few cm.

Drilling the grout instead is another option if the tiles are not too
tightly spaced.

Not an option for a neat job - the tiles are 450 x 300mm.

--
*Funny, I don't remember being absent minded.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.