Drilling Concrete Lintels
 

Hi,

I had a quick look to see if i could find this in a previous thread or in a
FAQ, but couldn't find it, so apologies as I'm sure it's a regular!

I have limited tools available and i need (the nagging is getting
unbearable!) to drill a number of holes above a window which seems to use a
concrete lintel.

My basic B&D hammer drill just doesn't seem to have the guts to make any
impression on the concrete. What bit should i be using and are there any
other tips you could give this frustrated DIY newbie?!

Many TIA,

Jon H

Jon Harris wrote:
Hi,

I had a quick look to see if i could find this in a previous thread or in a
FAQ, but couldn't find it, so apologies as I'm sure it's a regular!

I have limited tools available and i need (the nagging is getting
unbearable!) to drill a number of holes above a window which seems to use a
concrete lintel.

My basic B&D hammer drill just doesn't seem to have the guts to make any
impression on the concrete. What bit should i be using and are there any
other tips you could give this frustrated DIY newbie?!

Many TIA,

Jon H


I wasted a lot of drill bits on concrete lintels and Staffordshire
brick. I now have an SDS, like drilling butter, so if you don't think
it worth the cost maybe someone will lend you one, or drill the holes
for you.

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On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:55:43 +0100, "Jon Harris"
wrote:

Hi,

I had a quick look to see if i could find this in a previous thread or in a
FAQ, but couldn't find it, so apologies as I'm sure it's a regular!

I have limited tools available and i need (the nagging is getting
unbearable!) to drill a number of holes above a window which seems to use a
concrete lintel.

My basic B&D hammer drill just doesn't seem to have the guts to make any
impression on the concrete. What bit should i be using and are there any
other tips you could give this frustrated DIY newbie?!

Many TIA,

Jon H



This is a perfect justification for you to buy an SDS drill.
Decent ones start at about £90 for a Bosch or slightly more for a
DeWalt or Makita.



..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Andy Hall" wrote in message


On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:55:43 +0100, "Jon Harris"
wrote:
I need to drill a number of holes above a window which seems to use a
concrete lintel.

This is a perfect justification for you to buy an SDS drill.
Decent ones start at about £90 for a Bosch or slightly more for a
DeWalt or Makita.

There are plenty of cheaper ones you will find more than adequate but
the chances are that your concrete lintel is a steel one.

What is the reason for the holes? If it is for fairly light curtains,
adhesive mastic on a 3 by 1 batten will provide adequate grounds. Prop
and pin, then use small screws to hold it temporarily while the mastic
sets.

Remember the screws for the curtain rail don't go through the wood
unless you want to prise it off.



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"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:55:43 +0100, "Jon Harris"
wrote:

Hi,

I had a quick look to see if i could find this in a previous thread or in
a
FAQ, but couldn't find it, so apologies as I'm sure it's a regular!

I have limited tools available and i need (the nagging is getting
unbearable!) to drill a number of holes above a window which seems to use
a
concrete lintel.

My basic B&D hammer drill just doesn't seem to have the guts to make any
impression on the concrete. What bit should i be using and are there any
other tips you could give this frustrated DIY newbie?!

Many TIA,

Jon H



This is a perfect justification for you to buy an SDS drill.
Decent ones start at about £90 for a Bosch or slightly more for a
DeWalt or Makita.

Can someone tell me the difference between a standard drill and a SDS drill.
I would hazard a guess that the motor is stronger. Can these drills be used
in the same way as a standard drill?

cheers

Steven.

Steven Campbell wrote:

Can someone tell me the difference between a standard drill and a SDS drill.

I posted this to anoother thread a couple of days ago, seem like it
should answer your question as well:

A google of this group will get you loads of discussions on the topic.

In summary, it is a highly effective hammer drill system that often uses
a pneumatic compressor to deliver the hammer action. The drills all have
a standard sized shank that is splined, these lock into a matching
chuck. The hammer action hits the end of the bit itself rather than the
chuck.

The result is a hammer action that delivers many hundreds of times the
energy per blow. Hence you can drill straight through hard masonry like
it is hardly even there, in circumstances when an ordinary hammer drill
would make a lot of noise while making an ever wider but not deeper hole.

The better models also have a rotation stop mode where they can be used
as a lightweight breaker with a chisel bit. Ideal for chasing walls etc.

See here for selection of decent examples of the species:

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/...hisel%20Drills

I would hazard a guess that the motor is stronger. Can these drills be used
in the same way as a standard drill?

Motor power tends to be in the 500w to 800w range - so on par with the
more powerful end of the range of conventional drills.

You can use them as you would a conventional drill. If you want to hold
ordinary (i.e. non SDS) bits then you will need a chuck to fit in the
SDS socket. The only other difference is the max rotational speed tends
to be a little lower at around 800-1200 rpm.


--
Cheers,

John.

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In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Steven Campbell wrote:


Can someone tell me the difference between a standard drill and a SDS
drill. I would hazard a guess that the motor is stronger. Can these
drills be used in the same way as a standard drill?

cheers

Steven.

A hammer drill has a cam which provides a sort of hammer action as it
rotates. An SDS drill has what is in effect a built-in pneumatic drill
mechanism, and hammers more effectively. Decent ones have a rotation stop
which also enables chisels to be used - i.e. just hammering and not
rotating.

SDS drills don't have a conventional chuck - they use special bits with
fluted ends, which are very quick to snap in and out. If you look at:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/...cd=1&x=12&y=10
and then click on "larger view", you'll see what I mean.

Some SDS drills are supplied with a chuck adapter - which plugs in in place
of an SDS bit, and enables ordinary drill bits to be used (without hammer
action). The whole thing gets a bit long and heavy with this fitted though,
so I wouldn't recommend having an SDS drill as your *only* drill.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

In article ,
Steven Campbell wrote:
Can someone tell me the difference between a standard drill and a SDS
drill. I would hazard a guess that the motor is stronger. Can these
drills be used in the same way as a standard drill?

They use a special chuck which totally prevents the drill slipping, and a
much stronger hammer action. They must be used with the correct special
drill bits - which although more expensive to buy are cheaper in the long
run because they last much longer.

Better SDS drills can have their chuck swapped for an ordinary one for non
hammer drilling. Others can have an ordinary chuck plugged into the SDS
one. But they don't usually have as high a maximum speed as a normal drill.

Best to buy an el cheapo non hammer mains drill as well for everything
other than masonry. They're smaller and lighter.

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

"Jon Harris" wrote in message ...

I have limited tools available and i need (the nagging is getting
unbearable!) to drill a number of holes above a window which seems to use a
concrete lintel.

My basic B&D hammer drill just doesn't seem to have the guts to make any
impression on the concrete. What bit should i be using and are there any
other tips you could give this frustrated DIY newbie?!

yes, dont. I dont know just how much effect drililng through the
reinforcing bars would have, but I doubt I'd try it.

In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:

yes, dont. I dont know just how much effect drililng through the
reinforcing bars would have, but I doubt I'd try it.

I tried it (just the once) on our cast-in-place
reinforced concrete lintels. It involved the
alternating use of a masonery and ordinary twist
drills. Hard graft, and neither drill was much good
after the job was finished.

--
Tony Williams.

Tony Williams wrote:

In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:


yes, dont. I dont know just how much effect drililng through the
reinforcing bars would have, but I doubt I'd try it.


I tried it (just the once) on our cast-in-place
reinforced concrete lintels. It involved the
alternating use of a masonery and ordinary twist
drills. Hard graft, and neither drill was much good
after the job was finished.

You can get multipurpose drill bits that are designed for drilling
concrete as well as steel. These may be a better bet for this sort of task.

e.g.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...61550&id=12563

--
Cheers,

John.

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

"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
Tony Williams wrote:

In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:


yes, dont. I dont know just how much effect drililng through the
reinforcing bars would have, but I doubt I'd try it.


I tried it (just the once) on our cast-in-place
reinforced concrete lintels. It involved the
alternating use of a masonery and ordinary twist
drills. Hard graft, and neither drill was much good
after the job was finished.

You can get multipurpose drill bits that are designed for drilling
concrete as well as steel. These may be a better bet for this sort of
task.

e.g.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...61550&id=12563

--
Cheers,

John.

When drilling an old concrete fence post with a SDS drill, whilst shouting
instructions at someone, I failed to notice the bright red glow coming from
the fence post. I can confirm that even the best SDS bits in a 4kg machine
don't TOUCH re-bar.

Alex