Drill bits for stone walls?

PaulStat

PaulStat

PaulStat

Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2003
Posts
5,508
Location
Cotham, Bristol
The external walls in our house are solid pennant stone, I tried a standard masonry drill bit but it didn't touch it, in fact the tip of the bit melted!

What do I need to show this stone who's boss?
 
Buy a proper bit. Cheap bits are just that - cheap.

Find someone with an SDS Plus drill and the SDS bits. They are far more efficient and will eat brickwork and concrete like I eat cheese.
 
HSS will hire you a SDS drill if you don't need it for long, though Screwfix have SDS drills starting at £50 for a generic brand
 
Dewalt extreme sds bits have served me well for ages.

That and my 36v bosch sds and I can drill practically anything. Have to be careful on normal bricks as they can just split
 
PaulStat: What size hole are you looking to put through the wall, & what's it's thickness.

I have a big Bosch sds drill, & am pretty close to you.
 
Last edited:
I know this sounds like a stupid question, but are you using a drill with a hammer action?

Some of the old bricks in our house are like granite so I tend to start with a 3mm pilot hole and then enlarge it. It also helps prevent the bit from wandering.
 
WillyNelson said:
I know this sounds like a stupid question, but are you using a drill with a hammer action?

Some of the old bricks in our house are like granite so I tend to start with a 3mm pilot hole and then enlarge it. It also helps prevent the bit from wandering.
Click to expand...

I use multipurpose drill bits from Bosch now (except for the toughest jobs), tungsten carbide tipped and sharpened as standard. I have (in the same day) used it to drill through stainless plate on my pillar drill, and also through tile and brick to put up a bathroom mirror. Still sharp and Ive had them for 3-4 years. Pricey, but **** hot.

Those ones you do not use hammer action on.
 
PhillyDee said:
I use multipurpose drill bits from Bosch now (except for the toughest jobs), tungsten carbide tipped and sharpened as standard. I have (in the same day) used it to drill through stainless plate on my pillar drill, and also through tile and brick to put up a bathroom mirror. Still sharp and Ive had them for 3-4 years. Pricey, but **** hot.
Click to expand...

Use those Bosch bits in my cordless drill, they go through most materials.
Last ones I got from Screwfix were £9:59p for a set of 4, & you apparently use them on impact mode, & I didn't know that.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-multipurpose-drill-bit-set-4pcs/95958
 
Last edited:
Dave L said:
SDS Plus all the way.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I have a big Bosch sds drill, brilliant drill,must be 20 years old, also a smaller Bosch 24 volt sds drill, but they are far too cumbersome for drilling the odd small hole.

Tend to use my Bosch 18v cordless & multipurpose bits for a lot of jobs now, they will easily drill a 10mm diameter hole in most materials.
 
Last edited:
The best thing I bought for my 24v Bosch was a set of sds wood chisels, brilliant for garden carpentry.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom