How Many Holes Can a Masonary Drill Bit Do?

srnoz on 03/03/2017 - 16:57
Last edited 03/03/2017 - 16:58

Hi,

Recently I tried to install two outdoor blinds. It requires about 16 holes (8 each). I had a size 8 drill bit which I used before for 4 holes to install a cloth hanger. But it couldn't drill fast into the bricks and I bought two new ones. They managed to drill only 5 holes each and then became very slow. I used Kango bits. Has anyone experienced this and give me some advise? Should I sharpen the bits often, use a better quality drill bit or I have to use new drill bit for every 5 holes?

I'm using a 909 hammer drill which is not a great one as its battery cannot stand more than 10mins. I have decided to buy a corded one.

Thanks in advance.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • whooah1979 on 03/03/2017 - 17:09
    +2

    its battery

    a corded hammer drill or a milwaukee should do the trick.

    • srnoz on 03/03/2017 - 22:16

      Thanks mate. I'll head to bunnings tomorrow.

  • Stewardo on 03/03/2017 - 17:25
    +2

    Should do hundreds if not thousands of holes.
    A 240v rotary hammer drill with sds chuck.
    Letting the drill do the work and having a drill powerful enough to run at optimal speed will help the longevity of the bits.

    • srnoz on 03/03/2017 - 22:24

      Thanks mate. Going to Bunning tomorrow to check one!

  • Nugs on 03/03/2017 - 17:31
    +1

    I normally buy Sutton

    $1 more

    some are made in Aus, some are not

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/sutton-tools-8-x-120mm-sf-tct-ma…

    • srnoz on 03/03/2017 - 22:23

      Thanks Sandp. The Kango ones are German made and bunnings staff recommended it for Home DIY. Anyway, I'm going to bunnings tomorrow and have chat with them too!

  • outlander on 03/03/2017 - 17:55
    +6

    The problem your having is one many people have run into, myself included, and its not the drill bits. Its the drill you're using

    For drilling masonary, the drill hits the drilling surface like somebody using a hammer and chisel, enough to crack the top layer but not enough to wedge inside the surface and cause it to fracture. Then it turns a little bit, causing the pulverised material to run up the drill and away from the drilling surface. Repeat, dozens of times a second, each time removing a tiny amount. This is how the drills are meant to be operated

    What you have is an undersized drill, that can't pulverise material fast enough, so each hole ends up taking 10 minutes to drill. It spends more time rotating than delivering the hammer motion, wasting energy in the form of friction. Those drill bits your using have a brazed tip. Once the drill bit heats up enough from the friction, the braze will melt, rendering it worthless.

    Those combination drills are meant more for soft brick or cement brick, and they work well if you use them that way. For hardened red bricks, they suck ass. Use a SDS drill with rotary hammer, like the Bosch GBH 2-26. After struggling with a hammer drill, you will fall in love with it at first sight. It can chew through those holes in 30 seconds flat.

    If you can't afford to buy one, you can rent them for cheap at places like https://www.openshed.com.au/

    • srnoz on 03/03/2017 - 22:15

      Thanks for the detailed explanation mate! I knew I can count on OZB!!

      SDS drill with rotary hammers seems bit expensive. Found Ozito for $149. Looks alright for home DIY. Will head to bunnings tomorrow.

      • outlander on 03/03/2017 - 23:42

        If you do, you will kick yourself
        ..
        for not buying it earlier :P These things are magic. When I think of all the hours I wasted… It's not just drilling either. With the chisel attachment, you basically end up with a mini jack hammer. I bought a cement mixer which the previous owner failed to clean out. Like ever. In 8 hours, I managed to remove half the concrete in there by hand, sweating blood and tears with a chisel and a hammer. The second half I removed in 30 minutes with the SDS hammer drill. I remember the moment clearly because I had allocated the entire day for it, and I felt so confused because it was so easy.

        Bunnings also sell https://www.bunnings.com.au/craftright-3-piece-sds-long-dril…
        Makes running pipes easy peasy.

  • slow on 03/03/2017 - 21:21
    +1

    Buy a corded hammer drill, even a cheap one like the below will be 1000 times better than a cordless

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-710w-13mm-hammer-drill_p62…

    I have one similar to this and it drills into bricks like a knife into butter

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/bosch-blue-650w-corded-impact-dr…

    • srnoz on 03/03/2017 - 22:24

      Thanks mate. Going to Bunning tomorrow to check one!

    • chumlee on 06/05/2017 - 19:55

      I drilled over 40 holes into a concrete slab with this $49 ozito drill. I dipped the drill bit into a jar of water once or twice each hole to cool the bit down and worked a treat.

  • xylarr on 05/03/2017 - 15:21

    I want closure now! :)
    Please update the thread with what you got and how easy it was to drill.

    • Mrgreenz on 06/05/2017 - 19:42

      Legend has it OP has been drilling holes into brick 24/7 for the last week

      • Euphemistic on 07/05/2017 - 08:29

        He has a highly developed sense which allows him to know when a home handyman reaches for a hammer drill and leaps to action and provides his service before the handyman can act.

        Some say he can drill into masonry silently and that he never needs to measure the depth required.

        Wish I had Captain Hammer Drill working in my area.

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