Drilling into walls...

[dale]

I'm currently drilling some holes in brickwork for shelf support, but keep finding that my holes are not at right angles to the surface.

I generally get good holes on horizontal surfaces as I can stand a square on them, and align the drill with it.

Any ideas for vertical surfaces?

[barnsey]

Dale

If you use a square on horizontal surfaces you can use it on vertical ones too!:)

It is easy to let your hand drop if you are trying to push the drill too hard - relax more and try and get in a position where you can get a sight on the drill to see whether you've got it level or not.

Sure at times you might run into hard spots in the masonary and that needs more force. It can also cause the bit to wander so just keep an eye on whether you are keeping it as square as you can.

Jamie

[Justin]

If you've got the height clearance, you could buy one of those el-cheapo drill stands from bunnings etc for around $30. They hold the drill at a fixed angle, and the assembly rides on two posts, plunging down just like a router. I used one to drill a bunch of holes into a beam, before I had a drill press.


Cheers,


Justin.

[burn]

Justin, I've not seen them at Bunnings, but Timbecon has a more expensive one.

http://www.timbecon.com.au/productsdetail.asp?prodid=28720&searchOffset=0

I know Carbatec also have them but much cheaper - couldn't find a picture on line, but it's in their 2003 Catalogue - pp 99, called a Tilting Drill Guide ($25.00)!

I suppose the difference in price is alloy verses plastic and perhaps more settings in Timbecon's.

[Dean]

Go down to your local cheap shop or Bunnies and buy one of those $2 mini pocket levels.
Tape/secure it to the top of your drill.
Then you have a reasonably good idea if you're holding the drill at the right angle as you drill the hole.

[Iain]

$89.90, ouch...... seen the same thing at flea markets closer to $10.00.
Having said that, I bought one about 15 years ago and never use it, plenty of alternative options have been put forward, especially the square.

[ndru]

They hold the drill at a fixed angle, and the assembly rides on two posts, plunging down just like a router.

Can those things put up with the impacts from hammer drills? They look like they more suited to ordinary boring.

[burn]

I'd ring Timbecon or Carbatec ... I don't think Carbatec's plastic one would hold up (I have one of theses), but perhaps Timbecon's alloy one may.

Just call them an ask.

[soundman]

A lot of this sort of stuff is practise.
The rest is getting your body into a position that makes it tend to drill a square hole.

Unless the holes are badly off it should not matter that much.

No hole any body drilled in masonry was realy ( truly ) accurate.

Make sure the fixing method allows you to make corrections before screw down. (slotted holes ....)

[dale]

Originally posted by soundman

Make sure the fixing method allows you to make corrections before screw down. (slotted holes ....)

Yes, I thought of slotted holes. I don't have a drill press at the moment, so making them is a bit of a fiddle. It's what I've been doing though to make the existing (wonky) bolts work.