Which drill and bit to drill a lintal

[jjfresh66]

Hi,

Can anyone advise me on the best way to drill through a window lintal.
I'm fiitting a shower curtain and must have hit the lintal as this is quite close to the top of the bathroom window. My drill is a new Bosh 18V - wasn't cheap - I'm using the masonary drill bits that came with the drill (apparantly diamond tipped) on Hammer. I got about half an inch into the wall and the bit was going nowhere fast and the sound and vibration was very intense.

Thanks in advance

 

[Nige F]

cordless 18v.....you need an SDS...cordless or corded your hammer drill (if that`s what it is) will Never do it....sorry...I`ve been there+ got the T shirt...back in the 70`s hammer drill + rawlplug "jumper" got holes eventually in concrete column, but took about 10 times as long as a modern SDS. PS...it could be a steel lintel Idea of house age

 

[jjfresh66]

Thanks, I thought as much. Was a pressie from my miss (will blame her)

 

[Richard C]

If it's a steel lintel you’ve hit, use a HSS drill bit to drill through the steel. Once through the steel, revert back to the tipped masonry drill as the concrete wont do the HSS drill bit much good. If your careful, you should be able to get several holes out of it before re-sharpening though.

 

[^woody^]

Was a pressie from my miss (will blame her)

Don't let a shower curtain come between a loving relationship - more fun without one

(curtain not missus)

SDS drill if it's a concrete lintel - your battery drill wont cope. Although from the tools thread, a Hilti battery drill will and so will 7.2v Makita screw/impact driver (sorry guys couldn't resist)

If its steel (you may hear a screeching from the bit) then a HSS metal bit on a slow speed

 

[jjfresh66]

Some good answers there - Very happy with everyones help.

Cheers

 

[kirkgas]

i know i'm late with this post and the drilling is probably done but i would suggest you never drill a lntel as you may weaken it

 

[^woody^]

Curtains?

 

[Hitachimad]

Someone suggested i didnt drill a couple of holes in some steel work a while back. I looked at them and laughed.

I wonder how its all bolted together without any holes then

 

[Richard C]

i know i'm late with this post and the drilling is probably done but i would suggest you never drill a lntel as you may weaken it

The factor of safety involved in structural lintel design means that drilling a couple of holes it to fix a curtain pole is perfectly OK; they would have to be bloody big holes to have any appreciable effect on its strength! As has already been said, it’s common to bolt steel channels back-to-back when assembling structural steelwork to support large openings.