Drilling into lintels

cocoots100 · 19 Feb 2010

Can anyone advise on the following - put up a curtain rail today, some parts of the wall were easy to drill into, but the areas directly above the window could only drill in about 2cms, I am assuming this is the lintel I'm hitting.
I was using a bog standard 700w 240v hammer drill with an ordinary masony bit (which started glowing red after a couple of minutes). I changed to a metal bit to see if that would make any difference but the same thing happened. Do I need a faster drill or a better drill bit in order to get through.
Any help would be much appreciated.

gregers · 19 Feb 2010

no you need a decent sds drill,something like a bosch blue and it should do it like knife through butter,compared to what you are using.

cocoots100 · 20 Feb 2010

Thanks gregers. Can you recommend any specific model? I take it is all in the wattage of the drill rather than the actual bit that makes the difference.

gregers · 20 Feb 2010

something like this,
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/76088/Power-Tools/SDS-Drills/BOSCH-GBH-2-18-230V-2kg-SDS-Plus-Drill

do some research on the price,who knows ebay may have a good few?

Nige F · 20 Feb 2010

cocoots100 said:
Thanks gregers. Can you recommend any specific model? I take it is all in the wattage of the drill rather than the actual bit that makes the difference.

IT`s the SDS that makes the difference

the drill actually hammers its self with a small pneumatic chamber inside . Hammer drill, where you push like buggery to get a loud noise and no action - because all you have inside is a cam- are only fit for boot sales

Chukka63 · 20 Feb 2010

when drilling steel,you should drill slowly.

cocoots100 · 21 Feb 2010

cheers guys that's very helpful. Cannot wait to get rid of my poxy hammer drill now.

Nige F · 21 Feb 2010

Like Chukka says - you may have a catnic steel lintel

you could get a magnet that mechanics use for recovering dropped screws . small , on the end of a stick like a car ariel

make a hole in the wall and poke it thru`. that`ll show a metal lintel

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Drilling into lintels

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