Why wont my drill go into my brick wall?

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Confused 332, Jul 27, 2022.

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  1. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

  2. Ind spark

    Ind spark Screwfix Select

    Without sds you need to push really hard, try drilling a smaller hole first.
     
  3. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    It looks to be because you are using an SDS drill bit in what sounds like a standard drill driver, with no hammer action or masonry drill capacity and it may be my eyes but I thought the drill is in reverse too.
     
    Cliff Rees likes this.
  4. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

    It's a Guild drill from argos and it has a hammer option. It's turning clockwise.
     
  5. vrDrew63

    vrDrew63 Active Member

    If you are going to be drilling into fired brick, then you really need a rotary hammer drill.

    There is also the issue of bit cooling. Simply put, if you apply a carbide-steel bit into a material like brick or stone, and keep grinding away, very quickly the cutting edges of the tool (ie. the drill bit) is going to get very hot. It will, quite literally, lose its temper. Without going into a lot of metallurgical science, once steels and carbides get too hot, they become soft, and are unable to effectively cut away the material they are supposed to be removing.

    Solutions:

    1) Use a proper rotary hammer drill.

    and

    2) Make sure you keep it cool. A little bucket of water you keep dipping the drill bit into as you drill, will give you much better results/
     
  6. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

    I've tried pushing hard and I've tried all different sizes of drill bit. When I look at youtube videos of other people doing it it looks so easy. Goes in no problem.
     
  7. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    did the bits come with the dril?
     
  8. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    Check the tip of the drill bit you are using, if dull then you’ll be there all day. Is the hammer action on?
     
  9. longboat

    longboat Screwfix Select

    First off you've done a good job to get an sds bit centred in a standard chuck, well done.
    Unfortunately the sds bit you're using is most likely only any good for aerated blocks, plasterboard and other soft materials.
    Buy a Bosch multi construction bit from our hosts (or other supplier) and I'm sure it'll go through no probs.
     
  10. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

    Yes but I also bought a different set with a different looking end on it to try. Still no luck.
     
  11. Truckcab79

    Truckcab79 Screwfix Select

    DeWalt extreme SDS bit. Best I’ve tried.
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  12. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

    It's all brand new so it shouldn't be dull. Yes the hammer action is on.
     
  13. Truckcab79

    Truckcab79 Screwfix Select

    Basically use a better drill bit. It’s entirely normal for those cheap sets to be poor even when new and once blunt worse than useless. Post a pic of the tip of the one in the video.
     
  14. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    Buy a cheap sds drill. It’ll be night and day.
     
    koolpc likes this.
  15. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

    Here you go. My camera wouldn't let me zoom in too far for some reason.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

    I might have to. It's just annoying because I only want to drill 4 holes. Even if my drill isn't the best for that job it should still go into the brick.
     
  17. MRY

    MRY Screwfix Select

    Your problem is as above, you're using an SDS+ bit in a standard hammer drill.

    The hammer drill has a mechanism that makes the whole chuck, together with the bit in it, vibrate "in and out".

    An SDS drill has a mechanism whereby the whole bit is a loose sliding fit in the chuck, and a mechanism inside the drill bashes the blunt end of the drill, whacking the business end into the masonry, like someone using a hammer and chisel, so there's less "weight" to move in and out.

    SDS drills are very good for making holes in masonry, but **** at precision.

    So, anyway, as above. Use your smallest masonry bit first, then enlarge the hole with a bigger bit (don't press too hard when you enlarge the hole or you may shear off the tungsten carbide piece brazed into the end of the drill) You might care to buy a small diameter "normal", non-SDS bit if you haven't got a small SDS one (by the way, SDS bits don't fit well into standard chucks).

    Don't rapidly cool the bit in water, it is likely to k-nacker your bit. Tungsten carbide is a sintered material that's susceptible to thermal shock.

    Edit:

    This is the Argos SDS drill:

    https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4533102?clickSR=slp:term:guild drill:6:37:1

    This is what I assume you have:

    https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4643896?clickSR=slp:term:guild drill:4:37:1
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2022
    Bob256 and robertpstubbs like this.
  18. McSport

    McSport Screwfix Select

  19. Confused 332

    Confused 332 New Member

    This is what I have. Buy Guild 2.0AH Cordless Impact Drill And 100 Accessories - 18V | Drills | Argos
     
  20. stuart44

    stuart44 Screwfix Select

    The Titan is one of the most powerful drills around, and a decent price.
     

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