Apparently can't drill a hole to save my life?

cjlhessing

Hi guys, bit of advice here because I'm at a loss.
When I lived at my mums I could drill a hole. No problem. The walls were tough and it was a crappy drill but holes went in, they stayed the same size as planned, no issues. Wooden shelves were mounted in long rows all on point and all are still standing 20years later.

Now, for some reason, in admittedly old walls (house build maybe mid 1800s), I just cant drill to save my life.

I go to bathroom to install some bathroom type furniture, a hole that starts with a 10 drill bit ends up being a 12 and seems to just wander off point whatever I say.

I go in bedroom to mount a vac wall-mount in corner, a size 10 bit ends up with a size 12 or bigger hole...thank-god I had super large wall plugs to fit that!

What's happened to me? Is the drill useless? (cordless little green aka home use Bosch with hammer action) are the drill bits crap (little green Bosch kit)? am I crap???? Probably me I admit.

I'm seriously scared to ever drill into anything again...on the plus side when I go to make a hole in a wooden cabinet it's a-ok! I should go live in a wooden hut maybe

Any advice or ideas?

MovingForwards

Put a bit of the white masking tape on the wall, stops your drill bit slipping.

Drill slowly so you can keep your hand steady.

If necessary do a pilot hole with a nail first before masking tape.

Are you using the right drill bit? Not using a wood drill bit for brick etc?

tacpot12

You need to use a small drill bit first, then expand the hole using the final size of drill bit.

chrisw

Might be crumbly plaster being an older house, which crumbles away rather than cutting through cleanly.

Just use the smaller size drill bit instead!

Norman_Castle

I go to bathroom to install some bathroom type furniture, a hole that starts with a 10mm drill bit ends up being a 12mm and seems to just wander off point whatever I say.

I go in bedroom to mount a vac wall-mount in corner, a size 10 bit ends up with a size 12 or bigger hole...thank-god I had super large wall plugs to fit that!

Are you reading the size on the drill? If you are measuring the drill bit masonry drills are about 2mm wider at the tip compared to the shank.
I've got a little green Bosch kit which includes masonry drills and have never had a problem with oversized holes when using them.


Is your home use Bosch drill designed for 10 or 12mm holes in masonry?

ANDY597

Don't beat yourself up about it, it'll be the old crumbly plaster allowing your drill to wander

As others have said, small pilot hole, increase drill size, slow and steady speeds and not guns blazing.

You have to "work around" old homes,

Aylesbury_Duck

Let's get the daft question/mistake out of the way (because I've done it myself): is the drill set to drill clockwise, i.e. not in reverse/unscrew mode? The reverse trigger on mine is in a really daft position and I've occasionally inadvertently flicked it into reverse then started drilling and wondered what the problem was!

Jackmydad

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Let's get the daft question/mistake out of the way (because I've done it myself): is the drill set to drill clockwise, i.e. not in reverse/unscrew mode? The reverse trigger on mine is in a really daft position and I've occasionally inadvertently flicked it into reverse then started drilling and wondered what the problem was!

I wouldn't worry. I could tell you a tale of a bloke, supposedly a professional woodworker, who having changed the blade on his saw table, wondered why it wouldn't cut.
Could have been because the blade was on backwards. . .
I won't say who it was!

Back to the drill thing I mark a cross on the wall, so that the centre can still be gauged once you start drilling. Use a bit of masking tape if it'll show.

Heedtheadvice

As well as the above....


What are you drilling into? Some older houses built with stone a)can be very hard and can have been formed originally with a sort of agregate that than have some very hard bits in it (such as granite) or softer bits and the drill will tend to wander to the easiest/softest location.


Starting with an undersize hole and taking it slow help.


If the hole is much too big use araldite to fill with a wooden ' centre' that can be easily drilled in the correct location.

Jackmydad

Really, if you have a house with really hard brick, or the sort of blocks that as said above have hard aggregate in them, then you need an SDS drill rather than a "hammer drill".

GDB2222

Jackmydad wrote: »

Really, if you have a house with really hard brick, or the sort of blocks that as said above have hard aggregate in them, then you need an SDS drill rather than a "hammer drill".

I find SDS holes often end up a bit on the large size, so I use a smaller drill.