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Random Quote: My buddy took me to his "SECRET SPOT". It was too secret, the fish didnt even know about it !!!!!!
Now I am trying to drill six, 3/16" holes to install the shower door. I've spent 1 1/2 hours on hole 1!!!!!!!!
I've used the Black & Decker tile bits, Bosch tile bits and an American Vermont masonry bit. I am still maybe only 2/3s of the way through hole 1. I've used light, medium and hard pressure. I've used slow, medium and fast speeds, I've done it dry and sprayed water, I've changed the bits for fresh ones after thinking I might have burned them out on my first attempt.
I'm using a very powerful 1/2" variable speed drill with a max rpm of 850.
Maybe we are destined to have a shower curtain and no door!
It just can't be this difficult, any advice from you experts?
__________________
1998 Albemarle 247
Fairfax, Virginia
You need more rpm's but what really works is a hammer drill. Don't apply too much pressure with a hammer drill or you will break a tile. You shouldn't need a wet bit.
I damn sure am not a tilespert; but I do know that porcelain is very, very hard; and that the pros charge you out the whazoo if they have to drill any tiles, and they drill the holes BEFORE the tile is laid.
Call yer dentist, he's packing what you need.
Big Al
__________________ "Pedophiles must die" - Ted Nugent
call a tile store.they sale a bit that is traingle shaped just for porcelin tile.i use them for hand held shower's.a regular bit will drill it but as you have found out unless your drilling in the grout line it will take forever
call a tile store.they sale a bit that is traingle shaped just for porcelin tile.i use them for hand held shower's.a regular bit will drill it but as you have found out unless your drilling in the grout line it will take forever
Now THIS guy IS a tilespert.
And he damn sure knows porcelain.
Big Al
tommy, pull up the back of yer pants
__________________ "Pedophiles must die" - Ted Nugent
I drill into porcelain all the time. DO NOT use the hammer setting! The trick to this is getting a good "chip", like when you drill steel. It sounds like you've gone beyond that on this hole.
Try this, to finish this hole:
1. Get a 12 - 16oz. water bottle (Dasani, Evian, whatever) poke a small hole (about 1/16" in the cap and fill up the bottle with water.
2. Flush out the hole you've already started, very well. (You've "glazed it"
3. Start with a new CARBIDE tippedbit and go slow (approx.. 400 rpms) with medium pressure and move the drill around about 2" off center slowly. Squirt a stream of water from bottle every 10-15 seconds as you drill.
For the next holes the trick is getting through the top (hardest) layer. Go slow.
For what it's worth, youWILL go thru some bits (probably 6-8) but it should only take about 15 minutes per hole in porcelain.
Capt. Dan,
When all else fails use the smallest carbide tip drill bit you have to get through the tile then up sie the bit to the final hole size. If you cut the bit size in half you are doubling the amount of pressure without oushing harder.
Try it it works. I have never used water or any other lube.
__________________
Fish Fear me
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NauticStar 2200 w/ Susuki175
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Capt. Dan - 6/10/2008 5:04 PM Tommy, the B&D bits I have are triangle shaped carbide bits, are the ones you mention different? Just1more, that's what I was wondering, if I've glazed the whole and made it even harder, sounds like that may be the case.
You haven't made it harder, you've made it smoother. It needs a "chip" or something to grab, if that makes sense.
Capt. Dan - 6/10/2008 5:04 PM Tommy, the B&D bits I have are triangle shaped carbide bits, are the ones you mention different? Just1more, that's what I was wondering, if I've glazed the whole and made it even harder, sounds like that may be the case.
You haven't made it harder, you've made it smoother. It needs a "chip" or something to grab, if that makes sense.
yes use a center punch to make spot to start drilling and never i repeat never use the drill on hammer, unless you want to crack that tile. a regular masonry drill bit will work fine.
Everyone is saying the same thing so I'll be different...
I'd call in a drilling and blasting company.
That would cure ALL of your problems.
Diamond B&D triangle bit, 1000 rpm's, dry, NO HAMMER!, even-light pressure and you'll think you're drilling into wood. Vac and wipe the dust up before using the shower
DON'T FORGET!!! Seal the insert/hole well to prevent water intrusion for a long lasting job.
Treat it like a boat.
__________________ 2003 Boston Whaler 255 Conquest w/ twin 200 HPDI's
I've never been a racist. I don't like the white half either.
I had the exact same problem, and I had tile on the ceiling of my show stall and would drill with conventional bits and barely scratch the surface. What I ended up doing was getting a pack of tile bits from lowes or HD that had the triangle shaped head and also ordered one of the following (scoll down the page - they are the hollow bits - a tube with the diamond filings on the end):
I used the triangle heads to score the tile, drilling until I had a hole the diamond bit would fit into. Then I switched to the diamond bit. Probably took 2 minutes per hole. I did buy the cutting fluid. You don't need much of the concentrate. I do like the looks of the diamond tip trianble shaped head. Might give it a try.
Drilling in Tile -- HELP, I'm at my wits end! 
in the cap and fill up the bottle with water. 
