Drilling hard wall tiles

  • Thread starter Thread starter leatherman
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leatherman

Hi, I'm new to this forum but hope someone can help. I am fixing some large wall tiles which are 10mm thick Italian porcelain. My usual tungstan tipped drill bits are not up to the job of drilling the tiles. I need to drill a number of holes @ 20mm dia for supply pipes. Any ideas as to a good drill bit to use?
I have also tried diamond tipped drills but they are not much better.
I don't want to cut the tiles and saw a hole using a tile saw.
Cheers.
 
You can get special tile bits, which have a steel shaft with a triangular hardened bit which cuts through the tile. I used one to drill holes in porcelain floor tiles to screw a toilet pan to the floor.

Found a pic... Piranha bits by Black and Decker:

drill_10.jpg
 
could you make a small hole with one of those specialist bits then unhook the blade on your tile saw and thread it through the hole?
 
Another method for thick tiles like these is to use a grinder. Grind the back of the tile, centred on the centre of the hole position. Make a bowl shape in the tile until you just break through the face surface, leaving a hole large enough for a tile saw (or file). Then open the hole to the required size.
 
Thanks for the advice. I think the main problem is that I was running the drill bits too fast and they were just 'melting' the surface! Using a slow speed and water to keep the drill cool seems to help. Still a tough job though :?
 
leatherman
it called advertiseing/here (admin :) )

an if you seen the bits ...

what are you using....?


how an why trouble ???

DOH....lol;)
 
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