Drilling porcelain tile--best bit/method?

[rdesigns]

I have a job coming up where I'll need to drill about 30 holes in porcelain tile, which seems to be about as hard as glass.
Any suggestions? The usual tungsten carbide cheapo bits don't work very well at all. I have had little better succes with the Bosch bits, but even they are slow and good for only 5 or6 holes.

Thanks

 

[barnowl]

It's a Bosch glass and tile bit.

It cuts through glazed tile like butter.

I used a cordless drill, but brought the corded one as well, as I thought drill speed might be an issue.

It wasn't. Not at all.

I put duct tape over the tile so the bit wouldn't walk on me, and started real slow, and then picked up the speed.

Drilled 1/4" first, all the way, and then enlarged the hole to 3/8", both with tile bits.

Like butter.

Hope that helps.

 

[tjbnwi]

Letting us know what size hole you need to bore would really help.

Are you drilling vertically or horizontally?

I use diamond hole saws. I use different techniques for larger holes then smaller holes.

Tom

 

[Deansocial]

i imagine over there rodia or rubi will have something sutible. i know rubi make some that are for dry cutting that fit on a grinder

 

[Alan m]

google 365 drills.
they sell diamond bits in all sizes arnt very expensive. iv got the basic set for bathrooms.

 

[pugilato]

i have found that if you start the hole in reverse, the bit clears out the slippery stuff without wandering; then switch to forward to complete the hole.

 

[ericbuggeln]

My tile guy says the best ones are from Ridgid at HD, can you believe it? I used it to drill the holes for 1/4" dowels to go into these table legs and the tile. There is no point, so you have to start at 45 degree first and then power through. You need to dip it in water before and after each drill. It worked out great, Eric

 

[Davej]

I drill porcelain tiles on a regular basis and they are a LOT harder than glass . i use marcrist 850 series bits which are a diamond core drill bit that must be used with water but are fast and very long lasting and expensive ( like festool  [smile] ) not sure if available in america but if you choose to drill tiles with a dry type bit keep the speed below 1000rpm and keep a constant very firm pressure on the drill and regularly dip the bit in cold water to keep it cool to prolong the life of the bit . you need to weigh up the cost of possibly using a lot of cheap or medium priced drill bits or invest in the best available and in the long term saving time and money ( again like investing in festool ) . if drilling tiles already on the wall with a 'wet' style bit duct tape a container directly under the hole to collect water ' run off' and keep slurry from running down the tiled wall. hope this helps

 

[GhostFist]

I found diamond coring bits to work best in the last little tile thing i dealt with.  I drilled a clearance template in a scrap of wood and placed it over my mark to start the hole. you need the template for just a few seconds to create the ring on your mark then there's enough seat for you to continue drilling sans template. use water and you'll be drilled in no time.

 

[Deansocial]

I drill porcelain tiles on a regular basis and they are a LOT harder than glass . i use marcrist 850 series bits which are a diamond core drill bit that must be used with water but are fast and very long lasting and expensive ( like festool  [smile] ) not sure if available in america but if you choose to drill tiles with a dry type bit keep the speed below 1000rpm and keep a constant very firm pressure on the drill and regularly dip the bit in cold water to keep it cool to prolong the life of the bit . you need to weigh up the cost of possibly using a lot of cheap or medium priced drill bits or invest in the best available and in the long term saving time and money ( again like investing in festool ) . if drilling tiles already on the wall with a 'wet' style bit duct tape a container directly under the hole to collect water ' run off' and keep slurry from running down the tiled wall. hope this helps

rubi recommend speed between 10000rpm and 14000rpm for thier dry core bits

 

[Davej]

I appreciate what rubi say as they make good tools and i use their tile trowels exclusively,  but from my experience in real world site conditions over 25 years i have found that to maximize bit life you need to run the bits at the bottom end of manufacturers recommendations and keep a firm but not excessive pressure on the dril bit and most importantly keep the bit cool as excessive heat destroys even the most expensive bits .

 

[Deansocial]

the rubi bits are for use on an angle grinder so good luck using them slow. lol. It is also how i have seen holes drilled in worktop dry with a high speed bit. I think the speed is what keeps it cool imho. When used in a drill there is a lack of speed to keep it cool.

 

[Davej]

As i said i am only speaking from my experience as to cost versus longevity of bits and that is why i use marcrist over rubi or ameg  or any other tile drill  as they produce the lowest cost per hole drilled and when you are drilling hundteds of holes a year as i do in porcalain then its a done deal , macrist is 
tbe daddy  [big grin]

 

[Deansocial]

my finding with it regardless of make is that the small bits hardly last any time at all yet the big uns last ages even in high grade porcalain

 

[tjbnwi]

If the bits/hole saws do not have a pilot, make a guide. Bore the same size hole in a piece of plywood, mount it to the tile with 2 sided mounting tape. For cooling, if it is a hole saw, pack it with ice, as it melts it carries the heat away. If it is a bit, pack the guide with ice, drill through the ice.

Tom

 

[Chris Hughes]

I have done a few commercial bathrooms in retail settings, so I have drilled about a thousand hole in porcelain.  In the US we have several companies that sell "core bits" of various diameters. 

In my experience I have found that I can get between 5 and 20 holes per bit and that water is critical to bit longevity.  I usually have a squirt bottle and just keep the water flowing for the duration of the cut.  To start the cut I start the bit at 45 degrees to work surface so that a only a small portion of the drill is cutting at the surface.  This eliminates wandering.  Once a small channel is started, begin standing the bit slowly until the cutter completely engaged.  I have found that it takes about a minute and a half to punch through.

 

[peter halle]

Chris,

I watched a granite installer drill the holes for a kitchen faucet that way.  His assistant has holding a shop vac hose close to pick up the dust.  Unfortunately the house was still filled with dust.  I just laughed because I had done a rehab of the drywall and trim in four rooms and had been careful about dust.  Thankfully I was done and paid before that cleanup.

Peter