Calling all bolters!

[rbwen]

Got your attention? I just stumbled across a masonry drilling company that has a bin full of old granite scraps of all sizes. They are perfectly flat, about 1" thick, shiny on one side and grainy/aggregate on the other with great edges for an indoor rock wall hold.

 

Problem is I just spent 45 minutes drilling and only made it through 2/3 of one piece! Is there a quicker way of getting through granite? I started using my cordless Makita but then switched to the plug-in power drill until I couldn't hold it any longer. Ouch. I'm using a masonry bit right now.

 

Tips?

 

If anyone's interested in where the scraps are (my wife grabbed a bunch for her garden) it's downtown Wenatchee on the corner of Yakima and Columbia St. They had pieces as big as two feet long by one foot wide.

 

Thanks!

 

rbwen

[markd]

are you using a rotohammer drill? it would be hard to drill through granite without one.

[rbwen]

I'm not. I'd never even really heard of one. Just Googled one up to see what you're talking about. Wonder if I can rent one?

 

The guy I talked to at the shop said he could drill some holes for me so maybe I'll take some pieces back and see what he charges. He's a climber too so maybe he'll do it for cheap!

 

Thanks!

 

rbwen

[larrythellama]

smash it with a singlejack

[ken4ord]

They will probably break if they are only 1" thick. Good luck.

[corvallisclimb]

the proper drill for drilling granite would be a rotory hammer drill such as the "bosch anihilator" other than that by hand would be the way to go

[rbwen]

Thanks for all the advice. A buddy of mine has loaned me a rotary hammer drill to do the task at hand.

 

rbwen

[archenemy]

Where are the scraps to be found?

[slaphappy]

A hammer drill and a roto-hammer are two completely different drills. When the hammer drill doesn't work as expected go rent a roto-hammer from HD and it will cut your work time to nothing.

 

-

[rbwen]

Scraps are in downtown Wenatchee on the corner of Yakima and Columbia St. There's an apple bin half-full of them and a dumpster with some more right next to it. I can't remember the name of the shop but it's on a dead end street on the southeast side of the intersection.

 

rbwen

[archenemy]

Thank you!!

I have a roto-hammer you can borrow if you really need it. I used it to set wall anchors in concrete, but I blew the tip out so you would need to buy another tip. Hammer works tho.

[plexus]

the proper drill for drilling granite would be a rotory hammer drill such as the "bosch anihilator" other than that by hand would be the way to go

 

What about ancient Chinese Water Torture?