drilling stone for a font

[Yob]

sound

 

[GrumpyPaul]

How critical is the placment of the font on the bench? Could you position it at the interscetion of 4 pavers/tiles and just do a small straight of the corner of each tile?

It would be a square hole but you could then get something like this

http://www.bunnings.com.au/kinetic-1-2-chrome-bsp-flat-cover-plate_p4790365

to neaten it up (this one isnt a 50mm ole - but surely the exist)

 

[Mikeyr]

ok here is what you need to do,
Follow spog's advice, he was pretty much spot on, any drill will do use the slower speed (or the low gear), like spog said you need the correct hole corer bit, for blue stone you'd probably want the flat edged one (not the one that has all the diamond grit over it) like this http://://thk.hhttpk/online-cart-dtl.php?cid=17&sid=44&ssid=0&id=109 (the ones seamad suggested are great on softer stone but can burn out on really hard stone...I have to admit I haven't dealt with bluestone much, but I know it can be fairly hard).
Definitely use a ply template and tape it into place, the hole corer will drift all over the place at the start if you don't have the template secured in place. And don't use the hammer setting on your drill in case you were wondering about it.

or (if you're worried about doing it yourself)

Take it in to a nearby stone mason and ask one of their guys to do it for you. When I used to work at a stone place we always used to get people coming in asking to get holes drilled, we never charged but when a few bucks/quid (I was living in England at the time) was given, and told "go and buy yourself a drink", it was greatly appreciated, and I'd head straight down to the 'Bee Hive' for a pint of London Pride.

Damn fine advice, if you really have to do it yourself and you have access to a drill press, that's a better option than any hand tool.

I'll have a crack and have had a crack at most things, but drilling stone takes **** loads of patience, brittle stone is really prone to vibration cracks /chipping, so holding the drill straight and going really slow is bloody critical. Concrete borers usually have a frame

Outsource this and save your sanity ...... and find a wall to take out instead (quick extension maybe) ..... I love the smell of a demo saw in the morning ... petrol motor, 14" blade, water everywhere ....

 

[Mr B]

Ahhh, I needed a holde drilled in a lovejoy.

Didnt have the right drill bit.

Thought, i'll take it to a professional, that'll be a few bucks and perfectly straight etc.

Well, he put it in the vice, brought the drill down, it grabbed, ripped the part out of the vice, scored the outside, and he went 'Fark!'

Ended up being reasonably straight, lucky its a lovejoy eh?

Shoulda just done it myself.......

(ps. I know the bloke, good fella, just sometimes...)

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Damn fine advice, if you really have to do it yourself and you have access to a drill press, that's a better option than any hand tool.

Yep

Set it to as slow as it will go, keep spraying with water and gently feed the bit in. The bed will prob be to small for the piece, but a few G cramps to hold it will fix that..

Once the hole starts its pretty easy, you really only need to stop the peice from trying to spin once the hole starts, then just gently feed.

I am so glad I no longer have to drill thru solid double bricks walls just to install some stupid gizmo thing....touch wood.....