Tile drilling

[Sean fsy]

Are they really worth the money they cost?? Diamond bits im on about. I was on a job this week and i was going to be drilling mineral quartz tiles, The electrician and plumbers on the job were asking me what was the best drills to use when drilling these very very hard tiles.I immediately started to go on about the drills i use, wont mention their name but a very popular brand on this site. anyway i said that i would drill the holes for the shower and towel rail to be fitted. to cut a long story short i didnt even get one hole drilled and the drill bit burnt out, i was using a very large amount of water aswell like i always do. Now im not saying that the diamond bits are useless as we all know they arent. especially the larger size they are the longer they last. I always use 30/40/115 mm bits and they will go through anything but its the smaller bits im on about, the 6,8,10,16mm bits they just wont look at the mineral quartz tiles!!! The electrician on the job went to his van and brought out some bosch drill bits that add blue paint on them, not sure what they were called. anyway he told me they are very good and he went on to prove it and easily drilled the 8 holes required. i was very shocked at this and was even more surprised when he told me they were only £3.50 each!! So it brings me back to the original statement are diamond drill bits really worth the money that they cost(small size ones). what are peoples thoughts on this?
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[diamondtiling]

What is the name of the drills you used?

 

[mikethetile]

Ive used these bits and they are very good, if I remember right they are titinium tipped, just got to remember to turn the hammer off

never tried them on porcelain but they are good on other vitrous and stone

 

[Sean fsy]

the bits that done the job better than the diamond bits were these ones

MULTI CONSTRUCTION MULTI PURPOSE DRILL BITS

 

[Sean fsy]

like i say the mineral quartz tiles easily burnt out my drill bits and even quicker burnt out the vitrex ones they sell in focus(£13 for a 6mm)

 

[The D]

i use irwin drill bits for the small holes.

 

[Scott]

I just bought an 8mm bit from a local supplier in my home town for £7 as i needed it in a hurry. It has lasted for over 20 holes! Starting to waer now but sill still do a few more.

I use the pumped water system and it does make them last longer. I shall be investing in a set of 365 drills as i want to try them for myself with my own water pump system

 

[Sean fsy]

Im not denying they are no good as ive drilled over 20 holes with the same diamond bits before, but its when you get a very hard tile, they just dont last at all. what im saying is there are drill bits out there that will drill the same holes at less than half the cost of diamond ones. like i say its only the samll diameter ones that arent worth their money, i have larger ones 40/115mm ones that fly through the mineral quartz tiles just not small bits.

 

[Scott]

Im not denying they are no good as ive drilled over 20 holes with the same diamond bits before, but its when you get a very hard tile, they just dont last at all. what im saying is there are drill bits out there that will drill the same holes at less than half the cost of diamond ones. like i say its only the samll diameter ones that arent worth their money, i have larger ones 40/115mm ones that fly through the mineral quartz tiles just not small bits.

Im guessing you dont use these as much per room though. Admittedly the tiles i drilled last week wernt as hard as the ones the week before. They were a complete ***** of a til to drill but still managed 20 holes. I also had to start off dry drilling as my guide wouldnt stick to the riven tile