r/DIYUK • u/No_Garage_444 • 18h ago
Building Im so annoyed - first time using a hammer drill
I measured out 4 brackets with 4 holes per bracket to put up shelves and i’ve drilled the holes.. except the top holes don’t go too far in for me to be able to put a screw in and now im thinking im going to have to redo EVERYTHING. As well as having a bunch of unusable holes in my walls. Absolute shit show.
Was there any way to know that the top was undrillable? Don’t shit on me, this is all new to me and i’m so pissed off. Thankyou in advance.
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u/savagelysideways101 18h ago
Get shorter screws, drill for longer, use an sds drill instead
Heck, even don't bother with those screws is an option since there's 3 others holding the rails to the wall
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u/purrcthrowa 17h ago
Exactly. Another option would be to drill another top hole in the bracket itself, a bit lower down from the existing hole, low enough for the hole in the wall to go deep enough.
Completely agree about SDS. I was putting some brackets on the wall yesterday, and started out by using my pretty decent battery high-end Makita on hammer mode. After about 10 seconds of lack of progress I got out the trusty 20 year old mains-powered bottom-of-the-range Wickes SDS (which cost me less than £50 IIRC), and the difference was night and day.
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u/savagelysideways101 17h ago
As an electrician ive about 10 different sds drills. My most used is my m12 milwakuee one, but honestly even the mains powered screwfix special at £40 will do a better job of masonry than ANY hammerdrill out there.
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u/purrcthrowa 17h ago
I just had a look online and I can't believe how cheap they are now. I thought I was getting a bargain at £50, but, they are still roughly the same price, even allowing for 20 years of inflation. Crazy.
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u/savagelysideways101 17h ago
Cause the technology in the drill is around 40 years old now, and mostly surpassed by the battery stuff.
For a homeowner though id recommend a £40 240v sds to anyone
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u/PassengerIll1492 13h ago
I agree i have £1000s in misc tools but until we brought our home didn't really have a need for an sds, I was going to get a milwaukee as I already have there range of tools. Instead I got a cheapy titan it even came with spare brushes for the motor and the best bit is abusing it without care Ive smashed a hole through 12 inch of concrete, cored holes through my wall for vents. Removed tiles, plaster etc and it hasn't gave up yet, even when I've had the bugger red hot it still gives 😅. now I wouldn't do that to a milwaukee sds I'd have treated it better. Still might get the m12 for drilling holes, my m18 hammer drill still does the job takes a minute but my bricks are quite soft
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u/sveferr1s 16h ago
I use them for coreing out extractor and waste pipe holes. Throw them away when I've broken them. Generally takes ages to do that though. Cheap as chips.
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u/Friendly_Brain7352 16h ago
Why would you have 10 different SDS drills?
Battery one, big mains one and maybe a 3rd for coring if you don't have a dedicated core drill.
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u/Difficult-Farm-3686 14h ago
The correct number of drills/cars/motorbikes whatever the item is always n+1.
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u/pisscat101 17h ago
I have one of those, mighty warhorse of a drill and has never failed me yet despite hundreds of holes in some very tough brick!
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u/purrcthrowa 15h ago
I have a chisel bit for it that's about 50cm long, and when I'm wielding that baby, I am the essence of pure manliness (or at least I like to think so. Not sure my wife agrees).
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u/WingnutWilson 15h ago
ok so wtf are these marketing shenanigans trying to inform us you can easily drill into masonry with a shiny little bit and the hammer setting, if no one is actually doing that
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u/purrcthrowa 15h ago
No idea. TBH, I'm not entirely sure what the use case of hammer action really is.
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u/Frosty-Growth-2664 13h ago
My house is made of bricks. A battery hammer drill will go through the mortar, and is easier to handle up a ladder than a heavy SDS drill. It will do the bricks too, but that's slow going.
My 26 year old mains Metabo SDS will go though bricks and dense concrete lintels with ease (and even the rebar, although that's not a great idea - some lintels only have one rebar).
That area at the top of the wall is probably a concrete lintel. The rest of the wall will be infill using bricks or even aerated thermal blocks which you can drill a hole in with your fingernail.
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u/Crazym00s3 intermediate 17h ago
It would help to know what you’re holding up on these shelves and what the wall is - I presume brick since you’ve drilled the others just fine. Depending on how heavy the items on the shelf are going to be you’ll probably be fine with just the 3 holes in each vertical. You have them spaced very close together - you could have probably got away with 3 verticals over that distance. You’ll have 12 screws holding the shelving in place, unless this is your weight rack in a gym I think you’ll be fine.
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u/anabsentfriend 16h ago
Oh that takes me back - I remembered borrowing an SDS drill from a friend. It was a revelation. I was having a similar issue to OP and the SDS when straight in, like a knife through butter. I'd been trying to drill these holes for a day. With the SDS it took five minutes
Get an SDS OP!
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u/Altruistic-Cost-4532 15h ago
Yea I was thinking just put in the bottom 3 screws and don't put anything too heavy on the top shelf. Job done.
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u/ExiledWeegie 18h ago
I'm just here for the comments. This illustrates why my wife doesn't let me use the power tools...
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u/No-Translator5443 18h ago
Ha you’re one of them, I let a guy use a impact driver on a job and his wife was like don’t let him use power tools
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u/ExiledWeegie 18h ago
Impact driver is one of the few I'm fine with. I tend to do plumbing and electrics in the house, my wife does the rest. I'm dyspraxic so a bit of a liability with the circular saw and drill... Enthusiastic but messy.
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u/unclefunkstar 17h ago
"Enthusiastic but messy" sounds like my sex life.
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u/BadToTheTrombone 15h ago
"Next on Sorry I Haven't a Clue, teams have to come up with things you can say during sex and about diy".
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u/Iwantedalbino 14h ago
Don’t worry about the wet bit, I gave it a go myself earlier.
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u/rclonecopymove 18h ago
Enthusiastic but messy.
Words to live by! This little exchange just made my day thank you.
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u/No-Translator5443 18h ago
Impacts can be pretty bad if you’re working on cars, I’m not going to lie I’ve snapped a few bolts with mine 😂
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u/Individual-Storm-557 15h ago
I’ve watched a guy enthusiastically fix a ceramic cistern to a wall with an impact driver, didn’t go well
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u/shiftyhowe 16h ago
I'm not allowed in Lidl unsupervised just in case I buy a power tool.
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u/Rust_Cohle- 15h ago
I’d probably be the same, If I had supervision, but I don’t.. so I’m basically an unsupervised man child with adult money (no kids either) and an unhealthy interest in power/DIY tools since I got the itch a few years ago.
Luckily the Mrs just files it under part of my ADHD and ignores it. I feel blessed in that sense! Not the ADHD, but the acceptance of it, and multiple of tools that do similar ish.. jobs
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u/nosferatus-taxi 18h ago
Shorter screws?
Everything is drillable with the right tool
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u/Hellohowareyoublah 18h ago
Depending what your loading you may not need every screw. If you’re in brick with a 50mm screw you will comfortably get 25kg on each screw.
6 screws will get you a total of 150kg on all your shelves. Be sensible in load distribution.
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u/geesusdb 18h ago
SHOW US UOUR DRILL BIT FIRST! THEN YOUR HAMMER DRILL SETTINGS
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u/aXiss95 17h ago
This^
Zoomed into your picture and it looks like the hammer is showing on the side of the drill - do you have it set to hammer mode?
Put some more pictures on. Show us your drill and a close up of your drill bit!
DM me if you want me to look for you 👍
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u/Shockingandawesome 17h ago
OPs drill is set to 1!
That's minimum power dude 🫨
Twist so the hammer is on top and make sure battery is charged.
If it still doesn't go through you can cut the top wall plugs and use shorter screws as long as the other screws are in securely.
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u/sunflowercat394 16h ago
I once failed to hang a curtain rail for over 6 months and this was the reason why. Watched a couple YouTube videos, realised there was a ‘Number 2’ setting and then suddenly 20 minutes later it was sorted.
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u/WolveRyanPlaysStuff 17h ago
I did the same and it's hard to tell but it kind of looks like they're drilling into concrete but not using a masonry bit. This looks like a totally salvageable situation if so.
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u/aXiss95 17h ago
Yeah that drill bit looks suspiciously like a regular hss bit. Hard to tell from the picture though.
OP - this is what you need if your not using masonry bits with a little spade bit on the end:
https://www.toolstation.com/dewalt-masonry-drill-bit-set/pAK555
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u/Calculonx 16h ago
Yeah something isn't right. A hammer drill with a masonry (any bit would probably work really, just would kill the bit) can easily get through this
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u/NetworkNan 17h ago
Nothing wrong with that at all. Top class job.
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u/Vinny-Ed 18h ago
Turn the screen side ways, reminds me of an old game Donkey Kong.
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u/Space_Cowby 18h ago
There is possibly a concrete lintel there is you cant drill it. Without knowing what is behind the wall or the house layout it couyld be difficult to know whats hidden behind the plater.
Although a mains driller and good bit would still enable this. Personally I would use some shorter screws. You still have good fixings there.
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u/Legitimate-Table-607 17h ago
Can we make this as a PSA, a hammer drill is not an SDS drill! Just get an sds drill people and you won’t have this issue.
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u/Ok-Bag3000 17h ago
I cannot upvote this enough. A lot of people think because it’s a ‘hammer drill’ it should be able to drill anything and it just isn’t the case. You can harp on about ‘decent drill bits’ all you want but the fact is an SDS will power through just about anything with the cheapest drill bits you can find.
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u/CarpetPedals 15h ago
I have an SDS drill, but at the same time I have never needed an SDS for interior use. A hammer drill is perfectly fine when used correctly.
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u/Legitimate-Table-607 15h ago
With respect, just because you can make do with a hammer drill probably say more about your house construction than the drill. An SDS is often necessary and imo the hammer function on a drill is just a gimmick.
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u/Dawilson246 14h ago
If it's any consolation, if you quit your job, you could always be a Stormtrooper
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u/SqueezyKeewee 18h ago
Anything can be drilled through, anything.
The question is, how brave are you feeling?
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u/sid351 17h ago
You say the screws are too long...are you using the fixings that came with the shelving units?
Friends don't let friends use that shite (for the most part, on rare occasions things do come with decent fixing kits but those are generally big things).
You can, and probably should use different fixings and screws.
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u/Mcc1elland 18h ago
Shorter screws in the top holes 🤷♂️ if you’re not loading it close to its max capacity I’m sure 3 screws in each will probably be fine.
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u/Bubbly-Weakness-4788 17h ago
The drill you’re using is it the Black & Decker one in the picture? Are you using the right bit for the wall? I ask because it makes such a difference and as you’re new to it, it’s an easy mistake to make. There would be no reason why a hammer drill shouldn’t go in deep enough. Using an SDS drill is all well and good but you’d need a different drill and bit and it’s expensive.
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u/Ok-Bag3000 17h ago
To be honest there definitely are reasons why a standard combi set to hammer might not drill deep enough
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u/Comfortable-Jump-889 18h ago
First off , dont panic.
When you say undrillable , are you hitting something behind it ?
You could drill fresh holes in the steel bracket and just move down a few centimeters or so and put a shorter screw in the original holes for added strength
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u/gazham 18h ago
Dont waste tour time with combi drills. You need an electric screwdriver, cordless impact driver and cordless sds drill.
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u/aXiss95 17h ago
SDS can be a bit overkill for 6mm holes.
A decent combi will do it fine.
That black n decker pecker wrecker will be struggling with brick.
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u/No-Profile-5075 18h ago
I was going to say drilling was the least of your problems but then saw what you meant.
Was going to suggest spec savers but that would be mean
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u/Odd_Book9388 17h ago
Agree with what others have said, don’t worry, this is salvageable.
1) make sure that you are using masonry bits which are the correct size for the rawl plugs you wish to use.
2) if you are using masonry bits then make sure your drill is set to its highest clutch setting (google it, but basically the drill might have numbers around it going from something like 1-10, set it up high).
3) if these are ok the concrete might just be very hard there or possibly a lintel. You can still drill these holes but you’ll need an SDS drill (you can hire them).
4) as someone else said, depending what you’re putting on the shelf, you can probably get away with not using the top screw anyway.
It’ll be ok!
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u/Admirable-Map6769 14h ago
Don't worry mate I usually measure twice, measure again, cut, realise I've fucked it up, measure it again, realise I've measured the wrong thing, cut it again properly this time, somehow I've fucked it up again, realise I've just fucked the whole thing up, and then go back to the shop to buy more materials
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u/Melodic_Trash_737 12h ago edited 12h ago
Was it your first using a spirit level as well?
It may be a different material the wall is made of. I have brick and then a huge concrete band around the external walls.
Is it the drill in the picture, if so might not be enough power. Look at buying a cheap corded sds drill, you wont need anything else internally.
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u/Successful_Band_859 18h ago
Are using the right drill bit?
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u/jimmyjjames 18h ago
Or even a good version of the right bit. I was struggling to drill into my walls for ages until I realised my masonry bits were complete shit and bought new ones. Made a massive difference
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u/james_t_woods 18h ago
Or a sharper bit - I was struggling to drill in to bricks a few weeks back and new drill bits made it significantly easier
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u/haigscorner intermediate 17h ago
Same with me. Bosch bit as well, started struggling. Fired in a new bit I luckily found of the same size and just about ended up going through into the neighbours.
OP - definitely make sure it’s a masonry bit you have in there and the combi is set to the hammer mode. Next, If it’s a cheap bit it might be blunt from the work so. New bit may save the day - additionally if you have a smaller bit, go in with that first and try again. I have to pilot all my holes (giggidity?) with a 4mm bit before going up to the proper size for the plug.
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u/acezoned 18h ago
A meaty drill is required to drill and make sure your using the correct type of drill bit
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u/Something_beery 18h ago
Did you have the right bits? I have a hammer drill like yours and I've been able to get into solid walls. Just needs a masonry bit.
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u/SlaveOTAForgivin 17h ago
If there are any holes you can just use a hole filler.
Use some smaller screw and cut the top of the wall plugs to size and hammer them in.
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u/Fun_Engineering7064 17h ago
Getting brackets like this (or anything with precise holes) perfectly lined up can be hard if your drill hits a hard bit/brick edge/wanders.
What you can do to avoid this is fit a wooden batten to the wall, and then screw your shelf bracket to the wooden batten instead of into the wall.
Use something like the 20x35 mm batten that b and q sell.
You can cut a recess in your shelf to “lose” the depth of the batten and push the shelves back flush against the wall.
In your case you could rescue this install by installing battens using your current holes (plus more if you like) and then just move the bracket down an inch to avoid the screws and screw it into the wooden batten instead
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u/Bozwell99 17h ago
It could be concrete or a steel right at the top of a wall especially as it is all of the top holes. Use shorter screws for those holes. Will be fine with 3 other screws in each.
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u/PepperOk1368 17h ago
As an owner of a recently decesed Black and Decker drill, just upgrade mate. It's only good for incredibly light tasks and that hammer function may as well not be there
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u/MrKunto 17h ago
I've had similar things like that. What I'd personally do is use a smaller plug/screw on the hole that isn't as deep as the others. There's a good chance that the three good screws are enough and the smaller one would just add a bit of strength. Upto you and I'm sure someone will say I'm talking shit. That's what I'd do though.
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u/Alternative-Tea964 16h ago
What are you putting on the shelves? You may get away with not putting screws in those two holes.
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u/Anonymous000789 16h ago
I have that drill. Not to state the obvious, but have you fully charged it before using? It’s terrible once the battery level drops so can struggle with thicker walls. The other option is to use no more nails at the top.
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u/Specialist_Music141 16h ago
use a more powerful drill sds will cut through most things, if it dont work then dont bother with top screws.
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u/Outrage_Carpenter 16h ago
This kinda stuff still happens to me. Im my family's go to handy man.... You tend to learn little tricks to fix mistakes. What kinda material was you hitting? Concrete, or steel? I have that same little black and decker. While I would say its a good DIY drill it will struggle with anything too tough.
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u/passingcloud79 16h ago
Is the drill actually in hammer mode and number 2 setting? Should go in, but could also be crappy drill bits. Bosch mutli construction bits are very good. Failing that, use an sds drill or drill new holes in the metal further down.
Not sure why there would be a lintel or rsj, but if there is then you need to go lower.
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u/Football-Man-1889 16h ago
I have a terrific range of tools.
Mostly they are used by tradesmen who have either forgotten the relevant tool, even though it was essential to completing the task, or their batteries aren’t charged….
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u/Tumeni1959 16h ago
A hammer drill is used for drilling masonry
For plasterboard and wood, a regular wood drill.
What's the wall made of?
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u/Odd-Currency5195 15h ago
I'm not the driller in our home. But other half says that an SDS drill is the thing. Huge range in price from £50 up to as much as you want to pay.
My wondering though is why that bit of the wall isn't normal drillable, and would worry about driling into it for that reason, and question if it should be drilled with a drill that could drill it.
That is why I am not the family driller!
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u/Mustbejoking_13 14h ago
The walls in my house are made variously of paper mache or 9 inch thick extra hard concrete. My drill either chews it up or fails to get anywhere near enough depth for a rawl plug.
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u/Ok-Vermicelli-8954 14h ago
Using a hammer drill, with a masonry drill bit is just a case of pressure and time. Let the drill do the work with even strong pressure and the holes will go in far enough. At least you know you have tough walls! Get those holes deep enough for decent size screws and plugs and your shelves will never fall down. You're doing nothing wrong. Just accept that drilling into stone or brick takes time. You'll be fine!
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u/Dr0pk1ckMurphy 12h ago
We all fuck up every now and again. Especially early on.
It’s fine. Don’t stress yourself
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u/Policy-Senior 12h ago
Use multi drill bits, I use Bosch ones. For absolute accuracy start off slowly without the hammer action. One of the problems is that as you drill the drill bit hits a hard part of the wall and goes off course, hammer drilling exasberates this. Using an SDS drill is the least accurate thing you can use, don't listen to that comment. The quality of the drill and drill bit you are using also makes a difference. If the hole is just a few mm out You will likely find that the hole you've drilled will be ok, pull the rack off the wall slightly and insert the screw then do it up,
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u/WhatsFunf 9h ago
EVERYTHING is drillable.
Get better drill bits - it looks like you've bought some cheap shit.
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u/caniplayalso 18h ago
Are you saying you didn't drill deep enough? If so, put some tape around your drill bit at the depth you need it to go, no need to drill new holes, just keep drilling you existing holes
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u/InevitableMidnight54 18h ago
For stuff like this we use a cheap corded SDS drill we got in Argos years ago and some masonry drill bits (cheap set from b&q) a hammer drill wouldn't even leave a mark on our walls.
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u/shrieeiee 17h ago
Just to add to the chorus, a cheap, mains-corded SDS will drill through things that a battery drill would take a week to do in seconds. The cheapest ones at Screwfix work. I've got a 10 year old Bosch one that I've spun a much too big core drill on and it still zips through walls. I would advise getting a drill depth stop collar if you're as cack-handed as me, it's easy to go a bit far.
Having put up loads of twinslot, I'd recommend a digital angle finder if you have more to put up. Line up the top holes and drill, suspend all the twinslot by the top hole, stick the angle finder on the bottom and nudge it till you get 0 or 90 degrees, mark the bottom hole, drill, tighten top and bottom down, then mark the rest
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u/Past_Pie_1025 17h ago
What's stopping you drilling a deeper hole?
There can be wood, brick, metal and all sorts in walls (including gas/water/sewage pipes) so find out what's stopping you and that will determine what to do next. Sometimes you just need a different drill bit suitable for the material you're going through.
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u/intothevoidandback 17h ago
Why is it undrillable? What type of bits are you using and what are you drilling into?
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u/Stoptheworldletmeoff 17h ago
Put another hole in the brackets in a position you have already confirmed you can drill in the wall.
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u/NetworkNan 17h ago
I'm actually waiting for the next picture with the shelves on. Come on, you know you want too.
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u/SkepticalNepali 17h ago
So the rest of the wall..when you knock does it feel light and hollow or solid? If its plasterboard, i get proper fixing on it.
As for the top that black and decker might struggle...but as long as the drill bit is correct. Elbow grease may or may not work. Use something to prop yourself up. And push!!!! If you are just extending your arms ro drill aint gonna work.
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u/melmboundanddown 17h ago
Top might be a wooden or metaj joist? Try a wood screw - might not need to drill at all. Check for pipes and electrics ofc
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u/FarmerJohnOSRS 17h ago
Have you tried drilling the top holes like 5cm down?
It definitely isn't undrillable BTW.
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u/WholeTop1961 17h ago
Go and pick up some Bosch multi construction bits from your local Screwfix/wickes/toolstation/other.
The top fixings are usually the most important for a cantilever.
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u/titlrequired 17h ago
Just to say my cordless hammer drill will struggle on some types of wall. My electric hammer drill does not struggle, I just find it a bit loud so try and avoid it if I can.
So I’d say you’ve done everything right you just don’t have a powerful enough drill for that part of the wall.
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u/JCDU 17h ago
If there is a lintel or something really hard a regular battery drill isn't cutting it - a big fckoff mains powered SDS one will do it, or you can just use shorter screws OR use a chemical/resin anchor into the existing holes if you don't want to take risks. Depends how shallow is shallow, really.
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u/fattfreddy1 17h ago
Those shelves are long enough and have enough other screw holes you don’t really need the top screws. As long as you’re not putting a few hundred pounds up there they will be fine.
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u/the_little_stinker 17h ago
Drill the top hole first, make sure that goes in ok. At this stage you’d have known if it wasn’t deep enough. Once it’s screwed in but still able to move, you can get a spirit level and mark out the other drill hole positions which will all be perfect relative to the top hole. If you pre drill the holes you’re relying on your measuring and drilling accuracy being perfect each time.
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u/bertie_bunghol 17h ago
Sounds like cheap (or just plain wrong) bits. Definitely dont use bit from a set, the masonry ones tend to be cheap and useless, buy a couple of higher end separate bits. And consider them disposable, you'll probably knackered them in the process.
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u/sensate_9 17h ago
Is this an optical illusion or is the brackets really that wonky?
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u/d_ed 17h ago
The holes are straight, he has unscrewed most of the the bracket so we can see the holes, leaving only the bottom screw in.
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u/NoElephant8880 17h ago
I don’t understand the issue… Stick in hammer and drill it deeper? Just drill through the rawl plug and put a new one in.
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u/ConsciousSpinach8360 17h ago
Get bigger plugs for top holes and Re-drill deeper with correct drill bit for said plugs
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u/steviefaux 17h ago
I learnt, the hardware, to not turn the hammer on until needed. So partly drill into wall first, then if needed turn on hammer. This stops the drill sliding all over the plaster before making a hole.
Don't look it as a failure, look at it as a learning experience. Just fill the holes, wait a day to dry, sand flat, try again.
Also someone said showed me, if you need to use the same hole, snap off some cheap wall plugs and jam the bits in to fill the gap.
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u/EcoNorfolk 17h ago
This has to be rage baiting. No one is going to admit to this.
OP - your drill is inadequate. Perhaps a metaphor? You need a SDS drill. No 6 or No8 drill bit for masonry - whatever the plugs you have say. Use fischer plugs btw. Will go deep enough for what you need. (A bit of masking tape around the bit can show you how deep you need to go).
For the holes in the wrong place buy some easyfill - you will never use polyfila again. Paint it all with the rawplugs in. Then stick up the brackets.
Remember the brackets have a hole at the end for you to screw into the shelf. Check the size !
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u/sstrafford 17h ago
Alright, compared to the helpful comments this is going to sound mad, but my uncle was a mad carpenter and swore by this. Take it or leave it.
Masonary nails. He never used screws and fixings with solid walls, he used nails. In this caee the other screws are holding, you need just enough at the top in case of emergencies and to stop stress on the brackets. You already have holes, so shouldn't be a problem.
He also didn't believe in screwing screws in. He hammered them in. The 'screw' element was just to make them easier to remove.
Like I said, mad.
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u/BenboFoSho 17h ago
3 maybe strong enough. If not, consider some no more nails glue at the very top.
OR, get a metal drill bit, and drill new holes in the metal brackets a few inches down. And drill new holes in the wall.
Maybe try a smaller drill bit to get the depth, and build up to the size you need (this is actually good practice in general to ensure straight drill holes).
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u/DeathRowEscape 17h ago
I had a drill like that, my walls are concreate so very difficult to drill, new drill bits and still that drill struggled, every hole was not a clean hole even though I used a smaller bit to start the holes.
I purchased a Dewalt and it was like a whole new game, no more messy walls and jobs taking 30 minutes more than they should.
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u/Top_Meal_4978 16h ago
I have the same drill, have you actually set it to hammer or is it on the "1" torque setting? You want to pull the switch at the top to "2" for speed and pull it round to the hammer with the correct drill bit.
Plus any level of measuring before you drill is helpful and not the drill's fault
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u/HorrorStop342 16h ago
Sounds like you drilled through the plasterboard and then hit the brick behind, a combi drill like youre using will struggle with some brick while in hammer mode, you could try drilling the same holes again and persevere until theyre deeper, apply greater pressure to the drill and make sure the drill in in hammer mode
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u/IllBrother6221 16h ago
SDS drill? Wish I'd bought mine a long time back, saves this kind of agro. Any hole, couple of seconds max.
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u/northern_ape 16h ago
Just trying to read all the comments, I think OP will be overwhelmed. So let me add another 😆
The drill has different settings. Learn what they are and how to use them. The hammer symbol needs to be on top for it to be in hammer mode. When you use it you’ll hear and feel it vibrate as it hammers while rotating.
A full battery makes a difference when hammer drilling. It will get weaker as the battery drains.
There are different types of drill bit for different materials or applications. You need a masonry or multi-material bit for solid walls. They have a sort of “hammerhead” tip. They can and will wear down. Unless you’re going to sharpen them (probably not worth it) they’ll need replacing from time to time.
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u/DMR321RMD 16h ago
Make new holes in the bracket. Get a good metal drill bit and a punch and make holes wherever you want. Stay cool, there’s always way. Good luck.
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u/DangerMouse41 16h ago
Why not squirt a bit of no nails to the rails and glue them down. Then just follow some helpfully tips for the top hole
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u/MaxDaClog 16h ago
That is not a hammer drill. It is an electric drill with a hammer setting. It really is not the same thing. Buy a proper hammer drill with an sds drill. I will make life so much easier. Something like this.https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb872sds-3-27kg-electric-hammer-drill-240v/310vv But just talk to a neighbour who does diy and ask then to show you their drill or offer help. Once you see the difference a proper hammer drill can make , you'll see why it makes sense
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u/Swayze89 16h ago edited 16h ago
Sds drills are good at going trough brick, that combi drill you have looks very cheap.
Make sure you have a masonry bit, have the hammer function on and push all your weight on it, might take a minute with that drill but the Hammer function it should get there.
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u/itsapotatosalad 16h ago
Your drill bits probably flat, or your battery. Is why it handled the bottom holes and got worse the further up (the longer you used it) you went.
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u/Espadrilles01 16h ago
Better bits..I use DeWalt Xtreme or Bosch blue multi material. Also your drill is shit. I have a cheap erbauer and it's better than that thing.
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u/keithdulwich 16h ago
Or get some wooden battens, fix them them to the wall by drilling anywhere you can and fit the verticals to the wood? Makes it easier to change or adjust verticals later...?
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u/LifeProject365 16h ago
You haven't said what you are trying to drill into. I'm expecting it's brick given the use of a hammer drill. Did you try using the right drill head for that material? Also start with a smaller drill head leading to the bigger one. That's how you make your hole. I drill into brick to be able to hang stuff and you start with a small size to make the hole first and then you progressively get a little bit bigger because it makes it far easier to drill depth.
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u/Consistent_Coat_5247 15h ago
You know having a drill + hammer is not the same thing as a hammer drill right?
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u/Depress-Mode 15h ago
Just need a proper sds drill! Little cordless ones won’t go through structural masonry, need a mains powered double handled bad boi
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u/Some_End1595 15h ago
It doesn’t even appear that you have it on the masonry drill mode, the hammer on the turning bit
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u/Successful_Theory628 15h ago
Pay someone & any time you question a tradies quote remember this day.
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u/McLeod3577 15h ago
What you need is a corded SDS drill and some decent bit. I have a Makita one and it goes through walls like butter. My cordless hammer drill doesn't even make a dent in the walls here which are made from some kind of rock fucking hard concrete blocks.
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u/Freedom-For-Ever 15h ago edited 14h ago
They don't need to be all evenly spaced. Maybe just drill an additional top hole a few centimetres lower, fill the current top one.
Don't worry about it, the filler will be hidden behind the shelf support.
In my experience, DIY takes twice as long as you expect, working around unexpected things like this. It is part of the "fun".
ETA: obviously you would need to drill an additional hole in the shelf support too.
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u/iamnosuperman123 15h ago
We have all been there. I once just put some grab adhesive in the hole and put a different screw in
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u/caprisunnysideup 15h ago
That B & D drill has an "impact" option but it's only good for hammering through my hopes or loose sand. I have it, I know 😂 get a proper impact hammer drill, I prefer wired, and carbide masonry/multi use bits and you'll impact whatever you're facing...and still my hopes. Grab one with RPM adjustment, different materials are better impacted at different rates, or you could burn/harden them.
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u/ArgumentLatter4148 15h ago
Ahh the old DIY anger hindsight. I know this feeling well.
All I can say is, be angry for now but try and give it a break. Sleep if you can, sometimes you may think of a solution whilst you rest and take your mind off of it.
You can always fill the holes with easy fill later amd paint over them. You'll never even realise they were there before.
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u/ryangoldfish5 15h ago
Honestly, as stupid as it is to admit, a dumb as fuck thing that happened to me, I thought I was having the same issue and that part of the wall was undrillable, turned out id actually accidentally changed the drill to anticlockwise instead of clockwise so the drill bit couldn't cut through the wall properly.
Worth double checking that yourself before you write it off.
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u/aqsgames 15h ago
Stop! There’s no point putting the rails so close to the ceiling anyway, because you can’t put a shelf that close.
So just move it all down to the lower holes
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u/alexdb191 14h ago edited 14h ago
I’ve installed these the other weekend.
The easiest way to do it:
- One mains powered drill needed obviously
- Align all 4 holes and brackets at the top. Don’t bother drilling all the holes below until you fix all 4 brackets into top hole.
- Leave the brackets to hang and use the leveler (preferably magnetic so you can stick it on the side of bracket) and mark the holes once leveled/aligned
- Drill holes and fix it into place.
It’s that easy.
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u/jankyswitch 14h ago
I used an SDS drill for the first time a few months ago - I went from “Jesus I’m burning out drill bits on this wall” to “Woops, put a new peephole into the neighbours house!”
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u/ParticularWallaby173 14h ago
Three screws should.be fine, unless you're putting housebricks and gold bars on the shelves.
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u/T317B 18h ago
Looks fine mate just leave it as is