Stainless SteelSFM chart

If you plan to drill into brick without a hammer drill, it isn’t quite as easy, though it is certainly doable. That said, drilling into a brick wall using a regular drill is going to require a high-quality masonry drill bit to get the job done. You see, without the hammer action provided by a hammer drill, the tool is going to rely heavily on the turning speed. This process will take longer and you will need to remove the drill from the boring hole more regularly to prevent overheating (again, using cold water every time).

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Pecking helps ensure that bits don’t overheat and break when using them to drill or tap.  Peck drilling involves drilling partway through a part, then retracting it to remove chips, simultaneously allowing the piece to cool.  Rotating the handle a full turn then back a half turn is common practice.  Whenever the bit or tap is backed out, remove as many chips as possible and add oil to the surface between the drill or tap and the workpiece.

Speeds and feeds fordrilling 304stainless steel

The prospect of drilling into brick or mortar can feel like an overwhelming and challenging task at a glance, but with the correct approach and the proper tools, you will surely make light work of it. Of course, many elements must be considered before you go ahead and start drilling away, but in this guide, we will cover absolutely everything you’ll need to pull it off successfully. If you are looking for the ultimate guide on drilling into brick and mortar, then you are going to dig this!

Tap guides are an integral part in making a usable and straight thread.  When using the lathe or the mill, the tap is already straight and centered.  When manually aligning a tap, be careful, as a 90° tap guide is much more accurate than the human eye.

Understanding the difference between the two and how to properly drill into brick and mortar with a hammer drill will allow you to work safely and with precision.

This chip thickness or feed per tooth, along with the number of teeth in the cutter, form the basis for determining the rate of feed.

Whenever you are operating heavy power tools, your safety should always be your number one priority. By following the appropriate safety procedures, you’re not only protecting yourself but other workers in your vicinity.

Manufacturing Processes 4-5 Copyright © by LamNgeun Virasak is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Drilling too deep into any material will cause unnecessary complications. But when you drill excessively deep into both brick or mortar, you can affect the integrity of the anchor and screw. Deeper holes are also much harder to fill if you make a mistake and wish to remove whatever you have been hanging there. You must avoid drilling too deep and should always confirm that there is nothing behind the wall, just in case. If you hit electrical wires, pipes, plumbing, and conduit, then you’re going to have a nightmare on your hands. You should also consider using various drilling fluid additives. This allows you to lubricate the tool sufficient to lessen the amount of vibration coming through the hole. Remember, when you drill deeper holes, there is a much higher chance of deviation. This should be avoided at all costs if you wish to avoid expensive and time-consuming repairs. An easy way to identify precisely how deep you can drill is by measuring the width of the wall that you are targeting, and the length of the anchor and screw that you plan to insert (and again, confirming that there is nothing in your path). Once you have your precise depth, set your depth gauge on your hammer drill (another good reason to invest in the highest quality power tools). Should you decide to use a regular drill, then you must measure the drill bit and then place tape on the drill bit marking precisely where you need to stop.

304stainless steelcutting speed

The hardness of the cutting tool material will also have a great deal to do with the recommended cutting speed. The harder the drill, the faster the cutting speed.  The softer the drill, the slower the recommended cutting speed (See Figure 2).

“Decide where to drill” might sound daft, but finding the precise spot to drill into brick and mortar is a complex decision that has several factors to be considered. First, you should understand the difference between brick and mortar and how they each react to being drilled into.

When drilling and tapping, it is crucial to use oil.  It keeps the bits from squealing, makes the cut smoother, cleans out the chips, and keeps the drill and stock from overheating.

SFMfor stainless steeldrilling

On the milling machines we have here at LBCC, the feed is independent of the spindle speed.  This is a good arrangement and it permits faster feeds for larger, slowly rotating cutters.

Drilling machines that have power feeds are designed to advance the drill a given amount for each revolution of the spindle.  If we set the machine to feed at .006” the machine will feed .006” for every revolution of the spindle. This is expressed as (IPR) inches per revolution

SFMfor stainless steelturning

As the work advances into the cutter, each tooth of the cutter advances into the work an equal amount producing chips of equal thickness.

Cutting speedfor stainless Steelwith carbide

Even if you are on a tight schedule, rushing into something like drilling into brick or mortar will only likely end up in you making costly mistakes, and thus putting you even further behind schedule…take your time!

Millingaluminiumspeeds and feeds

Next up, you’ll want to make sure that you are working with the appropriate drill and drill bit. Carefully selecting this can help to prevent you from cracking or causing irreparable damage to the material. When boring into a brick wall, you are going to need something with a bit more oomph, than your standard drill bit for penetrating wood.

Feed per tooth, is the amount of material that should be removed by each tooth of the cutter as it revolves and advances into the work.

So, now that you have a comprehensive step by step guide on how to effectively drill into brick and mortar, it is time to gear yourself up with the appropriate equipment. At Data Power Tools, we have a wide and extensive range of incredible power tools available from some of the hottest manufacturers in the industry. We are here to help you every step of the way, so feel free to browse our selection and should you get stuck or have trouble finding a specific tool, please do not hesitate to contact us today.  Happy drilling!

Cutting speed is defined as the speed at the outside edge of the tool as it is cutting.  This is also known as surface speed.  Surface speed, surface footage, and surface area are all directly related.  If two tools of different sizes are turning at the same revolutions per minute (RPM), the larger tool has a greater surface speed.  Surface speed is measured in surface feet per minute (SFM).  All cutting tools work on the surface footage principle.  Cutting speeds depend primarily on the kind of material you are cutting and the kind of cutting tool you are using.  The hardness of the work material has a great deal to do with the recommended cutting speed.  The harder the work material, the slower the cutting speed.  The softer the work material, the faster the recommended cutting speed (See Figure 1).

Once the SFM for a given material and tool is determined, the spindle can be calculated since this value is dependent on cutting speed and tool diameter.

Once you’ve finished drilling a hole, inserting your anchor, and installing a screw, you should seal any of the openings using putty or mortar. When you patch up any small gaps and holes, you will strengthen the overall hold of whatever it is that you plan to hang on the brick wall.

Feeds for end mills used in vertical milling machines range from .001 to .002 in. feed per tooth for very small diameter cutters on steel work material to .010 in. feed per tooth for large cutters in aluminum workpieces.  Since the cutting speed for mild steel is 90, the RPM for a 3/8” high-speed, two flute end mill is

Now, deciding whether to drill into brick vs. mortar depends on many different factors, i.e., the diameter and depth of the intended hole, what type of brick it is, how old the brickwork is, the anchor and stud type, and the amount of weight being placed on the intended fasteners. More often than not, brick holds a significant amount more weight and provides greater support than mortar. That being said, if you are working with old and fragile brick, then boring deep holes into the material, supporting heavy objects or installing expansion-style anchors might not be the best option for you. You see, the deeper the hole, the more it can weaken brick that is already somewhat fragile. In addition to that, the anchors can form excessive stress on the material and cause cracks to form. So, if you can see that the brick is showing signs of old age, then drilling into the mortar will likely be your best option—or the safest at least. You’ll find that mortar is far easier to drill through given that it is a softer material than brick and in addition to that, it is easier to patch up and repair. Bear in mind that when drilling into mortar using a screw expansion plug or any other type of fastener, it is going to cause the force of the anchor to push against the brick, as opposed to expanding the material. Additionally, mortar cannot withstand the weight of larger objects quite as well as bricks can. In that light, you can see that each of the options have various pros and cons that need to be weighed up before making a final decision. What you should always do is inspect both the brick and mortar carefully so that you can determine how the drilling will impact your project.

Whether you have decided to drill in brick or into the mortar, you’ll need to find the optimal location for placing the hole. For example:

Remember, understanding where exactly to begin drilling into both brick and mortar is crucial in ensuring that you do not split the surface. Take your time and examine the structure for any signs of erosion, fractures, or weak spots that might easily crumble during the drilling process. TAKE YOUR TIME! You’ll thank yourself for it when you pull it off without a hitch.

Stainless Steel speeds and feedscalculator

Of course, depending on the type of surface that you are working with, the tool itself and bit size required will vary (as mentioned above). But you’ll need more than a hammer drill and a selection of different drill bits on hand when boring into brick and mortar… When choosing the appropriate hammer drill (other types of drill may be suitable, provided they have a hammer function), you have other factors to take into consideration. Specific features such as variable speed, powerful torque options, and a depth setting will certainly give you an advantage. Just be sure not to waste your time with any drill bits other than masonry or mortar drill bits. These can penetrate brick and mortar with ease. Make your job as easy as possible by selecting the purpose-made tools, trust us on that. But again, aside from the hammer drill and your masonry bits, you’re going to need a few extra bits to make the drilling process easier:

The feed (milling machine feed) can be defined as the distance in inches per minute that the work moves into the cutter.

A hammer drill such as the Hitachi DH40MC is without question the perfect power tool for drilling into brick and mortar, especially if you require bigger cuts. The tool functions as a hammer/drill hybrid, forcing hammer-like movements into the material with enough force to penetrate concrete and cinder block as well. A hammer drill has two primary actions: the hammering as mentioned above which breaks through the material, and then the drilling which removes the debris from the boring hole. There are two different types of hammer drill:

And of course, you are going to need the correct drill bit, installed before you make a start on the drilling. The purpose-designed drill bits for brick or mortar are called masonry bits, which include hammer and rotary options.  Check out this masonry drill bit – Armeg S28.0X450 You’ll need to consider the ideal size of the masonry bit for it to be well-suited to the hammer drill and the job at hand. Masonry bits have exceptional power when breaking up masonry and the hard-cutting tips are specially designed for chewing through rougher material with relative ease. You can even attach drill bits that are shaped like reversed arrowheads which are larger at the tip giving them an advantage when cutting through the denser materials.