drilling cast iron

steve gates

kitchen sink? any Ideas to overcome a designers error. It's an undermount with only two holes, need 5. Has granite on top. It's installed....best bit that sort of thing have mask will drill if?..

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Cast iron is usually quite easy to drill.

Take it slow and lubricate if necessary.

hr

The cast drills easily, but

the enamel coating is tough. Tile supply companies sell carbide tip hole saws just for this purpose. Be real careful at start up to prevent chipping. Sometimes a piece of duct tape helps to keep thr drill point from skidding.

We used to drill them alot when installing water filtration or instant hot water dispensors.

hot rod

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steve gates

thanks

the fun part will be drilling from underneath.

hr

Drilling from the bottom?

this might cause the enamel to pop when it breaks through the top surface. I think you would be better top down drilling.

I've tried drilling ceramic tile from the backside, as they are soft, with limited sucess. Seems it always blows off a big chunk of the glazed finish.

Got an old sink you can practice on?

Good luck with you job.

hot rod

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Mike T., Swampeast MO

A hardened punch (looks like a nail set, but with sharp point) is great to use when you start a hole in enameled or glazed objects. It give the point of the bit a place to "bite" and keeps it from skidding.

Like Hotrod said, it's best to drill from the enameled/glazed side as you're almost certain to get some rather severe chipping if you don't.

Found this type of bit (diamond impregnated) INCREDIBLE for drilling through tile. Rather expensive, but worth every penny. They MUST be lubricated and MUST be used on a drill press as there is no pilot bit. Build a little dam around the hole, fill with water, put tile over a bucket and drill away (SLOW speed). Florist's clay works great to make the dam. You can find these on-line from places selling supplies for stained glass--MUCH less expensive than from my local contractor supply houses...

steve gates

yep underneath

The sink is already mounted under the granite top. We're hoping that any cracking of the enamel will be minimal and not go down the side of the sink that is visalbe. and yes I have several old lavs to practice on.

This job has been going on for three years and don't want to goof now(even tho we didn't cause this problem). This sink doesn't come in a five hole so replacement would mean new sink,new top(granite to match could be tough) ect..

Mike T., Swampeast MO

What kind of sink is that?

Most undermounts I've seen are something like this--the deck itself has the mounting holes for the fittings, not the sink.

Maybe you can save everyone a lot of grief and possible very expensive damage by using a good single-hole faucet of the type that the main spout itself pulls out for the spray.

Weezbo

If home owner wants a 12 hole sink Buy one its less hassel

hence the proper planning will avoid ....blah blah blah...What if on the 11th hole you crack the porcelain? was all that hassel worth it? i've tried it enough times not to reccommend doing that.

steve gates

undermounts have larger holes than the faucet holes for the nuts and washer. Most valve bodies aren't long enough to go thru the top subbase and the sink. By having larger holes you tighten against the sub or top instead of the sink.

You know the saying "lack of planning..." I was left out of the planning and my job is not to say no(except when dangerous or illegal). I don't ask how high to jump, I jump.

This job will end up being 180,000 plus the cost of these sink holes.Somewhere between 250 and 2500 depending on what happens with the holes.

Thanks for your input!