drilling holes in caesarstone benchtop

Originally Posted by grizzlyscotsman

G’day all,


We renovated about a year ago and there is a little issue we’ve never managed to sort out. We have an aluminium bifold window over a 40mm Caesarstone benchtop. The bifold window is hung from a top track but has no bottom track (so that we don’t have a big groove in our benchtop). The bifold window has two vertical ‘bolts’ (10mm diameter) that push down to lock the window.


The intent is that we drill two holes in to the Caesarstone benchtop for the locking bolts to slide in to.


The guy that did the benchtops said that we need to get ‘lugs’ to go inside the holes in the benchtop, otherwise the holes drilled in the benchtop would chip over time. These lugs would be a metal ‘tube’ just wider than the locking bolts, ideally with a horizontal ‘collar’ at the top that would sit flush in the benchtop.


I have not been able to find such a product anywhere. The window suppliers seemed to know what I was talking about, but didn’t have any such product. I’ve tried bolt manufacturers and tube makers and whilst everyone seems to know what I want, nobody sells it and nobody can tell me who does sell it!


So my questions are:


1. Is there a name for the item I’ve tried to describe?


2. Do I definitely need these to protect the Caesarstone benchtop?


3. Where can I buy such a product?


Any help appreciated.


Thanks in advance.


Barry

Hi Barry,
If you need to drill into a caesarstone bench you can try use a diamond tile drill piece.

How to use it.

-Add some water as your drilling to help cool the blade or it will go blunt quick.
-Go slow and start on an angle first.
-Put sticky tape on the area to help it not crack. (strong pvc duct tape)


I have a diamond tile drill and some left over 20mm caesarstone from my kitchen reno I did.


If you like I can try drilling into it and tell you how I go??


If not just use a strong adhesive like JB WELD. That stuff works well if you want to glue anything on any surface.




I'm pretty sure the diamond drill piece should work. Plus people cut caesarstone with a diamond blade.




Link below of the drill piece you need.

Drill Bit Diamond Sutton 10mm Core Blue Ceram 370400100 I/N 6350177 | Bunnings Warehouse

^^Bunnings tool section told me how to use it when I bought it so ask them any question & they can explain it a lot better. I did it first go with the tips they told me and I didn't crack one tile while drilling the bracket holes for my frame-less shower screen.


good luck and sorry I don't really understand what you need to do beside the drilling part lol.

Cheers

Talk to someone with a lathe and turn down a piece of nylon or alluminium sleeve for a press fit to your hole diameter. You could have a lip turned on the end so that it only sits so deep. I wouldn't just drill the hole as I think it would chip in time as per your previous advice.

Heres what you need
Delf Architectural :: SECURITY :: Surface Mount Bolts :: Panic Bolts, Flush Bolts, Sockets :: Dust Excluding Socket Spring Loaded

Pages 3 and 4 of this:
http://www.jgthomas.com.au/files/res...ount_Bolts.pdf

Tools

Originally Posted by Tools

Heres what you need
Delf Architectural :: SECURITY :: Surface Mount Bolts :: Panic Bolts, Flush Bolts, Sockets :: Dust Excluding Socket Spring Loaded

Pages 3 and 4 of this:
http://www.jgthomas.com.au/files/res...ount_Bolts.pdf

Tools

ah yes
top hat socket - that's what they are called

Hi everyone - many thanks for taking the time to reply. A 'top hat socket' is exactly what I had in mind. I would never have guessed the name though!

i'll go and get one and advise final outcome.
Thanks,

Barry