# Drilling through 6x6 timbers....



## EndTuition

Ready to rebuild my pier.
I have almost $4k of lumber, 6x6â€ timbers and hardware (100 5/8 x 12â€ galvanized bolts and washers).
What I donâ€™t have is whatever I should be using to drill the 5/8 holes through the timbers and stringers for the bolts.
I have electricity and air available, but sure donâ€™t like the idea of using an electric drill.
A quick look online and I donâ€™t really see any air drills that look like they are up to the task ?
Whatâ€™s the right tool for this job ?


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## SV_DuckBuster

One of these maybe? http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/2404-1


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## BretE

You building the whole thing yourself?


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## EndTuition

Going to have help, some paid, some shamed into it, LOL
Not building the boathouse yet....just 100' of pier. Wait till you see the bad arse water pump I'm rebuilding.....3" Wacker, 400 GPM.


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## Mustad7731

EndTuition;
Have you thought of cordless drill option....I'd try a 9/16" ship auger...They have
a self feeding tip....I'd think my 1/2" 18V Dewalt would drill several holes between
charges...Most of us have several batteries...

My $0.02
Mustad7731
Jack
The rope guy


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## FlyItAll

I built a large deck recently and drilled at least a 100 1/2" holes thru 6" and 8" material. I used a Makita 18v drill with an Irwin 1/2" speed bore and it handled it great. One of the HD cord models will keep you going all day without stopping!


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## phanagriff

100' and boat slip with cordless drills.


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## GT11

I used a 5/8" auger bit for the 1/2" holes and used my electric drill on a GFCI. I pulled my boat along side the bulkhead and drilled from the boat.


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## Quackerbox

1/2 chuck right angle drill and an auger bit


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## peckerwood

My air drill with 1/2'' chuck will break arms before it'll bog down.It's an Ingersol Rand.I'm sure a Harbor Frieght el-cheapo would just fart and hang up.


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## justindfish

Rent a gasoline drill with an auger bit most rental places should have one! That's the kind of stuff they are made for! 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## jclc43837

justindfish said:


> Rent a gasoline drill with an auger bit most rental places should have one! That's the kind of stuff they are made for!
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


this is what they used on my dock


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## justindfish

That's it! 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## Gottagofishin

The key is the right bit. An auger bit is the way to go. As others have said an 18V cordless is up to the task, but you might want to invest in a corded drill so you aren't always recharging. Get one with the removable handle that screws into the side of the drill housing to save wear and tear on your wrist.


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## acoastalbender

Gottagofishin said:


> The key is the right bit. An auger bit is the way to go. As others have said an 18V cordless is up to the task, but you might want to invest in a corded drill so you aren't always recharging. Get one with the removable handle that screws into the side of the drill housing to save wear and tear on your wrist.


No truer words...."the right tool for the job" has lost it's meaning with all the gee whizz power tools out there. Most often "the right tool" is something as simple as a sharp bit. With the right wood bit you can drill your holes with almost any "drill motor"...the auger bits are good though. When drilling deep the main concern is "where do the chips and shavings go?". The auger bit pulls them out faster than any other bit thereby keeping itself cooler than a heavier webbed drill bit would be. Heat is the number one enemy of cutting tools (aside from a knucklehead operator). I think almost everyone has "stuck" a drill in their project at some time or another. When you managed to extract it from the material it sure was hot wasn't it? If the cutting edge was making chips faster than they could be removed you end up with an extra lot of frictional heat from those chips spinning tighter and tighter in the hole til they bind up. You looked at that bit and it was kinda blueish/brown and it never did cut right again...all it takes for someone who knows what they're doing is a minute or two to resharpen it like new or better...slower with steady pressure, infinitely better than as fast as the trigger will allow...

...sorry about the mild rant...

.


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## P

*yep*



acoastalbender said:


> No truer words...."the right tool for the job" has lost it's meaning with all the gee whizz power tools out there. Most often "the right tool" is something as simple as a sharp bit. With the right wood bit you can drill your holes with almost any "drill motor"...the auger bits are good though. When drilling deep the main concern is "where do the chips and shavings go?". The auger bit pulls them out faster than any other bit thereby keeping itself cooler than a heavier webbed drill bit would be. Heat is the number one enemy of cutting tools (aside from a knucklehead operator). I think almost everyone has "stuck" a drill in their project at some time or another. When you managed to extract it from the material it sure was hot wasn't it? If the cutting edge was making chips faster than they could be removed you end up with an extra lot of frictional heat from those chips spinning tighter and tighter in the hole til they bind up. You looked at that bit and it was kinda blueish/brown and it never did cut right again...all it takes for someone who knows what they're doing is a minute or two to resharpen it like new or better...slower with steady pressure, infinitely better than as fast as the trigger will allow...
> 
> ...sorry about the mild rant...
> 
> .


yep I used a air drill and didn't force it in and 1 bit lasted the whole project some times to much power is a bad thing unless your tim
the tool man taylor (just use a brace that's will go slow) hee hee


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