Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

[atlapp]

Restoring an older pontoon...just intalled new carpet...started drilling rail holes and carpet is wraping around drill bit and pulling out strands of carpet fiber...does anyone have any tricks or tips to prevent this?

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Use a utility knife to cut the hole in the carpet.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

i have several sizes of hole punches i use and for bigger holes i use a utility knife

 

[sasto]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

.....or run the drill in reverse till you get thru the carpet.

 

[Gunner2]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Best way is to cut a small x in the carpet, then tape it down, or hold it open. Drill your hole and trim the carpet to fit.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

What I usually do is make two 3/4" straight cuts in a cross formation with a utility knife and drill where they intersect.

 

[cdnpartyhut]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Use a hot sodering gun to "melt" out the hole size you need,

 

[ezrollin]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Go to Horrible Freight and buy a gasket punch set,can't remember the price but it was cheap,comes with varying size punches.The round holes don't tear later like those cut with a razor knife.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Use a hot sodering gun to "melt" out the hole size you need,

Really neat idea. There aren't many 'tricks-of-the-trade" that this old senior citizen salty sailor hasn't heard before, but this is one of them. Thanks for sharing with the forum.

 

[Cubbyblue22]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Out of all the ones listed here I think the easiest one I've heard is running the drill in reverse till it cuts the carpet. Anybody disagree?? I'm about to do my own carpet here pretty soon so i'm interested which is the easiest.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Out of all the ones listed here I think the easiest one I've heard is running the drill in reverse till it cuts the carpet. Anybody disagree?? I'm about to do my own carpet here pretty soon so i'm interested which is the easiest.

I agree..

 

[tiya12]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

i have several sizes of hole punches i use and for bigger holes i use a utility knife Best way is to cut a small x in the carpet, then tape it down, or hold it open. Drill your hole and trim the carpet to fit.

 

[artistwood]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

I like the soldering iron approach. Once i position my rails, i don't want to have to lift them to cut or punch carpet. An angled soldering tip slightly less than 1/4" and long enough to go thru the rails should be just the ticket to melt the pesky carpet thru the screw hole. Very cool time saver....Thanks!

 

[cdnpartyhut]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

The soder iron is what I use on car restoration when installing new carpets. Once the carpet is melted it will not fray or tear any further.

 

[atlapp]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Ok guys...I tryed everybody's idea and here is what actually worked...soldering iron did not work very well for me...punch did not do any better...here is what I ended up doing...positioned rail where I wanted it and taped in finishing nails, removed rail and cut a small a square of carpet out around nail, pulled nails and then bolted rail down and it worked great!!! Thanks for everbody's input, but this worked extremely well, and all the other methods I tryed did pull the carpet!

 

[Cubbyblue22]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Even running the drill bit backwards???

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

Ok guys...I tryed everybody's idea and here is what actually worked...soldering iron did not work very well for me...punch did not do any better...here is what I ended up doing...positioned rail where I wanted it and taped in finishing nails, removed rail and cut a small a square of carpet out around nail, pulled nails and then bolted rail down and it worked great!!! Thanks for everbody's input, but this worked extremely well, and all the other methods I tryed did pull the carpet!

You must not have tried the backwards drill because that is impossible to pull the carpet. And it is still the best way to accomplish your goal.

 

[passingwindII]

Re: Any tricks for drilling thru carpet and deck?

is not......is too..... is not....is too......is not.......great im glad this thread is put to bed....jeeze 5 days later you got the holed drilled....