Getting TV coaxial through a 1880 Victorian brick wall

[d000hg]

My study has no TV point, but the previous owners put in wiring to multiple other rooms down the outside of the house from the roof, and there is a spare one which is long enough to re-route so I'm planning to re-purpose that once I can find a long enough ladder or a really tall mate... un-pin, re-pin and get into my study through the wall.

In some rooms they drilled through the wall - solid Victorian brick, no air-gap but I believe 2 bricks thick. In others they took the easy option of drilling through the wooden sash frame, which I can't imagine is a good idea?!

My only power drill is an 18V Dewalt cordless. It has a hammer mode but isn't an SDS. Will it be capable of doing this job, before I buy a special bit... and if it will what drill do I need to get through?

My only other thought (other than vandalising the window frames) is that there is a ventilation brick mid-wall along the external wall under the window. I was wondering about pulling up the floorboards and feeding the cable that way to avoid making a hole... is this good practice or should I just drill the hole?

 

[Tigercubrider]

Your drill is probably up to it, drill a small diameter hole and make it bigger- buy new drill bits -they can be cheap. My ryobi is 18v and does cavity walls

I have also threaded through airbricks with no problems

Don't forget to add a drip loop so that any rain gathers below the hole

 

[d000hg]

Thanks. I presumably need special longer bits at least, and should use the hammer setting?
Are they just masonry bits?

 

[Tigercubrider]

Yes
Drill only to start then use hammer - be careful about bursting through
I tend to drill small one way, then into the wall from both directions to open it out

 

[d000hg]

Good job I measured my wall... Was about to buy some 300mm bits but the wall is 330mm thick!

I never heard of a drip loop... Will look it up.

As far as sealing the new hole in brick, and the old one through the window frame (wood) do I just want bathroom type sealant, or something more rigid eg polyfilla?

 

[Tigercubrider]

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4577465

scroll down and there is a picture.

You might need a long first drill bit but can get away with a shorter fatter bit for the second - so long as it goes more than half way.
I'd just buy long as it's cheap enough.

I would use wood filler for the window or you could find a round dowel to fit (even if you have to open the hole a tad) and glue and tap it in.
I would use silicone sealer to fill the brickwork hole and you can buy plastic discs that act as a cable hole cover - personally they tend to be too big and make the cable obvious

 

[d000hg]

Thanks, I'd never have thought to do that in my quest to get it neat, though in hindsight it makes sense.

Nobody has commented on the wisdom of filling through the wooden window frame... Am I right to view this as a bad idea or is it actually ok to do?

 

[d000hg]

So I'm doing this now with my drill in hammer mode on full speed and an 8mm long bit.

I get a few inches in quite quickly then suddenly it just stops... I seem to have hit something I cant get through and I've no idea what.

Any thoughts?

 

[JohnD]

iron pipe?

soft red bricks jam the drill if they are damp.

 

[d000hg]

Success! The bit was clogged I think, shopping it clean got it going again