posted
So for my birthday, a couple of friends got me pseudo-track lighting. Basically, you mount hooks in your wall, run wires between them, and suspend the lights from the wires. It looks like this.
As exciting as that is (and I almost wish that was a joke), the directions unfortunately require me to sink drywall anchors into pre-drilled holes 9/32" wide. As a poor college student, I don't own a drill. I could rent one from the Hertz place near my apartment, bu they run $15 bucks a day, one day minimum, and I feel that's excessive.
So what I tried doing was screwing the hook screws directly into the wall, thereby making a hole to hammer the anchors into. The hole is far to small, but the screws seem to be sitting in the wall pretty good. If I just leave them in as is, do you think it'll be strong enough to hold up the wires and lamps? There are three lamps, only a few oz. each. It's more the walls ability to maintain tension on the wire that I'm worried about.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
You don't really need to drill the holes, but you definitely should use anchors. A centerpunch would work well, if you have one, or possibly a smaller screwdriver placed into the hole you already made with the screws.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Definitely use the anchors, they will save you alot of hassle in the long run. If you just hang the wires and lights on the hook screws they will definitely fall out, there is just not enough bite on those screws. Use the anchors the way Icarus explained and you'll be good to go.
Posts: 871 | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
If you live anywhere near a Sears or Home Depot, you can purchas a new drill for very little money, along with a set of drill bits strong enough to go through drywall and/or any wooden beams behind it (by bad luck you might hit a nail or screw, but that's pretty unlikely)
If that doesn't work for you, you could hit garage sales. Old drills are pretty cheap to pick up and the right drill bit is also cheap and probably sitting in a pile of loose drill bits at the very same garage sale.
It is TOTALLY worth doing this job right the first time, with anchors properly installed.
I would be VERY surprised to learn that nobody you know would have a drill you could borrow for an afternoon.
Do NOT use nails to make the holes. This is a bad idea for many reasons, including that you can't get the hole the right size (9/32").
Also, if you don't OWN the walls you are screwing this stuff into, and you are responsible for putting it all back to pristine (no holes, smooth paint) you need to do a good job so it's easier to patch up later. People who nail stuff into drywall are asking for problems. making it look good.
If this wall is wallpapered or something, then you are really sunk.
Fortunately, since this is lighting, I'm assuming you're putting it into the ceiling. usually, that's not so big a deal in terms of messing up wall paper (although we have a room with wallpaper on the ceiling, that's pretty rare), or worrying too much about fixing the holes later.
Good luck...
(A quick check for Sears and Home Depot shows that a simple corded drill is going to cost around $25) It'll last you a lifetime. You can rent it to your friends for $10 a weekend or something.
edit after reading Icarus' post: I REALLY REALLY REALLY do not recommend just using the hole punch or nail technique to the make the hole for the wall board. Unless you own the walls and don't care.
While it is often easy to repair wallboard screw-ups, the easiest thing is to avoid them in the first place. Hammering into wallboard increases the risk of hitting the wallboard with something blunt (the hammer) and making a dent, for example. Also, percussive forces on wallboard can encourage crack in the mudding or show you where the seams are. That's not ALWAYS going to happen, but when it does, you now will have a huge cosmetic repair where all you wanted was a tiny hole. When the joins show, that crack can run for several feet.
If you have a popcorn ceiling, the cosmetic fix can have the extra burden of having to try to "match" the popcorning AND the paint.
Seriously, doing it right the first time will save you lots of headaches.
If you total up all the things you'd have to pay for to repair a sloppy job, the price of a drill and a set of bits is going to be much less.
If you simply MUST do it as cheaply as possibly, try buying a used drill, or even a cheap hand drill. they make hex-shank drills you maybe could use with a small handle or an electric screwdriver even. That might save you a few bucks versus buying the lowest-cost new drill, but probably not enough to be worth it.
posted
I never realized you could get electric drills that cheaply. I've always just kind of assumed that power tools are expensive, I guess.
I'll look into getting one since this isn't the first time I've wished I had one.
Thanks for the advice guys, and especially Bob.
EDIT - I don't HAVE to do things as cheaply as possible, but it does hold a general attraction to me. Just sayin.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
If you are willing to spend more bucks, you can get a MUCH better drill than the $25 will get you, but for most home stuff a cheap one will do the job. I went decades before upgrading to something really nice (keyless chuck, variable speed, reversible). That's a good investment if you are going to start driving screws a lot, but for your purposes, a good single speed cheap drill should be just fine.
Enjoy!
I like cheap too. I've avoided rechargables for that reason (and my bad long-term luck with cordless ANYTHING).
I also have a nice old hand carpentry drill. I love that thing. You can go slow and drill precise holes and "feel" it chew through the wood.
posted
My keyless chuck, reversible (but I think not variable speed), cordless (but with a great honkin' battery, so it gets quite a lot done on a single charge) drill was only about $25-30. It's wonderful. Although I think I need to spend a bit more so I have a better collection of drill bits (right now I just have some el cheapos, which have worked ok, but are showing definite wear).
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
that's a great price. Where did you get it?
Oh, and for better drill bits, I really like the (tungsten? I think) Black & Decker ones with the starter tip. I think they're specifically for metal or something, but I just like them for everything.
Bullet something in the name???
Anyway, for wallboard, any old thing will do unless the bit is already dulled.
Oh...yeah, remember to drill pilot holes. Although 9/32" is pretty small, It's good to start with a smaller diameter hole, then work up. You don't have to go through every bit along the way, but don't just start with THE size hole you need.
And try not to "wobble" the drill in the hole -- straight in, straight back out...or close enough for home-repair work.
posted
Oops, I was wrong. they are "pilot point" drill bits. Mine are Black & Decker, but the only ones I can find online are by DeWalt.
A bit pricey, but they work great and last longer than regular bits.
They are coated in titanium, not tungsten.
AND, when you use these, you don't have to drill a pilot hole first. Pilot holes are still sometimes a good idea -- like when you are looking for the stud to anchor into and you don't want to leave 1/2" holes everywhere that the stud ISN'T.
posted
Either it was on sale (I have a vague recollection that it might have been), or I was slightly off on the price. I have this one. And it turns out it does have variable speed. Come to think of it, I've used that feature!
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Since moving away from home, I've definitely missed having easy access to plethora of tools in the garage. I haven't really been interested in buying a lot of tools because I've moved so often in college (once a year for five years). Now that things are more stable it's definitely sounding like a good idea.
quote:AND, when you use these, you don't have to drill a pilot hole first. Pilot holes are still sometimes a good idea -- like when you are looking for the stud to anchor into and you don't want to leave 1/2" holes everywhere that the stud ISN'T.
My dad even had a stud-finder! I used to run around the house finding every stud in the place back in the day. That thing was cool. I'd get one now, but my hot self would throw off the calibration.
Come to think of it, I think I remember seeing a drill at Home Depot for about $30. Or I could just look on Ebay.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
We found in our current house that stud finders work off of density. that's great for houses built with 2x4s and wall board. There are voids that the thing can distinguish easily from the actual wood, etc.
Our house is lathe & plaster. Any voides are behind a layer of plaster and tightly spaced thin boards. The nice thick joists are also also behind those two layers.
Confusing readings on the stud finder.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Juxtapose must be REALLY skinny to fit in Bob's walls.... and I prefer my studs to have some meat on their bones.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
You screw the hook into the anchor. It's made of plastic or metal and should have a big, hookscrew-sized hole in the middle. Make sure you get the right size.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Ohh, I see. I didn't take a close enough look the first time, and they looked like regular screws with extra wide threading.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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