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Rotation of hand drill while placing bolts by hand?

Original Post
randy88fj62 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 291

Placed 2 bolts last night with friends and I find myself turning the bit counter-clockwise as I feel it's easier to move. My rationale is turning it clock-wise grabs the edge of the bit and makes it harder to rotate.

I also noticed that my friends would do really small hits and I was doing longer harder hits. What is the best method to get a bolt hole done efficiently for energy and speed?

Kevin Mokracek · · Burbank · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 342

How long did it take to drill the hole turning it counter clockwise??? I only turn it counter CW when I feel it start to bind.

Most efficient way to drill a hole? turn it clockwise

I have a feeling I'm being trolled.

Greg Barnes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,060

Direction doesn't matter until you get a lot of dust in the hole, and you should have cleared it out by then anyway.

Small quick hits are more efficient and break fewer drill bits. Unless you're drilling in certain soft rock where each hit pulverizes a lot of rock.

randy88fj62 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 291

Kevin,
Not trolling. We were drilling in a some chossy granite (san Gabriel mts above Pasadena) and the holes went rather quick. I found the CCW direction to assist me but maybe my harder hits were getting the hole full of dust too quick as stated by Greg.

The hole I drilled took maybe 10 mins. Easier than hard sandstone found in the sespe wilderness (around black wall/above Ojai CA).

Kevin Mokracek · · Burbank · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 342

Below Redbox? I've been gong up to the Tunnels quite a bit and have put up a few new climbs there but have been using a power drill. Been saving the hand drill for the new area in the Saline Valley.

randy88fj62 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 291

The bolting I have done is for canyoneering, not climbing.

When you reference Saline Valley are you talking about Death Valley?

Kevin Mokracek · · Burbank · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 342

At the southern end of the Saline Valley there is a wall I have been establishing some new routes and finding some old routes. It's about 400' tall by a quarter mile long. I've done a few bolted lines but most have been crack climbs so far. I'm heading out there again tomorrow to climb Friday and then soak at the springs the rest of the weekend.

Kevin Mokracek · · Burbank · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 342
Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349
Kevin Mokracek wrote:...... Been saving the hand drill for the new area in the Saline Valley.
Why not use power drill? Better, faster, and better bolts..... IMHO
Greg Barnes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,060
Guy Keesee wrote: Why not use power drill? Better, faster, and better bolts..... IMHO
It's illegal, it's a designated Wilderness. Death Valley is almost entirely Wilderness once you get off of any road or jeep road:

wilderness.net/map.cfm?xmin…
highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion · · Colorado · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 35

Drilling in rocks, like industrial type, is all counter clockwise. Of course the bits are built for that. You could just do that to increase your drilling cred.

More hits per minute matters more than strength of hits. It matters little by hand though.

Doug Colwell · · Boise, ID · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 5

Place a closed end wrench on the bottom of the chuck, hold the wrench not the chuck. Better percussion and a hole in granite or basalt very quickly

nbrown · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 7,718

Sounds like for that rock (in normal clockwise direction) you might want to hit a little softer and turn the bit a little faster. That's the best technique for softer rock to prevent the bit from continually getting stuck (pain in the ass and time consuming).

The opposite is usually true for hard rock: Hit harder and turn slower.

It takes some time but you'll get a feel for the best technique for a given medium. Good on you for taking the time to do it right.

randy88fj62 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 291

Kevin,
Thanks for sharing the photos of the climbing area in Saline. I go there 3-4 times per year. Would you mind pm'ing me location so I could visit it? Or is it documented here on mp?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Big Wall and Aid Climbing
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