Stud-mounted letters on a split rock face...frustrating...

[Moze]

...but finished.


Other than the frustration of the ridges and so on that kept diverting the bit off course, everything went pretty well.

I'm posting this more to tout the tool more than my work. After using a Hilti for similar installations (such as the monument in the background with the limestone face), I was a little concerned about whether or not a cordless version would perform as required. I have to say, I'm thrilled with it. I have five of the 20V Max batteries and brought them all with me as well as the charger, my generator and a DeWalt corded SDS rotary hammer in the event the cordless wasn't up to the job. Each letter has three to four studs, so I had to drill somewhere between 75 and 100 quarter inch holes in the stone face. I went through one battery in the process and barely part of a second one. Oh, and this was using the DeWalt Rock Carbide bits. They're pretty great.

For those of you who do similar installs, I would definitely recommend it. It beats lugging a generator and corded version around.

This is the drill:

And the completed project (and yes, I agree, the contrast of the letters against the background is pretty bad...nothing I had a say in unfortunately...):



The limestone one for kicks...

 

[Fatboy]

nice

 

[Desert_Signs]

Haha! Yeah, it sucks. When I mounted these, I didn't put studs in them. I put up the pattern, then marked the pattern where the joints were. Took the pattern off, marked the letters for studs using the pattern, and then put the studs on, drilled holes, and mounted. They didn't want ANY holes in the actual rock, only in the joints. Took forever.

 

[Salmoneye]

I use their cordless track saw and it is AWESOME! Who needs a 20' panel saw? I only do fairly small installs but I have been using the heck out of the tiny little 12v Milwaukee hammer drill and impactor and for the size I am very impressed with them as well.

 

[thmooch]

nice install. you could always give them the option of having you come out and paint the face the same "blue" as the other monument, if they feel contrast is lacking. still, great job!

 

[Moze]

nice

Thanks

Haha! Yeah, it sucks. When I mounted these, I didn't put studs in them. I put up the pattern, then marked the pattern where the joints were. Took the pattern off, marked the letters for studs using the pattern, and then put the studs on, drilled holes, and mounted. They didn't want ANY holes in the actual rock, only in the joints. Took forever.

Yeah - that would have been a pain. It came out good though, nice job.

I use their cordless track saw and it is AWESOME! Who needs a 20' panel saw? I only do fairly small installs but I have been using the heck out of the tiny little 12v Milwaukee hammer drill and impactor and for the size I am very impressed with them as well.

Yeah, I've eyed that for a while...wouldn't mind acquiring one some day.

nice install. you could always give them the option of having you come out and paint the face the same "blue" as the other monument, if they feel contrast is lacking. still, great job!

Thanks. I was thinking along the same lines....it would be pretty easy to overlay the faces with vinyl. They're pretty happy with how it is though.

 

[2B]

nice install. you could always give them the option of having you come out and paint the face the same "blue" as the other monument, if they feel contrast is lacking. still, great job!

was thinking the same,

why go to the trouble of form letters and NOT have it easy to read


BTW thanks for the heads up on the the drill