Phase 5: Make sure you have the right drill bit

I thought it was too good to be true. Everything was coming together quite nicely.
Apparently, it was too good to be true.

I have had trouble in the past drilling into some of the walls in my apartment.

First, was the outside wall in my bedroom, while putting up curtains. I tried everything, including paying $35 for that "As Seen on TV: Mighty Putty", which did not hold and took the paint off the wall. In teeny tiny fine print it says
"do not adhere to paint".
I eventually got the curtains up using a shorter plug and screw.

Second, was the shelf in the living room behind the couch, so it looks like a sofa-table. The wall is an inside wall, but separates mine from the apartment next to me. I finally got the shelf up, however do not put anything heavier than tea lights and Christmas cards on it.

I'm positive it was during the 'sofa-table-looking-shelf' incident, I bought a concrete drill bit. For this office renovation, I was sure to buy the anchors and screws that could be used in a multitude of building materials, including concrete and brick.

The shelves on the outside walls went up with no problems. I decided to take a break and ran a few errands.

I came back and wanted to finish putting up the last two, and largest shelves, and a rail system. I started with the rail system: and couldn't drill more than 1" into the wall. I tried backing off, and drilling a bit more slowly, and nothing. I checked with the stud finder again and it wasn't picking anything where I was drilling.

A phone call home to my Millwright/Heavy Machinist Mechanic father six hours away. He thinks I must not be using a concrete drill bit, or I'm hitting a steel support bar and to move the drilling 1" to the right or left. I tried drilling a hole along the same wall, but in the closet,...no go. I must not have a concrete drill bit like I thought.

It's 5:30pm. On a Sunday. On a long weekend.

Looks like the big reveal will be delayed until the hardware stores open again on Tuesday and I can pick up a concrete drill bit. If that doesn't work, we'll have to go to plan B.

What is plan B? I haven't a clue.

Happy Sunday!

Ciao for now,

Posted in: declutter,drill bit,just one of those days,office makeover,shelving,show and tell