> >        Hehe, never had a metal detector, just kept drilling
> until I got through, I
> >usually get through on the first try, every once in a while it takes two
> >tries. BTW I was wrong, the bit I use is actually 5/16" (just slightly
> >bigger then 1/2") and is only 16" long. It is a standard Mastercraft bit
> >(about 10 years old, and it shows, it says: Make in West Germany!). Have
> >drilled quite a few holes with it. I can't imagine how hard it
> would be to
> >get a 1/2" bit through, I get quite a sweat pushing the hammer
> drill through
> >the wall with this bit. TTYL
>
> Hehe you're lucky your builder hasn't put any utility channels in or
> adjacent to the structural wall's profile (very common) (or at least you
> haven't found them yet). Imho get a metal detector ... drilling through a
> mains power distribution cable or the phone cable trunk that supports all
> the floors above yours is very spectacular in results.

        Actually it's not a problem, the bit I use is a pure masonary bit, the
feeling of concrete and steel is VERY different with this bit, you could
spend an hour and still not get through a piece of rebar with it. It's
pretty obvious when you hit metal. Aside from that there ARE no power feeds
in the walls I'm talking about, there are vertical raceways that carries all
the power and telephone lines. The only thing in these walls is rebar (no
light switches or outlets are located on these walls). Water is carried
along it's own vertical raceway nearer to the inside of the building. I
don't see how useful a metal detector would be in my case, it would have to
be pretty damn sensitive to pinpoint, within about 1/2", a piece of rebar
embedded more than 6" in solid concrete. TTYL

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