Marcrist TDMI Tile Drilling System The Complete Solution to Drilling Tiles?


A builder mate of mine noticed the big blue Marcrist case in the boot of my car and asked what it was. I replied that it was a tile drilling system. He then went on at me for a few minutes about why anyone


would want a “system”. In his view, a drill, corded usually, and couple of masonry bits (or possibly specialized tile bits at a push) was all anyone needed to drill good enough holes in tiles. What an expert could tell from this is that he is not a tile specialist, and if he were faced with fitting


a bathroom with some of the expensive tiles around nowadays, he would probably end up owing money on the job. Put simply, the problem is that good tiles are increasingly expensive, especially those very fancy


imported ones. Secondly, they are often baked very hard so they need specialized cutting and drilling tools to work them satisfactorily. Lastly, with the fashion for wet rooms and built-in shower rooms, these expensive tiles really need people who are highly skilled to fit them and make them look good in situ. So my mate is resoundingly wrong – having a “system” is a good idea and Marcrist is on track to introduce a tile drilling system in response to a real demand by the trade. The heart of the system is a specially designed corded drill with all the necessary features needed


to drill a range of tiles, natural and manufactured. Now the drill is big and heavy and very robustly made – it weighs 3 Kg and has 1100w of power and is available in 230 or 110 v. However, it handles in the conventional way with rubberized overmoulding on the main handle and a moulded groove in which to place your driving hand - right behind the axis of the drill bit. On top of the main housing is a sliding switch to select hammer or drill mode and this works positively without sticking. On the left side of the alloy gearcase another rotating switch is used to select high or low speed options. Above the trigger is a slider switch to choose forward and reverse. There is also a standard collar to hold an auxiliary handle, of which more below. The chuck is a 13mm Jacobs solid steel two-handed keyless one that clicks tight with a twist of the hand and keeps gripping despite vibration and shock. But, crucially for a specialized tile-drilling machine, there is a bit of electronics on the trigger that makes this drill capable of drilling in all the ways needed when drilling a range of tiles. Not only is the trigger speed sensitive – the harder you press it the faster the motor goes - but there is also a dial on the trigger. This has four positions marked on it so that the user can choose a speed lower than 1000 rpm or as high as 3000 rpm with stations in between. The drill is specified capable of drilling up to 13mm diameter in concrete and steel and certainly feels more than adequate to the job when I tested it out. To return to the auxiliary


handle. I certainly found it a necessary aid to handling this big machine accurately. But the handle has a couple of other features. It tightens into place at any chosen angle by screwing the handle clockwise. There is a simple bent steel depth gauge that fits through the auxiliary handle and that is fine for simple drilling jobs. For more


demanding drilling where the mini


diamond core bits are used, there is a much more sophisticated depth gauge supplied. This is made of light alloy and has to be carefully adjusted with the hex key supplied. The end that contacts the tile is as large as a penny piece with a milled rubber facing that is less likely to slip in use and has a larger enough surface area not to damage a tile. This depth gauge has a flexible number of ways in which it can be fitted, so it should always be possible to use it, whatever the configuration of holes being drilled. Tiling and bathroom fitting experts will know that sometimes they have to work in dusty and wet conditions. This


can be a cause of concern for safety, as mains electricity and damp are not ideal bedfellows. What sets this drill apart from others is that it has an RCD device connected inline on the cable. In order to get the drill to work the user has to lift the plastic cover of the RCD and select “on” by pressing the green button. The drill will now operate and the operator is protected from any damp or short circuit hazard. The RCD will switch off the drill within 15 milliseconds of any danger being detected. There is a reset button on the RCD as well. Now some users might say that the answer to damp conditions and safety concerns might be to use a cordless


drill. For some drilling jobs they are correct, but for many jobs you need the speed of rotation, drill capacity and power that only a corded drill like the Marcrist TDM 1 can offer at present. I didn’t take the opportunity to try out the RCD system on the TDM 1 because I am a bit chicken, but I did give the


drill a thorough workout in concrete, bricks and some hard ceramic tiles. The kit came with some longer than standard TCT bits that worked very well in concrete and brick. The drill itself proved more than powerful enough to do a fine job. However, when I used them in the ceramic tile, I just managed to crack it. I then used the much slower speed and care needed (using the support of the auxiliary handle and depth stop support) with the biggest of the mini diamond core bits supplied. There is a bit of a technique required to start them accurately, but once running they cut quickly, leaving a nice accurate round hole in the tile. There was a bit more space in the BDM’s case for a few more accessories, so I am assuming there is even more to the Marcrist system. For tile experts, it is definitely worth a look.


Reply No. 212 18 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE www.toolbusiness.co.uk Independent Review by Peter Brett


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