Drill your first hole with the VACDRILL
Eight steps from an unopened case to a finished hole.
Before you attach
- Charge and fit the battery. Confirm the surface is suitable — see porous vs non-porous.
- Scan the area for reinforcement and services. This is not optional in concrete.
- Wipe both the sealing pad and the attachment area. Grit is the main cause of a failed seal.
Fit the bit
Insert an SDS bit — up to 40 mm diameter and 200 mm length — and confirm it has locked. SDS bits click home and retain a little axial float; that float is normal.
Match the bit diameter to the anchor specification, not to preference.
Set the depth
Set your target depth on the depth sensor, up to the 145 mm maximum. Work from the anchor manufacturer's embedment figure — see embedment depth.
Attach
- Position the base so the pad sits entirely on clean, flat surface, clear of joints and edges.
- Start the vacuum and let the pump settle. Listen: a pump that quietens has sealed; one that cycles continuously has not.
- Test by hand before trusting it. If it moves, stop and re-prepare the surface.
Connect extraction
Attach the extractor to the dust port before drilling, not after. See dust collection.
Drill
Select the correct mode for the material — hammer for masonry and concrete, rotation only for tile, stone, glass, metal and composites.
Let the machine feed. Fighting it defeats the purpose.
Release
Let the drill stop before releasing the vacuum, and support the tool as you release. It becomes a loose weight the instant the seal breaks — especially overhead.
Finish the hole
Clean the hole to the anchor manufacturer's specification. Extraction during drilling reduces debris but does not replace brush-and-blow cycles for adhesive anchors.
Questions about this
How do I know the attachment is good enough?
Listen and push. A pump that settles and stays quiet has sealed; one that cycles continuously is fighting a leak. Then try to move the tool by hand — if it shifts at all, stop and re-prepare.
Do I still need to clean the hole afterwards?
Yes, for adhesive anchors. Drilling with extraction leaves a cleaner hole but does not remove the fine adhered layer on the hole wall. Follow the manufacturer's brush-and-blow cycle.