Drilling help...

[AuroraBora]

Please excuse my ignorance!!!

I have a few things i need to drill around the house and I'm not sure where to start and what I need. I have the drill, I borrowed it from my late dad's tool box and he was very into wood work and other diy, so I think it's a good one, but I have no drill bits.

So first things first, wardrobe doors. We have the knobs, but how do I know what size drill bit to buy and how do I ensure I'm drilling at right angles to the doors?

Next we have a shoe cabinet that needs to be fixed to the wall, but it's an external wall. I've googled this and it looks like I'll need a detector in case there's electric cables in the wall, then I'll need to drill holes for the plastic screw plugs that I can then screw the cabinet into. But again, what drill bit and plugs do I buy? And how do I ensure it's at a right angle?

I'm very nervous I'll do this wrong and leave a massive hole in our wall!!

Any one got any tips? Or even better, a walkthrough for attaching the unit to the external wall!!

Thanks in advance

For the outside wall you basically need a 6mm masonry drill bit, red wall plugs and a hammer drill. Easiest way would be put in ear plugs, mark with tape on the drill bit the length of the plug plus 20% and drill to that depth then remove the drill from the wall with it still turning.
You'll have to do that at all the holes, so before you start offer the unit to the wall, use a spirit level to get it right and then get someone else to scribble a circle where the holes are so you know where to drill.
Once you have the plugs in the holes, offer the unit again and put a 4x50 screw in each.

Might need 4x60 if the screws have to go through more than 10mm of the bracket. If the wall surface is crumbly drill deeper, push the wall plug in further, and use a longer screw.
If the wall is plasterboard dabbed onto block with a gap you'll need a really long screw.

the decider for screw length is the length that has to go into the brick or block of the wall. Any length that is in plaster (which has no strength) doesn't count, so you add that on, plus the thickness of the thing you are fixing into the wall.

For anything heavier than a photoframe, I like 30mm in the brick, with a 4mm-diameter screw and a brown plug (these are bigger and stronger than red), it will hang a cupboard or a big curtain pole. You can buy them in blocks of hundreds, or a packet of six at a much higher price. The block includes a flat piece of moulded plastic with holes for checking the screw size and drill size. Look for this and keep it handy.

Tap the plug slightly below the surface of the plaster to reduce cracking risk. You can also fill over redundant holes without pulling them out (which would certainly crack the plaster). You can tap them by putting a screw in the hole and tapping the screw head. You then unscrew it to remove.

Pozidriv screws are easiest to use without the driver slipping. As well as a X shaped grip, there is an X-shaped mark engraved on the head to show they are Pozi not Philips (have a look and you will see).

Americans use Phillips screws, and some imported drivers, including Stanley, may have them instead of Pozi. Not what you want.

Like plugs, a box of a hundred work out much cheaper than a tiny packet. Find out where your local Screwfix is.

You will need Pozidriv screwdrivers in sizes PZ1, PZ2 and PZ3. The correct driver fits the head perfectly with no wobble or free play. Try it. Only buy tools made of Chrome Vanadium steel. It will be stamped on them and printed on the packaging. It will not bend or break in normal use and is slow to wear. "Chrome Plated" "Hardened" and "Carbon Steel" are inferior.

here are some examples
www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Screwdriver-Set-6-Piece/p/149045

www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/woodscrews/cat840066?screwdrivertype=pozi|pz
(also shows the head type)

www.screwfix.com/p/plasplugs-solid-wall-fixing-brown-3-5-5-5mm-50-pack/3947k
(the description tells you what screw diameters fit)

ps

in case you didn't know, masonry drills have a squareish piece of tungsten carbide brazed into the tip, and are usually silver. Drills for wood (and metal) have roundish pointed tips, are stamped HSS, and are usually blue-black. Use the wrong one, it will not make a hole and may ruin the drill.

Occasionally you will see sets of a dozen or more drills in a plastic case. If a reputable brand or retailer, they can be much better value than one at a time.