I Hit the Gas Main !!!!

[movnup]

In response to couple of points the pipe was right next to the stud (parallel) / I was using a brand new carbide bit from the Borg e.g. Rigid set / it was a black steel pipe but I wasn't putting that much pressure on as it felt like I had hit a nail which I have powered through b/4 on other jobs.

As an update the big hole is completely filled and by this weekend after sanding / painting again all I'll have is a good story and a home handyman lesson to show for it !!!!

[JimD]

When our house was under construction, before the walls were closed with drywall, I took pictures so I would know where stuff was. Helps some but this could have still happened to me. I have AC lines in the back wall of my closet right where I wanted to build a gun rack into the wall. Because of the pictures, at least I didn't have to tear out the drywall to get the bad news.

The professional that built our previous house hung a large kitchen cabinet on the soil stack. I discovered this when I was replacing the cabinets. There was no structural part of the screw left by that part and that cabinet held all our every day china and glasses - hung effectively by 2 screws in another stud. Drywall behind the cabinet was a mess as you might imagine.

Jim

[scorrpio]

In response to couple of points the pipe was right next to the stud (parallel) / I was using a brand new carbide bit from the Borg e.g. Rigid set / it was a black steel pipe but I wasn't putting that much pressure on as it felt like I had hit a nail which I have powered through b/4 on other jobs!!

Carbide bit... yeah, that can go through mild steel easily. I prefer using a low-end HSS bit (from one of those cheap B&D sets from HD) to drill walls - they have no problem with drywall/wood, but steel really slows them down. And 'powering through' upon meeting resistance in a wall is a VERY bad idea. It could be a nail, but it could be a water/gas pipe, BX cable, a plate protecting something dangerous, or (on thinner walls) back of an electric box on the other side.