I updated the OP — see the bottom of the post. I was indeed drilling into a stud .. what?!?

There’s no wire on either side either of the stud either.

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:
We are wondering if the actual 18V Makita drill I was using somehow shocked me?

That's the only logical explanation.

Probably electrified wood... you know, the left over voltage coming from a recycled electric pole.

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Copefree:
We are wondering if the actual 18V Makita drill I was using somehow shocked me?

That's the only logical explanation.

The only thing is, the drill only draws 3amps … that’s not much (at least, I don’t think). Also, how in the world would the drill shock me?!

This whole thing is just crazy. I thought for sure I’d see a live wire when I opened up the wall.

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:

In hindsight I was having to push harder than I should have had to but I kept pushing .. all of a sudden I heard a crack / pop and the big toe on my right foot started burning like hell.

Pinched a nerve due to straining at an awkward position, maybe tweaking on a joint oddly.
You may think you hear a snap or pop and your may either see stars or your sight go black for a second when it happens.

Done it few times mostly while in the construction/plumbing/electrical business.
I know what a shock feels like and this can resemble it especially to someone not accustomed to actually getting shocked.

I say pinched nerve... but I'm no doctor just my speculation. Also feels a lot like a torn tendon, I've done that twice as well but that has long lasting effects.

Almost sounds like Sciatica. But that happens in the legs, mainly.

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:

The only thing is, the drill only draws 3amps … that’s not much (at least, I don’t think).

That's a lot in medical terms, where milliamps (or joules) is the measurement used.

With the use of an 18 volt cordless drill, with a non metal housing, I think you had something else going on...

“Throw” a blood clot??

I really want to say there’s no way you got a shock from a cordless drill that would make it feel like your big toe was on fire. The drill is self contained, so unless you were doing some yoga stuff while drilling, there’s now way your toe completed any circuit having to do with the drill itself.

How about static electricity? I zapped myself testing a spark plug once. High voltage, but low amperage still gives a nice shock. Is it possible drilling into the wood generated static electricity and that’s what zapped you?

Otherwise, I’ll go with what everyone else is saying and you tweaked something in your body. I don’t know how that jives with the elevated heart rate though.

Maybe it’s a manifestation of your yet to be tapped super power.

Hmmmm.

Given this was the sole symptom, as mentioned in the OP...

quote:

all of a sudden I heard a crack / pop and the big toe on my right foot started burning like hell.

and given

quote:

I was indeed drilling into a stud

with

quote:

18V Makita drill

I'd guess that it may not be electrically induced, something that just happened to occur when you were drilling.

My not-medically-trained guess would be perhaps something that gives severe pain to toes, like gout? That doesn't explain the pop, though. This guess is worth what you paid for it, of course.

I might also have a talk with the Makita warranty/tech support group, as a fallback. Maybe they would know if a fault could cause what you experienced, and if so give you a sense of what to look for in the drill to confirm presence/absence of a defect.

Hopefully whatever it is you can run it to ground (no pun intended) so it doesn't recur.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: joel9507,

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:
We are wondering if the actual 18V Makita drill I was using somehow shocked me?

18VDC? No.

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:
The only thing is, the drill only draws 3amps … that’s not much (at least, I don’t think).

Somewhere, recently, I explained all this.

Voltage = pressure. Current = volume.

First of all: What the drill motor draws is inconsequential. It's what the power supply, a battery, in this case, is capable of supplying. If it's any kind of modern cordless drill motor the answer there is, essentially, unlimited.

But, for any quantity (current) to flow there has to be enough pressure (voltage) to overcome the resistance.

18VDC is not normally enough to result in appreciable current flow through skin contact.

Something non-electrical happened to you.

Btw: Three amps of current flow is more than enough to kill you--by about thirty times or so.

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:
I thought for sure I’d see a live wire when I opened up the wall.

I'm not surprised you did not, because I suspected you hadn't received an electrical shock in the first place.

An electrical shock of the kind you originally described would have required you be standing on a conductive surface in your bare feet or wet shoes and socks, and that you were touching a conductive surface on the drill motor. (Most of them are entirely plastic these days.)

Then you later wrote "Breaker did NOT trip." Another clue.

You also didn't mention any sparks, puffs of smoke, flames, etc.

Btw: Looking at that hole you drilled and given the difficultly you describe it presenting: You need new drill bits

I have had some sciatica issues related to bulging discs in my lower back. One day while I was having a bad day with it I went to get up off of the floor. It felt like I was hit with a lightening bolt, and then all o the pain went away.

If you did something to put pressure on your nerves, I can attest from experience that it can feel like you're being shocked.

I'd put a meter on it. I've seen wood 2x4's and 2x6's carrying voltage a few times. Not a full 120-240, but enough to give the ouchies.

If so, you've got problems elsewhere. ,

Found 66 volts on a tub drain once. Seemingly fine electric stove outlet, looked fine when examined, couldn't see any problems or shorts. But it was energizing the plywood sub floor, which was making the tub drain hot. (PVC pipe, but metal drain) Complaint was they were getting shocked when they took a shower. No doubt!

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
I really want to say there’s no way you got a shock from a cordless drill that would make it feel like your big toe was on fire. The drill is self contained, so unless you were doing some yoga stuff while drilling, there’s now way your toe completed any circuit having to do with the drill itself.

How about static electricity? I zapped myself testing a spark plug once. High voltage, but low amperage still gives a nice shock. Is it possible drilling into the wood generated static electricity and that’s what zapped you?

Otherwise, I’ll go with what everyone else is saying and you tweaked something in your body. I don’t know how that jives with the elevated heart rate though.

Maybe it’s a manifestation of your yet to be tapped super power.

I’m really baffled here.

Just to my left, as I was drilling, the clothes dryer was running, maybe there’s a problem there and it was creating static?

I’m getting really into conspiracy-theory mode now because I’m just baffled.

Also, I needed to triple check that is indeed the hole I was drilling when I experienced this. Almost positive it is.

To answer the question above, the reason the hole I drilled looks weird is because I twisted my drywall knife in the hole a few times, just looking at the hole.

You can always get a voltmeter or a circuit tester.

I'm going to be the odd one out and say it might be sciatica or some other pinched nerve.

Sounds like a nerve/sciatica or something, maybe.

Possibly a short from the running washing machine.
That would be my guess.

It's your back, Jack. BTDT. I won't bore you with the details, but I thought I was going to have to call an amberlamps as I was not at home.

Not enough voltage in the tool to hurt, so either nerve related or you had a mild attack of gout while drilling.