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best way to use a core drill?

jerseyjeff | Posted in Tools for Home Building on May 5, 2008 08:38am

Well the work continues on my school and there is an electrician using a Hilti te-6to hammer  drill a 4″ core drill through a wall…  I was thinking that must be hell on the bit,  and that it probably should be drilled slow speed through the wall…  non hammer…  but then again,  I have never used a core drill,  and who am I to say… the guy does look like an expert…  no safety glasses, ear or respiratory protection… 

 

jmmmm


Edited 5/5/2008 1:45 pm ET by jerseyjeff

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  1. FastEddie | May 05, 2008 11:45pm | #1

    What kind of wall?  Concrete block?  It should drill pretty easily with a regular drill.  I would agree that a hammer drill with a regular bit sounds like a broken bit waiting to happen.

    "Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

    "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

    1. jerseyjeff | May 06, 2008 12:07am | #2

      Its brick...  the noise and the lack of progress is amazing though...

       jmmmm

      1. brownbagg | May 06, 2008 12:26am | #3

        you bolt it down, when it grabs, it hurts

  2. User avater
    Sphere | May 06, 2008 01:07am | #4

    I've only seen rails bolted to the wall and thena  sideways drill press type motor, spun by hydaulics and constantly fed with water was attached.

    No hammer action and very little noise except for the hyd.pump.

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    "Welcome to Poo-ville, can I have your socks?
    Seriously Folks, I need a home for 3 lovers of your life.

  3. huplescat | May 06, 2008 01:29am | #5

    It’s been awhile, but I used to be a welder/pipefitter and had a fair amount of experience with core drills. Your instincts are right on. A true core drill is a basically a drill press with a base that you can bolt to the floor or wall... and it doesn’t hammer. It turns fairly slowly and there is a continuos water feed to cool the bit.

    If your guy is using a regular hammer drill with a core drill bit I suspect he ruined the bit in no short order, which is too bad because those thing don’t grow on trees.



    Edited 5/5/2008 6:30 pm ET by Huplescat

  4. plumbbill | May 06, 2008 04:15am | #6

    Hammer drill, or a roto hammer?

    What kind of 4" bit, a 4" hole saw or a 4" hole bit that has a roto hammer bit as a pilot. It will have fewer teeth & they are cut square.

    They do make roto hammer core bits, but they are loud & slow.

    Generally when we have walls to core through we use a core drilling machine that bolts to the surface, brick can be nasty to get a good anchor in to hold up the core drill, my guys have hand held core drilling machines for smaller holes through brick ----- no more than 2 layers though.

    “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein

  5. pebble | May 06, 2008 04:58am | #7

    Another thing is that when the operator starts drilling as long as he allows the bit to feed evenly on all sides especially at first, it will pretty much align itself perpendicular to the wall. I guess this applies to an already pretty flat wall though. Yeah, with that size bit water is a must.

    So, water, and even, steady application. Drill away!

    Handyman, painter, wood floor refinisher, property maintenance in Tulsa, OK

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