Core Drilling

[BigBurner]

I have always used a diamond core drill for drilling out 110mm holes in brick. There are cheap TCT core drills with SDS shanks around and sold in places like Screwfix. Are these to be used with the hammer action on?

Do they last? Will the drill burn out quickly?

 

[Agile]

There are cheap diamond core drills available in 127 mm which is the easiest size for a 110 mm flue tube. For the occasional flue hole I find the cheap ones at less than £20 to be perfectly adequate.

The TCT drills would be more expensive at that size and need a very powerful hammer drill.

However as you are not CORGI registered then presumably yyou want thise size holes for ventilation fans rather than boiler flues.

Tony

 

[WickedWizard]

Or he could be fitting a s.v.p.

 

[Softus]

However as you are not CORGI registered then presumably yyou want thise size holes for ventilation fans rather than boiler flues.

You don't need to be an RGI to drill a hole.

And 110mm holes are more commonly used for a soil pipe branch than a boiler flue.

 

[BigBurner]

There are cheap diamond core drills available in 127 mm which is the easiest size for a 110 mm flue tube. For the occasional flue hole I find the cheap ones at less than £20 to be perfectly adequate.

Tony

Do you use it on a SDS with hammer action on?

 

[Agile]

NEVER use a diamond drill with hammer actionas you will destroy the delicate diamond loaded tips within minutes!

Thats the first thing you have to teach a traineee!

Tony

 

[BigBurner]

NEVER use a diamond drill with hammer actionas you will destroy the delicate diamond loaded tips within minutes!

Thats the first thing you have to teach a traineee!

Tony

TCT core bits, as opposed to diamond drill core bits, have SDS shanks, so these must be capable of being used in an SDS drill with hammer action. That so? Anybody?

 

[Softus]

TCT core bits, as opposed to diamond drill core bits, have SDS shanks, so these must be capable of being used in an SDS drill with hammer action. That so?

You don't have to use hammer on your SDS drill, but when you buy the drill bit just check the instructions or ask the supplier.

Some people spend too much time planning and not enough time doing.

 

[BigBurner]

TCT core bits, as opposed to diamond drill core bits, have SDS shanks, so these must be capable of being used in an SDS drill with hammer action. That so?

You don't have to use hammer on your SDS drill, but when you buy the drill bit just check the instructions or ask the supplier.

Of course the hammer can be turned off. I have never seen on the instructions of a TCT core drill bit that it can be used with an SDS hammer action on. Having an SDS shank gives me the impression it can be. Although I have never used a TCT core drill with an SDS, always a diamond one. The TCTs look cheap and may be a better option to the expensive non-hammer diamond drill and bits.

Is reading the box planning?

 

[Softus]

I have never seen on the instructions of a TCT core drill bit that it can be used with an SDS hammer action on.

Then ask your supplier. I've used mine on hammer, and they break then I buy another one. Mind you I don't buy cheap cr*p from Screwfix, so perhaps the ones that you buy won't be as good.

Having an SDS shank gives me the impression it can be.

OK then.

The TCTs look cheap and may be a better option to the expensive non-hammer diamond drill and bits.

If price is your only criterion, then perhaps it shouldn't be.

Is reading the box planning?

Who cares? Just get on with the drilling.

 

[Agile]

You would spend all day trying to drill a core with a TCT if you did not use the hammer action.

However, you still need to use just the right speed and pressure!

A common fault is that people do not exert enough pressure on the TCT cores and far too much pressure on the diamonds!

Tony

 

[BigBurner]

You would spend all day trying to drill a core with a TCT if you did not use the hammer action.

This means it is to be used with SDS hammer.

However, you still need to use just the right speed and pressure!

A common fault is that people do not exert enough pressure on the TCT cores and far too much pressure on the diamonds!

Tony

Hitachi diamond core drills and the drill bits themselves are "expensive". If cheap SDS drills and TCT cores bits can do it far cheaper and just as fast, then that is the way to go. The SDS drill can also be used for other tasks which a diamond core drill cannot. The TCT core drills are cheap enough to replace often, while the diamond ones are not.

How long do TCT core drills last? One hole, two holes?

If a TCT and SDS is as a good and fast as a diamond core drill and bit, I think TCT and SDS may have replaced the expensive traditional diamond scores and drills. The reason for this thread.

 

[Agile]

I am not sure what you are trying to say.

I dont fit many boilers so dont drill many flue holes at 127 mm.

Cut those I do drill I use a cheap diamond core costing less than £20 and a typical SDS drill tool.

I only use smaller TCT core drills say below 50mm diameter. The downside of TCT is that its very noisy work drilling with them. The smaller diamond can be used on ceramic tiles.

A useful trick I apply is to have a piece of wood with a hole as a guide which I screw onto the wall. The pilot drills which come with the cores can allow up to 30 mm of drift away from the pilot hole.

Some of the very cheap drills really are bad. One 1000w I bought for £19 in B&Q lasted for just one flue hole!

Another smaller 600w drill has lasted fine and may have done about 20 flue holes!

Tony

 

[gas4you]

I only ever use diamond core bits, usually 127mm, but have the full range from 32mm up to 150mm.

I use these with a makita core drill fitted with a clutch.

I must say Tony, that I always use a 13mm guide and as long as you drill the guide hole the correct size, I have never experienced the core drill wandering off 30mm

 

[Agile]

Perhaps you have nice solid walls and not the soft London brick laid during the 1890s with sand instead of mortar.

If the edge of the brick is close to the edge of the brick it quickly wanders so the the edge of the drill is in the mortar rather than the edge of the brick!

If its a newish wall with cement mortar then I agree its not a problem!

Tony