Concrete Core Drill [Buy or Rental?]

Are you ready to acquire the best drilling results for your projects? If so, you need to know about core drills, their benefits, the benefits of using them, what they are used for, etc.

Humans use machinery to speed up the process of construction. Core drills are just one of the many tools that are needed to improve efficiency without needing too many human resources.

To what skill level do you belong? Are you a hobby enthusiast, researcher, contractor, experienced engineer, or a complete beginner? Knowing this will help you choose the proper drill for your project’s needs.

What is Core Drill?

Have you ever wondered that we would always see these giant machines in every construction site and be curious about what they do?

Depending on your purpose, you’re probably here to know what core drills are, the benefits of using them, and what they’re used for, right?

In this article, we will teach you all about core drills. A core drill is a hollow cylindrical drill that is used to make holes in the surface.

Surprisingly, you can even use core drills to make wooden furniture if you have the proper drill bits for woodwork, that is.

 

Core drills come in different shapes and sizes. Depending on what you’re going to use them for, the core drills will always be a handy tool available to most people in the world.

Core drills can penetrate various surface types. They can pierce through cement, wood, rocks, and ice.

They are usually used for plumbing and drainage pipes, create space for electrical wiring, including phone, internet, and landline cables.

Concrete demolition is also done easier with the use of these core drills. Smaller-scale core drills are used at home for creating perfect holes.

Like small-scale and large-scale core drills, mounted core drills have a big difference compared to hand-held core drills.

First of all, mounted core drills produce a much higher power than hand-held core drills. However, handheld core drills are much more portable compared to mounted core drills.

One of the valuable jobs of core drills in the construction industry is removing certain sections in a building.

For example, if one part of the building collapsed, you would only need to remove the damaged area with core drills.

This will leave the part of the building in good condition, safe, and untouched. At the same time, workers use the core drill to remove the partially damaged area.

Here is an example of the anatomy of a hand-held core drill. It has robust gearing, and the drill bit is unbelievably larger than the drill bit of your average power drill.

Read More:  Makita 18V vs. Milwaukee 18V Cordless Drill Driver [Must-Read]

Most core drills have safety precautions to make sure that the machine operator is safe while using it. Hand-held core drills are compact and lightweight, which makes them easier to bring around.

You can see from the machine’s structure that it’s made for boring purposes, to make holes in different surfaces.

Benefits of Using Core Drills

Technology and machinery have been humanity’s most valuable inventions. They make our lives easier and more efficient.

Humanity has gone a long way from building cars for faster transportation to building large machines to make construction faster.

We strive to make our lives easier every day. Whether you’re at work, school, or at home, we always find ourselves surrounded by technology.

Core drills are a great example of these technologies. You can accurately drill perfect holes for construction purposes.

YouTube video

Here are some of the benefits of using core drills:

  • An Efficient and Time-Saving Method of Drilling Holes

Since we’re using machinery to make holes, we don’t really spend too much time drilling.

Just turn on the machine and let it do its job. With the special drill bits, it can create holes with no problem.

Core drills are on another level of efficiency compared to manually creating holes with primitive tools.

  • Less Human Labor

Back in the day, when creating holes/boring, we use human labor to make these holes manually.

However, with core drills, you reduce human labor and do a better job than your average worker drilling holes manually.

You only need more or less three people to use the core drill, and it is good to go. With proper safety precautions drilling holes is easy.

  • Accuracy – Drill Perfect Holes

Using special drill bits, you can drill holes with perfect accuracy with ease.

Since core drills are powered tools, they have more consistent results when it comes to drilling holes.

This is great if you are planning to drill holes of the same size.

Whether you are demolishing a wall or simply making holes for woodwork purposes, the accuracy of core drills is remarkable and consistent.

  • Safety

Some core drills have safety features to make sure that the machine operator is safe and sound while using the drill.

Some core drills have a safety measure when the bit gets stuck. It completely stops the drill to prevent potential hazards.

Other core drills are even remote-controlled.

This is great because if the drilling is needed to be done in an unsafe area, machine operators can safely reposition to a safer location and activate the drill with remotes.

  • Pierce Through Various Surfaces

Core drills can pierce through many surfaces. Depending on its size and design, it can pierce through roads or be used for small-scale tasks like creating furniture.

Read More:  Can I Use Automotive R134A In A Refrigerator? [Don't get bogged]

That’s why it’s essential to determine what kind of drilling you need to do so you can decide which type of core drill and core drill bit you need.

  • Cost-effective

If you’re constantly going to use the core drill for long periods of time, then it’s an excellent investment of your money.

By all means, a core drill is not cheap for an average person, but it is better than hiring ten men to make holes in surfaces that may have inconsistent results.

Think about it, it’s a lot cheaper to buy a machine to do the work for you if your projects are going to take years, in perfect precision and accuracy.

Things You Need to Know Before Drilling

Before starting your core drilling project, you need to know what type of material you are working with. What are its features and characteristics?

This will determine the techniques and tools you will use for your project. The type of material is essential to figure out what core drill you need to use.

  • Cost of the Material

How expensive is the material that you are drilling? For costly materials, the price of the drill matters.

We don’t want the materials to be too damaged because of your poor choice in choosing drills. We want the drill to be delicate with costly materials.

  • The thickness of the Material

How much pressure and coolant you will use is determined by the thickness of the material you need to drill.

Multi-directional coolant is the best that works with the drill as this ensures enough lubrication, and the coolant will reach the drilling zone.

  • The hardness of the Material

The hardness of the material is an excellent factor in choosing a core drill.  You need soft bonds for hard materials, for free and fast drilling, while softer materials require hard bonds for long-lasting performance.

Preparations Before Using Core Drills

YouTube video

1. Read the Manual That Came With Your Core Drill

Are you the type of person that throws away the manual that comes with their tools? You should stop that right away!

Who knows, your equipment might have hidden abilities you didn’t know about in the first place. Different drills come with additional instructions, don’t expect all of them to be the same.

2. Distinguish on-site Hazards That Maybe a Hindrance When Drilling

On-site hazards are one of the things you should look out for when drilling. You possibly may risk a worker getting injured or hospitalized if dangers are not accounted for.

 Make sure that the drill is in a hazard-free area together with the machine operator. Always wear complete safety gear just in case something unprecedented happens.

3. Carefully Scout the Area You Are Drilling

Before coring, it’s important to scout the area before initiating the construction. There are many things to examine on the site that may be hazards.

Read More:  Westinghouse vs. WEN Portable Generator [What's Better]

For example, before coring, you should look out for electrical wires and drainage pipes to ensure they aren’t damaged while drilling.

4. Check the Drilling Components to Prevent Hardware Failure

It’s essential to make sure that your drill is working perfectly. This way, it can perform the drilling with accuracy and efficiency.

There are many tendencies where hardware failure happens because machine operators neglect to check their drills before an operation.

Broken core drill bits can get stuck in the surface, and sometimes, it’s hard to remove them once they’re stuck.

5. Ensure That There Are No People Below the Floor You Are Drilling When You Are Drilling Above Ground Level

This should be common sense, but no one must be on the floor below you when you start coring/drilling. You should ensure everybody’s safety when drilling.

Signs and personnel should be assigned on the floor below you to ensure no people may be in danger when the operation starts.

6. Select the Right Core Barrel

Different surfaces need you to choose a different core barrel. Some core barrels can even be used underwater if drilling is required in similar areas.

There are three types of core barrels:

  • Single Tube Core Barrels

Single tube core barrels are the most rugged and inexpensive core barrels.

They are usually used at the start of coring operations and are good in piercing through homogenous hard rock.

These are used in drilling hard rocks that are not flushed with water, keeping the core solid making it easier to get samples.

  • Double Tube Core Barrels

Double tube core barrels are the standard in core drills. It is a swivel-type barrel that has an outer barrel that rotates with a cutting bit.

  • Triple Tube Core Barrels

Triple tube core barrels are perfect for getting core samples in highly weathered rocks. Its design reduces frictional heat that may damage the core sample.

The outer barrel is for coring, the second barrel is to cut the sample into a finer size, and the third barrel is used for retaining core samples.

7. Inspect the Core Barrel for Any Damage

Whether you’re using the core barrel for taking core samples or drill perfect holes in walls, you should check the core barrel to make sure it can still make precise cuts.

Characteristics of a Good Core Drill

Whether you’re taking rock samples or using core drills for construction projects, it’s essential that it gets the job done flawlessly.

Now that you know what core drills are and when they are used, you should know what good core drills should be.

Efficient

Core drills should be efficient. Make sure before buying the core drill that you look closely at its specifications.

Read More:  What Size Impact Wrench for Automotive Work? [Lug Nuts & More]

One way of knowing if the product is efficient or not is by looking up the product model on the internet. Look for reviews online, and these will help you see how the drill performs in different conditions.

Considering that you have a considerable budget, your core drill should:

  • Drill Various Surfaces with Ease
  • Able to do Coring Activities Underwater (Optional)
  • Be Transported Easily and Prepared for Drill Stands
  • Have a High RPM Relative to its Torque

Durable

Durability should be a significant factor in choosing a good core drill. It’s essential to have a long-lasting tool that can stay with you until you finish all your projects.

First of all, it has to be made with rigid materials. It’s better to choose diamond core drill bits to make sure you can drill through robust surfaces without breaking easily.

Second, you have to make sure it comes from a reliable and trusted manufacturer. Most manufacturers even offer a money-back guarantee to refund your money if you aren’t satisfied with their tools.

Moreover, having a 1-year warranty from the producers of the drills can add more assurance that your core drill is expected to last a long time with you.

Various Usability and Design

Depending on the core drill’s features, you can use it in different ways. Some handheld core drills have a mounting feature that allows you to mount the machine for larger-scale purposes.

Design is also crucial when choosing a core drill. Additional features & designs like being able to use the drill underwater can also be helpful if necessary.

Value for the Money

Last but not least, value for the money. You have to check reviews online, a referral from trusted friends and family, and most importantly, its price tag.

Of course, we want the best of the best equipment our money can offer, but overspending on something that’s not worth your money is not the right call.

Learn to compare drills from one company to another. Do they have the same features? What is the difference in their prices? Then buy your desired core drill.

Carbide Core Bits

Like the diamond core drill bits, carbide core bits also do a great job in coring/drilling. It has bits that range from 1½ inches up to 3 inches in diameter.

Unlike the diamond core bits, these carbide core bits have a guiding plate to make it easier to knock the core out of the bit.

These carbide core bits aren’t usually used for concrete. Instead, they’re used for block walls to create openings for pipes, electrical cords, and even ventilation systems in enclosed areas.

If you want to core through concrete, then carbide core bits are a great choice. However, we would still highly suggest choosing the diamond core bit because it is better at doing its job.

The carbide core bit pounds the surface you are drilling on and if it encounters metal (steel bars on walls) the steel chips off the bit’s teeth.

You can find more about it in the Diamond Core Drill Bits vs Carbide Core Drill Bits video.

YouTube video

Core Drill Rentals Near Me

Core drill rentals are a great way to start a project that requires drilling, without having any prior drilling experience. Rentals have customer service that offers you to have a skilled operator assist you.

You, a customer, can request an employee to assist you with your drilling needs since not everybody has the knowledge and skill to use these machines to the best of their abilities.

Simply give the machine operator instructions and he will carry out the work for you. For a small amount of money, you can rent these machines for your construction needs.

It’s also very helpful for customers on a budget or customers who only need core drills for one-time use since it’s a waste of money buying equipment that you will only use once.

Frequently Asked Questions About Core Drills

Does my core drill have a warranty?

Depending on the producer/manufacturer you bought the drill from, most core drills are purchased with a warranty. This is to make sure the machine works fine even after a year of coring and drilling.

Read More:  Electric VS Air Impact Wrench [Things to Know]

This is beneficial to the buyer since they are given assurance that the product will constantly work well and satisfy the customers.

Will my tiles be okay even if I drill through them?

With the appropriate core drill and drill bit, it should precisely cut through your tiles with precision and accuracy.

It’s the core drill’s job to make sharp cuts in various surfaces like concrete, tiles, and weathered rocks, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the rest of the tile block.

Are core drills hard to use?

You could start learning how to use core drills by watching videos online. It would be best if you also were careful not to touch the dangerous parts of the drill to avoid injuries.

However, it’s better to let someone who already knows how to use core drills teach you to get first-hand and practical experience on how to use it.

Leave a Comment