best tool for drilling Brick House, for ductless lines

GW

Anyone have any tips on tooling for drilling brick homes? I have an older Hilti hammer drill with core bits, but it's not fun hammering away at someones brick house. I'm talking 2 1/2 to 3"

kcopp

Can you use a new core bit w/o the hammer function?

ratio

I picked up a diamond drill bit, 4" in dia, for about $35 on ePay, along with a brand-spank-me new (cheap) wet core drill for IIRC $160ish to drill into my chimney when I relocated my water heater. Worked like a champ, but that 4" bit was a little big for the drill—started smelling a little hot towards the end.

But, to do it professionally, I can only recommend a Hilti dry core, with the fantastically awesome dust collector. With the setup I used, there was. no. dust. Really. Maybe a teaspoon laying around the edges of the core, enough that you could just blow it away. None in the air. Honest. I had no trouble drilling through the floors in occupied office spaces. That clean.

They are mighty proud of it. But it's worth it, for sure.

GroundUp

For smaller holes like that I use a dry core drill. I don't do enough of it to justify buying one, but the last few times has been ~$50 a day to rent a nice Husquvarna or Hilti handheld with dry core bit. Heck of a lot cleaner and easier than trying to chain drill with a hammer bit. Anything over 4" I go with a mounted unit. Core EZ now makes a mounted drill with the anchor actually inside the bit, so there is no unsightly anchor after the hole is drilled. Uses a Metabo grinder type powerhead. Haven't used one yet, but I know a guy that has one and it looks slick as snot

AMservices

You every see "casino"?
Joe pesci's gang robs the bank by drilling a lot of small holes and braking the blocks with a hammer.

I use a 1/4" masonry bit and can make any size holes, in any brick or block wall in 20 minutes.

Dosen't have to be round. A square hole will work and use mortar to fill gaps

GW

Thanks I’ll look into that!

EBEBRATT-Ed

never an easy solution. if you had a ton of holes you would rent or buy something. I agree with @GroundUp & @ratio about using dry core for that size. over 4" go to wet core.

I usually use the Hilti with the core bit if only doing a hole or two.

I hesitate to recommend this but a dry core bit will fit a 7' or 9" angle grinder. Problem is no dust collection and the angle grinder has no clutch like the dry core machines have. It tends to make thing exiting when your on a ladder but I have done it. The dry core bits and grinders all have 5/8-11 threads

ratio

I've used a dry core bit in an angle grinder. Very dangerous. It sounded like a jet engine winding up, and I broke 2" & 4" bits because of high temps due to high tool speed.

But, it got the holes done.

GW

Ok thanks all!

Tom_133

I am not proud of this or suggesting it, but, I was installing my own sewer line into the city manhole on the 4th of july. The manhole is 6" thick so I bought a cheap 4" core bit on amazon, then strapped that to my hole hawg and with hose in hand went to it. Worked great, 20 minutes later I installed link seals and I was back filling.

It worked in a pinch, and sadly I will probably do it again but not exactly a great choice.

ratio

Was that the $35 core bit? IDK how they can make it that cheap. Even though they won't last as long as an expensive one, at that price, you can afford to buy a new one for each hole.

Tom_133

I trip over twenties to pick up a nickel, so I can assure you I am not the economist on this forum, but I figured the same thing. Even if I get one hole, lets do it.

ChrisJ

What tools are you using? Not all"hammer drills" are the same.

For example there's a huge difference between a cordless that vibrates and an actual roto hammer

I'm hoping you're using something like a Sdsplus or sdsmax rotohammer. A good sds max rotohammer and a good core bit should cut through that like butter

GW

we currently have the hammer roto drill, it's a bit of a thumper.