Concrete walls

Brad White_9

drill several holes (perforations) around the circumference with your carbide tipped drill of choice and a good hammer drill. Then use a hammer and chisel to knock out the center.

After you did that and especially if you have several to do, go hire a concrete cutting company and have them do a core drill. Makes a mess what with cooling water, but worth it. Believe me.

If you have a GC buddy, ask him nicely.

David Sutton_6

Greetings

Just a quick question???
What do you use to bore holes through concrete walls?
Hole sizes 3 inch and above.
i'm looking into a Hilti DD100 with dimond core bits
Thanks for any intell on this...David

ChasMan

I can tell by scouting the varied neighborhoods I have lived in that the vast majority of heating pro's prefer a sledgehammer for making holes in concrete. YMMV on the wall however I am sure. I tried a carbide masonry hole saw once that I bought at Home Depot and it would only be adequate on drywall. Not so much on concrete. My only experience with Hilti equipment is with their drywall screw gun and while I can appreciate the step up in quality from say a Bosh.. the tool remains inferior especially at its price point to the excellent WOLF brand tools which I think are now KANGO.

hr

I've found it best to hire it out

I too have considere purchasing a basic set up. But for what a coring and cutting compant can do, quickly and safely, it just didn't pencil out.

The plumbing trade mags advertise some bits that fit regular anglr drills, check them out.

hot rod

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[Deleted User]

I'm with HR on this one...

We use a local company called Hole in One. It costs my customer 165.00 for 2 holes up to 8" diameter through 8" concrete wall, and if he uses water, he cleans up after himself. My guys stay busy doing what they do best, FILLING holes with long extruded holes (pipes) of varying and different sizes...

As the commercials used to say, "And leave the driving to us!"

ME

Keith_8

Hilti

With out a Hilti cataloge in front of me, is it safe to assume that DD100 is a core boring machine? Hilti does make a nice core bore machine.

Like Hot Rod mentioned it's hard for me to justify purchasing the tool and bits. We just don't have a steady need for such a tool. A few times a year I hire a sub and they make short work of it.

You can rent the tool as well.

Keith

Jim_47

Concrete holes

In my application it's simply drilling two 2.5" holes for the Oil tank supply and vent. I use an SDS with a core bit.
When figuring the Estimate on the tank Job I add $75 for each hole I have to drill for the install. I tried to depend on another company to do the drilling and we waited 3 hours for them to show up on our install day. They were suppose to be there the previous day. No one is as dependable as yourself. I did not buy the most expensive SDS but a flexible model with a Jacobs chuck as well.

Brad White_9

Hole in One

Has hit a great niche market. Wonder if there is one near me? For $165 for two holes that size, hard to beat!

Reasonable considering basic travel, set-up, clean-up. Worth every penny.

After doing one by hand (I did two, must be a slow learner ) I hire it out now.

David Sutton_6

hello

yea the hilti DD100 is a nice tool!, i,m going to be doing some sub work for another company. installing there new oil tanks, thay said could 12-15 tanks, plus i do quite a few, but the other company. wants then in the concrete...DAvid

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Exactly what I'd say. Have made such holes and they cost my customers more than that years ago at my prices...

S Ebels

We do

Some of our own and we hire some out. Our tool of choice is a Dewalt rotary hammer and I have 2 1/2" 3 1/2" and 5" core bits for it. It works fine for the occasional pair of holes through an 8" concrete wall. So far (3 years) the Dewalt has been dead reliable, We are still using the original 3 1/2 and 5" bits and are on our third 2 1/2".

On the other hand, when it comes to big stuff, we hire it out. The multiple Vitodens install I had on the Wall a couple weeks ago needed venting holes through a 12" poured wall 7" in diameter. The company we use drove 45 miles (one way), set up and with one of my guys helping him, cored 4 holes in about 2 1/2 hours, arrival to departure. They charged me $375. Ain't no way I can own equipment to do that and make it pay unless I'm in the hole business full time myself.

jeff_51

use a black and decker roto hammer

macho-2 have had it for 15 years and will handle up to three inch holes. Anything bigger we have done for us at about 100 bucks a hole. They will use a hand held core drill for that. Quick and cheap. You can also get a dry core pretty cheap and run off of a 7" grinder, but they are almost a throw away after a couple of holes. ( the bit)

Weezbo

Call Concrete cutters to burn in the diameter of your choise..

small oil lines or drain or vent take a sledge and a cold chisel to the wall.