Whats your opinion on core drills?

[WHPES]

Percussion core drills can sometimes make a mess of the opposite side of the hole when you break through. Diamond core drills make a neater and quieter job

 

[Phil]

Just wish those damn taper pilot drills would stay in, I've lost all mine down cavitys and its no fun trying the start off the hole with no pilot - if fact near impossible!

 

[tamz]

You are supposed to remove them once the core has bit in about a half inch.
Learn to use it without one. It is easy.

 

[Phil]

You are supposed to remove them once the core has bit in about a half inch.
Learn to use it without one. It is easy.

I know that now I lost them early days.

Whats the trick to a pilotless hole? Just start slow speed?

 

[Best]

Don't start hole without the pilot drill, then remove it when you have just cut core in as little as 1/4". I wonder if a jig of some type would be a good idea to stop core moving about? Wouldn't need a pilot drill then.

 

[tamz]

Whats the trick to a pilotless hole? Just start slow speed?

Drilling at normal speed, start at an angle and square it up as it bites. It is easy enough to get perfect accuracy after you get used to doing it.
Then again i've been doing it that way every other day for about 10 years so it should be easy.

 

[tamz]

I wonder if a jig of some type would be a good idea to stop core moving about? Wouldn't need a pilot drill then.

You can use a plywood template screwed to the wall if it suits you.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

have got me self a Hilti breaker last summer as some of the work I was doing the wall were 500-700mm engineering bricks ,few pilot holes and the chisel it away !
Normal brick wall I just use a 5" which gives me a room to play and adjust the flue to correct angle ( my 4" core has lost 3 toot's so no good any more ) the 5" one I got it for free with my drill .Using 4" is much quicker and yes ear defenders every time for me

 

[Phil]

Regarding the drilling without a pilot guide, when I bought a set of diamond tile cutting bits from Topps I was sold a water feed bottle and a guide which sucks to the tile with a suction cup and it quite literally 'sucks'.

Waste of money and the water feed bottle, its far easier to do what Tamz said and bite one edge in to start you off and in this case drip water on from a cloth.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

speaking of diamond drilling ,i did get the hilti product ! fantastic kit ! go to there web and see for your self!
it is expansive but it will last long time.