Recommendations for cheap core drill, infrequent use, usually 40mm max

[SafeGasInstall]

I never let anyone uses my dimoned drill 🙂
there was one exception

 

[REDSAW]

If you don't mind a bit of breakthrough use tungsten cores with the sds you already have.

whats your set up then tam, how bigs the core?

 

[tamz]

I've got more drills than a horse could sh..
Depends what i'm doing which one i'll use.
Armeg tungsten's up to about 54mm are cheap and go through most things when used in a sds faster than a diamond core. There is a small amount of breakthrough depending on what you are drilling. You are restricted to about 12 -15" long tho depending on which ones you have.
SDS max up to 56mm and 760 long if you don't mind blowing the back off something is the fastest
Diamond cores if you need to be neat and for flues. Extension bars take it as long as you need to go. Tend to jamb up a bit on smaller cores unless you use water.

 

[REDSAW]

can you get 120mm tungsten? you never see the 1'' around the flue hole as the cover goes over it?

 

[Roger Welton]

I have a 150mm tungsten core don;t even remember what job I got it for, did the job ok though, as tamz saws, hole is not tidy.

UK Drills

 

[TBServices]

I have a 150mm tungsten core don;t even remember what job I got it for, did the job ok though, as tamz saws, hole is not tidy.

UK Drills

Crikey they're cheap. Never used tungsten, they a lot faster than diamond cores?

 

[Roger Welton]

About the same dependant on material, but they can punch out large sections of the external face of the wall. I tend to use them when I don't want to risk damaging my diamond bits.

 

[TBServices]

How do they cope with hard old bricks?

 

[Roger Welton]

Slowly, diamond core for bricks for me

 

[tamz]

The bigger tungsten bits are only really any use in an sds max gun as a sds plus will lack the torque to turn it.

 

[Mike Jackson]

One big advantage of TCT over dry diamond is the ability to core concrete.

 

[REDSAW]

am i right in thinking there not as dusty either?

 

[tamz]

Not as dusty but give you industrial deafness.
You can always put that in the book for your pension :lol:

 

[REDSAW]

pardon?.

simonf will be deaf in the morning due to a clump round the ear, when the woman next door who's washing was out finds all her clothes brown.lol

 

[peteheat]

I use a long (1m) 6mm to give me a pilot hole on both sides of the wall, very little if any damage that way.

 

[Kyle87]

I use a long (1m) 6mm to give me a pilot hole on both sides of the wall, very little if any damage that way.

I do the same but with a 10mm bit. I'd have thought a 6mm 1meter but wouldn't be very strong for going all the way through a wall

 

[peteheat]

6mm matches the pilot bits on my core drills