What Are Core Drills?

A core drill is a specific drill designed to remove a cylinder of material, from a solid surface. So it is does a similar job to that of a hole saw but is used on harder or thicker material. The material that is left inside the core drill bit is called the “core”.

What is the history behind Core Drill Bits?

Core drills were first used by the ancient Egyptians and were invented sometime around 3000 BC. Before the outbreak of World War Two, a California mining engineer named Branner Newsom invented a core drill that would easily remove large diameter to cores of up to 4.8 meters in length for mining shafts.

But this type of core drill isn’t used today as modern core drill technology has evolved so the same result can be achieved more cost effectively.

What type of Core Drill bits are out there?

There are a variety of core drill bits out there for different jobs, here are a couple of the most common types:

Core drills used for concrete applications are usually referred to as diamond core drills (or diamond-tipped core drills) and are cooled using water. They are a heavy duty concrete drill great for poured concrete, block walls and other construction applications.

Diamond-tipped core drills are used more typically in construction. They are used to create holes for manholes, pipes in concrete slabs and other large-diameter penetrations in stone or concrete.

Annular cutters are used to drill into metal.

Carbide core drills in a SDS drill can also be used for smaller masonry drilling projects. Carbide core drill bits typically run dry, can be used on thin walls, and only come in smaller diameters. They are not designed to drill into thick concrete slabs.

When drilling through a tile to install a tap, a diamond coated holesaw bit might be all you need. These come in a range of sizes starting from 5mm and going up to 128mm. As they are diamond coated, this type of core drill bit will not last as long as a core drill or pin drill with solid diamond segments.

In small sizes, professional tilers prefer diamond pin drill bits. They commonly come in sizes from 4mm to 10mm and as they have a solid diamond head, they last for the long haul.

Serious Core Drill Bits

Outside general construction, core drills are used for mineral exploration. Coring may be up to several thousand meters in length. The core samples are taken and examined and to work out if they should begin or cancel mining operations in a particular region.

Exploration diamond drilling is used heavily in the mining industry to probe and search for deposits of ore. It also allows geologists to assess the core through chemical assay and conduct structural, mineralogical and petrologic studies of the drilled out rock.

Core Drilling at Home

Core drilling at home is typically done to make space for plumbing, electrical and air-conditioner piping as well as conduit through concrete floors or walls.

Although drilling a single hole can seem simple, having the ability to drill to the right width and depth accurately very often requires a diamond tipped drill bit saw. The use of heavy duty diamond-tipped saws will also help you avoid problems when drilling through the concrete re-enforcing mesh.

Reaching the Areas Concrete Saws Aren’t Able to Reach

In areas of the building that are hard to access, concrete saws often struggle to reach the area. You could invest in a concrete chainsaw to get into those tight areas, or you can use a core drill through a process called stitch drilling. Stitch drilling is the drilling of a large number of overlapping holes until the necessary section of concrete is taken away from the area.

Core Drill bits online in our store

As we are focussed on construction, in particular, concreters, brickies, landscapers and tilers, the core drill bits for sale in our store are specifically the heavy duty diamond tipped core drill bit for concrete, walls, and stone. They come with either brazed or laser welded segments. Lazer welded diamond core drill bits are the longest lasting.

We also offer a great range of diamond coated holesaw bits, and diamond tipped pin drill bits to choose from.

If you have any questions about what you need for your job, give us a call on 02 6242 8996 and we’ll help you out.