Hi, I need to install an extractor fan.
Instead of using a drill bit to drill multiple holes around the circumference and then chistle knocking out the brick, is there a tool available for hire or buy (if cheap) to drill the hole neatly and in one shot?
Ta
Yes, you want a core drill. Usually a diamond grot drillbit, but some are just carbide. Some are wet, some are dry. Or you can buy a set: 40 quid from Aldi quite recently.
You'll also want to hire the appropriate slow-speed high-torque drill to drive it, with a long sidehandle to brace yourself with and a safety clutch to avoid snatching and throwing you off the ladder. Don't use a normal drill. Certainly don't use hammer action!
Mostly they begin from a pre-drilled pilot hole, so you'll want an SDS drill for doing that first (If you need to fix houses, you need to own one of these anyway).
They are quite expensive to buy or hire; TBH for a one-off I would just do the chain-drilling method you've described, if you have an SDS drill. I've fitted quite a few myself and have never felt the need to bother with a core drill.
Because you always have a grille of some form at both sides of the wall, any slightly ragged edges to the hole will be hidden from view anyway.
David
In message , Lobster writes
Once you have used a decent core bit and drill you will never want to go back, much easier and neater.
But YOU will know it's not neat and tidy, how can you live with that? :-)
I recently needed to drill an 110mm hole for a tumbler drier outlet - admittedly near ground level, so no ladders involved. I managed to buy a suitable brand new core drill from a car boot sale for a tenner - ok it was TCT rather than diamond and a bit slow. By first drilling a pilot right through, and then using the core drill to go halfway (into the cavity) [1] from both sides, I ended up with a nice neat hole.
[1] It went through the block on the inside like cheese, but made harder work of the brick - so I only went a little way into the brick and then finished off with a ring of holes and a chisel - but the visible hole was still perfectly round.If the hole
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