Four Easy Steps to Efficient Drilling

Core drillers often find it’s not just having all the equipment to do the job, but how you use it.

To the uninitiated, core drilling can be an intimidating task.  Fortunately, the four easy-to-learn steps you should know before you start to drill are summed up in the acronym W.A.S.P.: Water, Anchor, Speed, Power.

WATER – When drilling with a wet core bit, one of the most important factors is water.  As the diamond grind away the concrete, water helps form a concrete slurry that facilitates the process by keeping the diamonds exposed.  Without sufficient water, there is not slurry and the diamonds will continue to grind the same particles.  If there’s too much water, the concrete particles wash away with nothing to help keep the diamonds exposed.

ANCHOR – Proper rig anchoring is essential to ensure a straight core.  Utilizing physical anchors rated for core drilling is the best method.  Using a base vacuum is fine as long as the surface is smooth and the vacuum gasket is in good shape.  A ceiling jack is another approved method.  A vacuum anchored to a wall isn’t recommended because of unreliable job site power.  Standing on a rig to hold it down is unsafe and will eventually cause the bit to bind up on the hole.

SPEED – Setting your motor at the correct RPM could mean the difference between grinding properly or glazing the diamond segments.  Every core bit should be run at the proper RPM.  These ratings are standard, and many core drills have multiple settings so you can use different size core bits.  In general, the smaller the bit, the faster the RPM.

POWER – To maintain the correct RPM, you need the power to do the job.  The majority of core drills are electric-powered, and the use of an amp meter is recommended to monitor the gauge to help ensure continued productivity.  When drilling with a hydraulic motor, it is important to maintain the specified gallons per minute to ensure the correct RPM.

To learn more about core drilling and these products, visit diamondproducts.com.