Concrete Cutting: An Insight To Concrete Core Drills and Concrete Core Drilling

Concrete core drilling or "coring" is the process of drilling perfectly round holes through concrete walls, floors and other concrete structures. Concrete core drilling is the most commonly recognized use of any diamond concrete cutting tool. Concrete core drills or "core rigs" can be operated in any orientation, vertical, horizontal and even upside down thru concrete ceilings. A concrete core drill bit consists of a steel tube with diamond segments brazed or laser welded on the drilling end. The core bits are mounted on the rotating shaft of various types of concrete core drilling machines. Most concrete core drills are connected to a stand that is secured to a wall or floor with a concrete anchor and a bolt but there are also concrete core drills that use vacuum pressure to attach to a floor. There are also many different types of "hand held" core drills. Concrete core drills can be powered by electricity, hydraulic, gasoline or air power sources. Concrete core drill bits can range in diameter from 1/2 inch to 72 inches in diameter and drilling depths are virtually unlimited with the use of extensions. A solid cylindrical slug or "core" of concrete is removed from the hole after the drilling is complete. The applications for concrete core drilling are virtually endless. Core holes are used for "utility penetrations" such as electrical, plumbing and heating but are also commonly used for venting furnaces or clothes dryers. Concrete core drilling also allows concrete structures to easily be made ready for sprinkler systems, HVAC ducts, fiber optics, phone lines, computer lines and much more. Core drilling methods are used widely in underground utilities construction, most commonly, manhole taps, underground vault taps, and wherever sewer, water, steam, air or communication lines pass through a concrete or brick structure.