Drilling through very thick walls

[masochists-r-us]

Ours walls are of sandstone and ironstone filled with rubble and very thick. Drilling a hole for an extractor fan last year took an entire day. I would like to move the loo, but given last year's experience plus all the work that will be needed to the stack outside, Mr M is none too keen. Any suggestions as to a quicker and easier way to drill through at all ?

 

[88v8]

Get out your wallet and find someone who does diamond core drilling.

Actually, I think many decent builders/plumbers will have core drills nowadays. You may even be able to hire one now I think of it, altho it needs some serious muscle and a huge drill for the size you'll require.

Or a proper rig
http://www.hss.com/g/1611/200mm-Diamond-Drilling-Rig.html

Ivor

 

[Penners]

As an alternative to Ivor's suggestion, you could cut out whole stones to make a hole bigger than required - in my experience this is much easier than drilling through that kind of wall. Then install the pipe and rebuild around it with matching smaller stone pieces. Use an appropriate mortar.

 

[Roger H]

I agree with Penners. Particularly as the sometimes somewhat loose fill in double skinned stone walls can be prone to repeatedly falling down into your newly excavated tunnel, fouling the drill.

 

[Zebra]

I agree with Penners. The only time I had to chase backboxes into that type of wall, that's what I did - made a hole bigger than I needed, then filled it back in again.

 

[88v8]

...the sometimes somewhat loose fill in double skinned stone walls can be prone to repeatedly falling down into your newly excavated tunnel, fouling the drill.

That's true. When I had two 4" cores put through for fireplace air inlets, the drill had to be withdrawn frequently to clear the debris. But it did go through our 24" coursed rubble wall, with little in the way of subsequent making good.
The driller must have lost about a gallon of sweat.

Ivor

 

[Tony.]

Having done the core method, through 800mm of whinstone I can say it was difficult and I have drilled hundreds before.
The hole for the 15mm blow off pipe went through in minutes.

So plywood template with holes drilled around the perimeter, fix this to the wall and using an sds drill chain drill the series of holes and chisel out.


Or if the loo is going on the same wall, right angle bend on the 4" waste pipe
Good luck

 

[SilverSaloon]

yes agree with Penners.

Did the same with mine when putting in new outlet for soil pipe and also when i added new airbricks - i "just" (read it takes a whole) removed a stone/stones and then rebuilt up the hole once the new item was placed in the wall.

 

[Penners]

i "just"

Oh no - the infamous "just" word! Whenever Mrs P starts a sentence with the phrase, "Do you think we could just....", I know two things for certain.

1. "We" means "you".

2. "Just" means at least three days of exhausting work - usually more.

 

[JanieB]

The wall between the front and back of my house used to be an outside wall and is very thick. When my late OH needed to drill a hole through it for some cable he couldn't get a drill bit long enough. He was a Software Engineer and specialised in communication technology. He was having a chat with some BT workmen upgrading cabling along our street and our problem came into the conversation. They drilled the hole for free. So the drill bits do exist but where the hell do you get them from?

 

[Owain]

Aldi had long masonry drill bits recently.

These are 1 metre but I'm sure I've seen longer
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/3-piece-1000mm-sds-drill-bit-set

For wood augers 600 mm are readily available
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Power+Tool+Accessories/d80/Auger+Bits/sd3193/Long+Auger+Bit+Set/p35978

 

[88v8]

....get a drill bit long enough. ...the drill bits do exist but where the hell do you get them from?

You start with a threaded shank drill, examples here are 12" long, and then screw extension rods to them. Each rod adds another 10".
http://www.armeg.com/threaded-shank-masonry-drill-bits.asp

Don't let the debris build up around the bit to the point where it begins to jam, otherwise if you have to reverse the drill to withdraw it, the bit can unscrew itself.

Ivor

 

[TheRoost]

You need a really good supply of water when core drilling, to reduce friction and flush out the debris. I've only drilled concrete floors before, I imagine its a lot more difficult getting a good feed of water when drilling horizontally into a wall.

 

[masochists-r-us]

Thanks everyone,
As I suspected there are no easy answers to this so I guess loo will just have to stay where it is.
We're coming round to thinking we also have a life to live and we're not getting any younger !

 

[steveb]

well, you can always use the dreaded macerator if all else fails.

 

[LadyArowana]

well, you can always use the dreaded macerator if all else fails.

If anyone else types the word "macerator" for me to read while I am having my croissant and coffee then I am going to get very upset. I made the mistake of opening the other thread, and it brought to mind some unpleasant images.

 

[CliffordPope]

I think the operators who recently carried out work in Hatton Garden are the experts in drilling through thick walls.

There is minimal disturbance and the work can typically be carried out over a bank holiday.

 

[MatthewC]

I think the operators who recently carried out work in Hatton Garden are the experts in drilling through thick walls.

There is minimal disturbance and the work can typically be carried out over a bank holiday.

:lol: :lol:
Reminds me of "If you can find them, maybe you could hire The A-Team".

 

[LadyArowana]

I think the operators who recently carried out work in Hatton Garden are the experts in drilling through thick walls.

There is minimal disturbance and the work can typically be carried out over a bank holiday.

Which reminds me, if anyone reading this has some slightly hot but very sparkly things to sell then I might be interested for a good discount on retail of course :wink:

 

[xanthe]

Mine aren't hot. :lol:

I've actually been very lucky - I once considered using that place, but Harrods are the place most people go for as they are much cheaper and are open on Saturdays.