Weedy drill for concrete

[JohnD]

I have an 18v DIYers hammer drill which I generally find adequate. It will do bricks and dense blocks OK

I tried to drill a 8mm hole in a garage floor to sink a ringbolt for a bicycle padlock, it hardly made a dimple. The shed does not have power nearby.
The ground slab is doubtless strong and dense.

I was wondering if it would be any good to drill a smaller hole and open it out with larger and larger drills? Or any other ideas? I don't mind carrying the drill inside to recharge between jobs.

I was using ordinary TCT masonry drills.

I don't want to buy or hire a tool just for this job.

 

[RF Lighting]

That seems like a good idea to me.

Maybe try going up un steps of something like 3-5-7-8 mm drill bits.

As you are drilling a floor, you may find the dust stays in the hole, which can cause the drill bit to snag, especially if the concrete is a bit damp.

This can be cleaned by blowing into the hole with a thin drinking straw.

A better drill bit will make a huge amount of difference. The type you get in 200 piece drill bit sets are no good.

Something like this for example.

Good luck

 

[joe-90]

Concrete is 90% granite. Only an SDS drill will handle it easily.

One thing you could try is one of the cheap diamond drills from B&Q for less than £2. I think 10mm is the smallest though.

 

[breezer]

Concrete is 90% granite.

are you sure about that?

 

[xerxes]

Concrete is 90% granite.

I have to mix some concrete tomorrow. Maybe I should stock up on granite: a 9:1 mix, perhaps.

 

[joe-90]

Concrete is 90% granite.

are you sure about that?

All the gravel content is granite. Most of it comes from just down the road here in the Trent Valley. It was once a mountain range higher than the Himalayas in Scotland but the last Ice Age knocked it down and rolled it all down the middle of the UK.

 

[screech]

i tried drilling in to my garage floor for some fixings the other day, i already had my 18v drill out so used it with a dewalt drill bit, gave up pretty quickly as it barely made a dent and used my sds which went through the floor very easily. if you know anyone with an sds or mains drill borrow it and use that instead.

gravel can be granite, just depends on where the gravel comes from.

 

[mother]

do you not have a mains powered drill? or does one of your mates? percussion drills are all about rotation speed, mains drills are quicker, so drill better. even if you have got an old, cheap, falling apart black & decker, you will find this more effective.

 

[JohnD]

... The shed does not have power nearby.....

 

[screech]

extension lead from somewhere with power?