> I'm working on plumbing (and wiring) a new air compressor for my shop.
> Turns out the 3/4" air line needs to run through some decorative cinder
> block.
>
> Any suggestions for how to cut an approximately 1.25" diameter hole through
> the block, with the least risk of breaking the whole thing in half ?
>
> I see HF has spade-type masonry bits to 1", with turned down shanks; but I'm
> not sure how to enlarge the resulting hole.
>
> Any suggestions ? I've got an ordinary 1/2" drill motor; really don't want
> to have to buy a hammer-drill for just this one project. Also an air
> chisel, but I'm worried breaking the block with it.
>
> Randall
Here is what works for me. I have a star drill, which is normally held in your
left hand, struck with a five-pound mason's hammer, rotated slightly, struck
again, repeated until you are fatigued and still staring at an intimidating job.
To automate this a little:
First I drilled a 3/8 hole in the concrete wall with a masonry drill. I have
one long enough to go through a wall.
I drilled a shallow hole in the butt end of the star drill. Then I put the
pointed tool in my air chisel. Put a heavy leather glove on my left hand and
held the star drill up to the small hole in the concrete. Stuck the air-chisel
point in the shallow hole on the back of the star drill and squeezed the
trigger. I made sure that I kept rotating the star drill back and forth with
my left hand. (This is very important. If you don't keep the star drill
moving, it will get stuck in the hole. ) This made short work of putting large
holes in concrete.
It's amazing the shiny polished look the shallow hole in the back end of the
star drill acquires. :-)
--
Phil Ethier West Side Saint Paul Minnesota USA
1962 Triumph TR4 CT2846L, 1992 Saturn SL2, 1993 Suburban,
1994 Miata C package
pethier [at] comcast [dot] net http://forum.mnautox.com/forums/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier
I decry the textmessagization of the American-English language.
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