Drilling Concrete Poles

[linemanfrog]

What type of drill do you prefer for drilling large concrete poles?

The hydraulic hammer drills are nice since you do not have to drag extension cords in the air. However the tend to over heat with extended use and burn the seals up. We even had hyraulic oil coolers installed on our bucket trucks to help lessen this effect.

The hydraulic core bore drills are sweet to use, do not get overheated like the hammer drills, but you must use a sprayer set up to have water flowing through the bit to wash out the concrete. They go through steel rebar/plates much quicker than any hammer drill I think. They are cleaner since there is no dust blowing everywhere.

The electric core bore that have tried was prone to binding up and not nearly as efficient as the hydraulic ones.

The electric hammer drills are good to use as well but create a lot of dust, and user fatigue from all the vibration. We just ordered a larger one made by Dewalt that is supposed to have some shock absorber technology, cannot wait to try it out and see how well it works.

So what is your take? What have you used and what have you found worked best for drilling 13/16 and 1 inch holes in solid concrete poles that are up to 16 inches thick?

Currently we are drilling nearly all the way through the pole with hammer drills and finishing the last inch or two with the core bores. Works well for us, just wanting to see what everyone else is doing and using.

Frog

[Old Line Dog]

Always just used the Hydralic Hammer type. Use to get about 3/4 way thru, then switch to the other side and try to line that puppy up, and link the holes so we wouldn't have a "Blowout" by just drillin straight thru.

Never seen any of the core bores, with the water. Lookin forward to readin this thread.

[jaxtaz]

We used a Bosch 24 volt hammer drill, with lithion batteries. Would get 5-6 holes out of one.

[busman]

To avoid blowout, I do the same thing with drilling from both sides, but to make alignment easier, I switch to a small (1/2") bit and complete drilling thru from the first side with very light pressure. The blowout from the small bit is almost always smaller than the final 1" or larger hole and no need to guess at the alignment. This is more important for an electrician since we drill more thru walls than poles and you can't just look around the other side to guess at the alignment.

Mark

[Pootnaigle]

UMMMMMmmmmmmm the hole oo]s LREADY THERE ITS JUST FULLA COMCRETE

[Lineman North Florida]

Drilled a little over halfway thru measured around with a level and pencil marked center then drilled from that side to match holes, no problem, finally got a core bore drill, now drill with rotary hammer until there is only a couple of inches left and finish hole with a core bore drill, no blowouts piece of cake. So how is that new Dewalt working out for you Frog?:D

[linemanfrog]

Drilled a little over halfway thru measured around with a level and pencil marked center then drilled from that side to match holes, no problem, finally got a core bore drill, now drill with rotary hammer until there is only a couple of inches left and finish hole with a core bore drill, no blowouts piece of cake. So how is that new Dewalt working out for you Frog?:D

The new Dewalt rotary hammer is the ticket. 13 inches of concrete with a 1 inch bit in just under 2 minutes. The shock absorber technology the Dewalt has is sweet so even drilling that fast does not cause fatigue from vibration and even the steel plates/rebar do no slow it down at all. Infact the only way you can tell you have hit rebar or the steel plates is a change in the sound the bit makes and the concrete dust stops flying for just a few seconds until it punches through it and gets back to the concrete. Not sure what model it is, I'll try to put that in a later post.

[linemanfrog]

To avoid blowout, I do the same thing with drilling from both sides, but to make alignment easier, I switch to a small (1/2") bit and complete drilling thru from the first side with very light pressure. The blowout from the small bit is almost always smaller than the final 1" or larger hole and no need to guess at the alignment. This is more important for an electrician since we drill more thru walls than poles and you can't just look around the other side to guess at the alignment.

Mark

Sounds like a great idea Mark

[Old Line Dog]

The new Dewalt rotary hammer is the ticket. 13 inches of concrete with a 1 inch bit in just under 2 minutes. The shock absorber technology the Dewalt has is sweet so even drilling that fast does not cause fatigue from vibration and even the steel plates/rebar do no slow it down at all. Infact the only way you can tell you have hit rebar or the steel plates is a change in the sound the bit makes and the concrete dust stops flying for just a few seconds until it punches through it and gets back to the concrete. Not sure what model it is, I'll try to put that in a later post.

****! I only been out of Linework like....6 years, and this new stuff is amazing. What about the blowout though Frog?

Still don't understand how ANY drill deals with that. Just drillin straight thru....

[Lineman North Florida]

****! I only been out of Linework like....6 years, and this new stuff is amazing. What about the blowout though Frog?

Still don't understand how ANY drill deals with that. Just drillin straight thru....

It doesn't he's finishing off the hole with a core bore drill, it is a hollow bit with a diamond tip, he leaves an inch or two and lets the core bore cut out a plug of concrete.

[Lineman North Florida]

The new Dewalt rotary hammer is the ticket. 13 inches of concrete with a 1 inch bit in just under 2 minutes. The shock absorber technology the Dewalt has is sweet so even drilling that fast does not cause fatigue from vibration and even the steel plates/rebar do no slow it down at all. Infact the only way you can tell you have hit rebar or the steel plates is a change in the sound the bit makes and the concrete dust stops flying for just a few seconds until it punches through it and gets back to the concrete. Not sure what model it is, I'll try to put that in a later post. If it's all that good you need to put the fellow that got it for you in for a raise.:D

[Old Line Dog]

It doesn't he's finishing off the hole with a core bore drill, it is a hollow bit with a diamond tip, he leaves an inch or two and lets the core bore cut out a plug of concrete.

Thanks man.:cool:

Understand the concept...would just like to "see" it. Most likely never will though.

Serious cool,... things have improved SO much in Linework for Linemen!!