If you take care of your core drill properly, it will serve you well for years as a long-term investment. If you’re spending money on a core drill, the last thing that you want is poor performance because of a low-quality drill bit. That’s why it’s important to understand how to maintain your core drill bits. Extended use, poor handling, and improper usage of drills can all contribute to a lower lifespan for your bits.
It’s important to clarify early on that diamond core bits don’t really get “dull” or “sharp”. Instead, diamond bits can become glazed with use as debris gets into the bit, making them seem blunt and less effective. But, to keep things clear-cut and simple, we’ll be using the terms “dull” and “sharp” throughout this post.
Keep your core drill bits sharp (deglazed) and properly aligned for effective performance. To sharpen a bit, increase the weight on it while reducing the water flow. As the cut improves, gradually return the water flow to its original level. Always ensure proper alignment before you start drilling—trying to realign the bit mid-drill can damage the drill or even break the bit.
This post outlines a few useful tips on how to maintain your core drill bits, so that your drill can keep its high performance and consistent use.
How Do I Maintain My Core Drill Bits?
Do not try to realign the drill after you have started the drilling process. If you have begun to drill and you find that your hole is slightly off, be careful when moving forward. While you might want to exert more pressure on one side to account for the mistake, you should absolutely NOT do this because it could lead to severe complications.
Pressing to one side while drilling could cause materials to catch. When this happens, interfering with the drill can lead to mechanical complications. Doing this can also cause the bit to break, which is the last thing you want after spending thousands of dollars on a bit.
How Can I Tell If My Core Drill Bits Are Dull?
You may find it difficult to determine when your bit is dull. You’ll know it needs sharpening when it doesn’t cut as quickly as it used to. That seems intuitive, but oftentimes we think that there’s a mechanical issue when the bit is actually just dull.
To avoid going out to buy an entirely new drill, find a qualified professional to look at your bit. Or, if you’re confident in your own abilities, it’s also possible to sharpen your bit yourself.
Can You Sharpen A Core Drill?
To sharpen your core drill bit – to deglaze it – you need to raise the weight on your bit while reducing the water flow. When your cut begins to improve, the bit has successfully sharpened. At that point, you can return both the weight and the water to their original levels. Make sure you choose a bit that matches the material you’re drilling and suits the task you need to perform.Both of these are common reasons that a bit might dull prematurely – reasons can you can avoid by using the bit only for its intended purpose.
Some bits sharpen themselves during use — these are usually diamond-impregnated core bits. When you operate them correctly, the surrounding material wears away and exposes fresh diamond to maintain sharpness.
However, even diamond bits can become dull if you use them improperly. To prevent this, adjust your drill settings to match the type of material or ground you’re working with. Manufacturers design core bits for specific materials, so you won’t find a true one-size-fits-all solution. Always select a bit that matches both the material and the job. Using the wrong bit makes it much easier to wear it out prematurely.
When your bit stops cutting effectively, you can follow a few steps to sharpen it yourself. Start by briefly raise the weight on your bit by around 20 percent. While doing this, lessen the flow of water to the lowest amount that your manufacturer allows. You can check the lowest recommended water flow for your drill in the user’s manual, or on the manufacturer’s website.
When you increase the weight on the bit, you will also notice that the torque of the drill rotation increases. This means that your initial material is shaving down, thereby sharpening and exposing new material.
Your bit will begin to cut properly at this point. Once the cut improves, restore the water flow to the amount that it was at before you began to sharpen. You will also reduce the weight on the bit to its original amount.
This process should successfully sharpen your bit. If the bit is sharpened without much trouble, it’s likely that there is an identifiable reason for why it became prematurely dull. To avoid these issues, read your manual and make sure your bit is accurate for both the project itself, and the material you’re drilling on.
If you experience difficulty during this process, you may be dealing with a larger issue. It is advised that you contact a professional to take a look at your bit.
Why Should I Maintain My Core Drill Bits?
We’ve gone over the steps you can take to maintain your bits, but you might still be wondering why it’s necessary to maintain them at all.
A core drill bit is used to remove cylindrical portions of material. This often means that the person using the drill to do significant work on their home. Additionally, these parts are used by professionals who need to do an excellent job.
If you’re working individually on your home, you’re likely to have limited knowledge of construction. You’ll want to have functioning materials that will last. Even if you think that this will be the first and only time that you’re going to use the drill, you’ll want to be prepared for unexpected repairs that are needed in case you didn’t get it right the first time.
Another reason to correctly operate and properly maintain your core drill bits is that you have a chance of doing significant damage. Working on a home can be a very precise thing, and the last thing you want to do is replace an entire wall because the drill bit you were using slipped and you punctured a significant portion of sheetrock.
Professionals using this equipment face the same problems. Customers may be extremely angry about a mistake caused by poorly maintained equipment. This risks a bad reputation, further repair costs, and loss of a customer.
How Can I Be Sure I’m Using the Right Equipment?
When you’re using machinery, you need to know that it is correct for the task you are using it for. Constantly finding yourself maintaining your core drill bits? It could be a sign that you’re using the wrong one for your project. Before purchasing a new bit, take some time to research and choose the best fit. Need help finding or understanding the right option? Feel free to reach out — we’re happy to assist.