I’d like to install a wood stove in my basement. It will require drilling a rather large (10″ approx.) hole through my 8″ concrete foundation to connect the stove pipe with an existing metalbestos chimney.
I live in a small town and don’t have access to a large concrete plug cutter so my plan is to hammerdrill a series of 3/8″ or 1/2″ diameter holes around the perimeter of the stove pipe opening and then knock the plug out.
Any alternate suggestions or ideas out there to do this job?
Built from locally sawn hemlock, this functional outdoor feature uses structural screws and metal connectors for fast, sturdy construction.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
"to connect the stove pipe with an existing metalbestos chimney"
appliances can not normally share flues, that being said, you may just want to cut a big square hole in the foundation with a gas concrete cut saw, you'll have to cut from both sides to get through 8", then set the thimble in place, form and repour it ..
Edited 9/27/2005 8:38 am ET by wane
The method you plan to use to go through the foundation wall is valid. However, going through 8" of concrete that many times (you'll need about 35-40 holes using a ½" bit) is a job that would normally call for a Kango, which is basically a heavy duty hammer-drill on steroids.
View Image
http://www.ferret.com.au/articles/28/0c01c528.asp
You can usually find one of these at a rental yard. Unless you do the kind of work that requires one frequently, they're too expensive to consider purchasing. If you have no rental yard in your area, ask the local plumber or electrician if they have one and would be willing to drill your holes for you. If that fails, buy or borrow the heaviest hammer drill you can find or afford (a Bosch Bulldog would be a good choice), and settle down for a long job of drilling.
Wear ear plugs....
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
I've done a couple of these and found it easier to drill a single hole in the center, then chip towards the center, working your way out to the line, rather than bore the many holes you would need to perforate the perimeter.
Been there, done that. Quickest for me was to whale the heck out of the spot I wanted the hole with a 12# sledge, which after about 10 minutes cracks thru about a 5 inch hole - 8" thick wall is about the thickest the sledge trick will work on. Then fire up the compressor and use an air hammer (even the small $8 HF cheapies will do this job) with pointed bit to round/chip out the hole to your size. Remeber to have ear protection.
Thanks for the suggestions...and I like the look of the Kango too!
By the time you get through dealing with the headaches of drilling a bunch of small holes, and figuring out what to do with the rebar that spans the hole (you do have reinforcing in the wall? or not?), you should pick up the phone book for the nearest city and find a company specialising in concrete cutting or pipeline work. Possibly also some of the larger excavating contractors. Tell them you need to core a 10" hole through an 8" wall. Somebody's bound to have a coring machine that will easily do that job in less than an hour, setup to finish. Any company that ever installs municipal sewer lines or does precast concrete is bound to at least know where a machine of that type can be found.
Been there, done that, I pick up the phone.