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For an indoor fountain, I need to drill 1/2″ holes completely through several rounded river rocks. They appear to be granite, with a maximum thickness of 6″ and less.
I’ve done some tests with a carbide-tipped masonry bit in a standard 1/2″ drill, and it’s very slooow going: an hour’s work only penetrated about 1/2″.
Any tool/technique suggestions to speed things up (apart from high explosives)?
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I suggest taking your rocks to a monument(tombstone) manufacturer to see if they will drill the holes for you. It will be a career path if you try to do it yourself; be sure and take a sack lunch!
*Clint is right in suggesting taking it to someone who may have the right tools for the job. The minimum you would need to rent would be a heavy duty hammer drill and even then, depending on the rock and I have seen many that will turn a good bit to a molden lump, it may take you long enough that a box lunch might not be a bad idea.You'll only know when you try.
*Hi Peter,The monument company suggestion is good.If it is particularly hard rock a hammer drill may not work well - I have the biggeset Metabo and for some stuff it just doesn't cut it.Borrow or rent a rotary hammer. These have an electro-pneumatic mechanism that has a longer stroke, hits the rock harder, bits last longer, it uses lower amps and doesn't rattle you quite as much as a hammer drill with straight mechanical mechanism.Good health, Weogo
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For an indoor fountain, I need to drill 1/2" holes completely through several rounded river rocks. They appear to be granite, with a maximum thickness of 6" and less.
I've done some tests with a carbide-tipped masonry bit in a standard 1/2" drill, and it's very slooow going: an hour's work only penetrated about 1/2".
Any tool/technique suggestions to speed things up (apart from high explosives)?