wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:10:41 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:


"MiamiCuse" wrote in message
...
I have never drilled through rocks before and I am wondering how
different
it will be compared to drilling through solid concrete. I suspect it may
be harder?

I have an exterior wall that is a 12" thick concrete block wall (8"
block
with a layer of 4" block), and on the outside of this is a layer of
rock/stone face like this:

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ckfacewall.jpg

I want to add a hose bib on that wall. I have access from the inside
and
a copper pipe is near by that I can split off and run a 1/2" copper pipe
there. I have a rotary hammer with concrete bits and I can chew through
the 12" concrete block like butter, but I am not so sure about this
rock...I don't want to end up pushing a piece of rock completely out,
and
if I can drill into it I don't know how clean the hole will be, will I
end
up cracking it into two?

I don't have a spare piece of rock or I would try to drill it just to
see.

Thanks in advance,

MC

I would be interested in this answer, also. I want to make a rock feature
on a rebar skeleton, and I was wondering about drilling half way through
the
rocks to mount them on the skeleton's fingers. Wondering if the Makita
roto-hammer I have would drill a hole or crack the rock. I have tons of
rock I would like to get rid of if you would like some. They grow here.
Every time you think you got them cleared, more pop out of the soil.

Steve


It really depends on what kind of rock you are talking about. In Miami
it will be coral rock or limestone and a hammer drill will go right
through it. They break up coral rock with a back hoe.
I am not sure about what kind of rock Steve has in Utah. I collect
rocks from our travels out west and I have picked up everything from
soft sandstone you can drill with a pocket knife to some granite like
material that would be tough to drill with a rotary hammer.


Not coral rock. It may be more like granite.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ckfacewall.jpg