Stumbled on a trick for drilling through rebar with a standard bit

I was working on a foundation pour out in Austin last week and hit rebar trying to run some conduit. Normally I'd grab a rebar cutter but didn't have one handy, so I tried slowing the RPM way down and using constant pressure instead of hammering. Got through 3 bars on a single Milwaukee bit without burning it up. Has anyone else tried this or is there a better method I'm missing?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_martin287d ago

Yeah that whole "slow RPM constant pressure" thing. I've been doing it for years on old concrete slabs. Works way better than you'd think. The key is keeping the bit cool so it doesn't lose its edge. I'll dip the bit in water every 30 seconds or so. Also makes the dust less of a mess if you can believe it.

lily5746d agoOG Member

Man, I feel this in my bones. There's nothing worse than having a bit go dull halfway through a job and fighting it the rest of the way. I've been doing the water dip trick too and it really does cut down on the mess surprisingly well.