Masonary firebox - Ceramic Tile Advice Forums

JohnF · 10-04-2002, 07:49 PM

Hi, I am installing a gas insert into a old wood fire box and need to drill through the outside of the masonary for the gas line. Any advice on how hard this is and what specialty tools are needed..
I'm new to the forum so thanks in advance for any info

rj · 10-04-2002, 08:01 PM

Hi John Welcome.... sounds like a propane hook-up from outside ? how thick do you have to drill through ?
I prefer a hammer drill for masonary...the length of the bit is determined by the thickness of the material.
see if any friends have a hammer drill....if not call your local tool rental place.... R.J.

cx · 10-04-2002, 11:14 PM

Geeez, just what we needed, another John.

I'm guessing you're talking about an existing all-masonary fire box here? With rock veneer on the outside?

I, myownself, hafta do two of those next week, for to install gas logs in two very fine, less than ten years old, masonary boxes.

As rj suggests, I will drill holes for the pipe with a hammer drill and long carbide bit. The biggest problem you are likely to have is trying not to break the fire brick on the inside of the fireplace. Fire brick is pretty soft stuff, but if you do break one, it's not much of a big deal since you aren't gonna be building no more fars in there anyway.

Second problem is likely to be the length of the bit you'll need. Depending upon which direction you try to go out of that box, you could easily need to drill a couple of feet. Maybe four inches of fire brick, some air, maybe four to eight inches of concrete block, some more air, five to eight inches of outside brick or rockwork.

Sometimes you can drill right through all those things, but sometimes you find it's easier to chip out a brick on the inside, a rock on the outside, and just drill whatever you find in the middle.

Or maybe you're dealing with something different entirely.

Give us more hints.

John Bridge · 10-05-2002, 05:54 AM

Welcome, John. Nice name.

bbcamp · 10-07-2002, 06:52 AM

CX

Do you change drill bits when drilling thru air?

cx · 10-07-2002, 08:45 AM

Well, leave it to a bowdark skulled injineer to axe a question like that.

Ain't you never heard of pneumatic drills?

Anyhow, carbide bits are fine for drilling rock and air, so long as the air is not air such as you might find in Houston in August. That air is sooo thick and heavy as to require special tools - such as those tools labeled SCUBA.

flatfloor · 10-07-2002, 09:22 AM

it's incisive repartee like that, that drives visitors to this forum to drinking or at least gives them an excuse.

John Bridge · 10-07-2002, 06:32 PM

Nobody brags about the air in Houston in August. We brag about it starting about now. 79 today. That'll carry right through til Christmas.

flatfloor · 10-07-2002, 08:03 PM

79...what's that the humidity?

rj · 10-07-2002, 09:37 PM

Jim....haven't you heard ?....it's a dry heat...

John Bridge · 10-08-2002, 05:24 PM

Don't you two start in on me again. What I'm saying is it's about time for your thermometers to plunge again. Mine will hover around 79 until Christmas. Let me spell that out . . . .

KW · 10-08-2002, 05:58 PM

John,

Don't you mean.....97

Me Three

KW

John Bridge · 10-08-2002, 06:15 PM

Oh thou with two icicles hanging down from thy nostrils.

rj · 10-08-2002, 09:18 PM

Been there....done that..

cx · 10-08-2002, 09:54 PM

Yeah, it's a bitchy place to have to spend the winter. Now, mind ya, I wouldn't wanna be in Houston for the winter, or any of them other seasons neither, but the Hill Country ain't bad. I remember well the first Christmas season I spent in this area. 1985 it was. Framing a house, we were, on Xmas day. Customer's BIL was taking video for the rellies in Canada. The high was 85 degrees as I recall.

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