How to Remove a Drill Bit From a Concrete Hole
Drilling holes into concrete requires masonry drill bits. The type of drill you use determines the type of masonry bit. Some bits have blunt tips and are used in hammer-type drills. Standard rotary drills use a concrete bit with a regular tip.
Failure to allow the concrete material to exit the hole as you drill causes the bit to bind and eventually break. Removing a drill bit from a concrete hole depends upon whether the bit broke above the surface or below the surface of the concrete.
Things You Will Need
- Canned air
- Vise grips
- Needle-nose pliers
Warning
Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from dust and bits of concrete.
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Blow air straight into the hole with the canned air. This will loosen and remove some of the concrete dust around the drill bit.
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Lock the jaws of a pair of vise grips around the end of the bit, if the bit broke off above the surface. Grab the bit as close to the work surface as possible. Pull out the drill bit while turning the bit counterclockwise with the vise grips. Blow air into the hole as necessary if the bit jams while removing it from the concrete.
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Insert the jaw tips of a pair of needle-nose pliers into the hole, if the bit broke below the work surface. Attempt to grasp the end of the bit with the needle-nose pliers. If the needle-nose pliers cannot reach the bit, make the hole slightly larger with another drill bit. Drill just until you reach the broken bit.
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Blow the hole out with the canned air. Grasp the end of the drill bit with the needle-nose pliers. Pull and twist counterclockwise with the pliers to remove the bit from the hole.
The Drip Cap
- Drilling holes into concrete requires masonry drill bits.
- Failure to allow the concrete material to exit the hole as you drill causes the bit to bind and eventually break.
- Insert the jaw tips of a pair of needle-nose pliers into the hole, if the bit broke below the work surface.
- If the needle-nose pliers cannot reach the bit, make the hole slightly larger with another drill bit.
References
Writer Bio
Kenneth Crawford is a freelance writer with more than 10 years of experience. His work has appeared in both print and online publications, including "The American Chronicle." Crawford holds an associate degree in business administration from Commonwealth College.
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