Concrete cutting

[Phil]

Hi all,

Can I cut concrete using a router fixed to a hand power drill?

I'm moving to a place with a very large backyard, backing
a reserve. The adjoining 5 acre paddock, below the hill
reserve just happens to have 3 appropriately placed
concrete pads, about half the size of a standard cricket
pitch. I am unaware as to the initial intention of the
concrete pads.

Seems ideal for a rough golfcourse. I plan to cover
the pads with synthetic grass or similar. But now I need
to cut the holes in the concrete and also need to know
the regulation diameter of a golf hole. I presume that I
can buy or make the plastic insert.

Any ideas?

Phil

[Jerry]

I would be a bit nervous of using a hand drill for something like that,
you'll probably burn it out.

Why not forget about making precise round holes, just hack out any old
shape with a tool designed for breaking concrete, then fill in the bit
you don't want with cement/concrete.
If you fill the pipes with foam, or make 'caps' for them, then you'll
just need to push them into the muck. I think top 'caps' would be a
good idea to prevent them getting full of water and dirt.

Actually that concept is asking for embellishment.

http://www.cnenigeria.com/sports/golf.htm
|Each hole has at one end a starting point known as a tee and, imbedded
in the ground at the other end, marked by a flag, a cup or cylindrical
container (also called a hole) into which the ball must be propelled in
order to complete play at each hole. The cup is usually made of metal
or plastic, 10.8 cm (4.2 in) in diameter, and at least 10 cm (4 in)
deep.|

Search:
golf hole diameter standard

[Phil]

Thanks Jerry,

Now I have learnt that the standard cup is 4.2'" in diameter.

Yep, I had thought about "hacking" also. But how does one refill
the bits not needed to be hacked?

Phil

[Jerry]

Well, I've been thinking about that.

The first thing is to ensure that cement /cannot/ get into the pipe -
hence the 'caps' although just wrapping both top and bottom with gaffer
tape would probably work just as well.

Once you have your oversize hole hacked out, half fill it with cement,
push in the cylinder, align and shovel in the rest of the cement with
some of the broken up concrete as ballast.

When the concrete has set you simply remove the top - if you used tape
then a stanley knife would work nicely.

Personally I think that I would machine a solid cylinder of wood with a
central hole to take the flag pole, that would help with aligning the
cup vertically.

I've a feeling that I'm dredging up memories of planting steel fence
post holders in concrete.

[Phil]

Jerry,

Ahaa .. thanks to you I have just realised the simplest answer. I was
looking
inside the square, but I have found as usual that answers lay beyond
self-imposed
limitations. All I need do is to extend each pad with extra concrete.
No need to have
the hole in the centre of the existing pads. I could reshape each pad
and
have a hole to one side. In fact two holes at opposing ends, offset to
allow for
both left and right handed golfers would double up as practice putting
greens.

Glueing the synthetic turf over the lot, then using your trusty Stanley
knife about
the holes will do the trick quite nicely. I presume that I should oil
or use say vaseline
for the temporary pipe to ensure that I can remove it once the concrete
has set.

Subsidence (sp) of the surrounding earth over the years will mean that
the existing
pads are not neccesarily dead level. All the better! Makes for a
tougher course!

Thanks Jerry, you have helped a lot. Just need to keep the whole bloody
paddock
mown now. Might fence it off and purchase a couple of head of sheep
instead.
As we turn the sheep over, we will earn some cheap meat in the process.

Thanks a million.

Phil

[Jerry]

That sheep idea is a neat trick

- the only catch is that you'll need to fence off any vegetable area /
garden

[Norman]

Geese do the same job and are better than German Sheapards at
protecting the place but be careful, they mate for life so if you are
thinking of knocking the occasional one off for the pot you are going
to be left with a moody one on your hands.

Best

[Drew]

Hi guys. Back in the land of the living -- sort of. Bleedin ISP playing
silly buggers though.

Concrete and stone cutting, which I have had occasion to engage in, is
best done with a diamond cutter though stone cutting disks are fine.
Not expensive, coupled up to a butch angle grinder. Or you can buy one
of the cheap SDS hammer drills incorporating a non-rotating chisel
function. Brutal they are and can even wallop granite. All to do with
mass -- back to colliding bodies again. Then there is conc hydrochloric
acid which if left overnight makes an impressive, if somewhat smelly,
hole. Finally, light a big fire and shatter the stuff, or use a
blow-torch for more accuracy -- though bear in mind it's a little
explosive.

Pretty impressive geese mating for life -- I can only manage a few
hours.

Best

[Drew]

Just having a new catalogue browse (CPC) tonight. Diamond cutting
wheels for angle grinders come in at a quid! OK you *can* spend a lot
more but hey, what a bargain. Does one take it that the Russian diamond
manufacturers have gone mega?

Best

[Phil]

Hi Drew,

While you are catalogue browsing, is there such a thing as a diamond
router? I take heed of Jerry's advice in risking burning out the hand
drill though.

Phil

[Jerry]

My other worry is that you'll spend a lot of effort cutting out the
holes 'just right'
- when you can easily hack and repair

My understanding is that industrial diamonds are really quite cheap -
they are a way of keeping up the price of 'real' ones.

[Norman]

Reminds me of a conversation between Micky mouse and goofy in a kids
comic.
Goofy "Have you got a circular saw"?
MM "What for"?
Goofy "I want to drill a circular hole in my front door"
MM "Why"?
Goofy" For circular letters"

How is an angle grinder going to cut a hole in concrete for a golf ball
to fall into?

Diamond tipped tools for routers exist, I had a cousin in England that
used to sell them. Bloody expensive and only about an inch cut depth.

Best

[Drew]

I haven't come across diamond routers, but as Norman says the trouble
with routers is the depth. Very easy to snap bits longer than an inch
or two (0.25 inch shafts). Had a look at diamond (and carbide) hole
saws and though not cripplingly expensive would be a bit of a waste for
one use. However you could hire one complete with petrol engine machine
for a day for maybe $30. I'd tend to go for the hack out a hole and
repair though.

Here's a wee trick for you. Make the hole a few inches deeper and
incorporate a close fitting plate at the bottom, resting on a
microswitch which powers a solenoid like a pin-ball mechanism. When a
ball goes down the hole it shoots out again. In my darker moments
I've contemplated sabotaging the prestigious Turnbury Golf Course for
'The Open'. Oh how they would laugh.

Best

[Jerry]

Maybe baked on pheasants blood is a potential new enamel for cars ?
- you might have run into a new coating process

The other alternative to a solenoid would be some sort of 'trap door'
- so the ball goes in and disappears

[Norman]

I heard a story doing the rounds a few years ago about a guy in South
Africa who instead of cleaning cars as is usual, made a business from
coating four wheel drives with mud and firing a few bullet holes in the
driver's door. A bit of one upmanship that is probably as true as
most of the other stories that go round.

Best

[Jerry]

That sounds an interesting approach

In the 6 Days War the Israelis mobilized a basically civilian
population, for transport they used anything that came to hand - ice
cream vans, buses etc.

They smeared them with mud, not for camauflage, but to make them look
less 'un-military'

I read that in R & W Churchill's book on the subject.

Heh, you'll love this one.
There is a talented but totally mad young programmer who haunts some of
the software newsgroups - he came up with a classic statement :

'most programmers are slightly autistic'

He has soared in my estimation.

[Drew]

Only *slightly* autistic?!

Even noticed how tenacious dead fly residue on the front of vehicles
is? Another possible permanent paint formulation in the waiting.

Here's a joke...
What does New Orleans have in common with icebergs? They're both four
fifths under water.

Best