Equipment Hire Guides

Mag Drill or Diamond Core Drill: Which One Do I Need?

Posted on by Hireload Team
Steelworker in hard hat using Rotabroach Piccolo mag drill clamped to steel beam for annular cutter hole drilling on site

Quick answer

Mag drill for steel, diamond core drill for masonry. A magnetic drill clamps itself to steel with an electromagnet; a diamond core drill cuts brick and block. They are not alternatives. Neither hire includes the cutting tool — you supply your own annular cutters or core bits.

Key takeaways

  • Material decides the machine. Steel or masonry, never both.
  • Cutters are not supplied. Work out your hole diameter before you book.
  • SDS Plus and SDS Max do not interchange. All our breakers are SDS Max.
  • Check the voltage. A 110V unit on 230V mains needs a transformer, and transformers are not included.
Steelworker using a Rotabroach magnetic drill clamped to a steel beam for annular cutter hole drilling on site
4040mm capacity, 11-16kg class
ACAnnular cutters, not supplied
V110V or 240V, confirm at booking
1dFrom £134.99 + VAT, mag drill
Your job Machine Bring
Hole through a steel beam, column or base plate Mag drill yes Annular cutters. Check 110V or 240V.
Hole through brick or block for a pipe, duct or cable Diamond core drill yes A 30-152mm dry core bit
Hole through reinforced concrete Usually neither no Heavy reinforcement may need a wet system. Ask first.
Several small holes in masonry SDS drill mid Faster and cheaper

The machine for this job

Dry diamond core drill — Makita 8406, 30 to 152mm

Buy one

£100s to £1,000s

plus the bits, which wear out anyway

Hire from

£24.99 + VAT

1 day, delivered across London

2 days £37.99 up to a week £49.99
Pick your dates on the product page for your exact price.

Check availability and book online

Secure checkout · Refundable damage deposit applies · Free Click & Collect from Greenford UB6

Why does neither hire include the cutting tool?

You supply your own cutters and core bits. This is the single most important line in this guide.

The dry diamond drill accepts any standard dry diamond core bit from 30mm to 152mm. The bit is not supplied. The mag drill takes standard annular cutters. Also not supplied.

Why this matters: cutters are consumables sized to the job, and they wear. If you book the machine and nothing else, you take delivery of a drill you cannot use.

What does the magnetic drill do?

The mag drill is a Rotabroach magnetic drill available in 110V or 240V, supplied in the medium class at 11 to 16kg with 40mm capacity.

The electromagnet in the base clamps the machine to the steel you are drilling, which lets it apply real cutting pressure to a beam, a column, a base plate or a bracket without a bench.

Safety note: the electromagnet only grips ferrous steel of adequate thickness. It will not hold on thin sheet, on aluminium, on some stainless grades, or through heavy scale. Use the safety chain.
Read more: the power mismatch that costs a Saturday
If the unit supplied is 110V and you only have 230V mains, you will need a suitable step-down transformer. We hire 3kVA and 5kVA site transformers for exactly this. Confirm the voltage of the unit at booking so you do not discover the mismatch on site.

What does the diamond core drill do?

The dry diamond drill is a Makita 8406, 240V, accepting any standard dry diamond core bit from 30mm to 152mm for clean holes in brick and masonry.

This is the machine for a soil pipe penetration, an extractor duct, a boiler flue, a cable route through a wall, or a core through blockwork.

Dust note: “dry” means no water feed, which makes it practical inside a finished property. It also means dust, so plan extraction and sheeting before you start.

What is the difference between SDS Plus and SDS Max?

This is the specification people skip and then discover on site.

SDS Plus is the smaller shank, used on lighter rotary hammers. SDS Max is the larger shank on heavier machines. All our breakers are SDS Max.

Not interchangeable: turn up with a box of SDS Plus chisels and an SDS Max breaker and nothing in that box will go in the machine.

What should I check before I drill?

Know the diameter. Both machines are sized by the hole, not by the machine.

Know the material, properly. “A wall” is not enough. Solid brick, cavity blockwork, concrete and steel all behave differently, and reinforcement inside concrete will stop a standard dry core bit.

Check what is inside the wall. Cables, pipework and structural elements do not announce themselves. Have the area scanned where there is any doubt.

Health note: silica dust from masonry is a recognised health hazard. Sheet the area, use extraction where you can, and wear respiratory protection rather than working through a cloud.
Read more: when the hole is a structural question
Cutting a large hole through a wall can be a structural matter, particularly in a load-bearing wall, near an opening, or in a period property. If the hole is anything other than a small service penetration in a non-structural wall, take advice from a structural engineer or your building control officer first. This guide cannot tell you whether your specific wall can take the hole.

Frequently asked questions

Does the hire include the core bit or cutters?
No. Both machines are supplied without cutting tools. The Makita 8406 accepts any standard dry diamond core bit from 30mm to 152mm, and the mag drill takes standard annular cutters. Work out your hole size before the machine arrives.
Can a mag drill cut through a brick wall?
No. A magnetic drill clamps to ferrous steel using an electromagnet and is designed to cut steel. On masonry it has nothing to grip and nothing suitable to cut with. Use a diamond core drill for brick and block.
Is the mag drill 110V or 240V?
Either, depending on the unit supplied. If you receive a 110V unit and only have 230V mains, a step-down transformer is required. Confirm the voltage when you book so a transformer can go on the same delivery.
What size holes can the Makita 8406 do?
It accepts any standard dry diamond core bit from 30mm to 152mm. The machine stays the same; you change the bit to suit the hole.
Will a diamond core drill go through reinforced concrete?
A dry diamond core system is intended for brick and masonry. Heavy reinforcement usually stops a standard dry bit, and that work often needs a wet diamond system and an experienced operator. Describe the job before booking.
Do I need to check the wall before drilling?
Yes. Scan for buried cables and pipework, and confirm the structural position of the hole. A large penetration in a load-bearing wall may need approval and design input from a structural engineer.

Harun Uchak — founder, Hireload. Runs the fleet from Greenford and takes the delivery calls himself.

Book the right drill for the material

Steel or masonry, 110V or 240V — we confirm before it leaves the depot

See drilling equipment

Or call 020 3375 4048 with the diameter, depth and material · Refundable damage deposit applies · Free Click & Collect from Greenford UB6

Related guidance

Specifications were verified from our live product pages and may vary by the unit supplied. This is general practical guidance, not structural, electrical or health and safety advice. For holes in load-bearing walls, take advice from a structural engineer or building control. For dust control and respiratory protection, follow current HSE guidance.

Hireload Team

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CLICK TO CALL WHATSAPP

Booked with us before?

If you hired from Hireload without an account, enter the email you booked with. We’ll email you a link to set up your account, where you can see your hires and extend them online.