D-Drill head to the beach

A concrete cutting expert in Wales worked against the tide to complete its first drilling job actually on a beach.

Gary Robinson and Mathew John, from the Bridgend branch of nationally-acclaimed diamond drilling and concrete sawing company D-Drill, were called in by Evan Pritchard Contractors to work on a breakwater on Saundersfoot beach, near Tenby. 

Site operative Gary and Mathew, who is one of the firm’s new apprentices, were required to drill five 325mm diameter holes 600mm deep into a reinforced concrete plinth within the sand where, over the years of rough seas, old steel posts had rusted and become unsafe. 

They were working against the clock and had just hours to complete the job while the tide was out.  

Gary said: “Evan Pritchard cut the old posts flush with the concrete for us to re-drill fresh holes as close as possible to the old steel posts as the timbers, which were also being replaced, ensuring that they remained approximately the same distance apart. 

“We used a hydraulic motor, hydraulic pack, petrol generator and bolted down the rig to the concrete slab using a Hilti te60 drill.  

“We then drilled to the required depth and removed the core ready for the placement of the new post which was being set by Evan Pritchard with a rapid setting concrete mixed up on site. This was done for each of the five holes we drilled.” 

Gary added: “This was the first time we’ve ever done a drilling job on a beach and it was certainly an experience.  

“We arrived on-site at 7.45am and then began drilling as soon as the tide was past the concrete slab we were working on. We left the site at about 6pm. 

“We were very happy with how the job went and Evan Pritchard Contractors, who were working on behalf of the local council, were also pleased with our work.  

“We devised a system in which we drilled the holes as the contractors placed the concrete posts in behind us which worked very well and we managed to complete the job before the tide came back in.”

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