Does the SolVe Mount drill through slate?

No. The SolVe Mount does NOT drill through slate. It uses a much gentler method called diamond coring — a hollow tube with tiny diamonds on the edge that gently grinds away a clean 28mm circle with almost no vibration.

What is coring and how is it different from drilling?

Coring uses a diamond core bit — a hollow tube with tiny diamonds on the edge. You only guide it lightly (no heavy pushing). It spins and slowly grinds away the material in a perfect circle. No hammering, no big pressure, no vibration that causes cracks. Normal drilling forces a spinning bit through material with heavy pressure and vibration.

Is diamond coring safe for slate roofs?

Yes. Diamond coring is so gentle it is used every day on glass — shower screens, bathroom mirrors, glass tabletops. If it can cut a clean hole in glass without cracking it, it is even safer on slate or clay tiles, which are much tougher.

How does the SolVe Mount compare to traditional flashing?

Traditional flashing usually requires a noisy angle grinder to make six straight cuts in the slate. The SolVe Mount only needs a gentle 28mm diamond core, a pre-drill, and then the mount screws in with an expanding silicone seal — no messy sealant or flashing needed. It's simpler and gentler.

Does the SolVe Mount Require Drilling Through Slate? Coring vs Drilling Explained (Gentler Than Flashing)

Q: Does the SolVe Mount put any load on the slate?

No. All the weight and force stays on the strong rafter — zero squeezing on the slate or tile itself.

What Most People Mean by "Drilling Through Slate"

Normal drilling is like forcing a spinning bit through the material with heavy pressure and vibration:

You push hard.
The bit spins fast.
It often hammers or bangs.

Slate is beautiful but brittle — like a thin, hard biscuit. All that pushing and shaking can crack or chip it. That is why many installers say "no thanks" to drilling through slate.

What Is Coring? (This Is What SolVe Uses)

Coring is completely different. It is gentle — the same technique used to cut holes in glass shower screens without cracking them.

SolVe uses a diamond core bit — a hollow tube with tiny diamonds on the edge.

You only guide it lightly (no heavy pushing).
It spins and slowly grinds away the material in a perfect circle.
It removes a clean 28 mm working hole through the roof covering only.

No hammering. No big pressure. No vibration that causes cracks.

Coring vs Traditional Drilling vs Angle Grinder — What You'll Actually Feel on the Roof

Aspect	Traditional Drilling	Angle Grinder (Disk Cutting)	SolVe Coring (Diamond Core Bit)
Force you apply	Heavy pushing — you lean into it	Minimal — you must be very careful not to touch the slate underneath	Light guidance only — the bit does the work
Vibration & noise	High — shakes your arms and the whole slate	Very noisy	Less noisy
Hammer/percussion	Often used	Never needed	Never needed
How the hole is made	Forces its way through	Rectangle made by 6 straight cuts	Gently grinds and removes a plug in one clean action
Effect on surrounding slate	Can create stress cracks or chips	Rectangle creates weak points prone to cracking with pressure	Leaves the slate around the hole almost undisturbed and maintains tile strength

Video: Diamond Core — 28mm Hole in Slate

Proof It Is Really Gentle: It Works on Glass!

Diamond coring is used every day on glass — one of the most breakable things you can imagine:

Shower screens
Bathroom mirrors
Glass tabletops

If a diamond core bit can cut a clean hole in glass without cracking it, it is even safer on slate or clay tiles, which are much tougher.

Video: Diamond Coring on Glass Demonstration

How Does the SolVe Mount Access the Rafter? Similar to Roof Hooks & Flashing, but Gentler

The process feels familiar to roofers who already install flashing — but it is much easier and safer.

Traditional flashing usually uses a noisy angle grinder to make six straight cuts in the slate. You carefully cut a rectangle in the top layer (being very careful not to touch the slate underneath), then make three more cuts on the layer below to create the working area. This gives you a rectangular hole — very similar to the neat circular working area that SolVe creates.

Many installers worry about using a powerful angle grinder on delicate slate roofs. The vibration and straight cuts can feel risky.

With SolVe Mount, you have a much gentler option:

3-Step Coring Process

Core — Gently core a perfect 28 mm circle with the diamond bit (almost no vibration).
Drill — Use the included drill guide to pre-drill the rafter below.
Fix — Insert the mount and tighten the nut. The special expanding silicone seal fills the hole perfectly from the inside — no messy sealant or flashing needed.

All the weight and force stays on the strong rafter — zero squeezing on the slate or tile itself.