Let's not over-think this.
I mean ... X-ray? Really? We're not talking a pre-stressed concrete floor- we're talking about the typical block wall, where we make countless holes for 3/4" EMT daily.
Nor are we likely to contract THOSE holes out. Yet, just 'brushing' against rebar is enough to ruin a good hole.
I haven't put a ruler on the rebar used in block walls, especially for the "bond beam." Heck, it might be 1/2" some of the time .... but it sure isn't 5/8"! That's a pretty hefty rebar, something I only rarely see, and then in substantial foundation pours. That discussion, misses the point: rebar is sure to be a fraction the size of the hole you're trying to make.
This thread was inspired by a series of holes I needed to make for 3" pipe. Invariably, I'd catch the rebar along the edge of the hole. It's a real puzzler when the holes for pipes #1, #2, and #4 sail clear through ... yet hole #3 manages to catch steel along one edge. You can't move that hole, and even a small 'adjustment' is difficult with the bulk of the hole already made.
So far, I don't think anyone has tried that Bosch 'rebar cutter' bit, in any size. Pity. I suppose I'll have to front the $55 and find out firsthand. If I do, I'll be sure to make a report.
