Hammer drill

[5030]

If I remember correctly, my Bosch was around 250 bucks and than was at least 15 years ago. Bought it at Fastenal. I get my bits and core drills there as well.

 

[EddieWalker]

I didn't believe that a SDS drill was $250 so I looked at the Home Depot web site to see what the Makita is selling for and it shocked me.

Makita 8 Amp 1 in. Corded SDS-Plus Concrete/Masonry AVT Rotary Hammer Drill with 4-1/2 in. Corded Angle Grinder with Hard Case HR2641X1 - The Home Depot

The Makita 1 in. AVT Rotary Hammer (model HR2641, with D-Handle) is engineered with Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT), an internal counterbalance system for significantly less vibration. The HR2641 combines

www.homedepot.com

I think I paid $100 for the SDS and grinder combo a few years before Covid. I keep the SDS in my truck because I use it for so many jobs that I do. It's fantastic for drilling in concrete, but it's also great for removing brick or tile in the jack hammer mode. On some jobs, I use it all day long, for several days in a row, taking up tile. I hate paying that much money for it, but if it dies, I'll buy another one that very day!!!! It's a must have tool.

I had hammer drills before buying the SDS, and they are horrible. Easily the worse things ever for drilling concrete. If you haven't used a SDS, it's impossible to describe the difference. The best I can come up with is putting a nail into butter compared to putting it into a 2x4. It's just so fast and easy with a SDS.

I also have a SDS Max, and it's three times as heavy, but a lot more powerful. I use it for holes over half an inch and jack hammering concrete slabs when I'm relocation drain lines for remodel jobs. It's also a Makita. I bought a Hitachi the first time because I read a very positive review, but it only lasted a year. Next one was a Bosch because they invented SDS and I thought that meant something, but it didn't, and it only lasted a year. The Makita has lasted about ten years, and it's been perfect for everything I needed it for.

One of the super handy attachments for the SDS Max is a shovel. It doesn't matter how hard my red clay is, I can jack hammer through it with my SDS Max shove tip and create a hole big enough to hold a bucket full of water. I give it a day or two, or even come back the following week, and it's easy to drill with my auger. In the heat of Summer, it's the only way that I can keep moving forward with fencing, and get the holes drilled for my wood posts.

 

[ponytug]

I like @EddieWalker's analogy of a nail through butter. There really is no comparison.

I've heard great things about the Makita as well, but I don't use mine that much, so I own a couple of off-brands. If I end up using them enough to burn them out, I will be able to justify to myself the expensive of a good one. I did take my off brands apart when I first bought them to check on lubrication and fasteners, just in case.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Alan W.]

I also have the Makitas in sds and sds max.
My max is an older version of Eddies.
Purchased it to install step rungs in manhole risers.
Oh and the max are the bomb for driving ground rods with the attachment.

 

[fatjay]

Up until now i've only done block or small cement holes. These are 1/2" holes 4" deep, so it's a little different. I wanted something more substantial. Then I realized my milwauke m12 drill has a hammer setting. So I'm going to try that out too, just for fun.

 

[BlueKnife]

I'll join the group praising SDS drills. It may not sound like it from the names but there is a massive difference between a "hammer drill" and a rotary hammer. I wouldn't mess with a hammer drill for anything over 1/4", unless I was 100% sure that that was the last hole I'd ever drill in concrete.

 

[4570Man]

I'll join the group praising SDS drills. It may not sound like it from the names but there is a massive difference between a "hammer drill" and a rotary hammer. I wouldn't mess with a hammer drill for anything over 1/4", unless I was 100% sure that that was the last hole I'd ever drill in concrete.

There’s a substantial difference between the 2 even for drilling a 3/16” or 1/4” hole for concrete anchors. I used to hate having to drill holes for concrete anchors. The regular hammer drill is extremely loud, takes forever to drill a hole, the jacobs chuck loves spitting out bits, the high speed rotation overheats and destroys bits, and it doesn’t go through wood very easily with the concrete bit. The SDS drill isn’t quite either but it’s a lot less annoying, it drills the hole in just a few seconds, the SDS splined chuck works effortlessly, the rotation speed is pretty slow which is a lot better for but life and it easily drives the concrete bit through wood which makes anchoring wood a lot faster. I have a SDS max as well. I bought an adapter to use SDS bits before I had the SDS drill but I found that the excessive hammering force would wallow out the hole and make the screws loose grip. The SDS max is a great tool, just not the right one for drilling 1/4” holes.

 

[BlueKnife]

There’s a substantial difference between the 2 even for drilling a 3/16” or 1/4” hole for concrete anchors. I used the hate having to drill holes for concrete anchors. The regular hammer drill is extremely loud, takes forever to drill a hole, the jacobs chuck loves spitting out bits, the high speed rotation overheats and destroys bits, and it doesn’t go through wood very easily with the concrete bit. The SDS drill isn’t quite either but it’s a lot less annoying, it drills the hole in just a few seconds, the SDS splined chuck works effortlessly, the rotation speed is pretty slow which is a lot better for but life and it easily drives the concrete bit through wood which makes anchoring wood a lot faster. I have a SDS max as well. I bought an adapter to use SDS bits before I had the SDS drill but I found that the excessive hammering force would wallow out the hole and make the screws loose grip. The SDS max is a great tool, just not the right one for drilling 1/4” holes.

Agreed. I just meant that if a person was only ever going to drill 1/4" and smaller holes, they could get by with a hammer drill if they had limited funds and wanted to go cheap. I haven't used a hammer drill in years. I use my DeWalt SDS Plus rotary hammer multiple times a week. Just drilled 40 5/8"x5" holes with it this morning, in fact.

 

[kenmbz]

I do only cinderblock so far, so can't justify $250 and up for SDS.
But if I had to do solid concrete, SDS would be very worthwhile (necessary).

Even 3/8" so far on the cinderblock hasn't been to bad. But it's not solid concrete.

 

[fatjay]

Ok so I gave it a try. I put my Milwaukee M12 drill on hammer mode and tried with that:

https://imgur.com/DxLIomG

Then I used the Milwaukee hammer drill:

https://imgur.com/1kWcMSK

There was a bit of a difference.