need advice on SDS-Max drill bits

[EddieWalker]

I've seen these SDS drills, but have never used one. What are they used for? I assumed they were like a hammer drill, but is there something else that makes them different?

The SDS is the smaller type and it's fantastic for drilling holes in concrete, tile and brick up to half an inch in diameter. I'm sure it will drill bigger, but my selection of bits for it only go up to half an inch. I also have a flat wide chisel type bit for it that takes out brick and tile very quickly.

The SDS Max is a bigger, more powerful version. I have a half inch bit that I use for anchor bolts all the time, and then a 1 3/4 inch bit that I can fit 3/4" conduit through concrete. Both just melt through concrete like a sharp drill bit through wood. There is no effort at all to drill through concrete with this, just hold the trigger and wait. I also have a pointed jackhammer bit that I use for relocating drain lines on concrete slab foundations. Once I break through the slab, it goes quickly by just enlarging the hole in the direction you want it to go. Not as fast as a full sized electric jack hammer, but much lighter and easier to use. Plus I own it, so that makes it easy to use when I want it. Then there is the ground rod pounder attachment. Just put it over the ground rod, hold the trigger and watch the ground rod sink into the ground. I did a very big playground with three layers of landscape timber around it that I ran rebar through with the ground rod attachment. Super fast and easy. And probably one of the neatest things is the spade bit. It doesn't matter how hard the clay soil is, that bid just digs right through it like nothing!!!

The bits are designed so they rotate and also go in and out. The combination of both directions allows it to break up the concrete better then anything ever invented before. It truly is night and day better then a hammer drill !!!!!!

 

[Cord]

Also pick up a ground rod pounder. The SDS Max units work awesome on the.

 

[newbury]

The SDS is the smaller type and it's fantastic for drilling holes in concrete, tile and brick up to half an inch in diameter. I'm sure it will drill bigger, but my selection of bits for it only go up to half an inch. I also have a flat wide chisel type bit for it that takes out brick and tile very quickly.

The SDS Max is a bigger, more powerful version. I have a half inch bit that I use for anchor bolts all the time, and then a 1 3/4 inch bit that I can fit 3/4" conduit through concrete. Both just melt through concrete like a sharp drill bit through wood. There is no effort at all to drill through concrete with this, just hold the trigger and wait. I also have a pointed jackhammer bit that I use for relocating drain lines on concrete slab foundations. Once I break through the slab, it goes quickly by just enlarging the hole in the direction you want it to go. Not as fast as a full sized electric jack hammer, but much lighter and easier to use. Plus I own it, so that makes it easy to use when I want it. Then there is the ground rod pounder attachment. Just put it over the ground rod, hold the trigger and watch the ground rod sink into the ground. I did a very big playground with three layers of landscape timber around it that I ran rebar through with the ground rod attachment. Super fast and easy. And probably one of the neatest things is the spade bit. It doesn't matter how hard the clay soil is, that bid just digs right through it like nothing!!!

The bits are designed so they rotate and also go in and out. The combination of both directions allows it to break up the concrete better then anything ever invented before. It truly is night and day better then a hammer drill !!!!!!

Boy, with that amazing salespitch I want to buy another one!

 

[gsganzer]

Boy, with that amazing salespitch I want to buy another one!

Googling them now!! So could I use a SDS Max to help jackhammer some rocks in post holes? Or am I better off renting a jack hammer?

 

[EddieWalker]

Googling them now!! So could I use a SDS Max to help jackhammer some rocks in post holes? Or am I better off renting a jack hammer?

I would go to the rental yard and see what bits they have available for what you are doing. My guess is that you need something long enough to get down as deep as possible. I don't think you will find a SDS Max bit with that much length, but I honestly don't know for sure.

 

[crazyal]

Googling them now!! So could I use a SDS Max to help jackhammer some rocks in post holes? Or am I better off renting a jack hammer?

How big of holes are you thinking of? I have both a Hilti SDS and a Makita spline hammer drill. I rarely use the much larger slide drive as it's a beast. But I routinely drill 3/4" holes in the ledge around here. I do have a 7/8" and 1" bit for it that I have used but the SDS is pretty much at it's limit. The SDS max is in between the spline and the SDS. I do have a 1 1/4" bit for my spline drill and it works fine but it's not that fast. I've never tried them but they do make core bits. The problem with them is they are usually limited in how deep they can go.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have a 3 ft extension for SDS Max bits so you can get enough reach no problem.

That said if you have a lot of rocks to clear I use a Bosch 60 lb. electric jack hammer.

 

[jenkinsph]

How big of holes are you thinking of? I have both a Hilti SDS and a Makita spline hammer drill. I rarely use the much larger slide drive as it's a beast. But I routinely drill 3/4" holes in the ledge around here. I do have a 7/8" and 1" bit for it that I have used but the SDS is pretty much at it's limit. The SDS max is in between the spline and the SDS. I do have a 1 1/4" bit for my spline drill and it works fine but it's not that fast. I've never tried them but they do make core bits. The problem with them is they are usually limited in how deep they can go.

I installed drip irrigation tubing in a customer lawn this year and had 10 zones with 10 corresponding pieces of 1/2" drip to run through the concrete block wall. I used a 5" core bit with my Hilti to drill a hole to put in a 4" pvc pipe sleeve. For deep holes we usually will drill about 3" then remove the drill and bust the core with a steel form pin. You can get about as deep as you want three inches or so at a time. These cores break out quick and easy.

 

[Cord]

Googling them now!! So could I use a SDS Max to help jackhammer some rocks in post holes? Or am I better off renting a jack hammer?

The SDS-max stuff works great on rock (granite is slightly slower than concrete), but you are needing a 2" hole that's 2' deep. I'd go jackhammer at that point.