Dead SDS+ drilling machine - replacement chioce?

[Richard]

My 4 year-old NuTool SDS+ unit has come to the end of it's useful life - cracked nose section and failed rotate + hammer/hammer only selection mechanism (it is locked in 'rotate + hammer' mode). The failed action selection is not a terrible loss as you'll see below but the cracked nose (or rather in bits nose cone now I have taken it apart!) is a show stopper. As it cost all of £40 and was a 'not sure if I'll ever use this but . . . ' purchase I can't complain.

It was a 650W model, so not hugely powerful, but adequate for everything I did with it. It was annoying that the chuck rotated freely when in hammer-mode only, i.e. chisel bits were able to follow the terrain - so I rarely used it in hammer-only mode. The absence of a clutch surprised me twice with severe wrist-frightening when the drill snagged while drilling holes.

So, having found that I do use it I'd appreciate suggestions for a replacement (bearing the two comments above in mind if possible).

Ideally the magic £100 is an upper limit but . . . .

TIA

Richard

[John Stumbles]

For a cheap but heavy machine the £45 Fraud from Screwfix is very meaty (1100W - and a very necessary safety clutch) but particularly heavy (you deffo wouldn't want it for chiselling tiles off a wall for example, unless you were built like the governor of California :-). For a lighter weight machine I'd consider the green Bosch (under £100 from Agros etc last time I looked). I wasn't impressed with Sfx's Erbauer (and broke it within less than a year).

[Richard]

Sounds good - I didn't do any tile stripping (wandering chisel bits) but used a wondrous tool from Tiles R Us (or some such) which is a steel plate a bit over tile sized with a sharp edge and chunk of steel on the opposite edge attached to a handle. Basically a heavy scraper which takes the tiles off as if they weren't attached.

Back to the drill - I'll take a peek at SFX. Aren't NGs brilliant!

Ta

Richard

[Richard]

Hi John

Just looked at SFX without success. I can only find super expensive machines (apart from the Erbauer) and a Ferm version of mine at £29.99)

Has it been discontinued?

Richard

[Old Bill]

I've a similar Argos cheapo which is still going strong.... Although I've been tempted by this

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Still reckon the daddy of the medium price ones is the DeWalt 566. It's about the perfect weight/size/power compromise for general DIY use. Not too heavy for chasing walls, etc, and it has a variable position rotation stop. Mine is an early one and had a deal of use, but given no trouble. There are some suggestions that quality control may not be so good these days, though. 135 squids from Screwfix.

[John Stumbles]

's on the back of the current (? spring 2005 - Vol 77) treeware catalogue so I'd guess it's just out of stock

[Doctor Evil]

It's garbage, when for about the same, and less, price a Makita from Screwfix and Hitachi from BES are available.

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[Doctor Evil]

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[Kaiser]

Don't take any notice, I use Bosch & Dewalt SDS drills nearly every day at work, and out of the 2 the Bosch is much more durable. In fact I have had one 110v Bosch SDS since 1993 thats 12 years and it still works fine. The Dewalt is 18v SDS and had a new motor, new switch and is 2 years old. My colleage has a 110v Makita that is around 8 years old and still working fine. I am so happy with Bosch that I have just bought a new Swss made Bosch GSB 18VE-2 this week.

So don't listen to Doctor Evil he has never used a decent power tool in his life.

[Doctor Evil]

I have Bosch tools, Swiss made. They are overpriced crap, my experiences of them in the past is the same. Give em a miss.

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[Dave Plowman (News)]

Which one of these do you own?

[Kaiser]

If you go in to any factory maintenance department you will find they use Bosch or Metabo drills, very rarely anything else, so it speaks for its self.

[Kaiser]

He don't own any of them. The only tools he owns is what he finds out the back of Wickes in the skip.

[Doctor Evil]

A Kress, which are also available quite reasonably from Wickes at around £105-110 and approx 600W and a 3 year guarantee too. A class act. Kress are repairable if that appeals, not throw away like in the DIY sheds. DeWalt? You are having a laugh.

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[Doctor Evil]

experiences

No it doesn't. They just buy them on past reputation. That is how Bosch, DeWalt etc have survived so long. The BMW syndrome.

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[Doctor Evil]

I wish I could.

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[bigcat]

Coming from him I'll take that as a first class recommednation.

NT

[Doctor Evil]

For you. Buy one, no buy two. You need to buy two.

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[Dave Plowman (News)]

So you don't own a DeWalt, Makita, or Hitachi, but pronounce on them?

More quoting adverts, fool?

I'm certainly not. If I recommend anything in this group it's because I've owned it and used it, but will try and qualify that recommendation with the use I give it. I take adverts for what they are - mostly lies. You really should try and do the same. Fat chance.