SDS v Hammer drill

[soup]

Trying to justify to myself, getting a SDS drill. Does anyone use it for the insides of external walls ? Usually use a hammer drill for this but was drilling a hole through the external walls (16mm Ø for pipework for a garden tap ) yesterday, was at it for ages with a hammer drill, borrowed a Makita SDS (£3~400 worth but then he uses this sort stuff for his work) from a neighbour and it seemed to go through the brick work like a hot knife through butter. Thing is I don't envisage drilling lots of holes right through external walls so is a SDS of much use inside or should I stick with the hammer drill (doesn't seem very much slower on the internal surfaces of external walls)?

Also if I was using a SDS inside how easy is it to get smallish bits (say 4~6mmØ)for SDS?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I usually use my ordinary hammer drill for the bricks on my house - but your bricks may be harder. My reason is that my hammer drill is more accessible than my SDS one which lives in its case. My hammer drill is used for drilling other things so is usually on the workbench. ;-) But I'd not be without my SDS for hard masonry or chasing, etc.

I've certainly got small enough ones for the common wall plugs.

[John Rumm]

If you wanted a relly good general purpose SDS then something like:

be more appropriate than the £300+ models.

I tend to find that I use my combi cordless for most things, and the SDS for chiseling and any hard masonry drilling - I never feel the need to touch the ordinary mains drill any more! If however I did not have the combi then it would be a different question.

If you go for a 2kg class SDS then you can use it as a "standard" drill, but it is a bit longer and hence harder to get into tight places. To use very small drill bits you may need to fit an alternate chuck (sometimes you swap the main SDS bit holder for a conventional chuck (like on the Bosch GBH range), others use a SDS to chuck convertor (like the Makita)). For tasks like screwdriving you may find it has the torque and control (if you get a decent one), but the balance point is all wrong for one handed operation.

If you get one of the 6kg cheapies then these tend to be pretty poor as a replacement for a conventional drill (poor speed control and just too big and heavy)

[Andy Hall]

On Sun, 9 Jul 2006 12:56:04 +0100, soup wrote (in article ):

I don't have a hammer drill any more.

I have a Bosch SDS Multidrill which has exchangeable chucks for SDS or conventional drills. This will tackle anything that I need in concrete or masonry of any substance. Mostly SDS is used.

I then have a number of cordless drills up to a Makita 18v (non hammer) which will do everything else. Light weight blocks don't need a hammer action anyway

Very. You can get them down to these sizes.

[Richard]

FWIW I replaced a truly nasty NuTool SDS+ £40 horror with a Makita HR2450X which was £120 from Lawson-HIS including 4 or 5 (identical) sets of small SDS+ bits. I wouldn't be without it. It lives on the same shelf as my Bosch screamer and is first choice for drilling holes in hard materials, it also seems best at drilling plug holes in my shatter-prone white bricks. The Bosch has been relegated to knocking holes in steel plate for the endless trailer project and cable ways through joists (it's body is shorter than the Makita).

HTH

Richard.

[Guy King]

The message from "soup" contains these words:

Get a £20 cheapie from Netto. You can get bits down to 5.5mm readily availble.

[The Medway Handyman]

What John said :-)

Same here.

[Dave Liquorice]

SDS every time, far more control and because it drills quicker you get less bit wobble and therefore neater holes, particulary is softer materials. I'd avoid the real cheapies, I've got Bosch with rotation and hammer stop, probably this one:

worth the premium over a conventional hammer drill and with rotation stop can be used for chiseling and chasing.

No problem, not sure I've got 4mm but probably 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 9,

10mm etc.

[John Anderton]

Is there any reason why it's not possible to buy metal/wood drills with an SDS type stem to avoid the need for multiple chucks ?

Cheers,

John

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It would push the price up on the smaller sizes - and too much wobble for accuracy?

They'd also take up a lot of room if a complete numbers set. ;-)

[Tim Morley]

For occasional use I got a cheap one (around £30) from Argos. Now had it 4 years and its had a real battering. Much heavier than a £300 unit, and not as efficient either, plus the rotary stop mode still turns a little. Even taking all that into account, far better than a normal percussion hammer drill ;)

[HLAH]

Lidls have a 1000 Watt one for £40 on the 20th. My dad got one a year or two back, quite well made and he's very pleased with it.

H

[The Medway Handyman]

How you know dat? Their web site only shows offers up to 13th? Clairvoyant?

[Guy King]

The message from "The Medway Handyman" contains these words:

Perhaps he gets their newsletter.

[HLAH]

Yes I am but I didn't need to be in this case, I picked up a leaflet in store the day before yesterday :-)

H

[The Medway Handyman]

Aha! They got any el cheapo angle grinders?

[Alan]

In message , soup wrote

Retailers such as Screwfix seem to go down to 5mm.

[soup]

Thanks all, you gave me lots to consider. Seems the very cheap ones do the job but not very "easily" whilst to get a "good" one takes more money than I am prepared to spend on the off chance that I need it again. Plan as is is to keep to the HD for inside, if I need a SDS for anything will buy one of the very cheap (£30) jobs, but will put any money I would have spent on an SDS in to getting a better cordless drill (have to get a new one battery died on old one and as it was a "cheapy" thought I will get a new better one rather than a new battery). That is the next question Drill/driver or combi or do "they" do a both?

[HLAH]

Fraid not, just a powered scraper at £14.99, an iffy looking table saw for £79.99, twin halogen worklamps for £14.99 and a range of decorating sundries and paint.

H

[Guy King]

The message from "soup" contains these words:

No, really, if you're drilling into concrete you'll wish you'd gone out and bought a cheapie SDS!