Please recommend an SDS drill?

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gidon

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Hi
I'm after a cheap SDS drill for heavy duty drilling around the house and de-tiling the bathroom specifically (but other tasks too). For the de-tiling I know it'll need rotary stop but I understand some of the cheaper ones have rotary stop but the bit's rotation isn't locked - ie it slowly rotates while you're trying to chisel. I would like something where this mechanism locks too.
This one looks ok:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=101377&ts=27786&id=25646
But not sure if it has this locking feature.
Any advice / suggestions appreciated.
Many thanks,
Gidon
 
gidon":2hj7hbkm said:
Hi
the cheaper ones have rotary stop but the bit's rotation isn't locked - ie it slowly rotates while you're trying to chisel.
Gidon

Never heard of that one before. Sounds a bit like a riddle 'when is a rotary stop not a rotary stop?'.

Seriously (assuming that the Screwfix actually does stop the rotary bit - ring them?) it looks the biz to meet your needs assuming that you're not expecting it to go on and on andon like, say, a DeWalt.

It has the three options - drill (ie goes round only), hammer (ie goes round and hammers at the same time) and rotary stop :lol: that just hammers and doesn't go round.

You might want to check out that you get a flat bladed chisel for your tiles. Also I reckon it's worth getting a small pot of the greasey gunge that you dip the SDS part of the chisel/drill into and stops it sticking inside your drill.

My SDS drill is one of the best purchases I ever made and wish I'd got one sooner.
 
Thanks Roger. I checked with Screwfix and the Titan model doesn't have the chisel position lock (explained here.)
And they couldn't tell me any that did have that feature although I know the more expensive ones do (and the above article confirms that.)
It seems quite an important feature - strange most of the descriptions don't highlight the feature :(.
Cheers
Gidon
 
Mmmm..so what on earth do Screwfix mean by 'rotary stop'? Did you speak to technical or customer service/sales?

Edit: The instruction manual on their website suggests that it has a chisel action. maybe speak to Screwfix technical.

Oh yes....it also comes with a little grease pot :lol:
 
They mean hammer only - but bit is still free to rotate of its own accord. It was a bit of a challenge finding out anything - everything I was asking was going through the salesperson to a technical person and then back again - like chinese whispers!
Cheers
Gidon
 
Jeepers...imagine trying to use something like that. I think I'd throw it through the nearest window after about five minutes if the chisel kept on twisting round while I was trying to use it.

Hire one?
 
I know - it does seem a bit silly. Maybe the "locking chisel" widget is a bit pricey ;).
I have hired a kango type thing before - to widen the fireplace - but it's not so cheap and you have to be organised which is something I struggle with! May just use a cold chisel and hammer and put up with my hammer drill for drilling tasks ...
Cheers
Gidon
 
Gideon,

I would'nt go with one of those cheapies if I was you, I had one and after a pretty short while there was a loud cruch and bits of the mechanisim came flying out the back of the casing :shock:

I replaced it with a Makita (the bottom of the range with chisel action) and that has been like a dream since - in fairness the Makita was only 2.5 times the price of the cheapy and worth every penny as I suspect it will be around for a good while yet!

Whatever you choos, good luck, de-tiling is a mare!

Les
 
Gidon
I went down the cheapy route :shock: bought one from screwfix sent it back within 2 days, advised to get a similar one from B&Q by screwfix. Took that one back the same afternoon and got my money back.
Bought a makita hr2450 what a beast, should come with free packet of drills, tile chisel and point breaker. I ripped up a stone tile floor for a friend and it left a nice finish for laminate flooring to be put down straight away. It was about 6mtrs square and took about 3 hours. The only thing that got hot was the chisel point. :D :D :D

Les
 
I've got a cheapo SDS drill (about £25 two years ago,I think)

Only gets occasional use,but has been great - like all things,depends on how much you intend to use it and what for (mine's been used for 22mm holes through brick,10mm holes into concrete,and for breaking a concrete path - no problems at all)

And I wouldn't worry too much abot a lock on the roto-stop if you are removing tiles - the wide blade against the wall will stop it turning :wink:
 
Hi Gidon, as others have said I'd stay away from the el cheapo models. Bought a Bosch GBH2-24DFR earlier this year. As it was being replaced by the newer model (GBH2-26DRE ) I got it for £80 odd. Came with 2 chucks and a dozen bits and other attachments. Was amazed what the thing could do (such as chasing concrete block etc). Well worth every penny. One of those tools (like a Dremel) that you don't use too often but when you do it's invaluable.

Rgds

Noel
 
Check out the weight of some of the cheap ones - that'll soon put you off.

Is an SDS really necessary for removing tiles? I've always got by with a hammer and chisel and then a sturdy scraper with a comfortable handle for removing adhesive. Hard work but reasonably quick.
 
Interesting - I'd not really considered those lighter weight ones you're all referring too. I was thinking the comparable drills were more like £250+. These ones are a lot lower powered than the cheapo ones - but I'm guessing this is a slight red herring (thinking back to the first cheap cordless drill I bought a long time ago!)
Can you lock the chisel movement on the Makita and Bosch? Could they handle light demolition work?
Matt - the weight is a consideration. I have used cold chisel and hammer before - but it's tiles on tiles and they are a real nightmare to get off. But may still resort to that.
Cheers
Gidon
 
Hi Gidon,
I had one of the cheapo SDS drills, about £39 from what I remember. Come complete with chisels etc and used it for breaking up concrete base for workshop a few years ago. Worked fine and the weight was a real advantage.
Last year one of the gears broke while using it for drilling through concrete so replaced it with the £80 Bosch 24DFR, purchased from B&Q.
Used this for removing floor tiles (fitted with tile chisel from screwfix http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 5&id=89391) After 3 hours use, it broke - bearings went :x . Managed to finish job by hand - B&Q refunded money with no question.
Dont think I would buy Bosch again, not man enough for the job.

John
 
"Can you lock the chisel movement on the Makita and Bosch? Could they handle light demolition work? "
On the blue Bosch? Most certainly. Contrary to above post mine's well built and has tackled everything I've thrown at it, demolition, granite, concrete, cast iron etc.

Noel
 
Thanks Noel - very tempted .... I've always been impressed with Bosch kit - and I only have green stuff so far.
John - you don't seem to be having much luck with SDS drills! I may have a look what B&Q have actually - they sometimes have some good offers.
Cheers
Gidon
 
Gidon
The makita I mentioned locks solid on the hammer you can adjust the position for easier use. Forgot to mention it also comes with a normal chuck for normal drilling.

Les
 
gidon":kwfvnjgl said:
John - you don't seem to be having much luck with SDS drills! I may have a look what B&Q have actually - they sometimes have some good offers.

Gidon

Yes, you're right although I cant really complain about the cheapo - it lasted about 3 years and I really hammered it <groan!>
I was disappointed with the Bosch though - maybe I was unlucky - I wonder if their quality has gone down with having to compete with the China imports.

The good thing about B&Q is that they will refund if something goes wrong.

John.
 
Gidon

The difference in performance between a lightweight 2kg SDS hammer and a 3kg hammer such as the Atlas-Copco PM3 series is enormous. The lighter units simply aren't capable of the same sustained performance. If you intend to do much chasing then there is simply no substitute for power and by that I mean impact power (PM3 deliver about 4.1 Joules of impact). That said the cheapies I've played with are horribly heavy and I wouldn't want to use one all day long.

Personally I have a blue Bosch 550watt SDS drill without the rotation stop - hired a DW with the rotation stop before I bought the A-C and reckoned it hadn't got enough "grunt" so I bought a PHE 3 (now defunct model) and I haven't regretted it. I used to have one of the small red Kangos with a grease-filled gearbox a few years ago (in design terms a predecessor of the A-C: Kango is part of A-C, as is Milwaukee) and that was brilliant ONCE THE GEARBOX HAD WARMED UP (which took a while on a cold day) :evil: The modern pneumatics are even better and mine's been used on chasing wiring into walls (with the EBM wall chasing chisels and square hole box sinkers - over £120 for the full set), on core drilling (because it has a good clutch) and various light demolition jobs. I do use it to drill holes occasionally, but for that it's really a bit heavy, whilst for heavier demolition I'd still tend to hire in a big Kango/Milwaukee as the need arises. If you go rotation stop remember that you may need to shell out a bit more for tooling as machines normally only come with the very basics. If I were restricted to only ONE drill it would be a 3kg hammer/rotation stop SDS drill.

As to taking ceramic tiles off - a brick bolster and a 3lb club hammer is almost as quick as a machine, with a replaceable-tool scutch comb to clean up afterwards - unless yoiu're doing a swimming pool or the like.

BTW I have tried a builder friend's Makita 3kg - if anything it's almost as nice as my A-C, but quite a bit cheaper. Were I replacing the 2kg, I think I'd consider the Makitas. At least there's a chance that they're made in the UK or Japan.

Scrit
 

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