Drill for no fines and other tasks

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21 Apr 2012
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Buckinghamshire
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Hi I have recently moved into a council house which I believe is no fines walls, and I'm planning to do a lot of renovation work and new kitchen and bathroom etc. The people in the neighbourhood have said good luck drilling and fixing. So I am planning to upgrade and get an SDS rotary type drill. I believe that's what I'll need. My question is two-fold: [1] mains versus battery - any advice? (I'm already invested in a number of DeWalt battery tools), and also [2] would a good SDS rotary also be suitable for any form of light breaking of concrete in the garden at all (eg. garden path)? Many thanks.
 
I have three - an old heavy, mains SDS, a more modern one, with speed control, and a battery version. The old heavy one works for light concrete breaking, the second one for larger holes, the battery one is handy for drilling holes for fixings.
 
Note DIYer i have this model
I have used for drilling through walls and lintels -
Also used the spare chuck for drilling in 4" posts and various other jobs
I was thinking of battery - but then thought this gives better performance J and cheaper

I have also used to mix up screen and outdoor tile adhesive
Wall channeling for cable and pipework , after making the outside lines with a grinder , breaking up a step , breaking a wall down , and getting tiles off a wall
and these chisels


i would expect it to handle concrete in a garden ,


found it to be a great tool and usually as i DIyer i have power so battery was not high on the list

I also have battery combi drill - and various cordless dewalt tools

for drills for non SDS i have found the bosch mutil construction drill bits to be excellent , and work in the combii drill without hammer


not used anything special for the sds bits - some dewalt and other a faithful kit of bits

 
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May I suggest that you buy one that is smaller than what you think is most suitable. A lighter weight tool will be used for longer and you will do more accurate work with such a machine.

I also have 3; a heavy machine from the German middle isles, a similar machine bought from a tool merchants but that now has a damaged gearbox so now is only suitable for breaking and small but powerful battery job, that does more work than the two mains tools combined and is or because it is easier to use.

really for anything over 20mms holes a core drill is a better tool. Use the SDS drill for the pilot hole and the core drill for the working hole. Use a low speed mains drill.
 
Any sds will do. Around 2kg and look for high joules, not BPM. Use good bits.

Be aware that the bit can easily wander into an adjacent void, messing up positioning of the fixing or angle of the hole. So use a thick piece of ply or timber with a guide hole to ensure the hole is true.
 
Exactly this, you hit a stone and its vearing off no matter how hard you try, when i started fitting pvc windows oh probably 30years ago I found this out, nightmare, from then on all windows in no fines were foamed in
 
I only have wired SDS drills. I may buy a lightweight cordless one though for the odd extension ladder work.

With regards to SDS bits, I am more than happy with my Makita Nemesis 4 flute SDS bits. I purchased them after using standard bits and sheared the head off one when I hit a reinforcing bar in a concrete lintel.

The Makita Nemesis finished the hole without deviating and didn't seem to be harmed by the bar.

 
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