So, I’ve got a few projects coming up this spring and summer that will require some light demo and masonry/concrete work, and figured I’d just buy a demo hammer rather than renting one from HD or someplace repeatedly. The jobs include:
– Demoing ceramic tile from the kitchen countertops to make way for granite
– Chipping out the parging around a metal window in my CMU basement wall to make room for a new window
– Some minor slab demo in the basement slab (2-3″ thick) for the plumbing lines for a new bathroom
As you can see, I really don’t need a 90-lb hammer or anything- more like something slightly larger than what I’d call a “chipping gun”. Of course, if it could drill the occasional hole through a block wall, that’d be an added bonus.
Any suggestions???
Bob
Replies
Bosch SDS Plus rotary hammer.
Some guys have good success with Harbour Freight ones for occasional use.
Got a set of wood chisels for mine; handy sometimes
Forrest
Thanks- although it'll only be for occassional use right now, one never knows. I'll probably skip the Harbor Freight models.
Bob
Bob;
Just bought the bosch 1-9/16" SDS Max. Awsome hammer drill. Used to rip up tile bathroom floor, wall tile etc. I'd been watching this tool for 2 years, waiting for the price to drop. It listed on amazon for like $429 or you can get a recon from CPO bosch for 399. Anyway after I ordered the recon unit I found a new model for $317 at HD. Can't understand it. So naturally I bought it and am returning the recon unit. Good luck-Pete
I'm noticing that they've got 3/4" 7/8" 1 1/8" and now 1 9/16" models. Is the chuck on these hammers like a 1/2" drill, where it can handle any bit "up to" 1/2", or do you get locked into buying chisels, drill bits, etc., with a shank size that matches the size of the drill? Or, am I totally off base and the size maybe refers to the chipping/hammer stroke and not the size of the bit chuck???
Bob
These are all "spline-drive" models - the chuck is just a sliding collar. SDS, SDS-Plus, and SDS-Max are all different spline configurations.
The dimension refers to the maximum design drill diameter.
So yes, once you get a SDS-Plus, you have to buy SDS-Plus-shanked tools, and so on.
Forrest
Forrest-
The terminology is actually a bit different. SDS plus is the size bit that a bosch bulldog or similar rotohammer has, 3/4-1 1/8" size. Larger demo hammers have a sds max bit. Even larger demo hammers have a spline drive, or at least they used to- they might be less common now, with more large hammers going to sds max.
Anyway, to call them all spline drive is kind of confusing.
I'd reccomend a bosch bulldog, Bob- around 1" capacity. They're nicer and lighter to use than the sds-max hammers if you don't usually need the capacity. Quite a lot cheaper, too.zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
Okay - I've got the Bosch SDS-Plus, and just look for that on the bit package. I had wanted to make the point that none of these used a conventional 3-jaw chuck. I was generalizing all the little engagement slots as splines.
Forrest
There are a number of adapters that go different ways. Don't know what all is available. But a chuck mounted on an SDS Max shaft is common..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I have bought from this company and love their service and tools. All sorts of adaptors available as well as bits.
http://www.relton.com/html/relpdf2003.html
I'd look at Hilti and Hitachi.
Others here love their Bosch, I have never owned one.
I have a Hilti and have rented Hitachi's when we needed more then one on a job. Both are good tools. My Hilti has seen some abuse and I suspect the Hitachi's at the rental store have seen more. Try calling various HD's or rental stores and see if any of them have units for sale. I bought mine off HD for less then half the cost of new tool. Could have done the same thing at one of our rental yards but the tools at HD didn't seem nearly as worn.
Hilti is a good choice..Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Hey, Bob-
Bosch has a service center in South Plainfield, and they sell re-conditioned tools.
It's probably worth checking out. I've seen demo hammers there, but can't remember prices.
Hmmm...almost forgot about that place- over in the Hadley Corporate Park, right? I'll have to check them out.
Thanks,
Bob
Yup.
corner of Corporate Blvd., and New Durham Rd.
I bought a Bosch sds plus rotary hammer for the types of jobs you plan on doing. It worked great, but when I needed to drill holes in a poured concrete foundation for some additional piping that the owner wanted, I found that anything larger than about 2" are only available for the SDS max. I now wish I spent the extra dollars for the larger tool. I am not shy about spending money on tools, when I think they will make life easier.
Bosch SDS Max (1-9/16" or larger) and not the plus..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I have a Bosch 11236VS, which is a SDS-Plus tool. The tool was under $300 and the bits are commonly available. It would do everything you listed easily. I've done quite a bit of drilling 5/8" and 7/8" holes in old concrete and it does that quite well.
For more money you could get a Hilti. They are widely said to be faster and tougher than pretty much everything else. The versions at HD may be dumbed down a bit, I'm not sure.
I've got the Hitachi DH24PF (it's SDS+)- been pleased with it. Decided on the Hitachi (the Bosch Bulldog was my other choice) after an impromptu race between the Bosch and Hitachi reps at a local tool show a couple of years ago- the Hitachi kicked butt.
If you go the Hilti route, be sure to get one with a chipping option. Like the TE-6 C, rather than the S. I have the S, and once in a while I really wish I had gotten a C, for the chipping.
They come up on e-bay fairly regularly. I think I spent about $270 for mine. Much less vibration to your arms than a Bosch.
"If you go the Hilti route, be sure to get one with a chipping option. Like the TE-6 C, rather than the S. I have the S, and once in a while I really wish I had gotten a C, for the chipping."Are you talking about hammer only action or is chipping something different..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Again, swimming against the tide, I reccommend the Harbor Freight Models. At less than $90 for the SDS, and less than $150 for the SDS Plus, you really can't go wrong. Along with the tool, you get a few basic bits. Why they can do this, while the $800 tools make you buy the bits, I'll never understand. I've used the Harbor Freight SDS tool fairly often over the past five years, and I have no regrets. When it wears out, I will likely buy a fancier tool .... or, maybe not!
You know, I agree with you, because there's no way Kovacs is going to put any real mileage on this thing. I'm thinking maybe half an hour per year, probably wearing a button-down collar while he does it.... something we can all aspire to.
I imagine that "chipping" and "hammer only" are basically the same thing. But Hilti makes so many different models, they might call "chipping" their lighter hammer action, or something like that. Anyway, my TE-6 S does not appear to have any form of hammer only. That is, every setting rotates. But who knows? Maybe I'm doing something wrong.I hate all this nomenclature that companies come up with. Why can't they just describe what it does?