I am thinking of purchasing a SDS type rotary hammer and I am confused by the difference between SDS and SDS-Plus. I realize that SDS-Max is a whole different animal, but I have been searching the discussions and found references that say SDS & SDS-Plus are the same thing. However, other internet sources say that SDS and SDS-Plus use different size shanks. Can someone give me the real story here or point me to the specs ??
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I recently purchased a Milwaukee SDS-plus rotary hammer, and I think you are correct that they are one in the same. If they are not, then all of the brands newer entries in the smaller rotary hammer market are in indeed sds-plus.
One thing that I found when looking into the purchase was that if you buy one of the
1 1/8" capacity units - you can get a true 3-mode rotary hammer - it'll do light chipping work (hammer only), hammer drill mode, and plain drill mode (rotation only).
Even though I was somewhat inclined to buy a larger (better, right?) unit, I realized that anything larger and it would operate in a hammer only mode. Any larger and then you end up having to buy a dedicated chipping hammer.
After ripping up a original tile floor install by hand, I was certain that the next time I'd do it with a chisel bit on a hammer drill.
Like the Milwaukee, but only bought it because there was a screaming deal on it at Amazon last year. Most folks give bosch the props in regards to rotary hammers.
Some of the 7/8" and 1" capacity models take sds bits, but again, offer no chipping feature.
JT
Plain and Plus are the same, Max is bigger.
-- J.S.
Yes, but the SDS will not take the SDS Plus bits (and vice versa), right?********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I think they're probably interchangeable. But I'm not absolutely sure that I've ever seen a non-Plus SDS bit. It looks like the "Plus" is just a marketing ploy.
-- J.S.
Anyone every seen a decent set of SDS bits? I hate going out and buying one bit for the task at hand, but I haven't located any sets.
I have the Bosch 7 pc set that retails for $30-50, but had recently found a bunch of Dewalt 7 pc sets 3/16" - 1/2" that sold for about $15 set. Look on Ebay - that's where I've bought most of my bits.JT
I got one of the cheap sets on ebay, they look fine but have not used them. I have bought a bunch of Rawls and Bosch bits on ebay and very satisfied.
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http://www.us.hilti.com/holus/modules/prcat/prca_navigation.jsp?OID=-12068
> forget the max in anything but max.
Right, the diameter of Max is much bigger, like about twice the size of plus. I'll have to pull them all out tonight and look.
-- J.S.
I did not think they were larger diameter, just the double slot at 12 o'clock in pict.
The SDS-Max is a larger diameter bit - somewhere around half an inch or more. The SDS+ (or plain SDS) is about 1/4" or 5/16" diameter shank, and a different pattern. My Bosch hammer is an SDS-Max, but I use the smaller SDS+ bits with an adapter. I have never seen an adapter to use an SDS-Max bit in a smaller SDS+ tool, and I doubt there is or will be such a thing.
SDS is 10mm shank, while SDS-MAX is 20mm shank. Four times the metal section.Bill
Thanks, I was only going by the Hilti pictures I pasted. Guess they were not to scale and just showed configuration.