"Need" a non-Hilti SDS hammer - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

tesseract · 10-17-2007, 07:27 AM

Hey all... I specialize in doing minimally-invasive re-wires of wood frame houses but I just finished doing one on a 50's era concrete block house w/ a stucco interior that came within a gnat's hair of whipping me. I did get the job done, though, and as a result, the h/o (unfortunately??) referred me to their neighbors... If I were a sensible man I'd turn the job down, but instead I see this as an excellent excuse to buy some new tools.

Since I mainly do wood-frame houses (them's the ones most needing re-wiring, and usually as a result of an ultimatum from the h/o's insurance company, not because the h/o actually *wants* new wiring...

), I won't be using a demo/roto hammer on a daily basis, nor will I need to drive 4" core drill bits like a plumber, so I figure a medium-duty SDS or SDS-Plus hammer will be about right. I did look at the Hilti TE 7C, but I was distinctly unimpressed with it's chipping performance and the pushy Hilti sales reps really turn me off, so I'd like to avoid having to deal with them unless there is an overwhelming benefit. I've read some bad things about the Bosch and Milwaukee hammers, some good things about the Hitachi's, but nothing or not much about the Dewalt's and Makita's. Any comments or suggestions from those that own 'em would be most appreciated.

Plank · 10-17-2007, 02:04 PM

Bosch makes some of the best imo

Forry · 10-17-2007, 03:13 PM

I've got the makita and it does just fine.

mdshunk · 10-17-2007, 04:23 PM

My daily one is the Milwaukee 5321-21

tesseract · 10-17-2007, 04:54 PM

Thanks for the reply, Plank. I stopped by a local pro tool store (Jim & Slim's) to get some flex bits and looked at their selection of rotary hammers. Oddly enough, after the salesman there asked me about my intended usage he suggested the Bosch 11236VS, which at $280 (their price) seems real reasonable compared to the $405 Hilti.

BUT... this is one of the models that has a couple of negative reviews on Amazon. BUT... those reviews are from 2001 and 2004, so perhaps taken with a grain of salt... Dunno. Anyway, Jim & Slim's is having a Bosch promotion on the 25th so the salesman told me to come back then to get it if I wanted to save a few bucks and maybe get a free bit or two thrown in.

KillerToiletSpider · 10-17-2007, 04:55 PM

I use a Hilti, it will outlast a Bosch 5 years to one.

Plank · 10-17-2007, 08:20 PM

Good choice on the Bosch.....I'll check tomorrow to see what I can get one for....usually can get some pretty sweet deals.

troubleseeker · 10-17-2007, 08:31 PM

Had a Bosch that did not even last two years, and that is with really mininum usage on it. Replaced it with a Hilti, which has worked fine for more than four years so far. I do tend to agree though, It owuld make me feel like I was accomplishing more if the hammer action was stronger, but it gets the job done.

dlcj · 10-17-2007, 08:46 PM

from what i hear, Hilti is the best but i have a Dewalt sds d-handle with 3 mode transmission. You can choose between drill, hammer, or hammer drill. works great if you need to chip a hole through block or brick bigger than the bit you have.It list for about $225 but i got it for $100 from a guy who never used it.

PrecisionFloors · 10-17-2007, 09:28 PM

I use a Bosch for removing tile, glue down hardwood, brick & slate hearths, etc. Have used it brutally for hours at a time and never had a hiccup.

tesseract · 10-18-2007, 06:52 AM

Excellent feedback, guys.

Forry: Which Makita? I was looking at a couple along with the Bosch that seemed real promising.

mdshunk: I see you are in the same trade as me but if the 5321-21 is your daily rotohammer I'm guessing you lean more towards commercial and industrial work. What do you mainly use your's for (core drilling conduit runs?)

troubleseeker: Which Bosch did you have problems with and which Hilti did you end up getting? I didn't feel that the TE 7C had enough chipping oomph to justify it's $405 price and that's about the max I have budgeted for this tool.

PrecisionFloors: sounds like whichever Bosch you are using would be more than enough tool for my level of usage... which one do you have?

To the Hilti fans in general: Hilti certainly has a reputation for making the best rotary hammers, and maybe rightfully so, but given that I will be using it to knock out a few holes in concrete block *maybe* a few times per month does it really make sense to buy an $800 Hilti when a $300 Bosch will do?

PrecisionFloors · 10-18-2007, 07:40 AM

Here ya go
http://bosch.cpotools.com/hammers_an...s/11236vs.html

KillerToiletSpider · 10-18-2007, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tesseract

To the Hilti fans in general: Hilti certainly has a reputation for making the best rotary hammers, and maybe rightfully so, but given that I will be using it to knock out a few holes in concrete block *maybe* a few times per month does it really make sense to buy an $800 Hilti when a $300 Bosch will do?

Hilti makes a better overall tool, period. My boss has a couple TE-21's that are 25 years old and work as good as new. So the question I ask is, would you rather buy a new Bosch every five years or so, or buy a Hilti once?

mdshunk · 10-18-2007, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tesseract

mdshunk: I see you are in the same trade as me but if the 5321-21 is your daily rotohammer I'm guessing you lean more towards commercial and industrial work. What do you mainly use your's for (core drilling conduit runs?)

No, I mostly do service. I think I did my reasearch pretty well on that purchase, as the goal was to have a rotohammer that would do 99% of any task I'd normally need a rotohammer for. I really needed one that would core up to at least 5", because I do that pretty often for dryer vents and bath fan vents. That turns a one hour job into a 2 minute job.

tesseract · 10-19-2007, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerToiletSpi

Hilti makes a better overall tool, period. My boss has a couple TE-21's that are 25 years old and work as good as new. So the question I ask is, would you rather buy a new Bosch every five years or so, or buy a Hilti once?

Actually, I really would rather buy a new version of a power tool - not necessarily the Bosch in this instance - every 5 years if for no other reason than technology marches onward. Also, it's easy to choose the most expensive tool when someone else is doing the buying, but when *you* have to pony up the cash it's funny how you start to consider other things like how often will I be using the tool, how much abuse does it need to withstand, what jobs do I have coming up that will justify its purchase, etc... Sure, I don't doubt that the Hilti will last a lot longer, but what I'm saying is that's not always the most important factor in every tool purchasing decision.

mdshunk: I like your style - using a core drill to install a dryer vent makes total sense. What sort of arbor and bit do you use?

neolitic · 10-19-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tesseract

Actually, I really would rather buy a new version of a power tool - not necessarily the Bosch in this instance - every 5 years if for no other reason than technology marches onward. Also, it's easy to choose the most expensive tool when someone else is doing the buying, but when *you* have to pony up the cash it's funny how you start to consider other things like how often will I be using the tool, how much abuse does it need to withstand, what jobs do I have coming up that will justify its purchase, etc... Sure, I don't doubt that the Hilti will last a lot longer, but what I'm saying is that's not always the most important factor in every tool purchasing decision.

I'm betting you are GenX, or even GenY age? These can be hard concepts for those of us raised by children of the Great Depression to wrap our minds around. More and more I'm coming to see your point of view--in some situations. But "will it last forever" is still usually the first thing that comes to mind. Glad I have a son to argue these things with!

dlcj · 10-19-2007, 05:36 PM

[quote=tesseract;304821]Actually, I really would rather buy a new version of a power tool - not necessarily the Bosch in this instance - every 5 years if for no other reason than technology marches onward.
Through them 5 year old tools my way. Ill usem till there dead.

WoodWizard · 10-19-2007, 05:46 PM

IMO Hilti will outperform and outlast all the others. I tried and killed plenty of hammer drills before switching to Hilti and I would never go back. I have 3 Hilti hammer drills in various sizes and one of their chipping/demo hammers and they all work great!

I've been looking at selling my Hilti TE25 hammer drill so let me know if you're interested.

KillerToiletSpider · 10-19-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tesseract

Actually, I really would rather buy a new version of a power tool - not necessarily the Bosch in this instance - every 5 years if for no other reason than technology marches onward. Also, it's easy to choose the most expensive tool when someone else is doing the buying, but when *you* have to pony up the cash it's funny how you start to consider other things like how often will I be using the tool, how much abuse does it need to withstand, what jobs do I have coming up that will justify its purchase, etc... Sure, I don't doubt that the Hilti will last a lot longer, but what I'm saying is that's not always the most important factor in every tool purchasing decision.

mdshunk: I like your style - using a core drill to install a dryer vent makes total sense. What sort of arbor and bit do you use?

I own all my tools, including power tools. As I have power tools go up in smoke on me, I have been replacing them with Hilti tools, because the quality difference really is that significant, and their service on broken tools is second to none. I dropped off a laser that an apprentice dropped from an 8' ladder, and had the tool back in four days.

mdshunk · 10-19-2007, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tesseract

mdshunk: I like your style - using a core drill to install a dryer vent makes total sense. What sort of arbor and bit do you use?

I use the spline drive arbor, since my rotohammer is spline drive. I use Milwaukee's thinwall core bits, since I can't think of a compelling reason to use a thickwall core bit, and it's easier on the drill. Don't know if you've ever cored much or not, but you just spot a little hole in the middle with a small bit, then the core bit has a pointed plunger that will hold you centered in your centering hole until you have a "groove" with the core bit cut in 1/2" deep or so. Remove the centering plunger from the core bit, and core the rest of the way through the material.

A side note... do not buy Hamilton Core Bits off eBay. They are the biggest pieces of crap I've ever had the displeasure of owning.