Witch Drill Is better? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Morry · 08-06-2007, 08:07 PM

neways well. Im in need of buying a hammer drill for drilling into concrete, and also using it also as a mixer for mortar, thinset, all the good stuff. Well more for drilling. Neways well i found at HD a bosch hammer drill with 8.5 amp motor for 160 bucks. And also found a makita hammer drill for 130 bucks and its a 6.5 amp motor. Now i would go with makita automatically since everything i own is makita and personally its the best. But i mean ive never tried bosch. But thinkin bout givin it a try. What you guys think? witch one will last the longest ? and is the best?

KillerToiletSpider · 08-06-2007, 08:33 PM

For a hammer drill?

Hilti.

We have Hilti hammer drills that were made in the 70's and still work fine.

Morry · 08-06-2007, 11:19 PM

What bout the makita and bosch tho? noooo one have any comments on these 2?

Mike Finley · 08-07-2007, 12:25 AM

Who is neways?

I've had great luck with Milwaulkee but Hilti has a great reputation so I can't see anybody going wrong with them.

I would highly advise you not to use your hammer drill for double duty as a mixer. I'd get yourself a 1/2 inch, spade handled drill that is specifically made for that type of work and use your hammer drill for what it was intended for. If you can't afford 2 nice drills, spend the big bucks on the hammer drill and buy some beat up, ugly 1/2" spade handled drill from a pawn shop.

Chris Johnson · 08-07-2007, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

Who is neways?

I've had great luck with Milwaulkee but Hilti has a great reputation so I can't see anybody going wrong with them.

I would highly advise you not to use your hammer drill for double duty as a mixer. I'd get yourself a 1/2 inch, spade handled drill that is specifically made for that type of work and use your hammer drill for what it was intended for. If you can't afford 2 nice drills, spend the big bucks on the hammer drill and buy some beat up, ugly 1/2" spade handled drill from a pawn shop.

Ditto - Well put

GreenW00D · 08-07-2007, 05:51 AM

Like Mike I use a Milwaulkee, never had any problems and running strong after 5 years.

Morry · 08-07-2007, 09:02 AM

Sorry bout the neways.
OKay so im guessing the 2 i was choosing werent good at all for concrete drilling. Okay so now im gona be looking into some other brands. Maybe hilti. Thanks everyone

dougchips · 08-07-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

buy some beat up, ugly 1/2" spade handled drill from a pawn shop.

Maybe you can find my 1/2 dewalt drill there. Don't buy tools from pawn shops you will be mostly supporting the criminals that steal them. You can find some deals on e-bay or just invest in a new one. Check out the ridgid 1/2" for mixing, I've own one for a few years and no issues yet. Be sure to clean of any cement before it dries, one small piece of dry cement will cut your hand when the drill spins out of control.

Mike Finley · 08-07-2007, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougchips

Be sure to clean of any cement before it dries, one small piece of dry cement will cut your hand when the drill spins out of control.

Good point.

For me it's usually the bucket starts spinning, then I place my foot on it, then the drill spins around and tangles my hands in the drill cord that wraps around it, then the extension cord it is connected to rips the outlet out of the wall and knocks over the can of paint in one of my guys hands while painting some base board in the garage... another guy trys to catch the falling can of paint and falls and knocks over the sawhorses and kills the owners cat.

KillerToiletSpider · 08-07-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morry

What bout the makita and bosch tho? noooo one have any comments on these 2?

I started out using Bosch rotary hammers, after burning up three of them in five years, I gave up and bought a Hilti, I have never had much luck with any Makita tools, be it angle grinders that start to smoke after 4 months, or cordless drills that get dropped once and never work again.

RockRanger · 08-07-2007, 09:45 PM

I have the bosch roto hammer. I think it is the 6.5 amp one. Works well for small projects and for light chipping. For 1/2" and smaller holes it works great. If I have to do alot of bigger holes I go get the big one. The only down side is the length. Sometimes it can be a PIA to get into a tight position with it. I have used hiltis small hiltis and they a good as well. Never used a Makita so I cant say there.

POOLMANinCT · 08-07-2007, 10:20 PM

WITCH drill? I find milwaukee & hilti to be rather wicked lol

Morry · 08-07-2007, 10:23 PM

I herd today from a guy that he said hitachi is pretty good and he said its his favorite company in tools so far. I have a 7in hitachi angle grinder, and i do stone fabrication with it and its held up great. So im looking at the hitachis now. Its about 140 with a 8.2 amp motor. Looks pretty decent.

Mike Finley · 08-07-2007, 11:07 PM

Morry, you're making this way to hard on yourself.

Basically buy anything not stocked at Harbor Freight or anything by Black & Decker and you've got a petty good shot at a decent tool.

Buy anything made by Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, Hilti, Makita, Hitachi... and you're pretty much guaranteed a tool that will last.

The "ultimate" brand really ends up being about individual tools and your needs, meaning you'll never find one manufacturer that produces all the perfect tools for you. Ultimately once you are looking at the major brands you're already half way there, the other half of the equation is it all comes down to features that you need on the tool.

Need one that reverses? That might eliminate Bosch, need one that has a built in clutch? That might eliminate all by Milwaukee. Want SDS? SDS plus?

Seem what I mean?

This process is no different for a drill, a miter saw or any other tool you are looking at.

If it all just get's too complicated, just find the tool that costs the most and buy that one!

TheToolDude · 08-08-2007, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morry

neways well. Im in need of buying a hammer drill for drilling into concrete, and also using it also as a mixer for mortar, thinset, all the good stuff. Well more for drilling. Neways well i found at HD a bosch hammer drill with 8.5 amp motor for 160 bucks. And also found a makita hammer drill for 130 bucks and its a 6.5 amp motor. Now i would go with makita automatically since everything i own is makita and personally its the best. But i mean ive never tried bosch. But thinkin bout givin it a try. What you guys think? witch one will last the longest ? and is the best?

As someone before posted you can't really get one drill that will do all the things you want. Makita makes a good mud drill. Model 6013BR, also Hitachi D13. Any major brand D-handle drill will work.

Hammer drills and rotary hammers are two different critters. Hammer drills use a passive hammering system that consist of two ratchet plates that rub together as the drill spins creatings a vibration. If you are only doing a small amount of holes once in a while a hammer drill is probably OK.

If you are doing a lot of concrete/stone holes you should invest in a Rotary Hammer. Rotary Hammers have an active hammering mechanism using a weighted piston and cylinder. Rotary Hammers will do the work much faster and easier than a hammer drill. Hilti Rotary hammers are good but it can be tricky getting a Hilti repaired if it breaks. Hilti is really more interested in selling fasteners than tools IMO.

I don't recommend buying most "Clamshell" tools. A clamshell tool is a tool where the tool housing is split in half and it goes together like a clam, hence the name. Clamshell tools are easy to manufacture and are generally inexpensive. The clamshell design does not support the motor and internal moving parts very well because the housing can flex.

2ndGen · 08-08-2007, 11:21 AM

Hilti Hammer Drill.
I think that this should be considered their flagship tool.
It's oustanding.

As for Bosch, I love their hammers. The best in my opinion.
I used a couple for 3 weeks straight cutting in pockets for joists in a Brownstone in NYC. Bulletproof.

As for mixing compounds, all the painters and rockers here seem to use DeWalt drills. Can't vouch for them (even though I'm a DeWalt guy), but it's what the pros her seem to favor.

Morry · 08-09-2007, 03:14 AM

thanks guys for all the feedback. I appreciate it. Im just going to go with the makita basic hammer drill. And im gona be using it here and there not on a everyday basis. So it should do the job. And only 130 bucks

Thanks,