ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Roto-Hammers

I recently bought a Bosch SDS-Max from Fastenall and I love it! I also got an adapter to use my SDS bits from my other Bosch. I think I spent a little over $700.

... I have a Hitachi spline drive rotary hammer drill for big stuff,great drill for the money,only $379.00,I use it for ground rods as well,a Milwaukee SDS(plus?)for smaller stuff..whats the difference between SDS,and SDS plus,or SDS max..????
Russ

SDS and SDS plus are interchangeable.
>
> However, SDS plus drill bits have four large drive/engagement grooves and
when used in a SDS plus hammerdrill a stronger connection capable of more
rotational torque results. (SDS has only two of the large grooves)
>
> SDS Max is not interchangeable with either of above but is even heavier
duty.
>
> Spline Drive is not interchangeable with any above and is also heavy duty.

I have a Dewalt Spline drive hammer. It is big and heavy but knocks out big jobs in a hurry. I also have a Bosch SDS Plus which is variable speed. It handles a 3" thinwall core easily. I also have a 1/2" Jacobs chuck for the Bosch so I can run a 3/4" ship auger in the drill only mode or use smaller straight shank masonry bits. It is much easier to run a 1" brick chisel or bullpoint with the Bosch and it works nearly as fast at chiseling as the bigger Dewalt. The Dewalt is not variable speed. I would not buy a rotary hammer without variable speed if I had it to do over again. My only regret about the Bosch is I didn't get the model with reverse. That would come in handy when drilling in wood with the auger.

Thanks for the input, guys.

What I'm feeling here is that I should get either a spline drive or a SDS-max, so I won't limit myself down the road.

But what about the core bits? The ones I've used in the past had a pilot bit in the center. Some of the ones I've seen for sale have just a point in the center or none at all.( I wouldn't think that would work as well) Some of the core bits say that they're only recomended for fresh concrete, not cured concrete. Is that the difference between thinwall and thickwall?

Maybe I'm over-analyzing this stuff, but I hate to buy something and then find out I can't use it for what I had in mind.
Thanxs, Dave

Gidday there Dave,
If I need a Masonry drill unit, I swear by the Hilti.
I own 2 of these units, a TE-15 and a TE-25.
The TE-15 has 2 inter-changable chucks and can also be taken off of "hammer" to function as a standard Drill motor.
It has a 13mm 3-jaw chuck and the SDS chuck as 2 seperate units.
The TE-25 has just the SDS chuck.
You can use either of these units with a Core-bit, I've up to 100mm diameter in them and they really work well, really handy for boring holes in brick/concrete walls for A/C pipes/wires, as I used to do.
If you can burn out one of these drill units, you need to find another trade.

{Message edited because of a couple of typo's}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-08-2005).]

As far as the core drills go...the pilot (or point) of the drill is only of use when the drill is first getting started. Once you've got the groove cut for the teeth to follow, the body of the core bit is actually what guides it.
As you might guess, the ones with the "point" intend for you to remove the point once the bit is started.

I got a core bit from the same guy Sandro listed. Good seller. Bit works great for a few times a year. The pilot I got was too short though.

Tom