I have drilled a LOT of holes in my time, between surveying and setting rock climbing anchors, I probably have a few thousand holes under my belt. Today??s lithium-ion technology is truly astounding, in both how powerful and efficient it is as well as how CHEAP it is!
I started with a 3/4? Starr bit and hammer...... admittedly I was making $12/hour at the time, so my time was cheap. Shortly after that, I moved on to a beast known as the Ryobi gas powered rotary hammer drill. It must have weighed 30 lbs, and set fire to at least 2 pairs of rain pants. I think it retailed for around $1000 Canadian back then. Hilti??s and Honda generators in the work van followed that, but everything had to be within 50?? of the work van. Then the 36v Bosch bulldog...... a game changer! Lots of money at the time, and batteries were only good for a few holes.
i just bought a Dewalt DCH273 (Milwaukee and Makita make similar) and it is the cutest little 6 lb SDS drill you ever did see. Light and small enough to carry in the vest, and powerful enough to drill 3/4 holes in concrete. Chipping out asphalt to expose mon cases, the battery lasted ALL DAMN DAY..... and just as powerful as everything I have used in the past.?ÿ
Still just astounded by this little tool. If you are still having you crew hand drill anything, this thing would pay for itself in about 3 minutes. Honestly, my crew is happier with a SDS drill and a cordless vacuum purchase than they were with a $13k gps dome.
That depth guage comes in handy too.
Hilti, haven't tried the others but the Hilti has been our go-to. Years ago I would rent a drill and generator but no need for that now and it goes anywhere with the battery.
Interesting to hear. Has anyone tried these Li-Ion rotary hammers for drilling holes around 3/4-inch diameter in igneous rock (e.g. granite)?
I have a Bosch 36v unit that works great for a dozen or two small holes on a charge, but it lacks the oomph and stamina to do a lot of 3/4" holes in a day.?ÿ For that I've relied on a Honda generator and a Bosch corded rotohammer that I bought around 2004.?ÿ However, the last time I took it out it wouldn't hammer -- it turned okay, just no bop.?ÿ I took it into a repair shop and they told me it's likely that oil got past the hammer seal, and that a rebuild would be $300.?ÿ A new one is about $540, which made the repair option seem like an iffy deal for a 16-year-old power tool.?ÿ I decided not to spring for the rebuild, but couldn't see junking the machine.?ÿ Instead I bought a rebuild kit from Bosch for about $60 (if memory serves), but I haven't had time to try my hand at installing it yet.?ÿ In the mean time I'm getting by with the 36v unit.
@bill-c No problem getting a 13 mm hole in basalt with my Bosch.?ÿ I also use it with a 1-3/4" core drill in AC to inset aluminium caps.
I bought and returned the DCH273. It was nice but I didn't want to skimp on power so I got the DCH481. It's definitely heavier than the 273 but it'll chip through 10" of frost like nothing and also drills several 5/8" dia holes into granite with 1 battery and is great for drilling 1-1/4" holes in frost or hard packed gravel for setting grade stakes. The nice thing about both tools is the batteries also work in the Dewalt 12" chainsaw. That's a great little saw. It'll cut line all day on 2-3 batteries.
Gregg
I've had turns at the Ryobi gas drill, the Bosch 36v job, and (currently) an 18v Milwaukie hammer drill. The really great part of both the Ryobi and the Bosch is the SDS chuck. I think just about anything with an SDS chuck is going to be really good. Milwaukie makes such a tool, that will probably be my replacement when my current drill packs it in.?ÿ
I've drilled hole up to 3/4" diameter with the Milwaukie by starting with a 1/4" hole and stepping up to 3/8", 1/2", and so on. Not great if you had lot of such holes to make but how often does that actually happen??ÿ
Hammer drill motors and bstteries have improved. Some things haven't. If you place sideways pressure in hammer mode you will kill the tool. The bit also needs at least some forward pressure at all times. Pulling the hammer back while actively hammering can destroy most in very short order.
?ÿ
Only used a Starr drill and hammer in my pre-electric hammer career. Tedious.?ÿ Always paid a sub to come off nail ties and set well monuments on paved road subdivision centerlines when that was in vogue.?ÿ We'd come back and punch the brass monument point accurately, then set 4 side ties in the curb, etc., file a corner record.
On one job in the seventies, 10 miles of P-Line up and over a remote mountain, there was about 2,500' of pahoehoe lava which a Starr drill would simply bounce off of.?ÿ Speed was of the essence so we cut the top 2" off of 2x2 hubs at the shop, and epoxied them to the rock after whittling the bottoms a bit to conform to the rock, then put a tack in the hub.?ÿ Looked really cool with a turkey tail!?ÿ Surprisingly, they survived at least three winters that I know of.
Here's a transitional tool for drilling rock/concrete:
Manual Rock Drill
Here's a transitional tool for drilling rock/concrete
Cool machine.
My back got sore just watching that.
My back got sore just watching that.
I'd still rather crank the machine that to do it with just a hammer and drill iron.
?ÿ
What do you suppose he's making?
A bowling ball for a giant centipede?