Looking at cordless hammer drills.?ÿ Had to install markers in two boulders today and my drill just not cutting it.?ÿ During some search I came across a ground rod driving bit for SDS hammer drills.?ÿ Anybody using one of these to drive 2-bit rebar markers.?ÿ Ground roads are 6 feet or so, a 30 inch rebar should be no problem?
This is my choice. There is an adapter for $20 to convert it to be used with a 5amp lithium 20v battery, which is much better.
When setting something in rock, stone or concrete, the rod/pipe does not have to be 4ft long.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-18-Volt-7-8-in-SDS-Plus-Cordless-Rotary-Hammer/3191357
Yes I use my sds max drill all the time. Buy a quality one, I use a Bosch. I use the ground rod driver a lot. Even if you're setting in easy soil but have a lot of rebar, it saves the elbow. I have found that hammering a bar a lot in tough rock will literally bang the magnetic signature out of a rebar. How? I have no clue.?ÿ
I also core 2 5/8" in asphalt to set 2 in caps and back fill with fastplug.?ÿ
Recently I bought brass plugs from Bernsten for concrete, similar to a drywall anchor, for these they sell a bit for sds plus and I just adapt down.
Other handy bits are the spade for digging up gravel roads and a 3/4 chisel for frost and I've also carved rocks as bearing objects.
Dewalt has a new thing they call flexvolt with batteries up to 60 volt. I don't really understand it yet but many of the extrication tools that Fire Departments use are going to the Dewalt Flexvolt system. If I was looking, I would consider them. Then again, if I actually looked at the price, I may be going back to walmart.
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The Dewalt Flexvolt line is about as heavy duty as battery powered tools get so far. Spendy? Yes. But very sturdy. The Bosch 36v hammer drill is also very good.?ÿ
I'm currently using a Milwaukie 18v hammer drill and it does a fair job of drilling holes for mag nails and Bernsten plugs (in stages). When I replace it, which will be soon, it will be with a Milwaukie that uses the same batteries and has an SDS chuck. That will probably be sufficient to drive a 30" rebar in moderate ground. If I didn't already have an investment in Milwaukie batteries I'd probably go with the Dewalt.?ÿ?ÿ
On a side note to the hammer drill selection, as per a previous post/thread, We all mostly throw out into the veld maybe $50k worth of kit, unattended, daily. The things I've had stolen are (touch-wood): the shirt off my back (well, off the clothes line), two pairs of Asics running shoes (while courting), a digital camera put behind me while I was digging a control hole, and my personal hammer drill (plus charger and bits - they knew what to take) - $600 to replace. So be careful out there with stuff that Joe Blow wants (but doesn't want to work/pay for).
I have a 40 volt chainsaw its 18 inches, it's nice pull the trigger wait a second then start cutting.
We just order the 36 volt Bosch hammer drill.?ÿ
A client has an electric-powered system that the battery will power a Side by side ATV that has a generator run off the turning axle to recharge additional batteries and it will also power a multitude of power tools from a chainsaw to drill.
I have used it. Good for trimming branches and brushy trees. You will still need the Stihl for felling trees.
I have a 36 year old McCulloch for that. I just hate using it while I am up in the tree and the Craftsman battery powered chainsaw is a little weak to cut big limbs.
The trick to keeping a chainsaw running for 36 years is simple, don't loan it out.
You won't regret it. Remember not to pry or pull when in hammer mode. It will last if you hold to those two rules.
We used the small 18v hammer drills for years. I finally talked everyone into getting the 36v Bosch Rotary Hammer. It is completely worth the money. Concrete might as well be butter.
I still use a gas powered Ryobi hammer drill that I bought new in 1991.?ÿ?ÿ I have since bought 2 other Ryobi hammer drills for backup, which I haven't needed.?ÿ They haven't been manufactured in approximately 20-25 years.?ÿ?ÿ I still see them occasionally on e-bay for sale.?ÿ The one I still use has drilled dozens (?) of holes for monuments of various diameters.?ÿ In the late 1990's we set many Appalachian National Scenic Trail ledge/rock tablets in VT.
I still use a gas powered Ryobi hammer drill that I bought new in 1991...
The Ryobi was 'da bomb, no question. For us it replaced an Atlas Copco Cobra, which it is much smaller than.?ÿ But beside not being available for purchase, it is quite a bit bigger - and was much more expensve -than any of the battery electric drills being discussed here.?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
I don't think I paid more than $200 each for the Ryobi hammer drills that I purchased. Pretty damn cheap for something that works as well as they do. At my age, when I don't have my Ryobi hammer drill it will be time to hang it up.
The trick to keeping a chainsaw running for 36 years is simple, don't loan it out.
I have a Stihl nearly that old. It got used quite a lot for the first year or so. Since then it has lived a quiet life - maybe gets used once a year or even less.?ÿ I'd say that the key to long chain saw life - besides not using it much- is to clean it after each use, and to not store it full of fuel.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
I have used a cheap 12-volt sds hammer drill for six years now. Have a new one when it finally fails. Light weight, single handed, easy carry has benefited my use. A hole bit has prove extremely useful.?ÿ I only use it to set 1 1/4" disk in concrete and recess 5/8" iron rod and caps in asphalt.?ÿ?ÿ