I have two Ryobi ER160 gasoline-powered hammer drills, both about twenty years old, both of which just came back from the shop and are running great. I keep one as a backup so that if one ever needs some work I can send it in and use the other one. Over the years, they've both gotten a pretty good workout since much of my work has been in an area where almost all spikes and 5/8 in. rods have to be set in drill holes in the native limestone. In the city, the drills have been great for drilling holes in curbs and other concrete surfaces for spike and washer control points.
The ER160 isn't in production any more and I'm resigned to my drills eventually being unrepairable, but so far it looks as if it will be some time yet since the carburetor is a common model and the parts are readily available. It's really too bad this tool isn't still made.
I agree Kent. The Ryobi gas powered drills are great. Truly sad they don't make these anymore.
I used them in Alaska all the time and they were great. When I moved back to Virginia and started my own business, I was convinced I would need one here for limestone.
But, the DeWalt cordless tools work great for me and I don't have to carry gas.
I have a Ryobi EH-1930 hammer drill and a EJ-100 recip. saw. Both gas, and they have been sitting on workshop shelf for eight years. If anyone is interested in them, I would be inclined to sell them together.
Gary
> I used them in Alaska all the time and they were great. When I moved back to Virginia and started my own business, I was convinced I would need one here for limestone.
>
> But, the DeWalt cordless tools work great for me and I don't have to carry gas.
Hmm. We usually drill at least a 5/8" x 14" hole in limestone for setting rebars. I'm having a hard time imagining that a battery-operated drill will do the trick for very long. The gasoline isn't really an issue since the chain saw takes the same gas/oil mix and we have to carry it in the truck anyway.
Quickly drilling a hole in a large boulder or in ledge and placing a 5/8" rebar in it is truly a thing of beauty.
I always drill a 3/16" pilot hole first, then bore it out with the 5/8". Sometimes one battery will do it, sometimes it takes it a second to finish. I have several in the vehicle all the time plus a vehicle charger that works on the Mule also.
The most I've had to set in limestone in one day is four. There is also a lot of shale ground, clay, and sandstone areas of my County. DeWalt makes a DC-212B hammer drill that really kicks butt. My former sister-in-law is the design engineer for them.
> Quickly drilling a hole in a large boulder or in ledge and placing a 5/8" rebar in it is truly a thing of beauty.
By the time that a 5/8" bar is driven more than 12" into a 5/8" hole, the monument is extremely well anchored. You have to double check the hole before driving the bar, because once it's in, it isn't going anywhere.
> > Quickly drilling a hole in a large boulder or in ledge and placing a 5/8" rebar in it is truly a thing of beauty.
>
> By the time that a 5/8" bar is driven more than 12" into a 5/8" hole, the monument is extremely well anchored. You have to double check the hole before driving the bar, because once it's in, it isn't going anywhere.
That is where the sledge hammer comes into play! : )
The drills will out last you.
> > By the time that a 5/8" bar is driven more than 12" into a 5/8" hole, the monument is extremely well anchored. You have to double check the hole before driving the bar, because once it's in, it isn't going anywhere.
> That is where the sledge hammer comes into play! : )
LOL! It takes a sledge to drive a 5/8" rod into a 5/8" hole drilled into limestone. As for pulling a bar out of the hole, that isn't happening with vise-grip pliers or any of the normal toolkit. On rare occasions when a rod got mistakenly set in the wrong position, about all that could be done was to beat the hell out of the rod, bending it it down flush with the ground and hope that some future surveyor looking for a monument described as a 5/8 in. iron rod with a 2 in. aluminum cap with certain stamping would have the sense to know that what they were finding wasn't that animal.
> The drills will out last you.
It would be pleasant to think that they will, but I'll be happy if they just outlast you. :>
I suspect we are about the same age. Further lasting is a gift from here on out. I have tools that will long outlast me but many might not be that useful in a more modern world. I'm concerned the GPS system won't make it as long as I do and buying another is not all that pleasant a thought at this point. Paid for things are good even if they are not the latest and greatest, I don't ever want another $50,000 lease, in fact I don't ever want to associate with a leasing company again. If you can't pay cash you probably shouldn't buy it.
I've had to drill a few points in, a gas drill would be nice but they don't make em anymore. Batteries are heavy and don't pack that much punch, that's why we don't all have an electric car. I suspect a gas drill would have emission compliance problems, manufactures probably just said screw it!
> I've had to drill a few points in, a gas drill would be nice but they don't make em anymore.
Hey, that was the point of my original post! Deja-vu! :> Actually, I paid $350 for each of those drills and have to say that they are in the running for the most useful pieces of equipment I own. I can only imagine what it must be like not to be able to carry in a rock drill the weight of a chain saw and be able to easily set a permanent, professional-grade survey marker just about anywhere.
We used to use one all the time. I don't remember exactly why they stopped selling them. It seems like they were below a minimum standard in the US??
> It seems like they were below a minimum standard in the US??
Smog. They don't have a catalytic converter on them.
Lawn mowers don't have catalytic converters on them around here anyway 😉
> Lawn mowers don't have catalytic converters on them around here anyway 😉
Didn't make sense to me either. I think the difference is 2-cycle vs 4-cycle.
Holy zombi thread.
I will through my take in really quick.?ÿ We still have 2 of these as well, and aside from needing to leave the carb filter off, the main one run and runs whenever I need it.?ÿ Same gas as the chainsaw so always ready to go - use it several times a month in concrete walks, rock, hard packed gravel or frozen tundra.
Even though Levis09 only has 1 post, I predict he is going to make someone very happy.
I recently got a Makita 18V. SDS+ hammer drill that will drill a 1/2" hole in rock for a rebar pretty easily. I drilled a 1" hole for a 3/4" pipe in rock but it killed 2 batteries and probably would break the drill if pushed that hard much.
Bosch has had a 36v line for quite a while now. Dewalt has a line of 60v battery tools. That Ryobi was unmatched 20yrs ago but battery tools have come a long way since then.?ÿ?ÿ
