If you could only buy one drill

[future_jack]

I'm thinking it's time to invest in a drill and I only want one so it has to do everything.

Concrete, steel...basically any jobs that come up around the house and my own future projects (thinking off road buggy)

So the obvious choice is an hammer drill like this http://cgi.ebay.ie/BOSCH-GBH-2-26DR...301|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318#ebayphotohosting

It's fairly big for alot of jobs I'd imagine but I don't want to have to buy two drills. Would appreciate if anyone can fault my logic here before I purchase!

 

[rusty69bus]

not much good for normal drilling (and b&q are doing simular and i hink cheaper) as you have to put a normal chuck adaptor in it and their not that central for metal cut drill bits

 

[JimM]

I've got a Bosch SDS drill, it's great for drilling in concrete and comes into it's own with taking tiles off the wall and channeling out etc but it's a bit unwieldy for use on normal DIY drilling. Also don't expect it to be like a kango !

Personally I'd go for a decent standard type drill as 95% of the time that's what I use and it will do a better job than the SDS.

Jim

 

[Welderpaul]

I have an SDS max for big holes, a normal sds for general masonry drilling and a normal jacobs chuck drill.
All Makita, all pu up with a lot of abuse. I have a chuck adapter (sds to jacobs) for the normal sds drill, but even with hammer off its not as good at drilling steel than the jacobs.
I'd recommend buying one SDS and one non SDS, rather than have one tool that does two jobs, badly.
Ebay is the place to go!

 

[SC_BK]

Useful to have a corded and a cordless drill

The Wickes "professional" range of power tools are good quality and well priced

 

[knoba]

That's what I keep thinking about a decent hand-held power drill just for metal work... If I could only buy one drill!

 

[Hitch]

When you want something to do a few jobs theres normally a bit of compromise.
Id go for a standard percussion drill instead of SDS.
Unless your regualrly drilling larger holes in concrete it shouldnt be a problem, but team it up with some quality bits and youll be away.

Something along the lines of this

Whats the budget?

 

[Woody.v8]

That link took me by surprise recommending a Bosch Hitch, I was told you favored another brand

 

[future_jack]

When you want something to do a few jobs theres normally a bit of compromise.
Id go for a standard percussion drill instead of SDS.
Unless your regualrly drilling larger holes in concrete it shouldnt be a problem, but team it up with some quality bits and youll be away.

Something along the lines of this

Whats the budget?

I don't have a budget. When I know what I need I'll look at the price and weigh it up I suppose. I might not need to do regular work with it for a few months.

I might rent one out to do a job that needs to be done in the next few weeks. I'm only getting around to start learning how to weld now after buying a welder during the summer so I'm wary about putting much money into it until I'm sure I'll stick at it.

So as I said I might just rent until I'm sure.

What would a percussion drill be mainly for? ie. If someone had a drill of every type what job would require him to reach specifically for a percussion and if he wanted to drill a few holes through 6mm steel what drill would he then reach for?

But back to your question regarding my budget I think I will follow the advice given in my angle grinder thread and go pro. Unless a hobby drill is ok?

 

[Drains]

If I could only get one drill,I think i'd go for a 1/4 inch HSS Dormer. Always a winner.

 

[Welderpaul]

If I could only get one drill,I think i'd go for a 1/4 inch HSS Dormer. Always a winner.

Typical.

If i'm looking to buy a certain tool, i try to hire that make for a period to give it a good trial.
Better than ending up with something that's no good.

Or if certain nice welding suppliers like to lend things out now and then for hairy arsed welders to try to break!

 

[madkayaker]

A hobby one you will kill fairly quickly with any real work. The price difference isn't so big any longer. A percussion drill is good for none hammer work such as steel but if you are drilling suncream and stone lots the SDS is probably the way to go. I have two SDS 110V for on site and 240V for houses when i dint want to drag the transformer out of the van. I'm a sparkey so spend most of my life drilling masonry and the small about of metal work i use the Dewalt 14.4V. Ive came close to getting a percussion drill a couple of time on bigger jobs but so far have managed with borrowing a mates etc.

 

[Hitch]

Best you can afford every time imo Jack.

Percussion is hammer action.

What sort of things do you do Jack?

If you do a reasonable amount of masonary drilling, perhaps its worth getting two.

I use 3 myself, a low geared d-handle type for drilling metal and large diameter bits, and an sds for masonary, everything else gets done with cordless.

 

[Welderpaul]

drilling suncream

I know sparkies are an odd breed but drilling suncream?

 

[madkayaker]

What were we just saying bout take the p. I'm using spell checker so you all have some hope of understanding this and it spat out the wrong word. DOUH. But at the latitude the suncream does freeze in September.

 

[future_jack]

Best you can afford every time imo Jack.

Percussion is hammer action.

What sort of things do you do Jack?

If you do a reasonable amount of masonary drilling, perhaps its worth getting two.

I use 3 myself, a low geared d-handle type for drilling metal and large diameter bits, and an sds for masonary, everything else gets done with cordless.

Not much at the moment

I want to install a Fuse box in the shed to run 16amp though and that involves drilling through blocks.

A few holes might need to be drilled in the house to hang some pictures aswell - might just use steel nails though.

So as per above not much. I don't work in a trade or anything.

The main use I foresee is welding projects. I want to build a bench and a buggy which will require some drilling.

I won't need to drill through any stone or anything. I just thought you needed an sds to go through blocks (masonry?)

 

[Drains]

Typical.

OK OK. Here's a bit of advice - one thing to look out for is the quality of the chuck. I have a cheapo Makita with a not-very-good keyless chuck that usually lets the bit spin in it when you break through the hole, and a slightly more expensive Bosch - funnily enough, just like that one Hitch put up, which holds tight, and has a nice positive feel when you tighten it. Altogether a better machine.

The problem with the SDS drills is you don't get the high speed options on them.

 

[madkayaker]

A percussion drill would suffice for that as long as its not really hard stone or any thing daft will just take longer but that doesn't sound like an issue. If you get 240V id recommend fitting an RCD plug as that will offer you more protection if you were to hit a cable or water pipe.

 

[Hitch]

Sounds like that one i linked to or something similar would be just the job then.

 

[future_jack]

So a percussion is basically a drill that doesn't have hammer action but can go through hard stuff by your own pushing/striking force (percussion)?

Doesn't seem to be a wikipedia page for percussion drills or google.