Need a new hammer drill what do you all think of the Bosch 1 1/8 inch SDS 7.5 amp model, thanks for comments.
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Depends on what you want to do with it. I have the 11236 model and it's a beast that has never failed me. It's heavy working over head!
"I never met a man who didn't owe somebody something."
Lest anyone ever accuse me of being a tool snob .....
I've been quite happy with the Harbor Freight products in this category. The SDS and SDS-Max roto hammers have served me well.
Are that as "good" as a fancier brand? Probably not ... but they get the job done. In side-by-side comparisons, they've performed just as well. For 1/3 the price of the fancy names, I'd call them a real value.
I've got a MIlwaukee 1 1/8" hammer drill (was made in Germany) # 5359 I think.
It has the three modes - hammer drill/drill only/hammer-chipping only.
If most of your holes are 3/4" or less, than I'd say a larger one would be in order. But, for a general purpose rotary hammer, it does ok, and the chipping function is handy, albeit limited in power.
When I looked, it seemed like the smaller sds 1 - 1 1/8" drills were the only ones that had the three modes - the larger rotary hammers didn't have a separate chipping function, which is why I bought the one I did.
I only paid $205 for mine through a sale at Amazon a few years back, so for the money, I've been satisfied.
Seems all of the Bosch rotary hammers are well regarded, so you probably couldn't go wrong with any model. The only reason I bought a Milwaukee was cause it was $100 cheaper.
One thing I've found is no matter what brand SDS bits you buy - they all look like they were made by the same manufacturer - all have the same logo and made in Germany stamp. Bosch makes some larger special tipped ones, but all the small ones seem to be the same make.
Great deals to be had on SDS bits on Ebay. I've picked up the 7 piece sets that retail for $55 for $12 on Ebay before.
Julian
I bought the Makita. It was dirt cheap at HD one day and came with a free grinder.
Both seem great.
The bosch is a good choice, but keep your options open. Any leading name brand for a 1-1/8 SDS is going to meet your needs, so if you see a DeWalt or Makita for $50 less, that's more money you can put toward bits.
The important thing is to make sure you get one with all three modes - drill, hammer, combo. I have an old Porter Cable that just keeps on going, and hardly ever use my corded 1/2" hammer drill anymore.
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What Julian said about having a chipping option is spot on. If you ever need it, you will be really glad.
If you drill a lot of holes in concrete or what have you, then you might find it worthwhile to jump to an Hilti. Much less vibration. This doesn't matter if you only have to do 6 or 10 or what have you. But if you do 50 a day, days at a time, you will notice.
I agree 100% - the Hilti is a dream to use. They cost more, but if you are doing more than 10 to 12 a day the Hilti is the way to go.
I have a Bosch one that's never failed me yet.
Don't have any experience with any other brands.