I need to install a couple of items around the foundation of my house. I've always rented hammer drills but now I just want to get one so I can do my occasional small projects without having to go to a rental center first. I know my son can make use of it too. My price range is $100-$150. With that in mind I have two questions:

1) Corded or cordless?
2) Brand? I do have a bunch of DeWalt 20V cordless tools.

Thanks in advance for the input.

If you already have a bunch of 20v, then stick with that platform. If you have more than one battery (which I’m sure you do, skip the cord. Cordless nowadays is as good as corded if you have good batteries. The Home Despot has this one for $109.

I recently bought an M18 Fuel kit with the hammer drill and impact driver. I had to do a fair bit of concrete and cinder block drilling. It was pretty incredible how much power this thing had. It made the job a breeze. I would highly recommend these products, however since you already have the Dewalt 20v platform, stick with that.

Now if you’re looking to change platforms, the M18 Fuel lineup is pretty badass. Aside of having every tool under the sun available, the amount of power these tools have is no joke. I would highly recommend these.

What Beancooker said.

I'd just add that it's a mistake to try to cheap out on bits for it. Good (ie, expensive) ones drill faster and last longer.

Have you been renting Rotary Hammer Drills? What size holes will you be drilling?

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
Have you been renting Rotary Hammer Drills? What size holes will you be drilling?

Typically 1/4" - 1/2"

Much depends on the specific material that you will drill into. We have some old brick on our home that will laugh at my Makita 18V drill, when switched to the hammer setting. And the old mortar is far to weak. So my cordless drill is pretty useless at trying to set an anchor in the exterior of our 1920’s home.

My Makita set is ~10 yrs old and I’m sure there are more capable, newer cordless sets. But I personally am content knowing that I can simply rent a big-boy hammer drill for the few times I need it.

I’m somewhat of the same mindset for a circular saw. A good corded saw makes a lot of sense vs the cordless unit that fits my LXT 18v line. The cordless stuff works great for basic drills, drivers, sawzalls, etc, but certain tools are best in a corded format.

I guess I'd ask the question whether you need a drill or an SDS drill? I have both corded and cordless hammer drill, and neither could stack up to the benefit I received when I bought the cheapest SDS drill I could find.

I have this Dewalt corded:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DE...rill-DW511/100037000

And cordless hammegrdrill:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mi...ly-2804-20/305059499

But neither performed as well as this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/...ammer-kit-64288.html

IF you have to go into concrete, and I should know - I just framed my basement that is all concrete walls, those first two will leave you frustrated. Code required me to put in 60 wall anchors, I had to move a toilet drain line by 10" (in the floor), and had to knock out a 4" bath room vent.

I've drill countless holes in concrete to mount machines..... A 1/2" hole with a $100 hammer drill, not ideal. Rotary Hammer drill is the way to go. After buying a Hilti rotary hammer drill I have never used my Milwaukee Magnum 1/2" corded hammer drill to drill concrete again. If for occasional use, check HarborFreights.

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
I've drill countless holes in concrete to mount machines..... A 1/2" hole with a $100 hammer drill, not ideal. Rotary Hammer drill is the way to go.

Agree with this. A rotary hammer makes a much cleaner and more precise hole, with less effort. My Bosch rotary hammer can also be used as a hammer drill by flipping a switch. Not sure if all brands are like this, though.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
I've drill countless holes in concrete to mount machines..... A 1/2" hole with a $100 hammer drill, not ideal. Rotary Hammer drill is the way to go.

Agree with this. A rotary hammer makes a much cleaner and more precise hole, with less effort. My Bosch rotary hammer can also be used as a hammer drill by flipping a switch. Not sure if all brands are like this, though.

After researching I think I'll go with the rotary hammer. No comparison after watching some YouTube videos. Probably do a HarborFreight thing to keep it in my budget and it won't be used commercially. Thanks for that bit of info!

I would not buy a hammer drill for that purpose, but a rotary hammer. Difference is night and day, and that's no exaggeration.

When I started work on the Man Cave Project I knew a hammer drill wasn't going to cut it. Did my research, bought a Bosch 11253VSR Bulldog Extreme rotary hammer. Goes through the concrete in our basement walls, concrete that's frustrated more than one hammer drill and bits, like a hot knife though butter.

The crew that came out to remediate the cracks in our basement wall used the exact same rotary hammer. That's when I knew I'd gotten it right

Just last week we had our well pump upgraded. Well guy pulls out a hammer drill to drill the holes for mounting the VFD on the wall. "You're probably going to want a rotary hammer for that. These are very hard walls in spots." He figured he'd be good.

He finally conceded defeat with "You weren't kidding about these walls" and we ended-up fetching my rotary hammer. Drilled with ease the hole his hammer drill could not. (I can pretty much guarantee he fried his bit trying it with his hammer drill, too.)

As an added benefit I can place the rotary hammer in hammer-only mode and use a variety of other bits for scaling or for splitting decorative rock or stone--both of which are a lot easier with that rotary hammer than with a chisel and mallet/hammer.

Here ya go: Bosch 11253VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-Inch SDS-plus Pistol-Grip Rotary Hammer (Though I bought mine from a local tool store, which I would recommend doing. Or at least HD/Lowe's.) Well within your budget.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Here ya go: Bosch 11253VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-Inch SDS-plus Pistol-Grip Rotary Hammer (Though I bought mine from a local tool store, which I would recommend doing. Or at least HD/Lowe's.) Well within your budget.

Seems like you found what I'm looking for and in my budget. Thanks Ensigmatic!

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Here ya go: Bosch 11253VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-Inch SDS-plus Pistol-Grip Rotary Hammer (Though I bought mine from a local tool store, which I would recommend doing. Or at least HD/Lowe's.) Well within your budget.

Seems like you found what I'm looking for and in my budget. Thanks Ensigmatic!

Be sure to keep your SDS bit shanks clean. A little bit of debris on the oil will ruin the quick chuck in no time.

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Here ya go: Bosch 11253VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-Inch SDS-plus Pistol-Grip Rotary Hammer (Though I bought mine from a local tool store, which I would recommend doing. Or at least HD/Lowe's.) Well within your budget.

Seems like you found what I'm looking for and in my budget. Thanks Ensigmatic!

You're welcome.

I only forgot to mention: Rotary hammers like that don't use a normal, smooth- or hex-shank drill bit. They use special SDS drill bits, which are kind of spendy. Then again: They don't burn out in one job.

E.g.: I did over seventy 4 in. deep, 3/16 in. holes for the man cave project with two bits--and the only reason it took two was because I bent one (which I can probably straighten-out).

Also: The tool shanks require lubrication, occasionally wiping off debris, and re-lubrication. Buy a tube of Bosch's lube while you're at it: Bosch Parts 1615430010 Tube Grease

I don't know what the stuff is. It looks and acts a bit like Vasoline, though. Maybe that's all it is. I just paid the $12. You don't use that much, anyway.

Having drilled as many holes as I did, there is a massive difference in drill bits. My Milwaukee and Bosch SDS bits are the only ones that held up. Buy once, cry once.

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:
I need to install a couple of items around the foundation of my house. I've always rented hammer drills but now I just want to get one so I can do my occasional small projects without having to go to a rental center first. I know my son can make use of it too. My price range is $100-$150.

I had several 4x4 post supports to be drilled in concrete. I took the cheep route and bought a hammer drill from Harbor Freight. My thinking was if it gets me through this project, I'll toos it. That was five years ago and I still have and use it for many projects around the house.

Just to let you know you made the right decision... A good rotary hammer will put a "hammer drill" to shame. Your hearing will thank you too.

Good call on the bulldog.

I just used a similar Bosch rotary hammer drill thingee for my 7/8" redhead anchors for my four post lift.

The Dewalt bit worked just fine and drilled all eight holes pretty quick (5.5" concrete).

Russ

Bought a Bosch rotary hammer several years ago when we needed to put up plywood on several homes in a hurry with the hurricanes that hit FL.

We put up plywood on several homes and it never missed a beat into concrete block homes with several holes per board.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
What Beancooker said.

I'd just add that it's a mistake to try to cheap out on bits for it. Good (ie, expensive) ones drill faster and last longer.

THIS, the Bosch concrete bits are a very good set for the money and good bits make a huge difference.

I'd consider going corded if you're not going to use it often. Why, a corded hammer drill is good for 20-30 years or so, when seldom used. Cordless IS just as good, but what's not to say that 3-5 years down the line you don't switch from dewalt 20 volt Lion to something else. The Bosch corded drills are very good as well as a few other brands.