SDS+ is 5kg too much?

[JonathanRyan]

So I need a new SDS drill.....

It's going to be used for drilling into lintels, hacking off plaster and probably breaking up a brick wall.

All the cheap ones are 5 kilo. 2 kilo seems to cost a lot more. Is there any downside to a 5kg one other than getting tired holding it? I suspect I'd only use it for an hour or so a day. Any advantages to the 5kg over the 2s?

 

[Nod]

I would guess (but it's only a guess!) that a 5kg one will be more effective and possibly less tiring to use (other than the lifting/carrying) due to its greater mass taking some of the recoil. BUT, drilling into lintels would make the extra weight a PITA pretty quickly, I reckon. Maybe hire one of each for a couple of hours and see how you get on with the weights?

 

[onomatopoeia]

I had a 5kg SDS drill (by "Titan"), which just stopped working one day in the middle of a job (50mm hole in a double skin concrete block wall for a sink waste pipe). I replaced it with a 3kg Makita which cost twice as much, weighed less and is easier to use, and is better at making holes in concrete.

I'm only a DIYer and I don't use the SDS drill much, so the first one should not have broken. It's replacement does seem a lot better though, just hope it lasts!

 

[JonathanRyan]

Maybe hire one of each for a couple of hours and see how you get on with the weights?

That's something I hadn't thought of. Unfortunately, HSS want about 25 quid for a light one and 30 odd for a heavy one so that would be £55 plus I'd need a 10V supply (!!!! - they seem to hate DIYers). 5kilo Titan is 70 quid. Even a 2 kilo DeWalt is 90 so the hire would be a big chunk of the purchase cost.

 

[big soft moose]

is there anyone local who could lend you one ? (I'd have been happy to by devon to kent is a bit of a trek)

 

[fracster]

I had a 5kg SDS drill (by "Titan"), which just stopped working one day in the middle of a job (50mm hole in a double skin concrete block wall for a sink waste pipe). I replaced it with a 3kg Makita which cost twice as much, weighed less and is easier to use, and is better at making holes in concrete.

I'm only a DIYer and I don't use the SDS drill much, so the first one should not have broken. It's replacement does seem a lot better though, just hope it lasts!

I bought a 6kg Titan and it has done a full house and still going strong, f****r is bloody heavy to use all day though.

 

[JonathanRyan]

Problem solved. I hit a (new) problem this morning that means I'll have to replace a DPC pronto. All of a sudden the drill purchase became urgent. I compromised and bought a 3 kilo Makita on special at Screwfix. People never regret buying Makitas, right?

 

[fracster]

nothing wrong with Makita power tools bud. You'll be fine.

 

[StuartH]

Problem solved. I hit a (new) problem this morning that means I'll have to replace a DPC pronto. All of a sudden the drill purchase became urgent. I compromised and bought a 3 kilo Makita on special at Screwfix. People never regret buying Makitas, right?

But the screwfix titan one would have probably done the job..used several and for the money they are ok.Plus screwfix returns policy and guarantees are excellent so even if it did break just return for refund or replacement...You wont go wrong with the makita though.

 

[JonathanRyan]

But the screwfix titan one would have probably done the job..used several and for the money they are ok.Plus screwfix returns policy and guarantees are excellent so even if it did break just return for refund or replacement...You wont go wrong with the makita though.

Yeah - I picked up a Titan and decided that every time I used it at height I'd wish I had bought something lighter

Also, I've noticed I tend to buy tools that are better than I need. They don't cost that much more but are far more pleasant to use.

Needless to say the Makita made mincemeat of installing the new DPC

 

[fracster]

Yeah - I picked up a Titan and decided that every time I used it at height I'd wish I had bought something lighter

After eight hours using my 6 kg one I had exactly that thought bud.

 

[JonathanRyan]

Well today I ended up "levelling" a floor. 9 X 25 kilo bags of latex self levelling compound mixed up in a flexitub using the Makita. After the first one I realised how much I would have hated this job if I'd bought a 5 kilo drill

 

[kendo1]

Well today I ended up "levelling" a floor. 9 X 25 kilo bags of latex self levelling compound mixed up in a flexitub using the Makita. After the first one I realised how much I would have hated this job if I'd bought a 5 kilo drill

The joys of being in the trade: I get someone else to do it.

Problem solved

 

[wack61]

I once had to break up a shed base, whoever had laid it was too lazy to dig it out level so had shuttered it and laid concrete about 2ft thick at one end

I rented a 5kg one but it would have taken days so went back and swapped it for one of those breakers like you see workmen using

Did it in a day but I was absolutely knackered , now whenever I see somebody using one I think , respect

Right tool for the job every time

 

[u8myufo]

Lightweight your choice is easy,this is what my choice was when I was in construction,and the smaller type guns for using on walls etc was not that much lighter.Three or four days solid using one and you would know all about it.