Power Drills - Advice needed?

[slloyd]

Can anyone recommend me a good power drill to be used around the home mainly concrete & brick drilling on a 1930s house (walls are solid).

I bought a B&Q Macallister set a couple of years back...but they just don't have the puff anymore - and now I'm wanting to put my blinds up the same drills tire straight away.

I'm not looking at spending oodles of cash on a drill, but something that will attack these walls with little effort.

I've been looking at Makita, Dewalt and Hitachi as possible options.

Thoughts and links would be great.

http://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/de...-pid37252.html

i always use these for my tools. Great service and decent prices. This is a good price but SDS drills need SDS bits http://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/de...-pid23761.html or a standard chuck. But the good thing about SDS drills is that the rotation can be turned off so the unit can be used as a chissel.

http://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/ma...-pid36958.html this isn't too bad for a precusion drill, but for concrete sds all the wat.

I tend to buy mostly 18v li-ion LXT cordless from Makita or 110v corded from makita or dewalt. All their stuff has great spares back up and is fully rebuildable. Never use Screwfix, their prices are silly and service is very poor.

for drilling into hard as feck brick I use a corded black and decker drill, it cost me £40 but goes through most things, it only got a but stuck trying to drill a 15mm hole in driveway concrete,

I did treat myself to a Dewalt XRP on offer from screw fix the other day but they only come with one battery, its flipping powerful though

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/74113/...ss-Combi-Drill

[slloyd]

BigBaddad & 454697819 thank you both for your guidance and we have a little look at these drills and see which one makes me part with my reddies.

[DarrenSV650S]

All the makita drills I've owned have had terrible chucks. They just let go of the bit while you're drilling. Like BBD says you need to get a proper SDS drill. You can't go wrong with a dewalt. And don't cheap out on the SDS bits. Get some decent bits and they will last

[embee]

I use Makita for nearly everything, some Bosch (Pro range), don't personally like De Walt but that's personal thing. I have a Makita 2450X (the X denotes it came with a 13mm regular chuck on an adapter). I think the 2470X is the current equivalent.

Get an SDS (they're all "plus" now, it was a slight mod to the bit engagement) with roto stop so you can use it as a chisel. You might think you'll never ever need it, but sure as eggs is eggs if you don't have it there'll be a time when you do. Sometimes called "3 function" i.e. hammer+roto, roto only. hammer only (roto stop).
Check the spec of the advert, some come with a standard chuck on an SDS adapter so you can use it for wood/metal with regular bits, useful.

Yes you need SDS bits, but a small set to suit typical plug sizes are not expensive. I've Makita and Bosch branded bits which have been excellent, plus the odd Armeg, but I've also used Jimmy-no-brand bits and they've been fine too so don't worry too much.

I think the last power tool I got was from here .

Be wary of ebay items not from recognised businesses, there are fake Makita tools around.

[Stuuk1]

If you are just using it for DIY then I wouldnt touch any kind of battery drills. The batteries will discharge and within no time you will have a knackered set or batteries (and the batteries cost more than the drill).

If the walls are as hard as you say then your only option is a 240v SDS drill (110v if you want to be safe but you will have to carry a transformer around with you which you will get ****ed off with within the first 5 seconds. I have a 110v henry hoover at work.... pointless).

SDS bits can be expensive but think about what you are buying, you will need a 5.5mm drill bit for putting up curtains unless you have OCD and want to fix it up with a 10mm bolt...

Dont go buying the long 5.5mm bits, you dont need to drill a hole that big so go for the shorter one (unsure of exact length) because this wont bend anywhere near as easily and will therefore last longer.

Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S

You can't go wrong with a dewalt.

Erm, you know they are Black and Decker now dont you...?

I use Makita as I was tired of the Dewalt stuff going in for repair all the time.

If your going into hard stuff all the time, get an SDS and an SDS chuck adapter for the times when you want a wood bit.

[Stuuk1]

If you do get an SDS drill, send me a PM and ill get a few new Bosch SDS bits together for you, I get them free afterall...

I wouldn't buy dewalt ever again, everything I have had made by them has fell to bits, my tools get a hard life, Bosch are my preference tbh.

I have a 18v makita cordless, not a bad drill but the chuck is crap, one of the three jaws starting coming out of the end, so luckily managed to take it apart and realign it.

Even cheaper Bosch stuff will be ok for general diy use and will last a few years.
IMO, spend about £100 from screwfix or similar on a Bosch sds corded drill.

Can't link you one ATM as I'm on phone.