Don't have a drill.. Sds drill?
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They are heavier and bulkier than combi drills but much more powerful, you also need SDS bits that fit the chuck.
Ah I didn't know that. The drill bits are different.
Better to just get a hammer drill?
The bits are easy to buy in all DIY stores. I use my combi for most things, but for concrete I break out the SDS.
They're really impractical for basic jobs.
Heavy duty stuff - great.
But for everything else, they're really heavy/bulky. Plus i'm not sure you'd even be able to use small drill bits - 2mm-4mm etc - even with some kind of converter.
Sounds like an sds drill is the ticket.
It's a small 3 bed detached. So 2 or 3 walls in each room are outside walls.
Anything that needs putting up has a greater than 50 percent chance of being on an outer wall. So yes. It will be used lots
It's a small 3 bed detached. So 2 or 3 walls in each room are outside walls.
Anything that needs putting up has a greater than 50 percent chance of being on an outer wall. So yes. It will be used lots
You can get small bits, you can also get a converter that means you can use standard drill bits of any size but with no hammer action. Not that you would hammer with a 2mm bit anyway..
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I think i'd just go for a good quality combi drill with some decent bits, and this is someone with a combi, cordless small SDS and then a big heavy SDS.
The Dewalt DCD796 combi is more than powerful enough, i live in an old 1870 house with 70cm thick solid walls and it got through that fine when running a cable for CCTV, and in my previous terraced house i had "Accrington bricks" which apparently are known as being really hard and no issues there either (drilled a 16mm hole right through for an outdoor socket).
The usability of that vs something like the Titan SDS is massive.
The Dewalt DCD796 combi is more than powerful enough, i live in an old 1870 house with 70cm thick solid walls and it got through that fine when running a cable for CCTV, and in my previous terraced house i had "Accrington bricks" which apparently are known as being really hard and no issues there either (drilled a 16mm hole right through for an outdoor socket).
The usability of that vs something like the Titan SDS is massive.
I am with @Martynt74. I had a corded SDS and I could not face getting it out the box to use. It was too big and the cord was a real chore to work with. I've never had a problem with a reasonable quality cordless drill getting through brick (my old 1990's house was very hard brick, although my newer property is a lot softer).
Oh for sure, but is quicker and easier really worth it when you're just sticking the odd TV bracket etc on the wall occasionally?
If i'm doing most stuff around the house i'll always use my Combi as by the time i've got the extension lead and plugged the SDS in, i've drilled what i needed to. I only really see the SDS as being useful for chiseling and core drilling.
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Most are not that big, picked up a Bosch from amazon recently for £100, its only a little bigger than my normal hammer drill. However for most tasks they are not required, I just needed one to put up some curtain rails on a lintel.
Seconding the recommendation for a proper combi, I live in 1890s semi and since upgrading from a cheapo B&D drill to my dewalt 796 I haven't needed to borrow my neighbour's corded beast once.
If you're hanging pictures and non-huge shelves/mirrors etc, even in solid wall that'll do. If you're more frequently wanting to drill for large fixings like big floating shelves, tv mounts, cabinets etc., SDS is the way.
Could say in either case it's worth having a good combi, so invest in one of those and if you're still hankering for the SDS, pull the trigger.
What drill do you borrow, mentioned in the OP?
If you're hanging pictures and non-huge shelves/mirrors etc, even in solid wall that'll do. If you're more frequently wanting to drill for large fixings like big floating shelves, tv mounts, cabinets etc., SDS is the way.
Could say in either case it's worth having a good combi, so invest in one of those and if you're still hankering for the SDS, pull the trigger.
What drill do you borrow, mentioned in the OP?
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A regular sized cordless Ryobi combi hammer drill/screwdriver paired with a quality set of masonry bits did everything I wanted in my old 1940s brick/concrete house for a decade.
It still takes care of 95% of jobs in my 1800s stone farmhouse. When I’m drilling more than regular rawlplug depth/diameter in big stone blocks, it’s SDS time.
It still takes care of 95% of jobs in my 1800s stone farmhouse. When I’m drilling more than regular rawlplug depth/diameter in big stone blocks, it’s SDS time.
Cordless drill through brick? most cordless drills I have had barely touch the surface of a brick.
Soldato
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Not a problem with a half-decent cordless hammer drill and a good masonry bit.
Not about it being cordless it needs to actually have the hammering action required to smash up the concrete and brick.
Going to be there all year if you're using a drill that simply spins a bit against the surface.