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Cordless Hammer Drill

upstech76

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Jun 1, 2011
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13
I am looking to purchase a hammer drill that will seldom see use, maybe once every year to two. I already own several Makita 18v drills and impacts. Home Depot has a Makita Hammer drill on sale for $99, anyone have any real world experience with it? I will be installing 4 half inch anchors into my concrete foundation.
 
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danski0224

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Jan 29, 2005
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I'd rent it.

Half inch anchors probably require a 5/8 hole, which is more suited for a rotary hammer over a hammer drill.

There are also masonry bits designed to be used in a regular drill that will drill into concrete well, and certainly well enough for 4 holes.
 

Brace1

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Nov 29, 2015
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South FL
Is there a specific reason why you want cordless? I personally would go corded for something that gets used that infrequently.
 
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upstech76

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Jun 1, 2011
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Is there a specific reason why you want cordless? I personally would go corded for something that gets used that infrequently.

No reason other than this one was on sale and could still be used as a regular drill (although I already have 2 18v Makita drills and an impact). May just borrow one again as it is really infrequent that I need it. Got to pickup a new bit though, from my reading it looks like Bosh makes really good bits.
 

63spyder

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Glide Oregon
I have the makita hammer drill. It will work for small holes in concrete, but once you compare it to a real hammer drill you will never go back. I bought a cheap hammer drill from hf. A couple of years ago, it's drilled holes for two different car lifts and many other holes. I've drilled 1 inch holes no problem. I think I got it for around 49 dollars, and a selection of long bits for 10 dollars. I use it more than I thought I would.
 
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Busted_Knuckles

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Oct 9, 2009
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Hammer drill is for running 3/16 holes in masonary, and not well at that. I have a corded Hilti hammer drill, a corded Milwaukee 1/2 Hole shooter w/hammer option, and a 24v Bosch hammer drill, I never use them as hammer drills. I do however own a Bosch 1" rotary hammer, and as "danski" pointed out, you dont want a hammer drill for 1/2" anchors. Its a tall order, asking a hammer drill to run 1/2" holes, but its a hot knife through butter with a rotary hammer.

That said, rent or borrow one from somebody. Surely dont go buy a hammer drill, unless you see yourself drilling masonry to hang pictures in the future, because that is about all they are good for, drilling holes for Tapcons, even then I still use the Rotary Hammer, because the hammer drill is LOUD and SLOW chasing tiny drill bits, let alone a 1/2".
 
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upstech76

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Jun 1, 2011
Messages
13
Thanks everyone for the advise. I'm going to borrow the hammer drill instead of purchasing. I learned a lot here as I didn't know there was a different between a hammer drill and rotary hammer.
 

Busted_Knuckles

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Oct 9, 2009
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Thanks everyone for the advise. I'm going to borrow the hammer drill instead of purchasing. I learned a lot here as I didn't know there was a different between a hammer drill and rotary hammer.

Its the beauty of a forum, the things you can learn on someone else's dime.

I bet I was using a hammer drill, for 10 years before I came across a rotary hammer on a job, and went and bought one.
 
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