ARWadworth wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message om...
Been lusting after a cordless SDS for some time, but the price has
put me off.

My mate wot helps me build decks is a bit of an Arthur Daly
character & buys pallets of catalogue returns, never knows exactly
whets on them. Lot of the stuff is brand new, never been opened.

Last pallet he bought had a JCB 24v cordless SDS which I purchased
for the princely sum of £20 (used notes). Plainly never been used.
Obviously Chinese, but worth a punt.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.100-7573.aspx

So, a review. I've no experience of other makes so I cant compare
it with a top brand.

Its bloody heavy for a start, mainly due to the battery which is the
size of half a housebrick. It comes with two (2 a/h) & a huge 1
hour charger in a decent blow moulded case. The case is also huge,
I don't know where its going to fit into the van yet - may just
carry the drill & battery. It works, drills holes in bricks that defeat
percussion drills, but
its slow compared to my Wickes & Ryobi mains SDS. Not sure if all
cordless SDS are slower than mains? Can't find any specs for
impacts per min or impact energy.

Not sure I'd be happy drilling lots of holes working off a ladder
because of the weight & relatively slow drilling speed - you would
need arms like Arnold S. 'Boxed weight' is 12kg.

Looks tacky though. Finished in the JCB orange/black but with a
couple of 'chrome' trims at the side & top that make it look cheap.

I am on my 3rd SDS cordless. The Hitachi was the bees knees. As fast
as any mains drill for 5.5 and 7mm holes. The Hitachi was, at a
guess, swapped for a bag of heroin when my van was broken into at
work. I was left with the charger and spare battery that I gave to a
friend with the same drill.
I have also had a Makita that my apprentice now owns/borrows for ever.
Heavier and slower than the Hitachi. It does have a rotor stop and do
chiselling though.

I am relegated to using a Bosch SDS cordless. Not worth £320 new IMHO.

Enjoy your £20 machine. A bit too heavy for my liking but for £20
well worth it.

If your mate opens another pallet with another JCB SDS cordless drill
in it, save it for me at £20. I will pick it it up when I pass your
house.

Noted matey.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk