"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
In article ,
Ian Stirling wrote:
An SDS drill does not substitute for an ordinary hammer drill.
For small holes in wood, metal, the SDS RPM can be low, and the weight
can be quite a bit higher.

But you don't need a hammer drill for drilling wood and metal...

Are there such things as small electric hammer drills - that can't
have the hammer turned off?

Not that I know of. But if you have an SDS drill, an ordinary non hammer
drill will be fine for everything else. That was the point I was making.

The small electric hammer drill I have (800g?) is infinitely more convenient
for making small holes in masonry when on a ladder than the SDS would be,
for example for fixing security lights.

Yes, the SDS would make the holes faster, but the setup would be much worse,
as using the SDS one-handed isn't really an option.

With the hammer drill, you can easily, and safely work the drill one-handed,
even at a moderate distance from the ladder, as long as there is something
to hold onto.