You may recall that I sought advice on a replacement for a very crude
and nasty (but cheap) NuTool SDS+ machine a while back. It looked
pretty much like the Screwfix Ferm SDS Plus Rotary Hammer Drill 230v.
Had no safety clutch and the chuck was free to rotate in chisel only mode.

In the end I ordered a Makita HR2450X from Lawson for a shade under £120
with four sets of small SDS+ drills included.

While waiting for it to arrive I borrowed a Powerbase Exell (sp?) which
looks pretty much like the Ferm 1100W SDS Hammer Drill but is not as
powerful. The Powerbase unit has a safety clutch and the chuck does not
wander in chisel mode and doubtless cost far less than the Makita.

Apart from knocking some sizeable holes with both the PB and Makita
machines, which both do equally well, the only thing I did with both
which showed their true abilities was chiselling out a concrete floor
down to an old bitumen DPC without breaking said DPC. I started using
my trusty bolster until I remembered that I had two SDS+ chiselling
machines at my disposal (duh).

I started with the PB machine but found (a) that it was too heavy to use
for any length of time and (b) it's chiselling is not easily controlled
as it is a fixed speed machine. The Makita weighs fractionally less
than my Bosch hammer drill and, having variable speed, is much more
controllable when chiselling. Just that bit of chiselling made me
realize what a good decision I had made - I had wondered when I was
using the PB machine after having ordered the Makita whether I was
spending money unnecessarily and a PB would have been fine. I can now
see me using the Makita for any drilling into brick, even small holes,
it's so light and manageable. Oh and it's nice not to have the high
pitched scream of a hammer drill to contend with.

Regarding the weight of the Makita; I had initially feared that being so
light it would be less effective than my old NuTool machine of the PB.
However, it seems that the weight of the unit is irrelevant - at least
for the tasks I have used it for so far.

Other nice touches are a carrying case that is cast rather than blow
moulded with a proper hinge and lots of space for drills etc.

Rgds

Richard

BTW my old SDS+ machine has been doing sterling work as a plaster
stirrer since having the duff hammer action removed and the broken nose
cone stuck together with JB Weld!

R


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Real email address is RJSavage at BIGFOOT dot COM

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