JCB have recently released the JCBDRHD950A Rotary Hammer Drill

With the JCB excavator track record, I assumed that a JCB product should be
at least of sound construction and so I purchased one on Monday 14th April
2008. It was quite a powerful piece of kit and seemed to be well built.
However, it transpired that one feature of the construction seriously lacked
the expected engineering design considerations.

The unit is fitted with a Black synthetic cover cap on the base of the motor
housing held in place by two 8mm long x 4mm diameter set screws. The screws
turn into two Brass threaded anchors (about 6mm deep), which are thermo-set
into the synthetic brush/bearing housing of the motor. Even kitchen
appliances afford far superior fixings to this and they are not subjected to
anywhere near the work load, or work conditions that this type of unit will
be subjected too. This situation is not evident upon a visual external
inspection and is not realised until the cap is removed.

Of course such removal is not necessary, or desirable and removal is a
servicing function. Unfortunately this cover has a mind of it's own and in
our case it removed itself within the first few minutes of use leaving the
motor windings and commutator exposed to the fingers.

Photographs and more details can be viewed -

http://www.joroco.co.uk/jcb/jcb1.html

These circumstances are currently subject of a formal complaint as indicated
on the above web page. The manufacturer offered to collect and replace the
drill, but with recurrence being an obvious consequence this offer was
declined. The supplier has offered a full refund, which may well be the
outcome, but I have retained the unit at present until the public safety
aspects are reconciled.

Potential owners, or operators should be aware of this design feature in the
interests of safety. Any related feedback would be appreciated.

JoRoCo wrote:

JCB have recently released the JCBDRHD950A Rotary Hammer Drill

With the JCB excavator track record, I assumed that a JCB product should be
at least of sound construction and so I purchased one on Monday 14th April
2008. It was quite a powerful piece of kit and seemed to be well built.

It might be worth noting that the only connection between the power
tools and the excavators is the firm has allowed their name to be used
(or abused) under license to brand the tools. Don't assume any level of
performance or quality of one based on the other. The power tools are
all low end Chinese imports designed more for decoration than actual use
it seems.

However, it transpired that one feature of the construction seriously lacked
the expected engineering design considerations.

Only one?

Of course such removal is not necessary, or desirable and removal is a
servicing function. Unfortunately this cover has a mind of it's own and in
our case it removed itself within the first few minutes of use leaving the
motor windings and commutator exposed to the fingers.

Photographs and more details can be viewed -

http://www.joroco.co.uk/jcb/jcb1.html

You highlight the problem of purchasing a unit without a protective
clutch as well.

These circumstances are currently subject of a formal complaint as indicated
on the above web page. The manufacturer offered to collect and replace the
drill, but with recurrence being an obvious consequence this offer was
declined. The supplier has offered a full refund, which may well be the
outcome, but I have retained the unit at present until the public safety
aspects are reconciled.

I would go for the refund.


--
Cheers,

John.

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John Rumm wrote:
JoRoCo wrote:

JCB have recently released the JCBDRHD950A Rotary Hammer Drill

With the JCB excavator track record, I assumed that a JCB product
should be at least of sound construction and so I purchased one on
Monday 14th April 2008. It was quite a powerful piece of kit and
seemed to be well built.

It might be worth noting that the only connection between the power
tools and the excavators is the firm has allowed their name to be used
(or abused) under license to brand the tools. Don't assume any level
of performance or quality of one based on the other. The power tools
are all low end Chinese imports designed more for decoration than
actual use it seems.

I can't work out why a company with the reputation of JCB are willing to
damage it by selling cheap power tools. The sales from power tools must be
minute compared to the sales of JCB's so there isn't even a lot of extra
profit involved.

I bough a JCB SDS when I first started up, it lasted 4 months & I 'distress
purchased' a reciprocating saw - the blade clamp never really worked at all.
Both went in the bin. I've learned the lesson the hard way - wouldn't touch
JCB with a barge pole now.


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

The Medway Handyman wrote:
snip
I can't work out why a company with the reputation of JCB are willing to
damage it by selling cheap power tools. The sales from power tools must
be minute compared to the sales of JCB's so there isn't even a lot of
extra profit involved.

I bough a JCB SDS when I first started up, it lasted 4 months & I 'distress
purchased' a reciprocating saw - the blade clamp never really worked at all.
Both went in the bin. I've learned the lesson the hard way - wouldn't touch
JCB with a barge pole now.

But would you be put off JCB diggers (and other 'real' JCB stuff) by
that? Or would you just accept that they flogged their brand for small
stuff and assume the big stuff to be as it always has been?

(Not meant to start a discussion over the relative merits of JCB vs
Komatsu or whoever.)

If so, then you do indeed have a point. If not, well JCB made a bit of
extra by selling their birthright - probably more than they would make
out of you.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

The Medway Handyman wrote:


I've learned the lesson the hard way - wouldn't touch JCB with a
barge pole now.

I too was seduced by the brand name. I knew that it was a Chinese
product but figured that "it must be better than a B&Q cheapy".

The JCB SDS did 2 big jobs (well nearly 2) at home. Very heavy, and
the lack of a clutch was a potential killer.
It recently expired with a very loud bang and the brightest blue flash
that I have ever seen.

This latest job was finished with a shiney new DeWalt SDS; expensive
but a joy to use. This, together with the Makita drill purchased a few
weeks earlier, has converted me to the "Good tools are worth the price"
school of thought.

--
"S'ils te mordent, mords-les"

The Medway Handyman wrote:

I can't work out why a company with the reputation of JCB are willing to
damage it by selling cheap power tools. The sales from power tools must be
minute compared to the sales of JCB's so there isn't even a lot of extra
profit involved.

Perhaps they were hoping the low price and shear lumpyness of the things
would mean the trade would not give them a second glance (in fact they
are probably not sold in the places most serious tool buyers would
look), and Jo Public might be impressed enough by the name to buy one
but then never find the shortcomings due to light and very occasional use.

I bough a JCB SDS when I first started up, it lasted 4 months & I 'distress
purchased' a reciprocating saw - the blade clamp never really worked at all.
Both went in the bin. I've learned the lesson the hard way - wouldn't touch
JCB with a barge pole now.

I will own up to having a JCB digital calliper gauge (i.e. like a
traditional vernier design). That does seem to work ok, but it hardly
get to do "hard work" as such!

--
Cheers,

John.

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\================================================= ================/

On 2008-04-21 08:22:21 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

I can't work out why a company with the reputation of JCB are willing to
damage it by selling cheap power tools.

They aren't. The products are in two completely different sectors and
if they f*ck up the hand power tools it won't compromise their diggers
business in the least.

The sales from power tools must be
minute compared to the sales of JCB's so there isn't even a lot of extra
profit involved.

It is probably a label licensing and royalty deal.




I bough a JCB SDS when I first started up, it lasted 4 months & I 'distress
purchased' a reciprocating saw - the blade clamp never really worked at all.
Both went in the bin. I've learned the lesson the hard way - wouldn't touch
JCB with a barge pole now.

But if you were doing site work on a grand scale you would probably
rent a JCB or someone with one. That person is unlikely to have had a
bad experience with a toy drill.

...has converted me to the "Good tools are worth the price"
school of thought.

You never hear of anyone going the other way - "I'm sick of all that
expensive stuff that works well - I think I'll save some money and buy
the cheap s***"

In article ,
" writes:
You never hear of anyone going the other way - "I'm sick of all that
expensive stuff that works well - I think I'll save some money and buy
the cheap s***"

I bought an expensive Metabo SDS, probably about 8 years ago.
It hasn't been as trouble-free as I'd hoped for something over
£300. In the first week, the chuck spring broke and the
reversing switch jammed. Metabo fixed both for free. After
about a year, the rubber nose on the chuck went rotten and
it pulled off when you took the bit out. Rang Metabo, and a
new one arrived in the post for free. Apparently I bought my
drill during a period when they stopped shipping a tube of
bit grease, and the grease I'd been using instead on the
bits had probably rotted the rubber. For the next several
years, it worked fine. In the last year, grease has started
leaking out of the gearbox through the gear selector, and
the hammer action (which seems to be turned on only when you
put pressure on the bit) doesn't always switch off immediately
anymore when you stop applying pressure to the bit.

I've mentioned this to a few professionals who use Metabo,
and they are very surprised, so I don't think this is typical
of their products, particularly given my usage will have
been very much less than that of a professional.

Having said all this, it's vastly better than anyone else's
cheap SDS I've used. It has a clutch (obviously for that
price), an over-temperture advanced warning light followed by
shutdown if you continue to make it hotter, but even in this
state it will let you spin it off-load to cool it. The variable
trigger is a speed control and not a power control -- the
drill varies power automatically to maintain speed according to
trigger position and a separate adjustable max speed setting.
It also has mains drop-out protection (won't spin-up when mains
reapplied until you've released the trigger), and it's very
comfortable to handle. Case is very robust. Gearbox (metal) can
get hot after long periods of use.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Thank you for your comments gentlemen.

JCB Customer Services advised me on Friday 18/4/08 that their engineer would
be contacting me today. No such communication has been received, so the
complete details have been emailed to our local Trading Standards office
this evening along with footnote -

This product is certified as compliant with 72/23 EEC Low Voltage Directive,
which has now been repealed and replaced by EEC Directive 2006/95. I contend
that the demonstrated inferior design of the lower motor cover constitutes
inadequate insulation and that the machine does not comply with ANNEX 1 -
Section 2 & Section 3 of this directive. It is not of merchantable quality
and not suitable for the intended purpose.

On 2008-04-21 19:51:30 +0100, "JoRoCo" said:


Thank you for your comments gentlemen.

JCB Customer Services advised me on Friday 18/4/08 that their engineer would
be contacting me today. No such communication has been received, so the
complete details have been emailed to our local Trading Standards office
this evening along with footnote -

This product is certified as compliant with 72/23 EEC Low Voltage Directive,
which has now been repealed and replaced by EEC Directive 2006/95. I contend
that the demonstrated inferior design of the lower motor cover constitutes
inadequate insulation and that the machine does not comply with ANNEX 1 -
Section 2 & Section 3 of this directive. It is not of merchantable quality
and not suitable for the intended purpose.

Excellent

Also ask them (TS) whether they have forwarded your complaint to their
counterparts or equivalents in every other EU member state? They
are supposed to, according to the rules of any safety related Directive
and the product taken off of the market.

In the meantime, write a letter to JCB customer services asking them
for copies of any test certificates and reports to back them up.
They are required to maintain a copy of any documentation supporting a
CE declaration at an address in the EU. This is the case whether they
are the manufacturer or his distributor.

On 2008-04-21 16:16:02 +0100, " said:


...has converted me to the "Good tools are worth the price"
school of thought.

You never hear of anyone going the other way - "I'm sick of all that
expensive stuff that works well - I think I'll save some money and buy
the cheap s***"

Funny that. Had they bought the better stuff in the first place, they
would have saved money