Powerdrills

J

Joe Nonety

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418
Anyone recommend a powerdrill?
I've seen 3 different types - hammer, percussion and rotary and I don't know which one to get.
It'll eventually be used to drill 3 different types of material - plasterboard, solid concrete and porcelain tiles.
 
Hi Joe,

if you are going to drill solid concrete, you'll need a hammer drill. Get yourself a good branded drill (B&D, Bosch etc) - most of them will allow you to turn the hammer action on and off.

Also invest in a proper tile drillling bit, makes all the difference!

Hope this helps,[broken link removed]
 
Hammer=percussion. You've only seen two types.

Dont buy a rotary drill unless you never expect to drill concrete. Invest in a good quality hammer action (as said above you can turn off the hammer action when not required.)

Don't touch Black and Decker (or any of the B&Q/Woodies specials) with a barge pole if you want a decent drill. Bosch, Makita, even Hitachi are all better. While you are there invest in a good set of drill bits. These are more important than the drill. A good drill is a long term investment and will save you both time and money in the long run.

Drilling porcelin tiles is very difficult, there are specialist bits out there for it so ask for them. Keep the drill bit wet while drilling to keep it sharp.
 
For concrete and tiles go for an SDS drill. Buy a second €30 drill with handchuck for wood, as opposed to an attacheable chuck for SDS which will probably cost same.
DeWalt are excellent, but don't represent good value for a DIY'er.
I got a Bosch SDS/mini chisel in B&Q 3 years ago and it's still kicking!
 
A cheapie lightweight drill/ driver without hammer action is ideal for drilling everything other than concrete. You don't want anything too big if you're just looking for something to hang a few shelves etc. Argos do some great value cheap drills, corded and cordless. I have a middle of the road Bosh hammer drill for regular stuff around the house; Bosh do a DIY range of tools which are green in colour and a Trade range which are blue. The DIY range should be more than adequate. Don't spend a lot of money on tools like cordless DeWalt unless you expect to use them a lot- the batteries need regular discharge/ recharge cycles to keep them in optimum condition. You should be able to buy a decent DIY hammer drill and a cheapie cordless (for light drilling and screwing) for less than €120 in total. I'm still a great believer in the Yankee type screwdriver- no leads, no batteries and Goughs had them on offer for only €20 last year- a steal!
 
Would these drill bits be considered good...
[broken link removed]

If not, could anyone recommend a good set?
 
They look fine to me; you really don't need to worry too much about drill bit quality unless you plan to be doing a lot of intensive drilling work in concrete, especially mass concrete. Your average TCT masonry bit is more than up to the job in standard blockwork and render. If you are going to be drilling a lot of dense concrete then you'll need an SDS bit and a powerful drill too match.
 
SineWave said:
For concrete and tiles go for an SDS drill. Buy a second €30 drill with handchuck for wood, as opposed to an attacheable chuck for SDS which will probably cost same.
DeWalt are excellent, but don't represent good value for a DIY'er.
I got a Bosch SDS/mini chisel in B&Q 3 years ago and it's still kicking!
Click to expand...

Atlantic currently have an extremely powerful SDS drill (Including bits and chuck). This is the Puma 1500w SDS+ and is on sale at varying prices in Atlantic branches. Cheapest is Sandyford (Closing down sale) where it is under €50. Other branches are slightly dearer. This is a very heavy duty drill, and should only be considered by the experienced DIY-er.
 
Gulliver said:
This is a very heavy duty drill, and should only be considered by the experienced DIY-er.
Click to expand...

I agree, an SDS or rotary drill can just about tear your arm off if you don't know what you're doing (it knocked me off a ladder, anyway!). You certainly don't need one if you are just going to be drilling holes in walls to put up shelving etc.

Some of the more powerful cordless drills have hammer action, and they handy to have for putting together cabinets etc. Be aware though, if buying from Argos, that the more powerful something is, the heavier it is. This can be a real pain in the arm if you are trying to put up a shower rail holding the drill above your head!
 
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