Cheap SDS to cut cores or should i be spending more?

[Slugbabydotcom]

The only way I seem to learn is hard way.

I used to buy the cheap nu tool stuff out of makro, pretty much the same as the stuff you can get from the sheds. I thought they were serving me quite well + I wasnt too worried about them getting pinched because they were cheap and after about 10 uses or so I would be onto a winner.
The truth of the matter is that I was on a winner UNTIL I started chucking core bits into them.
The moment of enlightenment came when I was in a corner coring out a hole for a soil pipe. I moved my shoulder towards the drill for a bit of extra pressure. Suddenly the bit snagged, the motor unit span round and whacked me on the temple. I was left dazed and confused for a while with a satsuma sized lump growing on my head.
Well I did learn from that. So after that I kept my head out of the way Then I found that I was ripping my shoulders out of their sockets a few times too many. One time the handle just shattered! Enough was enough.
I started using a proper makita 8406 core drill, which although it looks puny has now cored out a couple of hundred holes of various sizes without a single injury.
About £230 when I got mine they are now about £250 @ screwufix.

 

[mntmouse]

Hi,

Just thought i would update the post.

I purchased an SDS drill from screwfix, it was listed in the paper magazine with a clutch but on their website it was listed without. A quick call to the CS and the clutch was confirmed.

I purchased a TCT from ebay and set about cutting the hole. The first one went fine and cut cleanly. The second hole i tried starting the pilot hole in the mortar between bricks and that caused more problems because the pilot hole gradually drifted and hence i could only attack the wall from one side relying on the core staying in the groove already cut.

The clutch kicked in a couple of times and hence i am glad that i purchased a drill with a clutch.

Both holes are now cut but i would suggest that (I might be wrong) the core should be started in the brick and not the mortar so that you can drill (access permitting) from both sides.

The other thing to note is that the TCT core i bought from ebay was either badly made or i was doing something wrong. The pilot drill holder in the arbor the core was supplied with broke and can not now be tightened. I will take this up with the supplier after Christmas. I guess you get what you pay for and the core bit can still be used.

So to close the thread (from me at least);

A cheap SDS drill did work, the clutch is needed
A TCT bit did the job but only just

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I'm sure i will have another DIY question soon and look forward to discussing it here.