Why is my drill so slow in brickwork?

[Harry Bloomfield]

Before making their choice I urge the OP to consider exactly the type of work they envisage doing, and if it isn't at least 50% heavy breaking, to go for a lightweight tool. At one time these were expensive, but looking this afternoon there a few 2kg SDS drills in the £50 to £60 range which boast an impact strength of 2J (joules) or above - and you ideally need 2J or more for a drill to be usefully fast and be able to undertake chiselling work

Agreed! Of my 3x sds drills, 1x HD mains, 1x LD mains, 1x Lidl battery sds, the Lidl battery does 90% of the work, since I bought it. Unlike a normal hammer drill, you don't need to push the drill, simply hold it where you want it to drill the hole.

 

[Scally-Ho]

For a lighter weight SDS+ that still has excess of 2J, the Einhell pistol grip must be worth considering.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Einhell-TH-RH-800-rotary-hammers/dp/B00BLZXMDA/ref=sr_1_50?crid=13VR21T6OYMKZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0EeAlROUPNoKa5hQLfJjYI3kPFzgwxdq5S0eDDQoc-N-bG0m_n-CjUwQlmLMchSvzqMnqigTsWcQEmmWw88fEWCsFnmY_O2JKFNc1mjsNRoBiVoee9zD4U_NESsXM2zRtVhBOGwuOVuJ808n9uLjO95I3jEgh5K3sMe7ighLp_yiYFeX9noy-NpQFD6R3BLsN8sFhrPDt22UoMAnxRv_kPOtnXrzFGKarl-rbMWJVCmTuOaGysCUfSg7iEBhsls0eFcgdUl0Y1O1tQtcoLDshsRVM61r38737_laI37STxg.12YOrHcStSAvEOi3GPrr9OPQA0Q_6_o0Vw8neds5d2g&dib_tag=se&keywords=lightweight%2Bsds%2Bdrill&qid=1749567327&sprefix=lightweight%2BSDS%2Bdrills%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-50&th=1

 

[mrrusty]

This is my main SDS - the swappable chuck is really handy https://www.bosch-professional.com/gb/en/products/gbh-2-26-f-06112A4060

 

[robinbanks]

But a lightweight 2J SDS is pretty quick, without needing muscles in yer spit to use it at or above shoulder height

Would it be fair to say a decent lightweight cordless SDS wouldn't be in the same price class as the aforementioned heavy/cheap one though?

 

[mrrusty]

Would it be fair to say a decent lightweight cordless SDS

Horses for courses. If you need cordless and SDS, you have to pay the ££££. Personally I don't find a corded SDS any problem, but then I would only use it for a few holes here and there occasionally.

 

[robinbanks]

Aye, if you need it, then it's value even if it costs more

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Horses for courses. If you need cordless and SDS, you have to pay the ££££. Personally I don't find a corded SDS any problem, but then I would only use it for a few holes here and there occasionally.

I find the effort of getting out the extension, the corded sds, plus all the setting up a bit of a disincentive, for an occasional quick job. My Lidl, lightweight, battery sds makes life so much easier - seconds, versus many minutes, to do a quick, simple job.

 

[PolarNorth78]

How do you define expensive? You can get a Makita cordless SDS for just over £100. Plus battery and charger granted but that's no more than £50 for the entry stuff and you're into a good system. My Makita SDS+ has lasted 15 years and still drills a 28mm hole in a cavity wall. Appreciate £150 is a fair amount but it's not the hundreds you see some of the other tools (cordless SDS Max for example...). In any case, the drill is only as good as the bits in it.

One thing for the OP to consider, an SDS is good at what it does but that's what it does. Don't use it as a substitute for a combi drill or impact driver which are the bread and butter.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

Would it be fair to say a decent lightweight cordless SDS wouldn't be in the same price class as the aforementioned heavy/cheap one though?

Except I didn't say cordless