I've been muddling through with cordless drills for the last few years
and it's well past time to get something with a bit more oomph.

I've done some research and read the (very useful) Power Tools FAQ.
Through an indirect route I can get a staff discount on Bosch and it
looks like the Bosch PBH 240 RE has what I'm looking for.  Because of
the discount I should get it for £108 (rather than £140-ish).  It's
key features are:

Rotary hammer and chiselling machine
Electronic pneumatic hammer produces a massive 2.2 Joule impact force
Electronic variable speed control
Forward and reverse
SDS -plus chuck for hammer drilling
Max drilling dia: concrete 24mm, 65mm with a core drill in masonry
Keyless chuck (heavy duty) for rotary drilling and screwdriving
Power input 620w

My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool that should be
good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might want to do over
the long term, or is it hopelessly over the top and I should really go
for one or two models down?

Regards,

Michael

michaeld121@hotmail.com wrote:

> My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool that should be
> good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might want to do over
> the long term, or is it hopelessly over the top and I should really go
> for one or two models down?


I know nothing about the drill in question but it is better 'to have a
function and not need it than to need it and not have it'.  IF (big if)
money is not an object would always go for slightly better/higher spec
than I needed at the moment, as in that way would not have to buy new as
I got slightly better.
  All IMHO of course.

-- 
This post contains no hidden meanings, no implications and certainly no
 hidden agendas so it should be taken at face value.  The wrong words
may be used this is due to my limitations with the English language .

In article ,
    wrote:

> Rotary hammer and chiselling machine
> Electronic pneumatic hammer produces a massive 2.2 Joule impact force
> Electronic variable speed control
> Forward and reverse
> SDS -plus chuck for hammer drilling
> Max drilling dia: concrete 24mm, 65mm with a core drill in masonry
> Keyless chuck (heavy duty) for rotary drilling and screwdriving
> Power input 620w

> My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool that should be
> good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might want to do over
> the long term, or is it hopelessly over the top and I should really go
> for one or two models down?


These SDS hammers with rotation stop are extremely useful for many jobs.
But probably over the top if all you do is put up the occasional shelf.
I've got the roughly equivalent DeWalt one, and I'm very pleased with it.
It's not my first choice for 'normal' drilling or screwing, though,
although it will do both. I've got a fairly ancient B&D variable speed and
reversing model which I fitted with a keyless chuck which I grab first as
a mains drill. It's lighter. ;-)

But only you know the sort of work you'll do. And since these things don't
suffer from not being used much if stored correctly or go out of fashion,
I'd say go for it. It should last a lifetime of DIY work. If you find it
too heavy for light work, buy a cheap mains one as well.

-- 
*I brake for no apparent reason.

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

wrote in message
news:1127215603.079715.216920@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
I've been muddling through with cordless drills for the last few years
and it's well past time to get something with a bit more oomph.

I've done some research and read the (very useful) Power Tools FAQ.
Through an indirect route I can get a staff discount on Bosch and it
looks like the Bosch PBH 240 RE has what I'm looking for.  Because of
the discount I should get it for 108 (rather than 140-ish).  It's
key features are:

Rotary hammer and chiselling machine
Electronic pneumatic hammer produces a massive 2.2 Joule impact force
Electronic variable speed control
Forward and reverse
SDS -plus chuck for hammer drilling
Max drilling dia: concrete 24mm, 65mm with a core drill in masonry
Keyless chuck (heavy duty) for rotary drilling and screwdriving
Power input 620w

My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool that should be
good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might want to do over
the long term, or is it hopelessly over the top and I should really go
for one or two models down?

I have the same model (paid about 170 a couple of years ago) and it has
served me well, chiselling render, bricks, backboxes out and drilling 20mm
holes through 9" brickwork and used as a screwdriver for some big screws on
the back fence in short the best tool i've ever bought

Regards Jeff

michaeld121@hotmail.com wrote:


> I've done some research and read the (very useful) Power Tools FAQ.
> Through an indirect route I can get a staff discount on Bosch and it
> looks like the Bosch PBH 240 RE has what I'm looking for.  Because of
> the discount I should get it for 108 (rather than 140-ish).  It's


There is actually quite a few you could choose at that price. Personally 
I would be looking at one of the blue body (pro) range like the GBH 
models though (the DIY range of Bosch drills tend to be more variable in 
quality).

See :

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=SDS%20Chisel%20Drills

The Makita HR2450X is also very well respected - more power than the 
Bosch, but the ordinary chuck is a plug in type rather than a 
replacement for the SDS chuck.


> key features are:

> Max drilling dia: concrete 24mm, 65mm with a core drill in masonry


Chances are you can get a bit more than that out of it with a core bit. 
I have managed 107mm on my Makita (although it does have 200W more power 
to play with)


> My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool that should be
> good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might want to do over
> the long term, or is it hopelessly over the top and I should really go
> for one or two models down?


Not much point going too many models down because you tend to lose the 
chisel function on the cheaper ones and this is well worth having. If 
you are looking at tools in this range I don't think you will be 
dissapointed even if they are slightly higher performing than you 
actually need.


-- 
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
|          Internode Ltd -  http://www.internode.co.uk            |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|        John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk              |
\=================================================================/

"Jeff"  wrote in message
news:1127221100.7412.0@iris.uk.clara.net...

>
> I have the same model (paid about 170 a couple of years ago) .......


Ooops its not the same, mines the blue one

Regards Jeff

soup  wrote:

> michaeld121@hotmail.com wrote:
>> My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool that should be
>> good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might want to do over
>> the long term, or is it hopelessly over the top and I should really go
>> for one or two models down?
> 
> I know nothing about the drill in question but it is better 'to have a
> function and not need it than to need it and not have it'.  IF (big if)
> money is not an object would always go for slightly better/higher spec
> than I needed at the moment, as in that way would not have to buy new as
> I got slightly better.
>  All IMHO of course.


Kind of depends.
"Damn this heavy SDS thing" might well be the thought that crops up
often if you need to put in lots of small screws at awkward angles.

michaeld121@hotmail.com wrote:

> I've been muddling through with cordless drills for the last few years
> and it's well past time to get something with a bit more oomph.


This tends to suggest to me that you dont do heavy duty work with it.
If so, and if you dont need a concrete breaking hammer chisel function,
nor drill 4" wide holes, then you wont need SDS. (Even a £10 Crappo
special will have much more power than your typical codless.)



> I've done some research and read the (very useful) Power Tools FAQ.
> Through an indirect route I can get a staff discount on Bosch and it
> looks like the Bosch PBH 240 RE has what I'm looking for.  Because of
> the discount I should get it for £108 (rather than £140-ish).  It's
> key features are:
>
> Rotary hammer and chiselling machine
> Electronic pneumatic hammer produces a massive 2.2 Joule impact force
> Electronic variable speed control
> Forward and reverse
> SDS -plus chuck for hammer drilling
> Max drilling dia: concrete 24mm, 65mm with a core drill in masonry
> Keyless chuck (heavy duty) for rotary drilling and screwdriving
> Power input 620w
>
> My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool

sure


> that should be
> good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might want to do over
> the long term,


erm... not exactly. I find most work is screwing, wood drilling, and
light work generally. No way Id pick an beast of an SDS for that!



> or is it hopelessly over the top


for anything you use a codless for, yes, probably.



> and I should really go
> for one or two models down?


I dont know what you plan to do with it, so we cant really say. If it
were me in your position I might get a cheap small mains drill, and
only if that were inadequate then get an SDS. Even with the SDS you'll
probably use the mains drill much more.

BTW ISTR Argos doing a 3 function Bosch sds for about £80. dont get a
2 function one.


NT

Ian Stirling wrote:

> soup  wrote:
> > michaeld121@hotmail.com wrote:
> > > My main query is to whether this is a decent power tool that
> > > should be good for most things an average (at best) DIY-er might
> > > want to do over the long term, or is it hopelessly over the top
> > > and I should really go for one or two models down?
> >
> > I know nothing about the drill in question but it is better 'to
> > have a function and not need it than to need it and not have it'.
> > IF (big if) money is not an object would always go for slightly
> > better/higher spec than I needed at the moment, as in that way
> > would not have to buy new as I got slightly better.
> >  All IMHO of course.
>
> Kind of depends.
> "Damn this heavy SDS thing" might well be the thought that crops up
> often if you need to put in lots of small screws at awkward angles.



Weight is a big factor on the usefullness of a drill , But the op said
he already had cordless drills, was sort of expecting, but I didn't
state, that he would use these for small/medium screws and small holes
in wood.
-- 
This post contains no hidden meanings, no implications and certainly no
 hidden agendas so it should be taken at face value.  The wrong words
may be used this is due to my limitations with the English language .