Which mini jack hammer to get?

[rnln]

Hi guys,

I am looking for a small jack hammer for used at home. Main functions are drill into concrete and breaking up concrete.

Looking at HomeDepot web site under "jack hammer", there so many to choose from. Does anyone have any recommendation, or hint on what to look for?
How do you guys think these are, links below?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-120-Volt-1-in-SDS-Plus-Corded-BullDog-Extreme-Rotary-Hammer-11255VSR/202080348

DEWALT 1 in. L Shaped SDS Rotary Hammer with Shocks-D25323K - The Home Depot

I have borrowed this Makita, pic below, in the past and feel that it take a long time to drill into the concrete and only can chisel concrete that is "softer". If I can get something better, that'll be great.

[javadog]

Those are two different tasks and they require different tools. Buy a hammer drill for drilling. If you plan on doing a lot, buy a Hilti. If you're only talking about a few small screws or bolts, just about anything will work.

None of the smaller, electric hammers are worth a damn. Anybody that removes concrete for a living uses an air compressor and a 90 pound hammer. I'd suggest renting whatever you need. Consider having the concrete sawn, if you are removing a bunch of it.

JR

[billybek]

Those will be fine for doing small jobs.
Not sure if either will work with Hilti brand bits. I find they last longer that the Bosch or generic bits.
If I was busting up a lot of concrete, I would go with a small electric jackhammer from a rental agency or look for one on Craigslist or Kijiji.
I have used a Hilti drill to drill concrete every six or eight inches along the break line then just used a sledge hammer to bust up everything I wanted gone.

[Jrboulder]

What you're looking at is called a "Rotary Hammer", not a "Jack Hammer"

A rotary hammer is pretty much an electric jackhammer that spins its bit so you can make a round hole. Most AC models above 3/4" will have a straight hammering mode in addition to the requisite drill mode (hammer/spin) that is extremely useful for chiseling.

Most modern Rotary hammers use an SDS shank bit. There are 2 sizes: SDS-Plus (smaller) and SDS-Max (larger). Some older tools use splined shanks and other weird stuff but bit availability is pretty limited.

Rotary hammers can drill into concrete with significantly more speed and precision with significantly less effort than a hammer drill because they have an actual impacting force rather than just spinning the bit really fast and inducing a chatter. Yes, I also have a hammer drill and it's garbage compared to a rotary hammer.

Hilti is pretty much the Snap On of rotary hammers although their offerings below $500 probably wouldn't have the capacity you want and their more expensive stuff is aimed as commercial users with on-site support and other stuff that a home gamer wouldn't really be able to take advantage of.

I have the Bosch 11255VSR that you posted the link to and so far it has been superb. I use it more for chiseling than drilling but that's just the nature of my projects. I think if you wanted to do more heavy chiseling you would at a minimum want to get an SDS-Max or a dedicated "demolition hammer" that doesn't have the capacity to drill a hole but has more chiseling impact energy.

[GH85Carrera]

Unless you plan to do that a LOT it seems crazy to buy those tools when you can rent them for a shot term any time for cheap.

I had need to drill through the concrete stem wall at my house. I had a 1/2 drive hammer drill that was great for a 3/8 hole for a concrete anchor but it took me a lot of fighting to punch 1 inch hole. I finally gave up and went and rented a real hammer drill. It cut through in no time.

[Charles Freeborn]

Yes, rent. Get a big MF'ing one and be done in no time.

[look 171]

Ron, if you really need one then buy it, if not rent it and give it back when done. let them to the maintenance. If you must, go buy them in swap meets. They are there all day long. My workmen loves going to those places. For stuff like that, I give a range of 3-400 bucks for a good used one. Buy a Bosch but a Hitachi or Makita are good hammers also. Get one that will accept SDS max or spline bit because these bits can be bought easily and a local company out of Arcadia can make you a custom one that will drill a hole to the center of earth if needed.

[look 171]

Bosch 11245EVS 2 in. SDS-max Combination Hammer

This little guy will do the trick. Yeah, I know, its close to 900 bucks when done, but its a good tool.

[nota]

+1 on the Hilti
I own one
good tool to make holes in rock or concrete

bigger job rent a air compressor on a trailer
and a big jack hammer and maybe a guy to run it also
as it is nasty hard work to bust up rock or concrete
and is a skill

[rusnak]

What you want is NOT a rotary hammer. You want a breaker hammer, or mini breaker jack hammer.

I bought one at White Cap when they had them on clearance. Great tool, but one of my ex-employees just stole it. I think I'll buy a Bosch or look at Hilti.

If you live in an area with hard clay or hardpan soil, buy one. It'll be worth it.

I would not buy an pneumatic because you have to rent a big ol air compressor to run it. I'd rent a pnuematic, but I'd not buy one unless demo is your main business.

[rusnak]

A picture for reference.

[Nostril Cheese]

Bosch Brute Had one for 10 years, no probs

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by rusnak

What you want is NOT a rotary hammer. You want a breaker hammer, or mini breaker jack hammer.

This

[rnln]

WTH, I have too much terminologies now :lol:
Please tell me what is this? mini jack hammer, rotary hammer, or what? It can chisel the concrete and can drill through concrete better than my battery drill with hammer function (I basically only use it to drill stucco. Concrete is a no no).

[Nostril Cheese]

You will be there a long ass time. Go rent a breaker at Home Depot

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by rusnak

You want one of these.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

You will be there a long ass time. Go rent a breaker at Home Depot

Nah, he'll die there, it will take him so long.

Buy a hammer drill if you plan on drilling a bunch of holes in concrete the rest of your life. If they are small holes, just about anything will do. If you plan on drilling large holes, get more acquainted with the subject before you do anything.

For concrete removal, rent a tool. Rent the biggest one you can. Get it from a commercial tool rental company, not a box store. For the record, I consider any electric jackhammer as useless and won't contemplate using one.

If you have a project that requires the removal of a significant amount of concrete, contemplate getting a quote from someone that does it for a living.

And, yes, I do this for a living.

JR

[rnln]

If I want a big job, yes rent, or the one Rusnak has. But if I want to break a small hole or drill several holes for screws or bolts, I want to have one unit handy
This unit was working kind of ok for this purpose. If it can be a bit better, it's what I am thinking about.

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

You will be there a long ass time. Go rent a breaker at Home Depot

[rnln]

Sound like this, rotary hammer, is what I am looking for. What you are looking for when searching on the right rotary hammer? Amp, RPM, ft-lb?
Thanks.

Originally Posted by Jrboulder

What you're looking at is called a "Rotary Hammer", not a "Jack Hammer"

A rotary hammer is pretty much an electric jackhammer that spins its bit so you can make a round hole. Most AC models above 3/4" will have a straight hammering mode in addition to the requisite drill mode (hammer/spin) that is extremely useful for chiseling.

Most modern Rotary hammers use an SDS shank bit. There are 2 sizes: SDS-Plus (smaller) and SDS-Max (larger). Some older tools use splined shanks and other weird stuff but bit availability is pretty limited.

Rotary hammers can drill into concrete with significantly more speed and precision with significantly less effort than a hammer drill because they have an actual impacting force rather than just spinning the bit really fast and inducing a chatter. Yes, I also have a hammer drill and it's garbage compared to a rotary hammer.

Hilti is pretty much the Snap On of rotary hammers although their offerings below $500 probably wouldn't have the capacity you want and their more expensive stuff is aimed as commercial users with on-site support and other stuff that a home gamer wouldn't really be able to take advantage of.

I have the Bosch 11255VSR that you posted the link to and so far it has been superb. I use it more for chiseling than drilling but that's just the nature of my projects. I think if you wanted to do more heavy chiseling you would at a minimum want to get an SDS-Max or a dedicated "demolition hammer" that doesn't have the capacity to drill a hole but has more chiseling impact energy.

[Nostril Cheese]

You need a breaker. seriously