An SDS drill bit is a bit specifically made for a drill that is equipped with a Slotted Drive System or sometimes known as a slotted drive shaft.

The slotted drive system in most commonly found in hammer drills and is uniquely designed to allow for a sliding motion to occur in the chuck of the drill to increase the performance of the hammering action creating better and faster cuts into masonry.

The SDS was originally created by Bosch in 1975 under the name Steck Dreh Stitz or Insert Twist Stay, but was referred to as Special Direct System for international objectivity.

What are the different types of SDS Drill Bits?

The bits themselves don’t change much other than in size. SDS Drill bits are available in 4 different sizes. SDS, SDS+, SDStop, & SDSmax.

The sizes range from 5 to 30 millimeters in diameter and 110 to 1000 mm in length.

The most common SDS drill bit size is the SDS+.

What are SDS Drill Bits used for?

The SDS drill bit’s primary purpose is in masonry drilling. Its increased efficiency in hammer drills is extremely efficient for faster drilling.

Bosch 6 Piece SDS Plus Drill Bit Set

Bosch is the original creator of the SDS drill and is still a leading competitor in the SDS drill bit marketplace. Their 6 Piece SDS Plus Drill Bit Set costs £14.99 and is available in stores, and online at amazon.co.uk.

The Milwaukee cordless drill is a very strong competitor in the cordless tool marketplace because their lineup offers a variety of drills that are known to be great performers. Milwaukee is a professional power tool company that has been in operation since 1924 building professional grade power tools for the working man.The most recent additions to the Milwaukee cordless drill family are the new M12 and M18 lithium ion battery powered cordless drill and drivers. (including)

• M12 Screwdriver
• M12 Screwdriver- Bare Tool
• M12 3/8” Square Drive Impact
• M12 ¼” Hex Impact Driver
• M12 ¼” Hex Impact Driver-Bare Tool
• M18 Cordless 1/2″ Hammer-Drill
• M18 High Performance Hammer
• M18 High Performance Drill Driver
• M18 Compact Driver Drill
• M18 Cordless 1/2″ High Torque
• M18 ¼” Hex Compact Impact Driver
• M18 3/8″ Compact Impact Wrench

The new M12 and M18 cordless systems are built around one concept. Get you as much power as you need, without the hassle of constantly needing to recharge those battery packs. As I mentioned earlier in the article the major benefit to a cordless tool in convenience and if you can’t get a long life out of your battery then you are basically losing out on the main benefit of using a Milwaukee cordless drill. The new M12 and M18 tools are powered by a lithium ion battery that performs at high levels while maintaining a charge for hours and only taking 1 hour to recharge.

Many of the new Milwaukee cordless drills in the m12 and m18 systems are offered in package and sets that include multiple battery packs and a charge to insure that you will be able to maximize the amount of up time as compared to the batteries down time.

One issue that pros find with cordless tools is the lack of torque and power. This is not something you need to worry about with a Milwaukee cordless drill. The Milwaukee is constantly out performing it’s competition. In fact on the new M18 Cordless 1/2″ Hammer drill the power is so impressive that it is up to 20% faster in concrete than the competition.

In my house I currently have two cordless drills, a Craftsman 18v drill and an Black and Deck cordless drill that pushes out 12 volts. Each drill serves its purpose equally well and I love them both. But what I like about the Black and Decker is its size, the carrying case that it came with, and it’s ability to perform tasks above and beyond what I had expected it to do.

The drill is small in stature, but not in power. The 12 Volt battery and bits that I have equipped it with have so far been able to take on any challenge that I have been able to throw at it. Even drilling into my plaster walls using a masonry bit to hang pictures in my living room.

The Black and Deck Cordless drill that I have is only 1 of many in there line up. They offer a wide variety of drills that will perform an even wider variety of tasks. If you visit their website you will find that Black and Decker offers more than 10 different drills ranging in power from 7 to 18 volts. Each drill is made to perform a different set of tasks. Some are heavier and more powerful for use on large projects and in a professional setting, others would be better suited for placement in your laundry room where they could be grabbed quickly to fix a loose screw or hang a picture somewhere inside the house. In either case Black and Decker has the perfect drill for the job.

The down side to my Black and Decker cordless drill is that although it is very useful I have had some trouble with battery life. I don’t know if this is a problem that many owners have with their drills, but it is something that I have come across. Although having to recharge you battery frequently may be a bit of an inconvenience I would definitely not let it deter you from purchasing one of these drills. Cordless drill batteries have become so inexpensive over the last 5 years that it is very easy and affordable to keep yourself stocked with multiple batteries which would basically keep you up and running all of the time.

But don’t just take my word for it, I would suggest that you run to your local store and find out what Black and Decker cordless drills are available in your are and how they compare to other brands and models. An informed shopper is always the best shopper.

Being the avid reader of Popular Mechanics that I am I am fortunate enough to get the quick reviews of these new drill models that come out, and they say to avoid the 18 volt lithium-ion drills, at least the DS18DSAL.

In their recent drill test the the full sized Hitachi Drill performed incredibly well, even so well that they said it “aced” their tests, but the new Hitachi DS18DSAL Compact Pro Driver Drill had a underwhelming performance when put up against the same tests and standards.

According to Popular Mechanics the Hitachi was lacking in power and battery life a similar symptom of many of the 18 volt lithium ion drills available in the market. Basically they say that if you are looking for a cordless drill that will fit in your tool belt stick with either the 10.8 volt or 12 volt drivers as you will be much happier with their portability, power, and battery life.

Although the Hitachi DS18DSAL Compact Pro Driver Drill will get the quick job around the house done, is light weight, and relatively powerful it is not the drill you may be looking for on the job site unless you have a couple of extra charged batteries lying around.

The impact drill is an absolute necessity when it comes to tools needed for masonry much like the hammer drill, but it allows for much greater use as the impact drill will perform tasks such as driving screws.

The Makita Impact Drills

The Makita website lists only one impact driver model available, the Impact Driver (Variable Speed, Reversible) Model: 6952, but I have found a few available on Amazon.com since, none were available on .co.uk, that I will touch on as well.

The Makita Impact Driver Model: 6952 is a powerful impact drill that has 88.5 ft lbs of torque so it can handle heavy duty jobs and 2.8 amp motor for very high performance. The Drill is variable speed, reversible for driving and removing fasteners, and has an ergonomic handle with a easy to use one handed trigger and reverse switch. To make use and maintenance simple Makita made the impact drill under 3 lbs and has what the call “externally accessible brushes for easy inspection and replacement.

Other Makita Impact Drills:

Makita BTD142HW 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver is a cordless impact driver that Makita makes using their side slide Lithium-ion batteries. They tout this impact driver as the best power to rate ratio driver on the market that has an ergonomic shape that allows you to easily apply even pressure and have more control.

Makita BTD141 18 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver Kit is a smaller light version to lower user fatigue which is great when you have a long job. The drill battery is also quick charging and last more than 2x longer that the standard cordless battery.

Problems finding a Makita Impact Drill?

I have noticed that neither Makita nor Amazon.co.uk really make finding their impact drivers easy. Makita doesn’t have a .co.uk site so you are stuck searching at .com and Amazon doesn’t list a stock of Makita stuff on .co.uk. The links I have put in the article are on the .com sites so be sure to look around them to see if a Makita impact drill is right for you.

Other Impact drills we have written about include the Bosch Impact drills, be sure to check out our article to compare their models to the Makitas.

Who Makes Makita Drills?

Makita Drills are made by the Makita U.S.A., Inc. based out of California in the United States. The company has been a leader in the power tool industry for over 90 years now and continues to build tools that are consistently among the top performers in their field.

The Makita Drills:

Makita currently offers 24 drills in their product lineup ranging from 1/2” angle drills to 1/4” speed drills. Although each corded drill that Makita makes may have its own subtle differences from the previous model each is built to be an excellent power tool.

Here is a list of all the drills Makita currently is offering on their website.

Where can I buy Makita Drills?

Makita has hundreds of online and offline locations for purchase drills, rather that trying to list them all I would suggest you take a minute to look at the shop page of their website.

Diamond core drill bits are used when cutting holes through fragile materials such as glass or tile. They are not commonly used for soft materials such as wood as a regular core drill bit would suffice. Because of the extreme strength and sharpness of diamonds they can not only cut through very strong materials, but the cut is also very clean.

If your core drill bit utilizes a masonary bit at the core this will just be a standard drill bit, not diamond. This is only really there to drill a centering hole.

Do diamond core drill bits cost a lot more?

In reality they are quite a bit more expensive, but aside from the obvious reason (diamond plating). They also last a lot longer and do a better job of cutting. If I was cutting into granite or marbel I wouldn’t even consider not using a diamond core drill bit.

Diamond core drill bits are definitely an investment which will pay for itself over time, if you use them regularly that is. If not it may just be better sufficing with what you have or borrowing someone elses. To make sure your investment does indeed stand the test of time and wear, it is a good idea to lubricate the bit periodically, this will reduce wear and help with your cutting.

Impact drills are often times confused with hammer drills because they both provide the user with a hammering type of action when drilling, but the differ because the impact drills hammering action is dependent upon the amount of feed pressure set by a user, and that an impact drill can be used to drill would and drive screws while a rotary hammer cannot.

Bosch Impact Drill PSB 700-2 RE

Bosch touts this drill as “the powerful tool with 2-speed gears”. The PSB 700-2 re IS a corded impact drill that is built with 700 watts of power, 2 gears: 1 for high torque and another for high speed, and a keyless chuck making it easy to replace bits as necessary. The speed of the drill is controlled easily using the setting wheel on the drill and the trigger switch that is strategically placed on the ergonomic soft grip handle. Out of the box this Bosch corded drill is made to work for you.

Bosch Cordless Impact Driver PDR 14.4 V

Bosch cordless drills are perfect for on the job site and for the do it yourself enthusiast because they allow for great mobility. Well this Bosch impact driver provides more than great mobility; it provides more power and more torque at the same great compact size as their other cordless models. The PDR 14.4 v battery is one of Bosch’s 1 hour quick charge batteries which means very little downtime when in between charges, and the drill itself runs on a “reduced current” motor making use time even longer. The cordless impact driver is lift weight, comfortable thanks to another ergonomic soft grip design and equipped with a 3 way led light to make even the dark jobs manageable.

Bosch Impact Drills

As you saw above Bosch offers both a corded and cordless model of impact drill which means added convenience to whatever application you choose to use it for. If you are not sure if an impact drill is the right tool for you compare it to the Bosch Hammer drills to see if maybe you need a different tool for your application.

Bosch Drill batteries are made to fit either a specific model of drill, or a specific cordless power tool line that they offer so it is very important to know what battery your exact drill will need.

Use the chart listed below to help you identify which Bosch drill battery you need for your cordless drill.

Bosch Drill Battery Chargers:

During the life of you power tools you may need to buy extra batteries and even though it happens infrequently you may find yourself needing an extra drill battery charger. Most times people will purchase an extra battery charger if they have a cordless tool set so they might need to charge multiply batteries at one time, or you may find yourself needing a replacement charger if you accidentally cut the cord with that nice new drill of yours.

Much like the Bosch drill batteries, the charges are made for a specific model, so use the chart below to find the Bosch battery charger that matches your needs.

Bosch have a large range of cordless drills in their product range, so you should have no problem finding one that suits your needs. All of the drills featured below are covered by the ProVantage 3-year Tool Protection Plan.

12V Compact Tough™ 3/8″ Drill/Driver
Model 34612

This is Bosch’s entry level drill. Make no mistake though, it is not low quality or useless. The new ‘compact tough’ design makes it even easier to monevour in those tricky places.

14.4V Litheon Compact Tough™ Drill Driver
Model 36614-02

This is another of Bosch’s ‘compact tough range, very similar to the first one I showed you except this one is 14.4volts and also runs off a litheon battery. As you will know litheon batteries have many advantages, including being over a pound lighter than Ni-Cad and having double the batter life.

14.4V Litheon Brute Tough™ Drill Driver & 14.4V Brute Tough™ 1/2″ Drill/Driver

Model 37614-01 & Model 35614

These are the same drills as above, except these ones are part of the ‘brute tough’ range. The ‘brute tough’ range doesn’t have as much emphasis on manouvarability although, as the name suggest, the focus is on being extremely hard wearing and strong. Perfect for the more intensive applications.

18V Litheon™ Brute Tough™ Drill Driver
Model 37618-01

The 18v drills are currently the most powerful in Bosch’s range, although I think they will be bring out a 36v range in the near future. The 18v Litheon™ Brute Tough™ Drill Driver is currently the most powerful and hard wearing cordless drill Bosch offer, so you can be confident in the knowledge that it will handle most jobs.

18V Litheon Compact Tough™ Drill Driver
Model 36618-02

This model offers all the power of the drill above, but in a much more compact tight shell. If you find yourself often drilling in awkward positions with your corded drill because your cordless one can’t handle the load then it is definitely worth considering upgrading to the Bosch 36618-02.

Thanks for reading and I hope that my quick overviews of each product will help you make an educated purchase.