Best Festool cordless drill for concrete? Using in Guatemala

CatherineTodd

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Jun 20, 2016
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I am going to be returning to Guatemala soon, and plan to bring down a Festool cordless drill and bits to use with extensive concrete work.

1. What is the best cordless Festool Drill kits & or parts I should buy for concrete work?

I see there is a regular drill and a hammer drill. Having little to no experience with concrete, I'm not sure if I should bring both or just one. They are expensive, so I'm wondering if I should bring one powerful Festool Drill and a cheaper brand (oh, the sacrilege!), or two Festool drills?

2. What less expensive drill bits should we use with either of these drills, or should I buy Festool bits as well?

3. Are Festools sold, repaired or replaced in Guatemala, Central America?
 
If you are drilling into concrete I would recommend SDS drills fitted to a BHC 18. Don't know what the power supply situation is in Guatemala but I think that the TCL 3 battery charger should be OK. The BHC 18 will also operate as a regular drill.
 
Hi Catherine,

welcome to the FOG!

For concrete, especially reinforced concrete, a rotary hammer is best suited. In Festool's line up that would be the BHC 18. It can also be used as a regular drill without hammering.https://www.festool.com/Products/Pa...06&name=Cordless-hammer-drill-BHC-18-Li-Basic

For concrete work SDS-Plus drill bits should be used:https://www.festool.com/Products/Ac...rill-bit-for-cordless-hammer-drill-BHC-18-SDS+Set

Some people use percussion drills/hammer drills like the PDC 18/4 on not reinforced concrete, but I would never recommend that - as you state you will use it extensively. In this case the rotary hammer is the best choice.

That said, what do you mean by extensive concrete work? There might be a competitors product that suits your needs better, as the BHC is a rotary hammer only (no chisel option) and suitable up to 18 mm (diameter) holes in concrete. Festool also says it can be used with a "hole saw" up to 68 mm (not in concrete, though) - but this is another task I would not generally recommend this machine for.

Please give us some more information so we can assist you better in choosing a suitable rotary hammer and/or other tools.

Kind regards,
Oliver
 
The BHC is hands down the best thing I've ever used for making small holes in concrete for wires or anchors, but it's an utterly horrible demolition tool and certainly won't cut out big cores. If your definition of "extensive" includes either of these things, you're going to want a much larger SDS-Max rotary hammer from another manufacturer. These will accept a very wide variety of attachments, including rod drivers and tamping plates, which can come in handy when building in rural areas. As far as I'm aware, there is no such thing as a cordless one, though.
 
Agree with NatX 100%, and, the other comments made. 
Reading your request actually had me a little  [scratch chin]  [unsure] 

Apologies if making, in some way, inappropriate assumptions about your prior experience etc. 
Have you been given written specifications regarding the drilling you are to undertake? 
And, can you rely on that info'?  For eg, might it be that expected (hoped)
that you would be able use the drill for more than you expected - chiselling / demolition...
What, exactly, it meant by extensive?  Size of holes, how many?  How 'continuously' will the drill be used? 
Does the drill have to be battery - just wondering that's all...
What type of concrete?  Any rebars that might be hit for eg. 

If work load very high - would, possibly, be looking at full on industrial alternatives; especially the bits. 
If no spares locally available - would take plenty of bits, and, maybe 2/3 pairs of 'insulating' gloves. 
Maybe even spare batteries if necessary. 

Recognise my post maybe not as helpful as wanted. 
But do want to wish you well with your undertaking - impressed. 
Be great if can give feedback one day - might well learn something. 

Richard (UK)
(Edit: to add a word)

 
For extensive concrete use, the BHC 18 doesn't strike me at all as the best solution. Nor does anything else Festool offers. The BHC 18 is only a small drill for small holes.

Something like this Bosch 11536VSR seems much more suitable to me. Bigger and heavier ofcourse, don't know if that's a concern, but a lot more power for about the same price as a BHC 18.

And it's going to be a lot easier to service Bosch in Guatemala than Festool.
 
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