Festool Hammer Drill

[Boski]

Has anyone tried the new hammer drill? any feedback?

I don't really need one, as have a Dewalt, but thought I would put the feelers out there.

 

[semenza]

  BHC18 or TPC18?

        Just asking because depending on the country or region people use different terms interchangeably or lump them together. Hammer drill, rotary hammer, percussion drill, impact, etc.

Seth

 

[woodferret]

'new' hammer drill would be the rotary hammer...  KHC 18

 

[six-point socket II]

KHC 18, only interesting if you must stick to Festool 18V batteries (or already own so many of them to the point of abundance) and/or want the Systainer with matching inlay. Nothing special about it, just a “bread and butter” rotary hammer.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Lincoln]

KHC 18, only interesting if you must stick to Festool 18V batteries (or already own so many of them to the point of abundance) and/or want the Systainer with matching inlay. Nothing special about it, just a “bread and butter” rotary hammer.

Kind regards,
Oliver

Pretty sure it's a re-badge of another brand, can't remember which one though.

 

[six-point socket II]

Yes, Flex.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Coen]

No I bought the 7 cm shorter Bosch GBH 18v-22. But a big part of the reduction in length comes from the chuck not being interchangeable on the Bosch. So only SDS.
Festool doesn't even publish the size of the machine.

Length is everything when drilling up into concrete floor from a crawl space. Or down from under the gas meter bracket.

The KHC dust collection (that springy canister) is somewhat of a joke if you ask me. Really expected more. Like active dust collection most of the competition is now bringing out due to stricter regulation on concrete dust.

Don't know why both Bosch and Festool don't publish photo's of their box inlays with the tools, as there is something to remark on that part too. Like... no apparent space for drill bits in the Festool Systainer.

But having or not having the battery system is the biggest deal of all. I don't really like having a lot of incompatible battery systems.

For the same reason I have the router, the track saw and the jig saw all from Festool; all in one system. The strawberry brand might have a nicer jigsaw, but it doesn't ride on the Festool rail, so no.

 

[EWTHeckman]

Don't know why both Bosch and Festool don't publish photo's of their box inlays with the tools, as there is something to remark on that part too. Like... no apparent space for drill bits in the Festool Systainer.

I couldn't figure out how to put bits in the Bosch case either. Maybe the US case is different?

I do have several Bosch tools. The cases are good quality and protect the tool well. But they're all different sizes which makes storing them very much of a pain. The Systainer system is vastly superior for organization.

But having or not having the battery system is the biggest deal of all. I don't really like having a lot of incompatible battery systems.

Absolutely!

 

[Birdhunter]

I assume this is a SDS tool.

 

[Coen]

Don't know why both Bosch and Festool don't publish photo's of their box inlays with the tools, as there is something to remark on that part too. Like... no apparent space for drill bits in the Festool Systainer.

I couldn't figure out how to put bits in the Bosch case either. Maybe the US case is different?

I do have several Bosch tools. The cases are good quality and protect the tool well. But they're all different sizes which makes storing them very much of a pain. The Systainer system is vastly superior for organization.

But having or not having the battery system is the biggest deal of all. I don't really like having a lot of incompatible battery systems.

Absolutely!

You should have paid the 10 bucks extra and get the version in L-Boxx....
All my Bosch boxes are the same size. Except oversized stuff like the SDS Max hammer etc.

 

[EWTHeckman]

You should have paid the 10 bucks extra and get the version in L-Boxx....
All my Bosch boxes are the same size. Except oversized stuff like the SDS Max hammer etc.

I've never seen that option. I suspect they're not available in the US.

 

[six-point socket II]

They are, generally speaking, available in the US.https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/tool-and-accessory-storage-23539-ocs-c/

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Coen]

The only two editions of the GBH 18v-22 on the US Bosch' website that I can find are either not in a case at all or unspecificed "Carrying Case". So probably no L-Boxx.

[attachimg=1]
As seen here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDOY-E075U4&t=1282s

^Space for the machine, the fitting active dust extractor, charger, batteries, drills. And still space left over for a box of small stuff (dowels, screws, you name it)

Meanwhile, Festool;
[attachimg=2]
Machine, plastic tube, charger, batteries and that's it. Did it occur to them that you need drill bits to use the machine? And that a set 5-6-8-10-12-14 covers 95% of use cases and should fit in the Systainer in a logical way? Apparently not. The TS55 inlay is 100x superior...

Oke, the Bosch Box is a fair bit bigger (39% in "stack volume" (the rectangular footprint times stack height)). But it also houses the active dust extractor.

Bonus of the Systainer could be that it potentially fits the common 460mm long drill bits without going diagonal.

 

[Holzhacker]

Clearly I'm in the minority here. The lack of bit storage in the systainer doesn't bother me at all.
I have a lot of SDS bits. The smaller diameter / shorter ones I keep in 1 box. The larger, longer ones in a bucket. Both are heavy. I would hate to add that weight into the drill box.
I grab whichever container I need for the work at hand.
Besides, you really want to get that pretty systainer foam dirty with nasty sds bits

 

[EWTHeckman]

This is the case that came with mine. As you can see, it's pretty limited, yet manages to waste a lot of usable space.

View attachment 1

Thanks for the links to the L-BOXXs. It's nice to know they exist, but it's kinda odd that they don't list any of those nice organizer inserts for the tools. That omission seems to undermine the reason they exist.

 

[Coen]

Yeah well, we buy the tool complete with insert in L-Boxx. There is five SKU's for the GBH 18v-22 here;

1) machine in cardboard box
2) machine in L-boxx 136
3) machine with dust extractor in L-Boxx 238
4) machine with two batteries and charger in L-Boxx 136
5) machine with dust extractor and two batteries and charger in L-Boxx 238

Since the promotion was a free battery and I already had enough chargers, I got version 3.

No stupid blow-molded case offered at all
Some pencil licker must have decided the L-Boxx versions were not suited for the USA?

Clearly I'm in the minority here. The lack of bit storage in the systainer doesn't bother me at all.
I have a lot of SDS bits. The smaller diameter / shorter ones I keep in 1 box. The larger, longer ones in a bucket. Both are heavy. I would hate to add that weight into the drill box.
I grab whichever container I need for the work at hand.
Besides, you really want to get that pretty systainer foam dirty with nasty sds bits

Yes, I have them from 3.5 to 30mm and from 50mm to 950mm... but like 90% of the use is with 10% of the bits.

You put the drills in with the greasy shaft up  [wink]

 

[pixelated]

My Bosch is a refurb from CPO, no box came with it. It now lives in a Sustainer with a home-made Kaizen foam insert. There is plenty of room for bits and chisels. Since I don't need to be mobile with it, the charger lives on a shelf with all the others.

FWIW, Lowes shows L-Boxx stuff on their website, and I think, tool sets in L-Boxx cases, but it's not something they stock in the stores.

 

[six-point socket II]

It would be interesting to see the KHC inlay without the machine.

Either how, to me this is the bare minimum that has to go inside the same case as the rotary hammer.

- Basic SDS-plus drill bits, for me only up to 10mm at the very basic level.
- Grease for the connecting end.
- Rag(s).

[attachimg=1]

It’s funny, it seems Festool - like many others - doesn’t supply at least a small tube of grease with the rotary hammer. Yet it’s the first thing every manufacturer will point out to the user when they claim a stuck or damaged chuck under warranty.

If that inlay does indeed not provide anymore space for “stuff”, it’s simply a failure.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Coen]

It would be interesting to see the KHC inlay without the machine.

Either how, to me this is the bare minimum that has to go inside the same case as the rotary hammer.

- Basic SDS-plus drill bits, for me only up to 10mm at the very basic level.
- Grease for the connecting end.
- Rag(s).

[attachimg=1]

It’s funny, it seems Festool - like many others - doesn’t supply at least a small tube of grease with the rotary hammer. Yet it’s the first thing every manufacturer will point out to the user when they claim a stuck or damaged chuck under warranty.

If that inlay does indeed not provide anymore space for “stuff”, it’s simply a failure.

Kind regards,
Oliver

You asked;
[attachimg=1]

Bosch includes the spot for the grease tube in the inlay, the tube itself only with SDS-Max machines... rag is present. I prefer to use disposable paper kitchen towels to wipe off excessive grease.

 

[six-point socket II]

I guess it will hold a couple of bits. Not really much space for a grease tube or rag. But I guess it would somehow squeeze in. Or kick the charger out, if one has one in the van or with another kit.

All in all, really not impressed with the inlay. Thank you for the picture!

Kind regards,
Oliver