PDC + dirt Yton in gear switch

[DzordanoBruno]

Hello Gentlemen,
have You problem with shifting Your gear switch on PDC?
Yesterday i made maybe 100holes and the dust fell into switch. Then was really  hardto shift gears.

I cleaned this switch with vacuum and and some wet papers. Now works ok, but switch has few scratches.

 

[six-point socket]

Hi!

ytong when being drilled or cut creates a very fine and very aggressive dust - and with a hundred holes drilled, I'm not surprised the gear switch was affected by the dust. I guess you didn't use dust extraction? For example with this:https://www.festool.com/Products/Accessories/Pages/Detail.aspx?pid=500483

Also using compressed air in between drilling to clean the switch and PDC itself may help prevent the switch from "clogging" and will prolong the PDC's life immensely.

But then again, in my opinion you are using the wrong tool for this job. It seems you're trying to create slots for electrical installation - why don't you use an appropriate wall grinder/ wall chaser with dust extraction?

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[DzordanoBruno]

Because iam dumb i have this accessories!  I need make it fast and simple and I forgot to use it.

I made mistake

 

[mwildt]

Using compressed air can actually make things worse in that you're 'pushing the grit' further into the device rather than removing it. A fine brush and a vacuum may give better results. One could also slap a piece of tape over the switch for real dirty scenarios like this one, or just drill bottom up instead of top down. Not sure of the drill by mistake sucks in air at the switch location this making this problem potentially worse.

I'm guessing you're drilling these holes in order to be able to take the wall down or similar. If so you could also have used a saw to precut I guess.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I had this problem with a DeWalt drill, ytong dust got in the selector switch. My drill had to go back for a warranty repair.

 

[mrboult]

Personally I think the PDC is a great drill but the switch is just a bit of bugger, and the dirt probably didn't help.

I've absentmindedly covered drills in all sorts of crap over the years, and never had any issue.

A long standing makita drill of mine once had to put some screws in with the drill almost fully under water. Still works today, but sadly the old makita battery system is no longer supported.
So it sits on a shelf with it's one mostly dead battery, like a race horse put to pasture after a majestic career.

My point being, that I don't think you should worry about your drill, you just need to acept the switch sucks (I've used 3 and all were a pain to various degrees)
The switch is a bit crap, vacuum it, spray it with air, use wd40 . . . I believe it should be fine!
And if it isn't, I'd want to find that out during the 3 year warranty, rather than after..

 

[DzordanoBruno]

I have a lot of tools and when iam done with my job a use vacuum to clean tools and wire it with cleaning towel. My tools looks like new. 

I use drill to make space for new electric wires.

I like PDC and would like use this drill for hole life, so I need take care ))