Recommend me a battery drill...

Long Drop

Active member
What's the current off-the-shelf battery drill of choice, for general UK use (bolting and 'digging')?  Any favourites for a good compromise between weight, balance, grunt, size, ruggedness, longevity, packability, price, etc?  I'm guessing the Bosch GBH 24VRE's that were around when I last looked at this are pretty much obsolete now.

Thanks...
 

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
Go for the Makita DHR165ZJ with two 4ah batteries.  It's light enough for bolting, but will also get you 20+ capping holes or 2x1000mm shotholes (10mm).  Full SDS of course.

If you need heavier duty go for the Bosch Professional GBH36VF-LI plus.  It's 36volts of course.  The new model is a slightly different shape and doesn't pack quite as well as its predecessor but it does have some oomph.  I have 3 batteries (3Ah I think) and with those we get 5x1000mm shotholes at 10mm or 40 plus capping holes.

Also worth noting that Makita supports British caving and has given drills to expeditions and one as a prize on ukcaving which is now helping with the exploration of Eldon Hole.

From what you say, Long Drop, your answer is a no brainer  ;)
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
I bought a Makita drill last year (like the one Badlad mentions above) on his recommendation. It's been hammered since then and has performed flawlessly. I'm really glad I bought this - particularly as Makita does help caving projects. So I can certainly support what Badlad says above.

As an aside, I sometimes wonder if companies fully realise the benefits they gain from helping cavers. Way back in the late 70s and early 80s I was involved, as a young caver, in various expeditions which were given supplies of breakfast products by Mornflake. Because of their support I've always bought Mornflake products ever since, from preference, without really thinking about it. So they gained a loyal customer, for nigh on 4 decades, because of their kindness to a bunch of penniless students all those years ago. Multiply that by all the other cavers who similarly benefitted and still choose their products as a result and it's pretty obvious why sponsorship does pay off. Quite apart from this, the quality of Mornflake stuff is really good anyway.

Sorry, I digress. Yes - Makita - I suspect you'll not beat Badlad's suggestion for a good all rounder.
 

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
I also meant to say that the Bosch 36v has a chisel action which you don't get from smaller drills.  Anyway it sounds like Makita is the one for you and I'm very pleased the drill worked out for Pitlamp too.

When I bought mine I purchased the drill body from one place and the batteries and charger from another supplier.  That was the cheapest way as Makita do not generally sell as a box set.

Happy drilling
 

Huge

Active member
When you buy your drill Long Droop, I know a couple of places to put it to good use. Can you get it by tomorrow night? 😀
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
Is the above still good advice for drills for taking on expeditions?

I am debating getting a new toy in the form of a drill; probably want something light rather than powerful provided it has enough oomph to drill large holes when required (I can't imagine needing to drill anything bigger than 16mm though?).
 

Leclused

Active member
andrewmc said:
Is the above still good advice for drills for taking on expeditions?

I am debating getting a new toy in the form of a drill; probably want something light rather than powerful provided it has enough oomph to drill large holes when required (I can't imagine needing to drill anything bigger than 16mm though?).

For rigging on expedition we use a small bosch. See the topic about it.
http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=18585.msg244356#msg244356

For dighing we use hilti and heavy bosch machines.
 

pwhole

Well-known member
I've been using the Makita DHR243RMJ 18V drill with great results for a while now - it's little a bit heavier than the model Badlad mentioned, but not as much as a 36V. That has had some serious use, way beyond drilling 8mm bolt holes. A friend asked me to core-drill 30mm through his loft wall last week - breeze-block and then brick. It took a good ten mins to get through, but slow and steady did the trick. The chisel setting has been very helpful too, and will remove flakey rock and calcite easily. The other handy feature is a quick-change chuck, and you get a normal, very high quality 3-jaw chuck in addition to the SDS chuck with this model. Not a SDS bit fitting - made to measure, and it locks on to the drive shaft. Makes it a bit pricier, but a LOT more useful. Drilled 12mm holes in galvanised angle iron in the field, which is good enough for me.

And it packs into a Peli 1400 so snugly it barely needs padding. Though the chuck has to be removed to do that. Sam T's 242 model without the extra chuck just fits in the 1400 too. But floating it through water has proved very handy on occasion. Sailed it through most of Mucky Ducks in Peak recently with just a gentle push ;)
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
To follow up on something earlier in the thread, I can confirm that the Makita DHR165 does just fit in a Pelicase 1400 with the battery removed. I can then just about squeeze 4 batteries in with it.
 

pwhole

Well-known member
I can only get two batteries in, but still space for a blower, brush and a few bits and bobs:

_IGP5070.jpg
 

enki_ck

New member
Good experiance with this one:

BOSCH GBH 18 V-EC (came with two 6Ah batteries), 2,5 kg small but powerfull


But also thinking about this one for the next purchase:

MILWAUKEE - M12CH-402C

The cave resque crews here use it and are very happy with it. 1,8kg, 4Ah batteries, great for rigging, they say up to 30+ bolts underground but hardly weighs anything.
 
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