On the fence today....

[chopnhack]

I need your collective wisdom to help me spend money today! Amazon Gold Box for today is the Makita LCT200W for $189.

Should I spend the $80 more for the hammerdrill feature/hardcase of another model? I do occasionally need a hammerdrill and the one I have is a beast bosch bulldog sds rotary hammer which is not always convenient to use for small jobs. Again I only occasionally need to drill concrete, but what puts me on the fence is construction quality. I am thinking that the hammerdrill makita is probably more sturdily built, just don't know if its worth spending the extra $80. Pro and con would be having a hard case to protect when not in use/I heard the case was huge.

[cabinetman]

For concrete, I prefer an electric hammerdrill. I've got a 14.4 PC that works OK, but concrete is tough on batteries. I also have a Makita electric H/D (5/8" chuck), not SDS, that I use.

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[chopnhack]

Thanks for the input Mike. I think I am trying to compare apples to oranges and there lies some of my trouble.

This unit has 3AH batteries and the hammerdrill, but is a $100 more
http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LXT211-...pr_product_top

The other unit in comparison has the 1.5AH batteries. I think having the hammerdrill at your fingertips is a nice convenience, but I don't think I do enough work to justify it. Either unit seem to be very well received on Amazon. I will have to ponder whether to jump on this Gold Box deal!

[Uncle Hook]

I don't know the first thing about hammer drills but I bought this unit from harbor freight because the reviews are great. I haven't tried it yet.


http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-...mer-97743.html

[woodturner]

am thinking that the hammerdrill makita is probably more sturdily built,

I have not been impressed with the Makita hammerdrills - the corded ones, haven't tried the model you linked. They burned out very quickly - but the $20 HF clone has lasted for years.

If you are doing much hammer drilling, though, a rotary hammer like a Bosch Bulldog works MUCH, MUCH better.

[cabinetman]

I have not been impressed with the Makita hammerdrills - the corded ones, haven't tried the model you linked. They burned out very quickly - but the $20 HF clone has lasted for years.

Sorry to hear you don't like the Makita electric hammerdrills. What model do you have? I've been using mine for over 15 years, and it works like new. I wouldn't put any faith in a $20 hammerdrill, or any electric drill that cheap, especially if needed at a jobsite.

Could be that yours was defective from the start, or has a simple problem, like a faulty switch, or a wiring problem. Have an expert check it out. Those electrics have to be plugged in. Maybe have a qualified electrician check out your wiring,. Maybe a defective outlet.

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[eezlock]

on the fence today

It boils down, I think to these two things.....
(1) hammerdrill
(2) corded or cordless model...right?

If you want a real hammerdrill, by a Bosch, Milwaukee or other reputable brand,cry once and keep on using it for years to come.They will probably outlast you in the long run!

As to corded or cordless, cordless drills or "ok" for the most part, but they can only do one or two jobs and anything else they fall short of the mark.
Corded hammerdrills are the best, no question about it!
Cordless drills are best left to light drilling and running in of screws...those are their best jobs! I think enough said here on this subject, most contractors/builders and other professional users would tend to agree with me. Save your money and buy the best you can afford.

I have a Milwaukee corded drill " Holeshooter model" ,I would not swap it for
any other drill of it's type on the market, my opinion...the best!

[chopnhack]

I let it go for now... this item needs more consideration. I basically need a good cordless drill as I have none and I have a few jobs, especially a relatively big job that would be a lot easier with a good impact driver (think 1 hand installation of 3" screws sometimes overhead). I do own the Bosch Bulldog and love it dearly, but it is huge for small tasks like installing conduit holddowns or throwing up a few tapcons. Thanks for the input though!