Bosch RH540M SDS-max® 1-9/16 In. Combination Hammer

My crews were using Bosch SDS-Plus hammer drills (the largest hammer size in SDS-Plus models) for years. We use them to break up refractory in fire heaters in refineries, which is incredibly tough. The old models worked well, but took a bit more time. In my line of work, getting the job done safely includes getting it done quickly so my guys are out of the line of fire quicker. I had one of the SDS-Plus models finally give up the ghost after years of abuse on a particularly difficult heater - went to a big box store and saw this model and gave it a try. We went from spending 10 minutes working a single repair area to less than 90 seconds with the extra power this unit provides. It is smoother, quicker and surprisingly light. Less fatigue, better production, less over worked bits and tools, happier crews. Life is good.

I had to dig a trench 120 feet and in some places it was over 5 ft deep and I began to hit boulders. I called a local and asked him if a skid steer and a jack attachment would break them up. I was told, you have to dig them out, it would be a waste of time to try and break them up. Challenge accepted. This Bosch RH540M 1-9/16 Inch SDS-Max Combination Rotary Hammer with 5/8 inch and 3/4 Hammer Bit drilled into the boulders and then I split them with some 3/4 Feather and Wedges, those thing are amazing. I also used a Bosch Clay Spade and Chisel Set on the impacted clay. It took about two weeks and it was a lot of work but the drill, bits and spade never let me down and I got the job done and saved a bunch of money not hiring someone with heavy equipment to remove the stones.

This Bosch tool is a beast, and I mean that in the most flattering of terms. When I first removed it from the box and hefted it I thought, this thing is heavy and big, and operating it is gonna be very difficult, and tiring. Thankfully my assessment was way off. I simply inserted the 3” chisel bit, placed it strategically on the surface I was working on, and IT did the work, ripping up large slabs of backer board, tile included!! It made what I thought would be a long and arduous project into a 1 day deal. It’s the best power tool I’ve ever used. Period.

Good quality

If you are planning on using this sporadically for light duty tasks then a word of caution. Bosch uses a thick grease in this model that needs to be heated up with moderately long use times to properly lube the inner mechanical workings of this tool. If you are a DIY’er or someone who only plans to use this rotary hammer for short bursts of work, then the grease may never get up to the temperature needed to keep things oiled. This can easily lead to premature failure. One potential fix is to open up the case and replace the thick grease with a more viscous Bosch grease or oil. However it might be better for you to just buy a different model. This is the only SDS Max Bosch Rotary Hammer that I’m aware of which uses this thicker type grease that requires hotter internal temperatures to work properly. The next bigger models up the line use a much more viscous grease/oil which prevents this problem. This isn’t a well known fact so I’m hoping this review helps those that can benefit from it.

This is a tough tool. It's a bit heavy so little guys will get tired quick. This is a mans tool and it fits the bill. Bits are easy and quick. Has plenty of torque. The hammer is adjustable and works in various positions. It is pricey but it expect this tool to last. Took out tile on a wood floor with mesh in less than an hour on 80sq ft. Drilled nine 1" holes in concrete and didn't have any issues.

Muy bueno

Actually its WAY more power than what I need it for, but since when is having too many and too powerful a tool in your basement a bad thing? My wife says as long as I use something she doesn't care what I get. So that must mean if I only use it once its ok. :) I really only needed a machine to put 5 screws into our basement wall so yeah a regular hammer drill was the most appropriate, but . . . now if I ever need to make a 5 in hole in the concrete wall, I can. Plus it gave me an excuse to buy the spade chisel, sds-plus adapter, ground rod driver, 3 in scaling chisel . . . you know, just in case . . .

Remodelar la casa

Powerful and quick. Used to remove 10'x14' section of 65 year old 4" concrete floor. Also used to lift old tile and bore 4 inch hole through 10 inches of concrete. Did everything like a champ. Glad I bought this rather than rent one (multiple times). Expect I can sell it for 2/3rds what I paid when I'm finished with it.

This might be the best purchase I ever made. Let me be clear for those of you who are wondering what you can do with this drill -- today I drilled 20 holes the diameter of a loonie 16 inches into a rock the size of my car on the front lawn. I started with the 8 inch long bit -- it went that deep in a timed two minutes, then I put on the 16 inch but and went in the additional 8 inches. This is bluestone, the stone you often see used as driveway gravel. I can tell you that I spent six hours jackhammering it and got nowhere. The drill is amazing, I can't imagine how I got along without a tool like this. Paid for itself today!

Es un roto martillo está muy bien para trabajos de albañilería

Was going to purchase a much cheeper brand, but figured this is a tool that is meant to be used HARD. At $500 it's 3 times the price of another Amazon special. Better to pay more now (if you can afford it) than to be disapointed later.