BOSCH 8.0 Amp RH328VC SDS-plus 1-1/8 In. Rotary Hammer for Concrete

I was using a Ridgid R7121 Drill, 1/2-Inch Spade Handle Mud Mixer to drill holes in freshly poured concrete for rebar for a large garage I was building. One hole would require me putting all my weight on the drill for about 10 minutes as it vibrated my wrists. Of course spade drills are designed for mixing wet mud, not drilling into hardened mud. And it would make the drill hot. I got tired of abusing my big mixing drills, and my wrists like that, so I got this Bosch SDS. I got it factory reconditioned from CPO. I could not tell it had been used other than the box was open. It drilled the same hole my spade drill took 10 minutes to do in 15 seconds. I've run this drill for hours doing nothing but 1/2" rebar holes and it doesn't get hot, just keeps going. No problems yet after a few buildings. SDS stands for slotted drive system. It uses a special kind of drill bit. Normal bits will not work without an adapter which I cover in the next paragraph. Basically you click a bit on, and the chuck locks it in place. Then only the bit is impacted in the chuck, instead of the entire chuck being impacted. Or to put it another way, only the bit moves while the chuck stays in place. This makes it a more efficient transmission of power, which is why SDS drills are all more powerful than traditional hammer-drills. Traditional hammer-drill chucks have more weight they need to move up and down. The drill has three settings. Drill only. Impact only. And drill and impact, like all SDS drills. And like all SDS drills the handle has vibration absorption. I won't lie and say Dewalt or Milwaukee are better or worse, I think those 3 brands stand hand-in-hand at the top, with Hilti standing above them, but also with a price tag twice as high. Since SDS drills are built to take abuse and high torque applications, they are also great candidates to use a hole saw with. But to use a hole saw you will need to buy the Bosch 1618571014 SDS-plus Shank 3 Jaw Chuck with Integral . That "traditional" chuck will basically lock into the SDS chuck, so you will have two chucks doubled up. But then you can also use any other normal drill bit. Keep in mind if you have lots of smooth-shank-masonry-drill bits that you will need this chuck adapter if you want them to work in any SDS drill. And those traditional bits will not work as well as SDS bits, because then the drill has to move an entire chuck, just like traditional hammer drills. SDS max is not compatible with SDS+, MAX is basically for demolition and massive boring jobs. SDS plus and SDS+ is the same thing and is compilable with SDS.

I had never used a real hammer drill before. Not sure why. I wanted to split an overhanging end of a granite step, so I ordered some 1/2" feathers and wedges and borrowed a neighbor's Bosch Bulldog drill. OMG! That was so easy I couldn't believe it. I just had to get one for myself. I didn't do too much research, but I did discover that the "1-1/8" size is the maximum drill bit size that the drill is rated for. I don't know what material they rate that, but it's all relative, so the larger the more powerful the drill is. This drill seemed like a good price point for me and I liked the vertical format over the horizontal of the Bulldog. I've now drilled and split a number of granite blocks, some 10" thick using this drill and a 1/2" carbide bit (Bosch HCFC2081 1/2-Inch by 4-Inch by 6-Inch SDS-plus X5L Drill Bit) that I also got from Amazon. I've also drilled and split a number of foundation stones in front of my barn. Those were difficult to split, but each hole took about 30 seconds to drill. Let me assure you that this drill and a 1/2" carbide bit will drill a six inch hole in a stone or a block of granite in 30 seconds. I drill 18 holes down the middle of a six foot block in a matter of minutes. What's more, there's no need to push on the drill. I just hold it upright and let the weight of the drill and the hammer action do all the work! This means you can work for hours drilling with no fatigue. I also used the chisel action to remove a 100 square foot area of pavement with an asphalt/stone underlayment. For that i used a chisel (Bosch HS1470 SDS Plus Viper Long Life Chisel) that I got from Amazon. I think this was pushing it for the drill. It's not really a jackhammer, of course. I got the job done, but it took quite a while and was a tiring job. The chisel bit sacrificed its life for the job, as well. My neighbor says it should have been easier with a pick, but it's too late for me to know. I don't think you should expect a drill this size to handle hard code chiseling demo work. The SDS PLUS chuck is "ok". It's a bit tricky to get the bit seated, but it's not enough of a problem to influence my recommendation. I didn't realize there's an SDS MAX chuck. Not sure if it's just in more expensive drills, but it might be worth a look for you. I suspect bit price and availability should play a big role in your decision of chuck, though.

I use this hammer drill for work (rough & finish carpentry, remodeling). I use it primarily for drilling holes into concrete or masonry block. I've used the chipping only function once to remove some old ceramic tile floor, worked exceptionally well. The anti-vibration is great and easy on your hands. The case is ample sized for bit storage. I also picked up a Bosch SDS-to-adjustable-chuck adapter so I can use the drill only function for large holes in wood my cordless drill is not up for. If you're considering this drill versus a Hilti (like I was), save $200 and get the Bosch. It's made in Germany and has one year less of warranty compared to the Hilti (no biggie, all tools break and you get them repaired). *****update 12-30-2012****** Still using this hammer for my work tasks. It shows that the tool has been worked. The rubber impact cushion on the tip of the SDS chuck has cracked and needs replacing. I've done 3-4 tile floor demo jobs with the hammer in chip mode, so this is probably the reason for the crack. Using a Bosch tile scraper bit, I pry up with the hammer. I've done window, door, and sliding glass door installations. Chipped stucco and concrete. Drilled out 3/4" holes for epoxied 5/8" dai. anchor bolts in concrete tie beams and through wood plates with a long auger bit. I like the size of this drill because it fits into smaller spaces (between floor joists or wall studs) during framing applications and also is easier to install smaller windows with it (think 24" x 24" fixed glass windows or smaller). I use the depth rod quite often. The hard case has held up. I've got it jammed full of bits etc. The cord doesn't kink up and folds away well each time. The drill itself shows signs of wear on the body from being dropped and dragged. None of this effects it's performance. This tool is definitely professional grade.

Needed a hammer drill to bore a few holes in concrete, nothing super heavy duty, just a middle of the line hammer drill. This drill meets all these requirements and quite easily got the job done.. Rated 8 Amps there is little chance of tripping a 15 amp breaker. A medium duty extension can be used, the SDS-plus bits are not too expensive. The auxiliary handle can be adjusted with a twist, the depth gauge can be retracted, the variable speed is built into the on/off trigger. The reverse switch is a plus if/when bits get stuck and flips to either position verily easily. The multi function switch has 3 selections, rotation with hammer, hammer only or rotation only. With the purchas of a SDS-Plus shaft chuck, the drill will function as a normal drill with a 3 teeth 1/2 inch chuck so normal wood boring drill bits can be used. The SDS plus bits fit easily into the drill with just twist and push. A small tube of lubricant is included in the case to be applied to the slots on the SDS bit. A pull down on the chuck releases the bit. It has an integral clutch to minimize torque reaction. This high quality hammer drill meets all requirements without breaking the bank. In retrospect a purchase of a BOSCH SDS "MAX" hammer drill along with a SDS "MAX" to SDS "PLUS" chuck would allow the use of both SDS PLUS or SDS MAX drill bits. By purchasing the SDS PLUS drill only SDS PLUS bits can be used, I know of no adapters allowing for an SDS PLUS to SDS MAX chuck adapter - hope this suggestion is helpful.

Maybe i should’ve read more reviews but i grabbed this for the shop because my old hammer drill finally gave up during a tenant build-out. First off, the power is legit. I drilled a row of 5/8" anchors into old concrete in the back warehouse and this thing chewed through like it was new slab. The vibration control helps a lot, my hands didn’t feel wrecked after an hour. Noise is my gripe. It’s louder than i expected and carries into the front office, so I’ve had to time drilling around clients. Also a bit heavier than I’d like for overhead work, my shoulders complained fast. Still, it gets jobs done on schedule when I’m behind and that matters with rent due.

I purchased the RH328VC to drill holes in concrete walls, my garage/workshop walls are 8ft high concrete. This looks like it will do the job and be useful for drilling large holes in lumber as well. It's a quality tool, and comes with a decent case which I think is essential, and I don't believe in paying $50+ extra for one. It is heavy (8.25lbs) so I can't see myself using it on a ceiling. I also purchased a HA3JAW keyless chuck to use with large regular shank drill bits at thirty five, this adds another 0.75lbs. When latched into the SDS chuck it has about 1/2" of forward back movement. Apparently this IS normal for an SDS shank chuck or drill bit-"The drill bit is not held solidly in the chuck, but can slide back and forth like a piston. The hammer of the drill acts to accelerate only the drill bit itself, and not the large mass of the chuck, which makes hammer drilling with an SDS shank drill bit much more productive than with other types of shank". This probably means that the optional HA3JAW keyless chuck should only be used in drill mode, even if you have round shank masonry drill bits. The RH328VC case has storage for small parts, drills, etc and also a generous area for coiling up the power cable. The case appears to be an improved design -the one that came with my Bosch 3/8" drill is worn out -the "living" hinges and the latches are all broken on that (the drill still works fine though). This case has seperate hinges and latches. I'm not that familiar with SDS but originally it was named by Bosch 'The SDS bit was developed by Bosch in 1975 and the name comes from the German "Steck - Dreh - Sitz" (Insert - Twist - Stay)'. Both the RH328VC and the HA3JAW, are Made in Germany.

I am a professional installer of communication products such as Lasers, Microwave and Millimeter Wave radios. I often mount these units to concrete parapets on buildings as they provide stable support. These mounts MUST be rock solid and reliable. They must be capable of withstanding constant winds of at least 135 mph. I would NEVER want one coming loose and falling on a person below. Needless to say, I sink a lot of Red Heads every day when mounting these devices. (Red Heads are inexpensive, people are not) After using and abusing several high end hammer drills, I will never use one again. They are slow, noisy, vibration prone, lack longevity. I went through 3 last year. The noise is highly intrusive to occupants of office paces and property managers become quite unfriendly. The Bosch SDS Rotary Hammer is the ticket. It's well designed, and cuts through even 4000 psi concrete quickly, quietly, with minimal fatigue. Now property managers love me, I make more money due to less labor costs, and every customer is a reference. I can easily shave an hour off my work day and I use fewer drill bits, with more consistent holes and less fatigue. I have enough vibration on my H-D, I don't need it on the job, too! Coupled with a good concrete epoxy, my mounts provide the quality I need and safety I demand. The Bosch SDS is an outstanding tool.

Good price and works great for drilling into concrete.

Une outil sans problème de recharge de batterie si vous avez du courant 120 v ,c est outil compact et idéal... j ai déjà utiliser d autre model a batterie avec une rotation de 4 batteries pour faire la même job... idéalement le produit pourrait être améliorer avec un adaptateur pour remplacer la batterie au besoin ce qui n arrivera pas ,car il ne vendrait plus autant de batterie$$$,mais le produit dépasserait toute les ventes

Muy buena herramienta. Excelente desempeño.

The power rating for this drill is 120volts. Most transformers on the market are 110volts, and quite costly when you factor extension cables. Rather buy the South African model GBH3-28.

Es exactamente igual al vendido en México, yo tenía mi dudas por el número de modelo, pero ya al compararlos son idénticos. En conclusión, los modelos GBH-328-DRE (México) y el RH-328-VC (USA) son el mismo modelo, supongo que el cambio de "nombre", es por el país de comercialización. En ningún lado de México encontré mejor precio. (legalmente) De la herramienta sólo puedo decir que es excelente, ya tenía el mismo con 5 años de trabajo y sigue, con menos fuerza pero sigue, por eso lo estoy reemplazado, pero sin duda es una inversión que vale cada peso.

Purchased a few weeks ago and used it to take up 400sq ft of tiled floor. Did the job.