Death of a drill?

alahol2

alahol2

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Whilst attempting to drill a large diameter hole (120mm) in damp half inch ply my venerable Bosch CSB500RE power drill (mains) got very hot and started smoking. It lost most of its power.
Is this likely to be terminal or is it possibly just the brushes worn out? Do they have brushes?
If it's dead are there any recommendations for a reasonably cheap, general purpose hammer drill? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Could well be brushes; when rotor slows because the brushes are making intermittent contact current rises dramatically. May or may not have done permanent harm to windings.

Whether or not you can obtain replacement brushes is another matter!. I have a perfectly good HOOVER wet&dry vac that only needs brushes but can't source them anywhere! .... even larger ones I could grind down. (hopefully someone will tell me I havn't tried hard enough and tell me where!). ..... and before someone suggests 'contact HOOVER' it was bought in Germany and you can't even get the dust bags over here.

Vic
 
My well used 15 year old Bosch 470 lost power and started smoking about 6 years ago. I stripped it and found the brushes had worn away. Cautiously bought a new set (about £6 I think) ... fitted them and it's been fine ever since
 
A suplementary question...Looking around for current prices...what's all this SDS stuff? Are they the same kind of drill but with the ability to hammer only?
Are they worth the extra money? They look rather larger than a normal drill or is that just marketing machismo?
 
In addition to replacing the brushes, rub the commutator with some fine sandpaper to clean up the brass sections and remove arc'ing carbon tracks along the surface and between the sections.
 
SDS+ refers to a type of chuck that uses special bits with slotted ends. Most SDS drills have hammer on/off and rotation on/off so you can use it with chisels for demolition etc. They only do about 600 rpm. They cost anything from £30 to £250.
 
I keep burning the brushes away on cheap angle grinders and the scrotes at B & Focus can't source any more. It bugs me to throw them away, but I still haven't spent as much as I would on quality machines.
 
I think drills and similar power tools have now stepped firmly into the disposable category - I think they were advertising a box full of B&Q power tools for about 12 shillings and sixpence. Anyway - buying them helps them support sailing!
 
I've bought a few cheap tools with the attitude that it's cheaper than hiring them and if they break I can throw them away. I|t came as a bit of a shock to throw 2 away on the same day last week - SDS drill, £30, 1 year old, broken commutator; 9" angle grinder, £14, 1 week old, burned out. On the other hand I've got a couple of 4.5" angle grinders that cost £12 6 years ago and are still going strong destite building a boat with them.
 
Before you replace the brushes check if you can see the brushes when it is running If there are huge sparks and it has a kind of sizzling noise it is likely that the armature has developed shorted turns from overheating. The current drain then bocomes huge and the brushes spark dramatically. (I mean a ring of fire right round the commutator, a little sparking is normal)
If this is the case don't bother trying to find brrushes unless you can source a new armature as well. olewill
 
The difference in the hammer action of an SDS drill and your normal Bosch/B&D type hammer drill is dramatic.

The SDS will punch/drill a hole in hard brick/concrete in seconds compared with the normal drill. You will also find that even cheap SDS masonry bits will outlast cheap standard masonry bits many times over. Even the £30 SDS drills are worth having and will reduce wear and tear on your other drill by doing all the tough stuff.

With a chisel bit demolishing brick work is a doddle.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The difference in the hammer action of an SDS drill and your normal Bosch/B&D type hammer drill is dramatic.


[/ QUOTE ]

So true! The average "hammer drill" wouldn't frighten a sandpit /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
It may be the bearing if you find the brushes ok.
I have a B&D power plane and a Bosch random orbital sander, both of which died because the ball-races collapsed. Naturally enough I can't source the bearings for either.
Buying power tools is a lottery. I paid top dollar for the Bosch sander which lasted one and a half annual boat paintings. Its replacement is a Parkway which is more powerful and came in a plastic box with lots of toys for a fraction of the price.
More recently I lost the charger for my 12v drill. The cost of a replacement charger from B&Q was the same as a new drill with charger, battery and tools.
Daft innit?
 
Replacement bearings will be available from a bearing supplier usually at a better price than the tool parts supplier.

Tool hire companies have the expertise to repair their hire tools economically and can usually supply power tool spares.
 
I tend to buy 12v tools rather than 14/18/24 so when the power packs or chargers die I can run them from a portable 12v Power Pack carried on a shoulder strap or standing by the job. Very little les portable and supports much longer working time between charges.
 
Why do manufacturers produce such a bizarre range of voltages? I have an 8.4v drill with a broken charger - no use to anyone. Very good idea to go for 12v.
 
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