What Is An SDS Drill?

13 Mar 2024

What is an SDS drill?

An SDS is a powerful, versatile, and capable drill. They are more efficient than standard rotary drills and hammer drills. SDS tools can drill through concrete, brickwork, steel and other tough materials. They combine the rotary motion of a standard drill with a hammering action. Hammer drill chucks move backwards and forwards, applying the hammering action. SDS drills apply the hammering action through a mechanism in the chuck. They also have special drill bits that can move backwards and forwards within the chuck. This way, they apply the force in a more precise way. They perform faster and more effective drilling through tough materials.

What does SDS stand for?

SDS stands for Slotted Drive System. It is sometimes referred to as Slotted Drive Shaft or Special Direct System too. It refers to how the SDS chucks and SDS bits work. It's how they produce the extra force and torque needed to drill through concrete, stone and other tough materials.

How do SDS drills work?

SDS drills have a special chuck with a hammer mechanism inside. The special drill bits they use feature indentations along their shaft that fit between two ball bearings within the chuck. This gives them the freedom to move backwards and forwards. The hammer mechanism acts as a piston, firing the drill bits forwards and backwards within the chuck. It delivers a precise and powerful hammering action as you drill. This method of delivering the hammer action is much more efficient than a standard hammer drill. With an SDS drill, the power is much more concentrated for faster and more effective drilling.

What are SDS drills used for?

SDS drills are typically used for drilling through materials. They are suitable for concrete, brickwork, block, steel and other hard materials. You can use them for DIY and jobs on-site. They are ideal when a standard rotary drill or hammer drill can’t get the job done. Most SDS drills have a choice of different modes. They can operate with the rotary and hammering action, or hammer only, or rotary only. Hammer only is generally used for demolition and breaking jobs. Rotary only is for drilling through softer materials like wood that do not need the SDS action.

What is the difference between SDS Plus and SDS Max?

The most popular type of modern SDS drill is an SDS Plus (or SDS+). The terms SDS, SDS Plus and SDS+ are often interchanged, but they often reference the same type of drill. These are the modern standard SDS drills. There are also SDS Max drills, which have larger drill bits with more indentations on them. They are generally used more for heavier duty work on tough masonry and rock. They are also used for demolition purposes. Most standard SDS rotary hammer drills are SDS+ drills. Heavy-duty combination hammers are generally SDS Max drills that use SDS Max drill bits.

Can I use normal drill bits for an SDS?

You cannot use standard rotary drill bits cannot in SDS type drills. But, you can use SDS chuck adaptors with many, which allow them to take standard drill bits. You should only use an SDS drill with an adaptor, and standard drill bits in rotary mode, with the hammer action switched off.

Can I use an SDS bit in a normal drill?

You should not use SDS bits in a standard drill. The chuck on a standard rotary or hammer drill is not designed for them. Standard bits can come loose, damage the drill and affect the quality of your work.

What is a hammer drill?

Hammer drills combine the rotary action of a standard drill with a hammering action. But, they deliver the hammering action differently from SDS tools. With hammer drills, the whole chuck moves backwards and forwards in a piston-like motion to deliver the hammering action. This is a less efficient method and provides less concentrated power than SDS type drills are capable of delivering. Hammer drills are effective for drilling through brickwork, masonry and other hard materials. Much better than standard rotary drills. But, SDS drills provide the extra capability for drilling through tougher materials.

What is a percussion drill?

Percussion drills are like hammer drills. They also produce a hammering action as they rotate. This provides a fast and more effective way of drilling into tough materials. But, they do this differently to hammer drills. Percussion drills have an internal mechanism with two geared disks that turn against each other. This causes the chuck and drill bit to move back and forth in a hammering action as the drill rotates.

What is the difference between hammer drills and percussion drills?

The difference between a percussion drill and a hammer drill is that percussion drills do not have a choice of functions. As you cannot switch the rotary action off to use the drill in a hammer only mode. This is due to the fact that percussion drills produce their hammering action through the rotation of the chuck. The hammering action produced by the chuck of a hammer drill is initiated separately from the rotary action. So you can switch the rotary function on a hammer drill off and use the drill in hammer only mode.

How do I use an SDS safely?

An SDS is a power tool, and you should use one within the manufacturer's safety guidelines and for the intended applications. Always wear the correct PPE. For a drill this would include safety google, safety boots, and protective clothing.

Inspect the drill and your drill bits. Make sure they're in good working order. If you're in doubt, use another drill or bit. Always make sure you're using the correct bit for the job. Clean the bit - you don't want any grit or dirt affecting the mechanism when you insert it into the chuck.

How to maintain your SDS

To prolong the lifdespan of your tools, you should always:

• Use your tools in accordance with the manufactuer's guidlines and instructions.
• Replace worn and damaged components and consumables, like drill bits.
• Clean your tools after use, and remove debris.
• Ensure that drill bits and the chuck are clean before fitting them.
• Respond to any warnings or faults as soon as they appear.

Where can I get an SDS drill?

We have a range of SDS drills available for hire nationwide. Our range includes light duty and heavy duty 110v SDS+ models and 18v and 36v cordless SDS+ models that come with a 240v charger. We also have heavy-duty SDS Max combination hammers available for more challenging work. You can book an SDS drill hire online and collect the drill from your local store at the start of the hire, or we can deliver it to you!

We also have an extensive range of other drills for hire. We have professional standard 110v drills, including rotary drills, percussion drills and angle drills. We also supply cordless drills, such as cordless combi drills and cordless drill / drivers, as well as a range of core drills.