Looking at getting a new drill and wouldn't mind some advice or tips where to find good deals on good drills....

Anyone...

I bought a Kress drill from UPAT for R6600. It comes with a spare battery and other useful stuff like a cord which enables you to leave it the battery in your bag and an adaptor for using normal drill bits (around the house).

I've placed a lot of bolts and I have no reservations about this drill.

Two weeks ago, I placed 14 90mm bolts in hard sandstone with one battery.

The new Hilti is a joke at R12000 and finding a new Bosch is impossible. Not sure about Ryobi or Metabo.

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There's no point being pessimistic, because it probably won't work

Every brand these days has a battery powered SDS drill. The cheapest I ever saw was from Tectronic at R2400, in Dec 2005. I had a Ramset (actuly 2) & I now have a Hilti. All three were great. The Hilti is definatly an awesome machine. But 12G is just too dam much. It can't be that much. The rand has improved it should be less that 3 years ago.

The thing to look for is slow speed & high impact. The Ramset (Australian Bosch) is too fast and has a low impact, thus the bits tended to burn away a little too fast. But I could buy a large bag of bits with money saved on the out lay price. Hilti is the real deal.

Hi

I think the Hilti is by far the best drill, have a TE-2A which currently costs about R4.5K including everything and is lighter, drills better and lasts longer than any other drill i have used. Bits last longer too. You can also try find a petrol drill which is awesome for remote places but I dont think these are made anymore.

Hi

I think the Hilti is by far the best drill, have a TE-2A which currently costs about R4.5K including everything and is lighter, drills better and lasts longer than any other drill i have used. Bits last longer too. You can also try find a petrol drill which is awesome for remote places but I dont think these are made anymore.

I noticed the comment on the pricing of the Hilti TE 2A, I am not sure where this price comes from. There are essentially two options available. TE 2A + Normal Charger + 2ah battery pack (List price R4330.00 excl vat) and the TE 2A + Rapid charger + 3ah Battery pack (R5280 excl vat), addtional battery packs are available R750 and R1000 depending on 2ah or 3ah. Belt adaptors are also available at R450 ea. Call 0800023331 for sales outlets and more info.

I noticed the comment on the pricing of the Hilti TE 2A, I am not sure where this price comes from. There are essentially two options available. TE 2A + Normal Charger + 2ah battery pack (List price R4330.00 excl vat) and the TE 2A + Rapid charger + 3ah Battery pack (R5280 excl vat), addtional battery packs are available R750 and R1000 depending on 2ah or 3ah. Belt adaptors are also available at R450 ea. Call 0800023331 for sales outlets and more info.

I noticed the comment on the pricing of the Hilti TE 2A, I am not sure where this price comes from. There are essentially two options available. TE 2A + Normal Charger + 2ah battery pack (List price R4330.00 excl vat) and the TE 2A + Rapid charger + 3ah Battery pack (R5280 excl vat), addtional battery packs are available R750 and R1000 depending on 2ah or 3ah. Belt adaptors are also available at R450 ea. Call 0800023331 for sales outlets and more info.

I noticed the comment on the pricing of the Hilti TE 2A, I am not sure where this price comes from. There are essentially two options available. TE 2A + Normal Charger + 2ah battery pack (List price R4330.00 excl vat) and the TE 2A + Rapid charger + 3ah Battery pack (R5280 excl vat), addtional battery packs are available R750 and R1000 depending on 2ah or 3ah. Belt adaptors are also available at R450 ea. Call 0800023331 for sales outlets and more info.

I noticed the comment on the pricing of the Hilti TE 2A, I am not sure where this price comes from. There are essentially two options available. TE 2A + Normal Charger + 2ah battery pack (List price R4330.00 excl vat) and the TE 2A + Rapid charger + 3ah Battery pack (R5280 excl vat), addtional battery packs are available R750 and R1000 depending on 2ah or 3ah. Belt adaptors are also available at R450 ea. Call 0800023331 for sales outlets and more info. [/quote]

I got that price from Hilti in January 2006 - it was for the drill, charger and 2 batteries.

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There's no point being pessimistic, because it probably won't work

The difference in price is between the TE6A and TE2A. Guy was presumably quoted for a TE6A (36v) as the price is similar to what I was quoted last year. The TE2A (24v) is probably a bit on the small size for continual drilling into rock, the TE6A is the real deal and is defintely the best drill for routes by quite a margin. Nice features such as gradual speed increase allow accurate placements even in quite desperate positions. It will do about twenty plus 70mm placements one one battery depending on how hard the rock is. The price however makes it a machine only the wealthy can afford.

The Metabo 24v (sorry dont know the model#) is also a kickass drill that munches through rock easily. Its all-or-nothing trigger makes it a bit of a handfull to stop it wandering around when starting the hole, a firm hand and one or two starting bursts to start the hole are required. We got 18 70mm holes on one battery but this in slightly easier rock to drill than the typical quarzitic sandstone of most crags.

I bought an old Bosch bulldog 24v for a mere R1500 second hand and have never looked back. It drills slowly compared with the new models that are out, but is super trustworthy and strong. It also runs on two alarm batteries quite happily, which is economical as Nicad batteries are very expensive and dont really last as long as you might like. Just dont try this with a Hilti as it can damage the trigger mechanism (starter) and will void your guarantee.