Last year at the World of Concrete one of the big product launches out of the Hilti camp were their version of the hollow SDS-Max and SDS-Plus drill bits. This year it is Bosch and Simpson who have teamed up to create a system for anchoring up to 50% faster. Both systems work basically the same where the drill bits are connected to any decent vacuum and while the hole is drilled it’ll such up all the dust and debris. This of course reduces the heat and friction so drilling can go much faster. When the hole is drilled there is no need for additional cleaning, simply fill with epoxy and set your anchor.
This process is much easier to standardize and ensure it is done correctly vs cleaning and blowing out the hole which can sometimes be done incorrectly if rushed and it is very hard to inspect afterwards. The downside to these bits is that you definitely need to have a vacuum with you on the job. For quick anchoring jobs this may not be a good option since the bits are not fluted they just won’t remove the dust without the vacuum.
The Bosch bits have addressed some of the initial problems of the Hilti bits which would clog easily by creating larger holes and shaft. They are still waiting for these to be approved with the Simpson epoxy so they expect the system to launch in October 2014 if things all go as planned. Of course we were running with the new Bosch Vacuums which we will have a follow up post ready soon. Overall we were very impressed with the upgrades there as well.
For questions on any Bosch Tools or accessories give the pros at Ohio Power Tool 800-242-4424 a call and they will be more than happy to assist with any tool or applications questions.