Another of the accessories widely used in DIY, are the drill bits for construction materials. The easy use of the electric drill and the affordable prices that this power tool has acquired, makes us use it both for the simplest jobs, such as hanging a picture, to the most complex and diverse, such as the accommodation for a box electrical, drilling reinforced concrete, or even drilling glass.
For this type of work we have to choose the right accessory in order to save time, effort and money.
Therefore, we have made a small selection of drill bits for construction materials that, however, cover most of the tasks that we DIY enthusiasts can perform.
I remind you that this is the second installment dedicated to Bosch drill bits, in which we will take the opportunity to take a closer look at a battery-powered power tool that, belonging to the DIY range, has enviable features. I am referring to the Bosch Uneo Maxx drill.
Our basic selection of drill bits for construction materials.
Uneo Maxx electric drill
A few days ago, we published an article about wood drill bits. Today we will turn to drill bits for construction materials.
We will see the technical characteristics and we will do tests with 5 bits, but first we are going to see the Uneo Maxx drill “up close”.
We will start by saying that it fulfills three functions, all of them battery-powered:
- Hammer, with pneumatic percussion mechanism.
- Drill.
- And screwdriver.
Bosch Uneo Maxx drill.
On the one hand there is a trigger with which, in addition to activating the machine, we can set the desired speed, thanks to the electronic speed control that it incorporates. The higher the pressure on the trigger, the higher the speed.
This tool, unlike others, has a progressive and smooth start.
On the other hand, we have the lever to activate or disconnect the striker.
In addition to the conventional tool holder, it has the SDS-Quick system, with which the accessory change is carried out quickly and comfortably.
Parts of the Uneo Maxx (click to enlarge the image)
What does this system consist of?
Once the tool holder has been disassembled, we can mount the bits designed specifically for it, directly to the tool axis in less than 1 second, and without the need for tools. You just have to pull the cap back, insert the drill, and leave it in the initial position.
What do you get with this?
On the one hand, transmit 100% of the power of the machine to the drill. And on the other, premature deterioration of the tool holder is avoided, due to the percussion of the drill.
The direction of rotation is quickly changed with the two corresponding buttons that act as a switch.
In the lower part of the drill, it has an LED that lights up simultaneously with the operation of the tool and that illuminates the work area.
Regarding the battery, say that it is an 18V Lithium Ion battery, with a capacity of 2.5Ah.
Easily removed by pressing the release button. And it mounts, giving a dry blow.
It has three LEDs that, when the tool is activated for a few seconds, indicate the battery charge level. The higher the number of leds on, the higher the charge level.
Demonstration video drill bits for construction materials
As usual, we like to include demo videos, as they convey much more information than written explanations.
drill bits for building materials
Ok, now let’s get to the specific bits for drilling building materials. Apart from the explanations and conclusions that we comment on below, we advise you to watch the video that we have included in this article.
CYL-5 concrete drill bit
We will start with the CYL-5 concrete drill bit, which has an active centering point for drilling concrete.
Bosch CYL-5 concrete drill bit
It is indicated for drilling granite, concrete and masonry, as well as sandstone, natural and synthetic.
It is designed for high performance and durability against percussion.
It has two cutting edges, which promotes less friction and good dust evacuation for faster drilling.
The tests carried out have been carried out on different materials such as double brick, thermoclay block, and lightened concrete block.
CYL-3 concrete drill bit
The CYL-3 concrete drill bit is also indicated for drilling
Bosch CYL-3 concrete drill bit
concrete and masonry, as well as sandstone, natural and synthetic.
This is a high-performance, percussion-resistant drill bit.
Actually it is a variant of the previous one but on this occasion, the tests carried out have been done with a wall.
CYL-9 Ceramic Tile Drill Bit
We move on to a completely different bit, the CYL-9 tile bit.
It is made of hard metal, and has a reinforced head, which extends its useful life. It incorporates a centering tip that guarantees a precise start of drilling without slipping.
Tile drill bit CYL-9 ceramic Bosch
It is suitable for drilling all soft to medium hard tiles, porcelain, ceramic and non-toughened glass.
The only indications of use are, that it should be used at low revolutions and not to use percussion. On the other hand, cooling of the drill during use is not necessary.
Makes a smooth, clean cut. More than drilling, it seems that it cuts the tile.
Hollow Core Drill SDS-plus-9 Core Cutter and Core Attachment
We turn to the SDS-Plus-9 hollow core bit and its body. They are based on the same system as core bits for wood, with the difference that these are optimized for cutting construction materials, and the others for cutting wood.
Bosch SDS-plus-9 core cutter hollow core bit
Asymmetric hard metal teeth are embedded in the crown. The number of teeth will depend on the diameter of the crown.
This bit is suitable for drilling concrete, masonry and sandstone.
We have tested the crown on materials such as brick, thermoclay block and lightened concrete block. Behavior has been very good.
Drill bit for reinforced concrete SDS Plus 5X “Legendary”
Finally we come, for my taste, to the “queen” of concrete drill bits. The SDS Plus 5X Legendary reinforced concrete drill bit.
If you’ve ever drilled through concrete and been unlucky enough to run into a rebar, you’ll know why this bit is my favorite.
In my case I have destroyed good quality bits and bits, and on some occasions, I have had to give up due to the impossibility of finishing the drill.
Well, this drill drills both the concrete and the internal reinforcement, without being altered in the slightest.
What are the secrets of this bit?
It has a centering tip for active and precise centering in concrete.
The exclusive “angle of rotation” design of the head, combined with large and short dust evacuation channels, allows a fast evacuation of dust and a very high number of revolutions without losing robustness.
Drill bit for reinforced concrete SDS Plus 5X «Legendary» Bosch
The four edge geometry prevents it from snagging on the reinforcement.
All this makes it especially suitable for masonry, concrete and reinforced concrete.
We have tested it in reinforced concrete, but… how do we know that, precisely at that exact point, there is a rod?
Checking the effectiveness of the drill
There are three aspects that indicate to me that we have crossed a rod:
1) On the one hand, for the installation of the false acoustic ceiling that I am carrying out in this place, of which we have recently published the first video, and which I take advantage of to invite you to see it at this link, as I said, for this installation I had to Drill 80 holes in the perimeter beams.
Well, in about half of the drills I’ve run into rods.
I have not seen a reinforced concrete with more rebar than this one.
Well, I have calculated where a rod could go, and I have not been wrong.
two) The second aspect that confirms the existence of the rod is that, if you look closely, at a given moment when drilling, dust has stopped falling. This has been the moment in which we have found the rod. Once broken, the drill has returned to evacuate the drilled concrete.
3) And finally, here we have a new bit, and the bit that we used.
You can see how it has changed color. The reason is the friction caused by rubbing against the rod once it was split, as the drill bit advanced.
Although this bit is specially designed for hammer drills, and therefore, we have not been able to see it in all its magnitude, it has performed very well. We only have to see that the mouth is still intact after having drilled the reinforced concrete.
Our selection of DIY drill bits
If you have not yet had the opportunity to see the previous articles, here are the links, so you can access the information.
Part 1 – Drill bits for wood or carpentry
Part 2 – Drill bits for construction materials
3rd Part – Drill bits for metals
4th Part – Special Drills
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In a few days you will be able to see the new installment dedicated to drill bits “for metals”.
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