Ed wrote:


Hey - - great news. Thanks for telling us. Now, is there any chance
you might know what brand and model number of hammer drill you used?
If you know the model number of the fitting, that would help, too.
Ideally it would be fun to be able to find the model numbers in the
manufacturer's catalog to see what everything looks like, so when we
go to the rental place, we can tell if they have the right stuff, even
if they don't know it themselves.


Check out

http://bosch.cpotools.com/hammers_an...ammer_drills/?
ref=googaw808e

for quality hammer drills.

None of those drills is suitable for driving ground rods. They are all
regular electric drills, with a conventional 3-jaw chuck and a
lightweight hammer action that depends on the chuck going round.

For driving ground rods, you need a different kind of 'hammer' drill
that has a separate high-impact hammer action, that can be used
*without* the chuck going round.

The SDS+ system is the Bosch company's patented method to build
hand-held electric drills with a *serious* high-impact hammer action.
The system has been widely licensed to other manufacturers, so all SDS+
drills are basically the same. They all have a snap-lock chuck (if it
has a 3-jaw chuck, it ain't SDS) that takes a wide range of heavy-duty
drill bits and tools. Most have a shift lever that gives you the choice
between rotary action on its own, hammer action on its own, or both
together - all in a drill that you can hold in one hand. It makes those
old-style hammer drills look like toys.

The Hilti TE-76-ATC that Rick rented is based on the SDS Max system, the
'big brother' to SDS+, so it's no wonder those ground rods went right
in.


--

73 from Ian GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

" None of those drills is suitable for driving ground rods. They are all
regular electric drills, with a conventional 3-jaw chuck and a lightweight
hammer action that depends on the chuck going round.

For driving ground rods, you need a different kind of 'hammer' drill that
has a separate high-impact hammer action, that can be used *without* the
chuck going round.

The SDS+ system is the Bosch company's patented method to build hand-held
electric drills with a *serious* high-impact hammer action. The system has
been widely licensed to other manufacturers, so all SDS+ drills are
basically the same. They all have a snap-lock chuck (if it has a 3-jaw
chuck, it ain't SDS) that takes a wide range of heavy-duty drill bits and
tools. Most have a shift lever that gives you the choice between rotary
action on its own, hammer action on its own, or both together - all in a
drill that you can hold in one hand. It makes those old-style hammer
drills look like toys.

The Hilti TE-76-ATC that Rick rented is based on the SDS Max system, the
'big brother' to SDS+, so it's no wonder those ground rods went right in.

A compressor and an air chisel do exactly that, and 16mm rod will directly
fit into most chisels.

Jeff

None of those drills is suitable for driving ground rods. They are all
regular electric drills, with a conventional 3-jaw chuck and a
lightweight hammer action that depends on the chuck going round.

For driving ground rods, you need a different kind of 'hammer' drill
that has a separate high-impact hammer action, that can be used
*without* the chuck going round.


My mistake! I googled "hammer drill which was the wrong term, and
device. Instead, I should have used the term "Rotary Hammer" which is
the correct device one would use for driving ground rods. I have used a
Bosch model for many years.... an excellent device for driving copper
clad steel ground rods.... will actually crack and pierce rocks if they
are in the way.

The correct Bosch device can be found at:

http://www.tylertool.com/bosrotham.html


Ed K7AAT

Ed wrote:


None of those drills is suitable for driving ground rods. They are all
regular electric drills, with a conventional 3-jaw chuck and a
lightweight hammer action that depends on the chuck going round.

For driving ground rods, you need a different kind of 'hammer' drill
that has a separate high-impact hammer action, that can be used
*without* the chuck going round.


My mistake! I googled "hammer drill which was the wrong term, and
device. Instead, I should have used the term "Rotary Hammer" which is
the correct device one would use for driving ground rods.

Thank you for finding out the correct American name, Ed.

I have used a
Bosch model for many years.... an excellent device for driving copper
clad steel ground rods.... will actually crack and pierce rocks if they
are in the way.

The correct Bosch device can be found at:

http://www.tylertool.com/bosrotham.html

Yup, those are the ones, and Makita are good too.


--

73 from Ian GM3SEK

In article ,
Ian White GM3SEK wrote:

The SDS+ system is the Bosch company's patented method to build
hand-held electric drills with a *serious* high-impact hammer action.
The system has been widely licensed to other manufacturers, so all SDS+
drills are basically the same. They all have a snap-lock chuck (if it
has a 3-jaw chuck, it ain't SDS) that takes a wide range of heavy-duty
drill bits and tools. Most have a shift lever that gives you the choice
between rotary action on its own, hammer action on its own, or both
together - all in a drill that you can hold in one hand.

Ian-

Local stores carry the SDS+ drills, but I have been unable to locate a
local source for the 1/2 inch nut driver (socket adapter) to use with it.

I did find a Hitachi part number. A Hitachi dealer called the company
to see about ordering one. Hitachi agreed it was a good number, but
they didn't have any and didn't know how to get them!

There is a company in the UK called ScrewFix.com that advertises them.
However, I don't know how to handle the conversion between dollars and
pounds when paying. I wonder if the credit card company can take care
of that automatically?

Fred
K4DII

Fred McKenzie wrote:
In article ,
Ian White GM3SEK wrote:

The SDS+ system is the Bosch company's patented method to build
hand-held electric drills with a *serious* high-impact hammer action.
The system has been widely licensed to other manufacturers, so all SDS+
drills are basically the same. They all have a snap-lock chuck (if it
has a 3-jaw chuck, it ain't SDS) that takes a wide range of heavy-duty
drill bits and tools. Most have a shift lever that gives you the choice
between rotary action on its own, hammer action on its own, or both
together - all in a drill that you can hold in one hand.

Ian-

Local stores carry the SDS+ drills, but I have been unable to locate a
local source for the 1/2 inch nut driver (socket adapter) to use with it.

I did find a Hitachi part number. A Hitachi dealer called the company
to see about ordering one. Hitachi agreed it was a good number, but
they didn't have any and didn't know how to get them!

There is a company in the UK called ScrewFix.com that advertises them.

That's where I bought mine. I have posted a photograph of the whole
setup at:
www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek/misc/rod-driver.jpg

The adapter is the object between the socket and the chuck (not quite in
its original condition - the rust and weld spatter are aftermarket
accessories).

As I said earlier, the socket is only there to prevent the driver from
jumping off the end of the ground rod, so it only needs to be a very
loose fit.

However, I don't know how to handle the conversion between dollars and
pounds when paying. I wonder if the credit card company can take care
of that automatically?

Yes, that is done automatically. However, you may pay more in shipping
charges and US Customs duty than the cost of the item itself.

Rather than go to all that trouble, you might do better to have
something made locally.

The only special part is the slotted shank that snaps into the chuck.
This is exactly the same on every SDS+ drill bit and tool, so you can
simply buy the cheapest item you can find (probably a small masonry bit)
and chop off the end that you don't need.

Then find a short piece of steel tubing that will slide loosely over the
end of your ground rods, and have the two parts welded together.



--

73 from Ian GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Ian White GM3SEK wrote in news:vjC1vRDSbWvGFAt1
@ifwtech.co.uk:

....
The only special part is the slotted shank that snaps into the chuck.
This is exactly the same on every SDS+ drill bit and tool, so you can
simply buy the cheapest item you can find (probably a small masonry
bit)
and chop off the end that you don't need.

Then find a short piece of steel tubing that will slide loosely over
the
end of your ground rods, and have the two parts welded together.

This can't be too hard, can it Ian!

I just looked on Ebay here in Oz, and I can buy a 20mm SDS chisel for
about $14 delivered. I would cut the shank just above the chisel end and
slip a 50mm long piece of 20mm NB steel pipe over the remaining shank
end, weld it on, and there you go. Ideally, the end of the tool should be
harder, but if you are only driving a few rods, you probably won't split
the collar.

Wrap your copper clad earth rod with a good few wraps of electrical tape
so that the tool does not noodle up the end of the electrode.

Protect your eyes when using this type of tool, especially improvising
tools from cheap asian chisels.

Owen

Owen Duffy wrote:
Ian White GM3SEK wrote in news:vjC1vRDSbWvGFAt1
:

...
The only special part is the slotted shank that snaps into the chuck.
This is exactly the same on every SDS+ drill bit and tool, so you can
simply buy the cheapest item you can find (probably a small masonry
bit)
and chop off the end that you don't need.

Then find a short piece of steel tubing that will slide loosely over
the
end of your ground rods, and have the two parts welded together.

This can't be too hard, can it Ian!

I just looked on Ebay here in Oz, and I can buy a 20mm SDS chisel for
about $14 delivered. I would cut the shank just above the chisel end and
slip a 50mm long piece of 20mm NB steel pipe over the remaining shank
end, weld it on, and there you go.

Good idea! The shank part of an SDS+ tool is quite a small diameter, so
it's a good idea to buy some kind of tool that widens to about the same
diameter as the ground rod.

Ideally, the end of the tool should be
harder, but if you are only driving a few rods, you probably won't split
the collar.

The collar needs to be a *loose* fit over the rod, so there should be no
risk whatever of it splitting.

Wrap your copper clad earth rod with a good few wraps of electrical tape
so that the tool does not noodle up the end of the electrode.

The ground rod is only mild steel, so the top of it will probably
mushroom over anyway (which is the main reason for making the collar a
loose fit). In general, you'll have to plan on making the connection a
few inches below the very top.

Protect your eyes when using this type of tool, especially improvising
tools from cheap asian chisels.

Even the cheapest SDS accessories have to be made from good tool steel,
or else they couldn't handle any normal use. Also, the collar acts as a
safety guard around the place where the hammer action is being applied.

However, protection is always a good idea. When you're driving a typical
4ft rod, the action begins right up at chest level, and then moves
slowly downward past other vulnerable parts of the anatomy.


--

73 from Ian GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek