Bosch 11241EVS 1-9/16-Inch 11 Amp SDS-Max Combination Hammer

• Bosch HCK001 7-Piece SDS Plus Rotary Hammer Drill Bit Set
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• DEWALT DW5832 12-Inch Bull Point Bit SDS Max Shank
• Hitachi 724962 SDS Max 1-Inch x 18-Inch Hammer Flat Hammer Chisel
• Hitachi 724965 SDS Max 2-Inch x 12-Inch Scaling Hammer Chisel

Part of the beauty of this combination hammer is that it actually doesn’t want you to do the work for it; we found that exerting force on it actually slows you down. Instead, firm, steady pressure got us the best results.

First, the features: Bit changes couldn’t be faster or easier, to the credit of the SDS-max bit system. Just twist the bit and push it in until it locks into place automatically, and you’re ready to work. Set the selector lever to one of three clearly marked positions: hammer only, if you’re chipping or demolishing; rotary hammer for drilling; or the 0 (horizontal) setting to use the great vario-lock feature, an ingenious setting that lets you position your spade or gouge at exactly the attitude you need. While in the vario-lock setting, you just rotate the locking sleeve to one of 12 positions at 30-degree increments, then switch the selector back to hammer mode. An easy twist of the locking sleeve secures the bit in position. And when you’re in hammer-only mode, the tool automatically boosts power by 20 percent for maximum chiseling.

Maximum speed is controlled by the Auto-Max® dial on the tool body, just above the service reminder and power indicator lights, another top-of-the-line Bosch feature we love. The Service Minder light illuminates when it’s time for preventative maintenance, and the beautiful Bosch design lets technicians quickly replace your brushes or power cord and get your tool back in your hands as fast as possible.

Aside from its incredible power, the feature that stands out for us is the ergonomics Bosch is famous for. They’ve been working on it since the 1950s, decades before most of us even heard the word. In this tool, you’ll notice the distinct reduction of vibration, the lion’s share of it absorbed by the tool’s handle, not your arm. The auxiliary handle swivels a full 360 degrees, so you’re never straining and risking injury at an awkward work angle.

We rarely find a tool that we can’t tack a wish list of changes onto, and this is definitely one of them. It’s the quality, power, comfort and dependability Bosch is deservedly known for. -- Kris Jensen-Van Heste

What’s in the Box
Combination hammer, auxiliary handle, carrying case

unfortunately i haven't tried the competition in this price range.the trigger lock engages only in hammer-only mode, not in drill/hammer mode, which is too bad. i called milwaukee (i own 12 milwaukee tools) and the guy i spoke with wasn't entirely helpful. perhaps it's the repetition 10 pounds of impact several hundred times a minute that matters. it should be plenty powerful to drive a grounding rod with the proper attachment. i couldn't tell you. i did a lot of research trying to figure out the answer to that question and came up emptyhanded. the 11241 blows them out of the water, but it's not a fair comparison. haven't used a spade to dig in hard clay, but i think it would do a good job there as well.i've used the bosch bulldog and a couple hilti rotohammers, including the te35.

i know that a.44 magnum produces about 1,000 foot pounds of force and a good bosch jackhammer produces about 40 foot pounds of force. it'll take out stucco without much trouble (though it'll probably be too heavy to hold horizontally for long) and it can go through the foundation for those 5/8" earthquake retrofit bolts you need to put in. i used a 5/8" drill bit and drilled four holes in a row and then connected the dots with a 3" chisel. with rotohammers that philosophy means it's better to pay more and get something with more power - it'll make the job easier and it means you'll be able to do a wider range of jobs. it also doesn't make sense to me because 10 pounds of force isn't very much, yet 10 foot pounds is enough to break apart a 3" slab of concrete. what the heck is a foot pound anyway.

does this mean that a tool with 5 pounds of impact force with twice the speed of a 10ft/lb impact will do the same job in the same time. so a rotohammer like this is clearly a lesser tool, but what can it do in the real world. these are lesser models in terms of power. taking out that step is probably the biggest solid piece of concrete i'll ever be chipping at so i think that this rotohammer is sufficient for the diy-er and most pros. i called bosch (i also like bosch and their rotohammers are well known for reliability and cost effective) and asked what a foot pound was and i got some answer like "it's the measure of how many pounds of force are applied to each impact." no mention of the foot in the equation. i took out a 9x12x36 inch thick concrete step with this thing, but not by chipping away at it bit by bit.

other than that i haven't found any issues with it ergonomically or any other way. broke into managable pieces within about 15 minutes.my philosophy is to spend more and get a tool that you won't regret buying.

This drill works fantastic. I also use a chisel bit to face the stone with that works great also. I am able to drill a 3/4" x 6" hole in granite in about a minute.

This Hammer drill is very powerful. Excellent tool for concrete work and drilling. Hammer-only function is great for chiseling.

So far I've used it to remove a section of patio tile, break out a 3" concrete slab and core a 3" hole through a concrete footing and all I can say is.wow. Expensive, yes, but if you work with concrete you'll be glad you bought it. Bosch makes great tools and this one is no exception. Great power with some fantastic features.the shock absorber added to the handle really works, much easier on the hands.

The people that had done the original deck, to their wisdom, instead of using a frame mold and pouring concrete, they simply placed a bunch of bricks and rocks around the post, dug a big hole, and fill it with concrete. Manual says the brushes are good for about 300-400 hours, at which point you need to send the tool back to Bosch for replacement brushes and lubrication. Seems to be build well, and I am sure this will last for a few years. I bought this hammer to remove old deck posting. The slab was huge.This tool went through it like it was butter. So if you are going to use this one a lot, take this into consideration, since shipping it I am sure will be a small fortune due to the weight.I would definitely recommend this tool. I was able in an hours time to break up the old post into chips, which then allowed me to easily remove the posts, and do the job right.Very comfortable to use, and pretty straight forward.