RH328VC 1-1/8 Inch SDS-plus Rotary Hammer with Variable Speed, Vibration Control

Needed a hammer drill to bore a few holes in concrete, nothing super heavy duty, just a middle of the line hammer drill. This drill meets all these requirements and quite easily got the job done.. Rated 8 Amps there is little chance of tripping a 15 amp breaker. A medium duty extension can be used, the SDS-plus bits are not too expensive. The auxiliary handle can be adjusted with a twist, the depth gauge can be retracted, the variable speed is built into the on/off trigger. The reverse switch is a plus if/when bits get stuck and flips to either position verily easily. The multi function switch has 3 selections, rotation with hammer, hammer only or rotation only. With the purchas of a SDS-Plus shaft chuck, the drill will function as a normal drill with a 3 teeth 1/2 inch chuck so normal wood boring drill bits can be used. The SDS plus bits fit easily into the drill with just twist and push. A small tube of lubricant is included in the case to be applied to the slots on the SDS bit. A pull down on the chuck releases the bit. It has an integral clutch to minimize torque reaction. This high quality hammer drill meets all requirements without breaking the bank. In retrospect a purchase of a BOSCH SDS "MAX" hammer drill along with a SDS "MAX" to SDS "PLUS" chuck would allow the use of both SDS PLUS or SDS MAX drill bits. By purchasing the SDS PLUS drill only SDS PLUS bits can be used, I know of no adapters allowing for an SDS PLUS to SDS MAX chuck adapter - hope this suggestion is helpful.

I use this hammer drill for work (rough & finish carpentry, remodeling). I use it primarily for drilling holes into concrete or masonry block. I've used the chipping only function once to remove some old ceramic tile floor, worked exceptionally well. The anti-vibration is great and easy on your hands. The case is ample sized for bit storage. I also picked up a Bosch SDS-to-adjustable-chuck adapter so I can use the drill only function for large holes in wood my cordless drill is not up for. If you're considering this drill versus a Hilti (like I was), save $200 and get the Bosch. It's made in Germany and has one year less of warranty compared to the Hilti (no biggie, all tools break and you get them repaired). *****update 12-30-2012****** Still using this hammer for my work tasks. It shows that the tool has been worked. The rubber impact cushion on the tip of the SDS chuck has cracked and needs replacing. I've done 3-4 tile floor demo jobs with the hammer in chip mode, so this is probably the reason for the crack. Using a Bosch tile scraper bit, I pry up with the hammer. I've done window, door, and sliding glass door installations. Chipped stucco and concrete. Drilled out 3/4" holes for epoxied 5/8" dai. anchor bolts in concrete tie beams and through wood plates with a long auger bit. I like the size of this drill because it fits into smaller spaces (between floor joists or wall studs) during framing applications and also is easier to install smaller windows with it (think 24" x 24" fixed glass windows or smaller). I use the depth rod quite often. The hard case has held up. I've got it jammed full of bits etc. The cord doesn't kink up and folds away well each time. The drill itself shows signs of wear on the body from being dropped and dragged. None of this effects it's performance. This tool is definitely professional grade.

This is another top notch tool by Bosch. I will admit, I am a homeowner/serious DIY type and not a contractor who uses this tool daily. However, with that said, this is still a quality tool. Very comfortable due to the vibration isolating design. It is somewhat loud though, so if drilling a lot of holes or chipping a lot of tile then ear protection would be good. The side handle is easy to position as is the depth gauge rod. I like that the chuck can be positioned in several different places to allow a chipping blade to be oriented properly. If you've used a regular hammer drill in the past you'll be amazed how fast a rotary hammer drills. I did several 1/2" holes in concrete to a depth of 8" and each one took less than 10 seconds. Granted, this was with a new bit but even still this is fast. A hammer drill would have taken forever, and not really been able to drill that deep efficiently. I've read that rotary hammers are not best suited to a lot of chipping duty, especially regular SDS tools like this. I've used it lightly in this application and I think for small jobs like chipping tile, or some concrete this tool wouldn't be harmed at all. I don't use this tool for regular drilling as it is best suited to hammer drilling and chipping. I have several other regular drills both corded and cordless for drilling so I can't comment on regular drilling capabilities here. The cord is quite long as with most Bosch tools I've purchased lately. Certainly a plus here. The ergonomics are good and the size relatively compact so it can fit into some tighter areas. Made in Germany.

I am a professional installer of communication products such as Lasers, Microwave and Millimeter Wave radios. I often mount these units to concrete parapets on buildings as they provide stable support. These mounts MUST be rock solid and reliable. They must be capable of withstanding constant winds of at least 135 mph. I would NEVER want one coming loose and falling on a person below. Needless to say, I sink a lot of Red Heads every day when mounting these devices. (Red Heads are inexpensive, people are not) After using and abusing several high end hammer drills, I will never use one again. They are slow, noisy, vibration prone, lack longevity. I went through 3 last year. The noise is highly intrusive to occupants of office paces and property managers become quite unfriendly. The Bosch SDS Rotary Hammer is the ticket. It's well designed, and cuts through even 4000 psi concrete quickly, quietly, with minimal fatigue. Now property managers love me, I make more money due to less labor costs, and every customer is a reference. I can easily shave an hour off my work day and I use fewer drill bits, with more consistent holes and less fatigue. I have enough vibration on my H-D, I don't need it on the job, too! Coupled with a good concrete epoxy, my mounts provide the quality I need and safety I demand. The Bosch SDS is an outstanding tool.

I purchased the RH328VC to drill holes in concrete walls, my garage/workshop walls are 8ft high concrete. This looks like it will do the job and be useful for drilling large holes in lumber as well. It's a quality tool, and comes with a decent case which I think is essential, and I don't believe in paying $50+ extra for one. It is heavy (8.25lbs) so I can't see myself using it on a ceiling. I also purchased a HA3JAW keyless chuck to use with large regular shank drill bits at thirty five, this adds another 0.75lbs. When latched into the SDS chuck it has about 1/2" of forward back movement. Apparently this IS normal for an SDS shank chuck or drill bit-"The drill bit is not held solidly in the chuck, but can slide back and forth like a piston. The hammer of the drill acts to accelerate only the drill bit itself, and not the large mass of the chuck, which makes hammer drilling with an SDS shank drill bit much more productive than with other types of shank". This probably means that the optional HA3JAW keyless chuck should only be used in drill mode, even if you have round shank masonry drill bits. The RH328VC case has storage for small parts, drills, etc and also a generous area for coiling up the power cable. The case appears to be an improved design -the one that came with my Bosch 3/8" drill is worn out -the "living" hinges and the latches are all broken on that (the drill still works fine though). This case has seperate hinges and latches. I'm not that familiar with SDS but originally it was named by Bosch 'The SDS bit was developed by Bosch in 1975 and the name comes from the German "Steck - Dreh - Sitz" (Insert - Twist - Stay)'. Both the RH328VC and the HA3JAW, are Made in Germany.

Worked well for securing conduit straps to concrete, drilling was very fast. The tool feels well-built, but not sure it would hold up to daily use by a professional. Other reviewers are right, in that the depth guide is basically useless, it will constantly vibrate inwards and need to be reset every time. This isnt a deal breaker, as it is simple to add a piece of tape to the bit itself to get to the proper depth. All-in-all, happy with the purchase and glad to have it around for the odd job that needs a quick hole in concrete or plaster.

I was using a Ridgid R7121 Drill, 1/2-Inch Spade Handle Mud Mixer to drill holes in freshly poured concrete for rebar for a large garage I was building. One hole would require me putting all my weight on the drill for about 10 minutes as it vibrated my wrists. Of course spade drills are designed for mixing wet mud, not drilling into hardened mud. And it would make the drill hot. I got tired of abusing my big mixing drills, and my wrists like that, so I got this Bosch SDS. I got it factory reconditioned from CPO. I could not tell it had been used other than the box was open. It drilled the same hole my spade drill took 10 minutes to do in 15 seconds. I've run this drill for hours doing nothing but 1/2" rebar holes and it doesn't get hot, just keeps going. No problems yet after a few buildings. SDS stands for slotted drive system. It uses a special kind of drill bit. Normal bits will not work without an adapter which I cover in the next paragraph. Basically you click a bit on, and the chuck locks it in place. Then only the bit is impacted in the chuck, instead of the entire chuck being impacted. Or to put it another way, only the bit moves while the chuck stays in place. This makes it a more efficient transmission of power, which is why SDS drills are all more powerful than traditional hammer-drills. Traditional hammer-drill chucks have more weight they need to move up and down. The drill has three settings. Drill only. Impact only. And drill and impact, like all SDS drills. And like all SDS drills the handle has vibration absorption. I won't lie and say Dewalt or Milwaukee are better or worse, I think those 3 brands stand hand-in-hand at the top, with Hilti standing above them, but also with a price tag twice as high. Since SDS drills are built to take abuse and high torque applications, they are also great candidates to use a hole saw with. But to use a hole saw you will need to buy the Bosch 1618571014 SDS-plus Shank 3 Jaw Chuck with Integral . That "traditional" chuck will basically lock into the SDS chuck, so you will have two chucks doubled up. But then you can also use any other normal drill bit. Keep in mind if you have lots of smooth-shank-masonry-drill bits that you will need this chuck adapter if you want them to work in any SDS drill. And those traditional bits will not work as well as SDS bits, because then the drill has to move an entire chuck, just like traditional hammer drills. SDS max is not compatible with SDS+, MAX is basically for demolition and massive boring jobs. SDS plus and SDS+ is the same thing and is compilable with SDS.

Good price and works great for drilling into concrete.