Review on 🔨 Bosch 11255VSR SDS Plus BULLDOG Xtreme Rotary Hammer Drill by Dustin Keller

(Review of "Bosch 11255VSR BULLDOG Xtreme 1-inch SDS-plus D-Handle Hammer Drill" purchased from Revain June 2013) 2 1/2 years later this tool held up to test time, durability and performance (and abuse!). So far it has easily taken 600 square feet of floor tile and thin plaster on a concrete slab, fragments of a 4" concrete slab (pre-drilled holes in it) and drilled many dozens of vertical holes in an existing reinforced concrete foundation wall with holes from 5/8" to 3/4". "diameter and 8" to 12" deep. As expected it has no problem with all the different SDS-Plus bits and bits I have 6 different SDS-Plus concrete drill bits from. Bits, each 18 inches long, and 3 different chisels. The tool is often covered in concrete dust after drilling, but this does not affect performance, and a quick blast of air from an air compressor will easily remove the dust. I'm impressed with its durability, especially after weeks and sometimes months of inactivity in my toolboxes - it's been kept in my Texas garage or truck toolbox and has been exposed to the Texas summer heat and humidity (but I've never left it unexposed). directly on windblown dirt or rain/water). I rarely use case. [The included case is great for storing the tool with its D-handle and nearly a dozen SDS-Plus bits (depending on length and tip), but it takes up too much space for my needs, so it's going in a cellphone keeps tool box together with other power tools. The case is solid, made of durable plastic, with good fasteners - I don't think over time the case will crack or become brittle as the plastic is the same as other cases from Bosch, Dewalt etc.] The metal bracket on the handle is extremely practical - pull out the metal bracket and the tool can easily be hung on any horizontal pipe, scaffolding member etc. - just like Bosch nailing tools. The tool's forward-backward (slide switch) and drill combination strike (dial) settings stay in place, and after 100+ hours of (intermittent) use for 2 1/2 years, the dial and slide switch settings have never vibrated, unlike stock some of the other smaller (non-SDS) punches I had. I've found reverse adjustment (counter-clockwise rotation) to be just as powerful as forward rotation (clockwise), both in terms of speed and torque - SDS-Plus 18-inch long 3/3-inch diameter drill bit and 4 Customs often gets stuck in there. 8" to 12" deep, especially when hitting rebar or a really hard rock aggregate. And as the tool's description says, it will cut off the torque when it finds the bit is stuck. Loosening is as easy as throwing a hammer/drill in the opposite direction. It peels off almost immediately and is ready to get back to work. The big red button (on/off) on the grip has been great so far - I can fit 1-2 fingers to hold it down for those long drill bits in concrete (I have no complaints about pulling the trigger like one of my pistols: )). Best of all, this trigger appears to precisely and proportionally control the rotation of a variable speed drill (forward or reverse) - you can quickly go from zero to full rotation speed, or control the speed of the drill/hammer drill as precisely as possible should that. You just need this awesome when you first start drilling. In my opinion, this SDS Plus hammer drill is powerful - with the right SDS Plus concrete drill bit, drilling most holes in 8" to 12" deep concrete takes just a few minutes. (IF you want a more powerful hammer drill for concrete and hard rock, get the bigger sister.) Bit changing is fantastic thanks to the SDS-Plus format and quick-change chuck - the chuck is solidly built. Once the SDS-Plus bit is locked it will not loosen or loosen and the only time this will happen is because the bit was not properly/fully seated. The D-handle is appropriately designed in my opinion and does its job well - I've never taken it off, use the D-handle whenever I use it with no problems. The only issue I had is the depth gauge, but nothing worthy of star ringing from the simplest instrument. Whatever metal it's made of (aluminum?), it's flimsy and bends too easily. Of course I can smooth it, but that's a problem when trying to really smooth it. It's also short for my needs, although I think most users will be happy with it. [For reference, the 18" SDS Plus drill bits have a 4-6" empty shank, and the depth gauge is barely enough when drilling to a depth of only 6-8". I don't have any comparisons to other SDS-Plus class drills so I can't share a proper perspective. I bought the tool based on the Revain reviews and the SDS, SDS-Plus and SDS-Max rotary hammers. Even with my own [limited] abuse, I think this is one of the highest quality, best performing, most reliable power tools I've ever owned. In a few weeks I will be using this tool to drive 5/8" and 3/4" 8 foot ground rods into rocky ground. I have no doubt that he will quickly complete his task.