Finds: Makita’s 18V LXT 7/8″ Rotary Hammer

When you’ve got a serious drilling job on your hands, you need a rotary hammer.  Example: Drilling a large holes in masonry.  Makita’s taking a bit of an interesting direction with their new 18V rotary hammer though — they’re making it smaller.

The idea is that you don’t always need a 1″ rotary hammer, and during those times when you don’t, a lighter, easier to handle tool would help save your back (and tool bag) some stress.

The “compact” design tips the tape at 16-1/8″ long and the scales as 7.1 lbs, which seems heavy but really isn’t — by rotary hammer standards.  It’s part of Makita’s LXT line, which means it shares the LXT’s 18V lithium-ion batteries and 45-minute quick charger. 

As with most modern cordless rotary hammers, a three position switch allows you to select rotation only, hammering with rotation, or hammering only.  (The hammer-only mode makes quick work of stuck-on goo with an SDS-plus chisel, by the way.) 

Of course, the true concern when it comes to rotary hammers — especially the mid-grade SDS-plus type — is how well the chuck’ll hold up under hammer-only duty.  Some of these can really plow through chucks.

Street pricing starts around $450 for the kit which includes the tool, two batteries, and the 45-minute charger, all packed in a plastic case.

18V LXT 7/8″ Cordless SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Kit [Makita]
Street Pricing [Froogle]