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stoehnercd
Nov 19, 2007, 4:36 PM
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Registered: Aug 16, 2007
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Hey there, I am in transit from a hand drill to an electric hammer drill. The Bosch is way too much and I have found a drill at Lowes equivolent to it. Has anyone used the firestorm drill for bolting sport routes?
Please no ethics lectures. The rock I am bolting is on my private property that there is absolutely no way to trad. So save the battle for someone that hasnt heard it.
Thanks =}
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generationfourth
Nov 19, 2007, 4:58 PM
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Registered: Oct 1, 2007
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I worked with a goofy kid named jesse. He was telling me about how in one of his previous jobs he had to own a set of tools and a drill. So he goes to sears and buys a firestorm drill. Walks in on his first day with it and as you can imagine everyone else (who were all using dewalts, etc) tried to contain their laughter.
So every time Jesse was on site and they needed something drilled everyone would go "ALRIGHT IT'S TIME TO BRING IN THE FIRESTORM! JESSE BRING IT IN. WHOA WHOA WHOA EVERYONE BACK UP WATCH OUT FOR THE FIRESTORM!!" They nick named him firestorm.
So do you want to be known as firestorm at your local crag??
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norsk
Nov 19, 2007, 4:59 PM
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Registered: Jul 25, 2005
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I looked at this drill too, but ended up going with the Bosch 18v "Brute Tough" drill. I feel I made the right decision. First, I question Firestorm's long-term quality, whereas there is NO doubt that the Bosch will be last a long, long time; simply handling them each will tell you this. Second, I was able to get an amazing deal on the Bosch by carefully searching the net. I don't remember off hand how much I paid for the Bosch, but I got the drill, 3 batteries and a 3 year no-questions-asked-full replacement warranty for something like $200-250. By the way, I have yet to find a task (driling into rock or otherwise) that the 18v can't handle.
I am sure the Firestorm will adequately drill holes in rock, but how many until the batteries start losing their charge, the gears start wearing, and so on? Will the Firestorm withstand the first time you accidently drop it (or after continually banging on rock will hauling it)? After a year of bolting, when you want to build a deck (or whatever) on your house will the Firestorm be too tired?
Obviously, I would recommend a Bosch (or DeWalt, Hilti, Hitachi) over the Firestorm.
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summerprophet
Nov 19, 2007, 5:03 PM
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Registered: Jan 17, 2004
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24 volts...... check
hammerdrill...... check
light enought to use climbing ....... check
Yeah, it will work, the only difference you are going to notice between the cheap drill and the primo hilti / bosch drills are battery life and lifespan of the drill.
If you are going to bolt in a few routes on your property before the rock is tapped out, then it is going to do you fine. If you plan on putting in dozens of routes or intend on dragging this thing up multipitch, where drill failure means brainspinning runnouts, then I would spend the extra dough and get something with a little more relaibility.
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stoehnercd
Nov 19, 2007, 9:06 PM
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Registered: Aug 16, 2007
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Cool well I will check into it a little more. Hey perhaps you can ask your friend about his firestorm and see what his rec would be.
Anyways, thanks guys!
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sbaclimber
Nov 19, 2007, 9:20 PM
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I know someone who uses one of the those, and besides the issue of durability, it also takes a lot longer to drill a hole, which besides being a PITA also translates into very short battery life.
If you are going to be rap-bolting, and you want something cheap, get a brand-X rotary hammer drill, and retro-fit it with some external gel-cells. It won't last forever, but it will still be better than the Firestorm.
$100=~200 holes and counting
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corson
Dec 6, 2007, 1:11 AM
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Registered: Oct 16, 2005
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The only thing equivelent to the anhilator is the
TE 6. With that said ,dewalt came out with a 36 volt rotary hammer last year with lith ion batteries.I would try that first. Much cheaper. If ur gonna bolt routes; ie more than one, with more than 5 or 6 bolts,Save up and get a good drill...and good bits. SDS is the way to go. Always buy the best tools you can afford,they will last. The firestorm is great for the house and hanging pictures,fixing flower boxes etc. i think it will fall short though drilling multiple 3 1/2 in hole in solid rock on a single charge. Good Luck.  Happy bolting!
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wes_allen
Dec 6, 2007, 2:02 AM
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Registered: Mar 29, 2002
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I got a bosch 36v a month or so ago, and it is sooo much better then the 24v panasonic we had. Way, way easier to drill a hole, and the batteries last forever and you don't have to worry about draining them before storage, etc. More money for sure, but you can sometimes find deal on refurb, used, etc.
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chossmonkey
Dec 6, 2007, 3:19 AM
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Registered: Feb 1, 2003
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In reply to: 24 volts...... check hammerdrill...... check light enought to use climbing ....... check
Its not the same. It will probably work okay on soft rock, but not as well as a real drill. The bits won't be the same and I would think that with the tip that is so much wider than the shank (as common on most plain masonry bits) wouldn't drill a very dimensionally correct straight hole.
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corson
Dec 6, 2007, 10:13 AM
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Registered: Oct 16, 2005
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Dude
I think not? WTF are you talking about?Are you trying to be rude?If you are ,please get your facts straight. Both the Bosch Anhilator and the hilti TE6 ARE rotary hammer drills.They, like all high quality contractors grade hammer drills accept only SDS bits. They are designed to drill many holes in 3500 psi conctrete usually poured with a 3-4 in slump.The size of the Masonry bit is measured by the width of the spade at the top. And a rotary hammer will drill at least 10 3 in holes in solid GRANITE on a single charge.EASILY!OH, and the real drill comment? What? The bosch is IMHO the best rotary hammer on the planet with the TE 6 coming in second only because you have to buy the second batterie extra at 250.00$
p.s. good luck gettin home .Dude drinking and driving is so................high school.
peace out
(This post was edited by corson on Dec 6, 2007, 10:22 AM)
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chossmonkey
Dec 6, 2007, 12:31 PM
Post #11 of 15
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corson wrote: Dude I think not? WTF are you talking about?Are you trying to be rude?If you are ,please get your facts straight. Both the Bosch Anhilator and the hilti TE6 ARE rotary hammer drills.They, like all high quality contractors grade hammer drills accept only SDS bits. They are designed to drill many holes in 3500 psi conctrete usually poured with a 3-4 in slump.The size of the Masonry bit is measured by the width of the spade at the top. And a rotary hammer will drill at least 10 3 in holes in solid GRANITE on a single charge.EASILY!OH, and the real drill comment? What? The bosch is IMHO the best rotary hammer on the planet with the TE 6 coming in second only because you have to buy the second batterie extra at 250.00$ p.s. good luck gettin home .Dude drinking and driving is so................high school. peace out
Dude
I think so. WTF are YOU talking about? Are you trying to be a dipshit? If you are not, please get your facts straight. Since you seem borderline retarded I'll be nice and restate what I already said in a different way so you can keep up.
Firestorm DOES NOT equal rotohammer. Like a Bosch or Hilti cordless rotary hammer.
Perhaps you should think before opening your mouth. Until then STFU n00b!!!!
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ubermike
Dec 6, 2007, 12:49 PM
Post #12 of 15
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Registered: Oct 31, 2004
Posts: 10
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I am a commercial/industrial plumber/pipefitter. In the trades we use both cordless drills and hammerdrills all day. I personally have owned a 24v. Firestorm for at least 5-6 years. They are a well-kept secret as being a far more cost-effective tool than the 18v DeWalt. And Black and Decker makes both of them. One is around $100 and the other $350. But noone ever steals the Firestorm at break time, and both will shatter when dropped from a lift 30' up. I use my Firestorm to drill 1/4" hit-pin anchors (buttonheads in climbers lingo) all the time.
But if you want to drill several 3/8" x 4" holes for sport anchors, it won't do. You'll be lucky to get 2-3 holes in soft rock; maybe only 1-2 in hard rock per battery. I originally thought the same way you do when I first saw the 24v. version hit the stores, but its all about impact force, amps, and what you'll get out of a charge.
I own a 24v. Bosch Annhilator too; got it for @ $260.00 refurbished at a store called ToolKing. Just drilled 12 rock holes recently, and I'm using it at work right now still trying to drain off the battery. My spare has yet to be charged at all. Check out Ebay too; in search type in Bosch 24v or 36v, Hilti 36v or Dewalt 24v and you'll find them. However, there's alot of dumbfucks that simply engage in bidding wars without even knowing what they're bidding for.
(This post was edited by ubermike on Dec 6, 2007, 1:24 PM)
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climbbaja
Dec 6, 2007, 7:27 PM
Post #13 of 15
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Registered: Oct 22, 2003
Posts: 177
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Just to clarify what others have said or linked:
The FireStorm 24 Volt Cordless Hammer Drill/Driver
(Model # FS2400D-2) is a "hammer drill".
That is inferior to a "rotary hammer" AKA "rotohammer".
There is considerable confusion due to the name similarity and manufacturers' marketing misrepresentations.
"Hammer drill" = wimpy, lame, for light-duty use
"Rotary hammer" = the real deal
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Murdrak
May 2, 2008, 11:30 PM
Post #14 of 15
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Registered: Sep 3, 2007
Posts: 9
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generationfourth wrote: I worked with a goofy kid named jesse. He was telling me about how in one of his previous jobs he had to own a set of tools and a drill. So he goes to sears and buys a firestorm drill. Walks in on his first day with it and as you can imagine everyone else (who were all using dewalts, etc) tried to contain their laughter. So every time Jesse was on site and they needed something drilled everyone would go "ALRIGHT IT'S TIME TO BRING IN THE FIRESTORM! JESSE BRING IT IN. WHOA WHOA WHOA EVERYONE BACK UP WATCH OUT FOR THE FIRESTORM!!" They nick named him firestorm. So do you want to be known as firestorm at your local crag??
That sounds just like me at Potrero Chico last December. I got there felling so happy because I recently had been able to raplace my Petzl Rockpecker with a mighty 24v Firestorm just to find Mr Dane Bass holding his 36v Hilti and laughing at me. When I realized that I could only get 2 holes with both batteries fully charged and that it took like 15 mins of drilling for a 3/8 4" hole I understood all the "ALRIGHT IT'S TIME TO BRING IN THE FIRESTORM! JESSE BRING IT IN. WHOA WHOA WHOA EVERYONE BACK UP WATCH OUT FOR THE FIRESTORM!!" comments I got the night before at the campfire. I spent most of that trip just waiting for the damn batteries to charge so I could go and drill another hole. When you go to Potrero make sure to do Cheap Thills With Cheap Drills (5.9) it is the first route on the Little Cat Wall.
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anthonypmason
May 3, 2008, 12:43 AM
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Registered: Apr 27, 2008
Posts: 18
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Not only am I climber who has put up routes in AZ but my current career is installing equipement in hospitals in CALIFORNIA, which means all seismic/earthquake. I have a bosch 18v hammer drill it works fine for small 3/16'' drill bits. However my 36volt cordless bosch works up to 1" sds drill bits.The lithium batteries will last for about 30-35 1/2" holes per batt/charge. Retail $1200.00 or go to CPOBOSCH.COM and pay $450.00 approx.
If it is your property drag out your generator and ext.cord buy a Bosch corded sds drill and have fun.
When using petzl/fixe anchors pull off the silly rubber o-ring before putting on your hanger.Or in a couple of years you will have spinners of course make sure to use a torque wrench to tighten I typically use 20 to 30 ft lbs for climbing anchors in solid rock.
Anthony
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