I bought this tool to replace an older model I had in combo tool kit. I had bought the Makita LXT tools when they first hit the market due to their light weight and power. I have found them to be exceptional tools - good power, good battery life and overall very durable. My old drill from the kit has been used for professional installation work for high end electronics so it has seen a lot of hard use primarily drilling holes in metal and wood and also driving screws and bolts although the impact driver from my kit does most of the bolt driving. Recently the 3 speed gearbox on my drill has been slipping so I was pleased to find a bare tool replacement at a great price. You will not find this option at a box store! My batteries and charger are all in fine shape so all I needed was a new drill.
This drill is a little different than the original in that it only has a 2 speed gearbox, but if that means it'll run longer then so be it. I rarely used all 3 gears anyway. This is a great tool and the hammer drill function works as well as any portable battery drill. Bare-Tool Makita BHP452Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Hammer Driver-Drill (Tool Only, No Battery)
This is not my first Makita LiIon tool so i assume it will hold up as well as the others. But performance wise - it does its job very well.
I have used it for less than a week. It is a nice companion (smaller and lighter) to my BDF-451 driver. It drove 40 3" ceramic screws in 2x lumber one morning and never bogged once. Hole saws, spade bits, drywall screws in metal or wood....were not a problem.
But to be clear, I am not writing a review for a full size unit. This size and weight put it into the "compact" class, so don't expect it to do everything a larger 18v drill will do. But i would put it up against my larger Makita for 80% of my daily needs.
And you do NOT need the medium range speeds like some posters are convinced.
I first bought the bigger/beefier BHP454Z because I thought it would work with the BL 1815 battery I already have. It also includes a side mounted hand and depth stop. On arrival I found I could not mount my battery due to a small blocker they have added to that drill. So then I downloaded the manuals for both drills to find you can only use the larger BL 1830 with that drill but you can use the smaller BL 1815 with this BHP452Z. I returned the 454Z and ordered this 452Z. The drill worked fine for my small project and I will use it occasionally to anchor things to my basement walls. If I were a contractor I'd buy the other drill assuming it is more rugged than this one.
I already owned a Makita BTD141 Impact Driver set. So when I saw this bare Hammer Drill on sale I could not resist. Since it uses the same battery it was a perfect purchase. I've been using a Makita 12 volt 3/8 inch cordless driver drill for over 3 years and there were times when I really needed a 1/2 in chuck which makes this purchase even better. The BHP452 works very well. It's quality is every bit as good as my other Makita tools. Drilling holes in concrete is easy with the hammer action. The half in chuck allows me to use my largest hole saws with enough torque to got the job done. I don't have to get my corded half inch drill and extension cord out any more.
The drill feel good in the hand. It is very comfortable, not too heavy and is one of the more compact hammer drills available. Balance is good making it easy to handle and position. The belt hook comes in real handy too. Only thing I wish it had is a leveling bubble on the back and top.
You won't go wrong if you buy this drill. I noticed the comments about the batteries in some of the other reviews. I have not had any such problems with any of my Makita batteries. It might be the charger that is not working well.
It's powerful, doesn't fall apart if you drop it a few times, and like any other Makita tool... it just isn't something you worry about.
My only problem with it is the selector ring for drill/drive/hammer. The clutch ring is easy to grip and rotate but the selector ring is a bit small. The way the LED light sticks out by the trigger keeps me from getting a good grip on it. Maybe my hands are too big, but if that LED light were recessed or the ring were wider it would be much easier for me to switch between hammer and drive.
A good buying tip is to check for combo packs (with several 3 Amp batteries in them) on sale. It can be as good as just buying the battery packs except you are getting some spare tools and an extra charger for free.
I have been a Dewalt fan for years, although the first cordless drill I ever purchased was a 9 volt Makita, and was re-introduced to the Makita recently. I purchased a regular drill motor as well as this item and I am pleased with the balance and ease of use. My 18 volt Dewalt served me well but was more trouble to use because the design did not allow the drill the balance if the Makita. I'm really happy with this drill motor.
I work in remodeling, and have approximately 10 makita 18 volt lithium tools. This model had the armature go bad after about 25 hours of use over two years. The repair was no longer covered because the tool was over a year old. Considering that this is only one of 5 similar type drills I use, I believe this drill is not built to last. I have also experienced transmission problems with another year and a half bhp 454 also not covered by warranty. Perhaps we are living in a disposable society where things are no longer built to last and aren't worth the cost of repair.(Repair costs exceed purchase price)
Perhaps Milwaukee next time, I have had great success with their corded models over the years.
jackbraddell@yahoo.com - Drill - 18 Volt - Lithium-ion - Cordless Drill'
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