Marcrist ddm2

[rob2048]

Sorry I didn't know it had no hammer or any thing we use a makita which has other functions on it so its core only

 

[tom609]

yeah its a core only but sds first makes it easy

 

[tamz]

Right i'll do a wee review on these machines just to straighten things out.

First of all this is a dedicated diamond drilling machine. It has absolutely no use for anything else. If you want a drill that will do most things just buy an sds.
If you are serious about what vyou do you will have at least half as dozen drilling machines, each with a dedicated use.

As most of you know i've been doing this nonsense for a long time and my time is not only money but i would rather get the job done and back to my own time asap.

Ever since flues became round and i more or less hung up my 4lb mash hammer i searched for a decent diamond drilling machine at a reasonable cost.
I've bought a couple of Makitas, a dewalt, an industrial ryobi and another one i can't remember which make, all costing in the 2 -3 hundred price range and also many times used my standard sds gun for cores.
They would all do the job reasonably well, some better than others but all took their time.
The guy who lives next door to my dad has a diamond drilling company and they will drill holes up to 4ft dia and more
I was standing having a chat to him one weekend and he said to me why don't you try a marcrist. They are doing a machine which is near enough the same quality of hand held as we use so i looked it up and bought a DDM2.

Your first impression will be this is one heavy beast of a machine (it is an all metal construction) and it is. It is a solid built machine.
It comes with 4 spanners that fit all the sizes of cores, extension bars and the adaptor and a wet drilling attachment which most won't use but if you ever do you will find it speeds things up even more.
Plug it in and turn it on and you will feel the back kick as it starts. Its a powerful machine but don't be scared of the weight or power. It is easily handled due to the hydraulic clutch.

Personally i don't use a pilot hole. I have used these things enough to be able to start the hole with the core bit straight onto the wall to be accurate to within a mill or 2. (dig in at an angle)
That is an experience thing but if you feel the need to drill a pilot/guide hole then use your sds to drill a 10mm hole. Stick the K taper guide rod in the end of your diamond core bit and away you go.

The DDM 2 has 2 speeds and the DDM 3 has 3 speeds and they recommend different speeds for different sized cores. So you get your 117 mm core on and it tells you to use speed 1 with that sizw core.
I did that for a while and it did the job better than any drill i had used previously then one day when drilling a particularly deep hole i thought fk it i'll try speed 2. Big difference and much quicker howwever you can't push the machine so hard. So me being me i've left it on speed 2 ever since (and speed 3 on the DDM3). Just don't push it so hard
It is not only the machine that makes the difference. Good core bits are a must.
The marcrist 850 cores are definitely top of the range stuff. They will cost you around a ton for a 117mm but they are worth the money. PTS do a similar core bit to the marcrist 750's A decebt bit and if you talk the talk you will get them for under 30 quid. I've bought the cheap sets from merchants and Aldi etc thinking fior £30 /100 quid a set it will do a turn. They won't, They are junk. Save your money for something better.
Knock off hilti cores from ebay are just as good (make sure the are not the quick fit only ones)
Talking of Hilti. Their core guns are very good but you will be paying £800 plus for a machine that does the same as a marcrist.
Best advice: never skimp on tools. they save you time and money.

So a summary of a marchrist core gun.

It certainly does what it says on the tin better than most.
You won't get a better gun unless yo0u spend 5-6 hundred more
It is heavy but once it bites the weight is irrelevant.

As said above somewhere; it is the best money you will spend if you do cores.

Btw some facing brick or engineering brick are just so hard no diamond drill will be quick on them. After drilling 2mm in 2 minutes just lay it down, drill a 7mm pilot then get the old 4lb hammer out. 4 or 5 hits and its sorted.

Another btw for the brave.
Try a core bit on your 9" grinder (you will need to buy an adaptor). No clutch and speeds of up to 7000rpm. Live life on the edge :lol:

 

[Dannypipe]

Great review. Thanks Tamz.

 

[dancinplumba]

Will get my angle grinder out

 

[Howsie]

Will get my angle grinder out

Braver man than me!

 

[dancinplumba]

ha ha ha

 

[vern]

Steve you mad head....

 

[SimonG]

Bit of scaffy pole over the handle for extra bracing and the jobs a good un

 

[dancinplumba]

good idea

 

[tamz]

Safer if you don't go over 2" with the grinder as there is no clutch but you can do it if you can hold it.

Core Buddy Hole Coring with an Angle Grinder - PWM Sales .Ltd - YouTube

and from about 1:30 here
Dry Hand-Held Core Bit - YouTube

 

[erpkid]

Safer if you don't go over 2" with the grinder as there is no clutch but you can do it if you can hold it.

Core Buddy Hole Coring with an Angle Grinder - PWM Sales .Ltd - YouTube

and from about 1:30 here
Dry Hand-Held Core Bit - YouTube

Looks good Tamz. Like the central bar thing as would hate to have a big grab with 18 inch grinder as a lever. Most of my grabs are a result of the pilot slipping out so this system would get rid of this. Cheers !

 

[rob2048]

Just been looking at these on the web you can get dm2. And the better core bits together I've noticed two kinds of the same core bits different boxes most with the ally box and some with a plastic box I can see in the plastic box it has a extension bar but carnt see one in the ally box one does any one know if there is a differance thanks

 

[01ST13795]

Just been looking at these on the web you can get dm2. And the better core bits together I've noticed two kinds of the same core bits different boxes most with the ally box and some with a plastic box I can see in the plastic box it has a extension bar but carnt see one in the ally box one does any one know if there is a differance thanks

I've got the ally box and It came with 200mm extension bar!!

 

[Dannypipe]

Bumping this old thread. Anyone know where I can get one for about £250? The DDM2 seems to have gone up a bit!!

 

[Roger Welton]

I think the ddm2 has been discontinued

 

[Killy Bing]

Ddm2's gone. I ordered one from ffx a few months ago and they got back to me a week later and said they were unable to get them in anymore. Looked at pro tiler tools the other night and they don't list them either. Ill just get the Milwaukee at some point now. I don't like using my sds for cores.

 

[Roger Welton]

I believe the ddm3 is still available, same drill with a 3 speed 'box I'll probably get one these if my 2 ever packs up.

 

[Killy Bing]

I believe the ddm3 is still available, same drill with a 3 speed 'box I'll probably get one these if my 2 ever packs up.

it comes in at just under 500 quid for the 3!

 

[Roger Welton]

Tax man will have it if you don't spend it though (I also have addiction to buying tools!)

 

[Dannypipe]

I think £500 is a bit too much. Even if the tax man will have it. I'm not putting boilers in every day so I can't justify the dosh at them moment. Maybe when I get everything done for Xmas as I should have a few more quid spare by then.

 

[Killy Bing]

4002395232628 milwaukee dd2-160 xe 2 speed dry diamond core drill 240v

that's next on my list danny. if you get a ddm3 i'd love to lend you that and have a little compare.

my workmate has it and its nice to use

 

[Dannypipe]

I heard the Milwaukee has a 'soft hammer' function. Years and years ago I was chatting to a plumber in a merchants and he had just bought a Milwaukee core drill and it was playing up. This was before they were as popular as they are today. I will happily lend it to you when I get it mate. That is if I don't by a cheap Dewalt or similar instead!

 

[Killy Bing]

it goes lovely, stops without a bad jerk due to the electronic clutch. the soft hammer makes a lot of difference in time.
I'm fitting a boiler Tuesday and I'm employing Thomas (the one with the Milwaukee) and I will see what it's like with my new marcrist cores. (yay, no more crappy Ryobi cores)

i'm interested to see which is the better beast between the ddm3 and milwaukee.

I have vowed not to get a cheap core drill after having a sparky drill get stuck on and pull me off a ladder, luckily it was a bungalow.

 

[tamz]

A few places are still saying they have the ddm2 if you do a search. Might be worth ringing them.

http://www.alanwadkinstoolstore.co....amond-core-drilling-machine-2-speed-240v-p211

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