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How to use an SDS Max rotary hammer

Updated: 2026-10-23

The case is open and you have not drilled the first hole. Grease the shank, lock it, fit the side handle, choose the mode with the motor stopped, then let the hammer feed one hole. The Enventor, the Einhell TE-RH 40 3F, and the Makita HR4013C/2 are the three tools in the [SDS Max rotary hammer comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/sds-max-rotary-hammer). They do not share the same box, so start from the grease you actually have. The chuck sequence follows a Sealey SDS Max sheet, and the mode warnings follow the Makita and Einhell manuals. This is not a lab test. A qualifying Amazon purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The case is open and you have not drilled the first hole. Grease the shank, lock it, fit the side handle, choose the mode with the motor stopped, then let the hammer feed one hole.

Our top picks

Enventor Enventor SDS Max 1500 W

Best overall

Enventor Enventor SDS Max 1500 W
7.4/10about £118.99
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Einhell Einhell TE-RH 40 3F

Rank 2

Einhell Einhell TE-RH 40 3F
8.5/10about £169.00
View offer
Makita Makita HR4013C/2

Alternative

Makita Makita HR4013C/2
6.2/10about £608.93
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Grease and lock the steel
  2. 2.Fit the side handle before you drill
  3. 3.Set the mode only when it is stopped
  4. 4.Drill one hole and stop cleanly

Grease and lock the steel

Clean the shank first. Grit in the grooves is what makes the next bit stick. Sealey's SDS Max instructions say to apply a thin coat of grease, pull the locking sleeve back, insert the bit while turning it, let the sleeve return, and pull the bit to test the lock. A bit that slides straight out is not locked. Grease the steel when you fit it. The Enventor bullets include grease. The Makita components line names bit grease. The Einhell line names two 40 cm chisels and does not name grease, so do not assume a pot is in the lid. Use bit grease, not a heavy workshop oil.

Fit the side handle before you drill

The side handle goes on before you drill. Sealey says the machine must not be used without it. These are two-handed tools between 6.9 kg and 10.1 kg. Leave the handle fitted, and set it so the lead drops away from the cut. Do not touch the mode dial until the motor has stopped.
Enventor Enventor SDS Max 1500 W

Testsieger

Enventor Enventor SDS Max 1500 W
7.4/10about £118.99
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Set the mode only when it is stopped

Unplug the tool, or release the trigger and let the chuck stop, before you move the selector. The Enventor bullets say to change mode only when the tool is switched off. The Makita manual says rotating the change lever while it is running damages the tool. On the Enventor the three positions are hammer only, hammer drilling, and chisel adjust. Hammer drilling is the hole. Hammer only is the chisel, once the angle is locked. Chisel adjust only rotates the steel. On the Einhell, chiselling without lock sets the angle, and chiselling with lock is how you work. Do not lean on the tool while the chisel is free to spin. The Makita bullets name two modes and no drill-only setting. A continuous button in the manual is for a long chisel spell, not a licence to walk away. Soft no-load lowers the blow rate until the bit meets the work. That is the design, not a dead motor.

Drill one hole and stop cleanly

Mark the centre and scan for cables, gas, and water before you connect the tool. The Einhell manual says to check with a detector. Fit the depth stop if the box gave you one. Keep the bit square and use light pressure. The blow does the work. Forcing the body forward overheats the tip and makes the hole wander. Pull the bit partly out every few seconds on a deep hole so the flutes can clear, then go back in on the same line. Hearing protection is not optional. Declared sound pressure is 92 dB(A) on the Makita family and about 97 dB(A) in the Einhell manual, against action values of 80 and 85 dB(A). HSE's CN3 sheet treats concrete dust as a silica risk, with a limit of 0.1 mg/m³ for respirable crystalline silica. If the torque limiter trips and the bit stops, switch off at once, as the Makita manual says. Unplug and see whether you hit steel or a packed flute. A smoking motor or a chuck that will not release the steel is the end of the session. Those reports sit in non-UK texts on the Makita file. They are not a UK failure rate. The Enventor box has a pointed chisel if you change to hammer-only. The Einhell has pointed and flat. The Makita case, as listed, has neither.

Common questions

How do you know the bit is locked?
You pull it. After the sleeve returns, a locked SDS Max bit slides a few millimetres and then stops. That float is normal. A bit that comes out in your hand is not locked. Turn it as you insert it so the grooves find the balls. If it will not pick up, check you are holding an 18 mm Max shank, not a 10 mm Plus bit.
Can you turn the mode dial while it is running?
No. Stop the motor first. The Enventor bullets say to change mode only when switched off, and the Makita manual says turning the lever while it is running damages the tool. Wait until the chuck has stopped. The same rule applies when you only want to twist a chisel to a new angle.
What is chisel-adjust for?
On the Enventor it rotates the chisel to the angle you need. It is not hammer drilling and it is not the mode you break in. Set the angle, then move to hammer only with the motor stopped. On the Einhell, without lock sets the angle and with lock is the working position. A free chisel skates when you lean on it.
Why does a Makita blow rate sound slower until the bit touches?
The HR4013C reduces the blow rate until the bit meets the work. In the air it sounds milder. On the concrete it picks up. That is in the manual, and it is not a failed motor.
Is the dust cap enough for concrete dust?
No. A dust cap, where the Enventor box includes one, is not an extractor. Do not dry-sweep the dust through the house. Hearing and eye protection still apply.

Related pages

SDS Max rotary hammer buying guide

SDS Max rotary hammer for breaking concrete

SDS max rotary hammer

Best SDS Max rotary hammer for holes or chiselling

SDS Max vs SDS Plus: which shank you actually need

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, carried onto this page on 22 October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are the stored amazon.co.uk figures in the display file, not a fresh shelf check.

  1. HSE vibration regulations (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE L140, hand-arm vibration (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. HSE construction electrical systems (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. HSE CN3, drilling with a rotary hammer (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. UK Drills, SDS Plus or SDS Max (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. Einhell TE-RH 40 3F manual (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Makita HR4013C manual (retrieved 22 October 2026)