GBH 18V-28 DC rotary hammer
The GBH 18V-28 DC is a cordless rotary hammer manufactured by Bosch as part of the Bosch Professional product line.
The machine has a brushless electric motor powered by a 18 volt battery.
According to Bosch the maximum diameter for drilling in concrete is 28 mm, but the optimal range for this machine is 8 to 16 mm.
According to Bosch this rotary hammer is stronger than the corded GBH 2-28 rotary hammer.
Exterior
The machine has a blue plastic body with black front half and the controls have red accents. The machine has a D-shaped handle placed behind the motor.
On front of the handle is a large red trigger switch that can be pressed down with three fingers. Above that is a recessed red push button on each side to reverse the turning direction.
The 18 volt battery is inserted from the front and is placed under the handle on the back of the machine. At the front is a white LED shines forward to illuminate the working area.
In front of the handle is the motor housing with the Bosch logo and model name printed on the side. On the right side there is a tool hook that folds out.
The front half of the body consists out of a black gearbox with a mode dial on the left side to select the work mode. In front of that is a collar with an auxiliary handle and a depth gauge.
The top of the gearbox is a gray and has various slits through which air is exhausted. The air is sucked in from the underside.
At the very front is an SDS Plus chuck in which drills or chisels are inserted.
Operation
The machine is activated by pressing the variable speed trigger switch. The red push button above the trigger can be used to reverse the turning direction or as a trigger lock when the button is centered.
The black knob on the left side is used to select the work mode. The knob has four settings:
- Drilling for materials like soft masonry, wood and metal.
- Drilling plus hammering for hard masonry like concrete.
- Chuck adjustment mode allows the chuck to be rotated into another position to adjust the angle of a chisel.
- Hammer only for chiseling and demolition.
Bluetooth connectivity
The machine has a built-in wireless communication module in the handle that uses Bluetooth to connect to the Bosch Toolbox app on a smartphone to adjust some settings.
The module is located behind a round over on the front of the D-handle above the white LED. The cover can be opened by twisting it with a coin. The module can be removed so that the machine can also be used in environments where wireless communications are restricted.
Safety
The machine has built in vibration reduction feature to reduce operator fatigue and two features that Bosch calls kickback control and electronic precision control.
Dust extraction
The machine is designed to be used together with the dust extraction unit GDE 28 D Professional which has a HEPA filter. It weighs 800 grams and according to Bosch is 50% lighter than other dust extraction units.
The machine sucks in air from the underside where the dust extraction unit attaches. This system is similar to what the Makita HR2652 rotary hammer uses.
The machine is sometimes sold in a bundle with the GDE 28 D Professional included.