Cordless drill thread

[l_bilyk]

I'm pretty sure everyone here has at LEAST one. But probably several.

So lets hear it. What do you own? What do you like about it? What do you dislike?

I have 3 that work right now:

A tiny old 9.6v makita I have had for some 10 years. It's weak, but it makes and excellent driver and is small enough to fit in the little red tool box I keep in the house.

12v mastercraft was a gift. Not a fantastic tool, made in china, but it IS fairly light and compact. The best part about is that the battery packs have small magnets built into the top, so I can stash screws there when i'm using it.

my 18v milwaukee is probably the best drill i have ever used. this thing has been dropped more times than i care to recall and it still works as if it were new. what i bothers me about is is the keyless chuck. on one hand it's great to have it keyless, on the other hand it tends to slip when using it as a hammer drill. it would be nice if their keyless chuck was designed in such a way that you could still use a key. One nice thing about it is that the new lithium ion packs still fit the old tools.... so I can upgrade to the better batties without having to buy a whole new drill.

Anyhoo, what do you guys use?

 

[dink]

I have the Hitachi 14.4 Cordless drill....very smooth and liteweight.....no dislikes so far

 

[nova65ss]

I've always used DeWalt. I know alot of people don't like them but other than the cheap plastic chucks they used to use never had a problem. I actually have a 14.4 that I've had for about 9 years now still works great.

I've also heard nothing but good things about the new Bosch power drill. Really small and lightweight and as strong as a regular sized cordless. One of my techs uses one and loves it. Plus Bob and Tom advertise them so its got to be good.

Jimmy

 

[Rich1028]

I'm lookin to get one.............I must be the last on earth not to have at
least one cordless drill.

 

[GearHead_1]

DeWalt 18 Volt (I have the six pack i.e. circular saw, jig saw etc.) has been a very good set up for me. I would recommend this set up in a heart beat.

 

[Jay H 237]

I have 3 although 1 is dead.

I still have my 12v Porter Cable "Magnequench". This was the first cordless drill I ever bought, back in 1995 when I graduated HS. It still works although the batteries don't last as long as they used too........ which is expected. When the batteries are fully charged it's just as good as the day I got it.

In 2003 I purchased 2 identical 18v Craftsman drills when they were on sale.
One I keep at work and the other I kept at home.

The one at home died a sudden death about a year after purchase. It was working fine and then the next time I pulled the trigger it made a loud "popping" noise and smoke came out of the rear. No warning or nothing, like I said it was working fine and not even hot from use before this happened.

The one at work is still going fine. Ironically this one has gotten used and abused MUCH more than it's sibling had at home. I kept the other one for parts in case I need anything, but to this day I haven't had to replace anything except steal the chuck from the bad one.


If I had to buy another one I would definitely consider another Porter Cable or even DeWalt and Milwaukee. I see many people recommending the DeWalts and Milwaukees but I think the Porter Cables don't get the respect they should. I would hesitate on buying another Craftsman, they seem to be hit or miss. I've heard this from other people and have experienced it first hand.

 

[Senorpablo]

I have a Hitachi 14.4v, and the Ryobi monster pack 18v(came with almost everything they make including a wimpy chainsaw). I have used every tool that came in the Ryobi pack so far. With another 2 batteries(for a total of four) it was probably cheaper than a high end 18v drill/driver from one of the top brands.

When I used the smaller Hitachi, I noticed it was much lighter than my 18v tools, which was really nice for some kinds of work.

Rebuilding my deck last week, I used almost every tool in the Ryobi set. I realized that I'd rather have a lesser quality version of the correct tool for the job, than a few really nice tools, but not always the one I need--regardless of quality. I ended up hardly using the regular drill/driver at all, and used the right angle driver instead, and I did a lot of screwing! It was better suited and much more comfortable for the 50+ supports and required joist hangars.

The Ryobi tools certainly don't compare to the top brands, but I don't use them professionally.

Rechargable batteries have a limited lifespan. If you buy a top of the line cordless tool that will far outlast the battery it came with, at the rate you are likely to use it, what's the point(other than having a really nice tool --whcih is sometimes reason enough)?

 

[snorvet]

I own a piece of junk cordless, but I just test drove the new Dewalt 36volt and it was incredible

 

[motorheadjohn]

B&D cordless in the mid 80s...held up with light use for a few years. Long gone now.

Milwaukee 7.2v from 1988, lasted until 2001 with some addl batteries. Gave it to a neighbor and I think he still uses it.

So now I've got TWO Makita 12v drills, one for the garage and can get greasy, one for inside to keep grease off the walls.

I've got several other Makita 12v tools and about 8 batteries. I love the 12v drills because they are light, easy to use overhead or at arm's length, and I've got plenty of batteries to throw in as they run down. The batteries interchange with my Makita dustbuster, 3 1/2" circular saw, jigsaw, flashlights, flourescent lights, etc. The Makita drills have replaceable brushes. And the 3 1/2" 12v circular saw is the perfect tool for ripping 3/4" or thinner plywood for projects in the garage. Extra batteries on cheap new on the internet.

 

[RAYJAY]

had the 18 v dewalts they were ok pack didn't hold up as well as i thought they would.

the wife bought me the new sears ...yes sears

Drill/driver with a powerful 19.2 volt DC motor and variable speed operation (0-400/0-1400 RPM). Reversible. Braking switch. Auto spindle lock. 1 hour charge. 24-position adjustable torque clutch prevents over-driving screws. Locks for drilling. 1/2 in. single sleeve keyless chuck. Spindle lock. 2 bubble levels - top and rear. Mid-handle design for balance and comfort. Includes case, bit storage with 2 bits, and 2 Diehard batteries with charger. Built-in LED light.

* Sears Exclusive
* LED light - improves visibility by illuminating the work area

and the nice thing is you can buy x tra tools with out the packs

 

[Itzkwik]

I have a Dewalt 14.4v that I liked alot, but the clutch died in it and I never got around to getting it fixed. Bought a Craftsman 19.2v when they first came out and were on sale. Liked it enough that I bought the 5 piece set of 19.2 tools to keep on the work van. The drill, circular saw and recip. saw have been used/abused for about 18 months. Been real happy with the drills. Just wish the batteries lasted longer.

 

[the intimidator]

I have 2 14.4 volt mastercraft drill's one for the garage and another that I have in the house for clean work and for a back up incase the shop one dies. I really like them they have a fair bit of power and the battery's seem to last a good while even though I will put one on to charge and remember abought it later on in the day. I have used the one in the garage for alot of stuff from drilling hole's driving screw's and running a 4 inch wire wheel It does all this stuff fine and has been droped numerus time's without breakage imo you can't go wrong with it I got it on sale for 59$ and my neighbor gave me the second drill cause he has 6 of them cause he bought them all on sale for the battery's. 2 battery's 79.99 or drill charger and 2 battery's for 59$

 

[bahamasair]

I have about 10 of the 18v Dewalt drills and 3 of the 18v reciprocating saws. I also have 2 of the 18v 1/2 impact guns. All of them are used every day in ways they were not designed for and I hardly ever have a problem with them. Ive used Makita and they cant stand up to the same abuse as the Dewalt over a long period of time. I did have 2 of the Dewalt 24v drills that I bought as soon as they came out and they both sh!t the bed the first time I used them. They had gearbox problems and are now in pieces somewhere in my garage and I have no real plans at this time to fix them. Ive dropped my 18v drills from 2 stories onto concrete and had them survive without any damage. The newer all metal quick release chucks dont slip on hammer drill they are actually the best quick release Ive ever used. I just had my first one die last week after at least a couple of years, for some reason the collar just spins but wont open the chuck. Im going to wait a while then get some of the 36v Dewalt but probably only the impact guns to start off with I dont have a problem with the power output of the 18v drills right now.

 

[Da Bull]

Mastercraft Maximum 14.4 Volt 3KO Impact Gun
Mastercraft Maximum 14.4V 3KO Impact Gun tackles the really tough jobs - removes rusty bolts, drives deck screws, drills through concrete


* Designed for three knock-out applications: fastening, driving and drilling
* Variable speed: 0-2,300 rpm, 0-3,000 bpm
* Delivers a powerful 1,050 in-lbs. of torque
* Ergonomic design for extended use
* Compact and lightweight for easier access to tighter work areas
* Drilling/driving adapter pops on easily, lets you make bit changes on the fly
* Includes 1 hour diagnostic charger, two 14.4V rechargeable batteries, ½" square to ¼" hex adapter, 26-piece multi-purpose bit set, and blow-moulded case with slide-out accessory tray

 

[Ign]

The Milwaukee 28 volt stuff is amazing. And if anyone is in the market I wouldn't buy anything but lithium ion right now, it's definitely the future. I can't believe how much work the batteries do between charges, and they don't fade as they get drawn down.

For very light household use I've got the Black and Pecker drill/driver thing. It's surprisingly handy for little stuff around the house, with a self contained tape measure and light (the light is used way more than I ever thought it would be), and two speeds (drill or drive)

 

[the intimidator]

Mastercraft Maximum 14.4 Volt 3KO Impact Gun
Mastercraft Maximum 14.4V 3KO Impact Gun tackles the really tough jobs - removes rusty bolts, drives deck screws, drills through concrete

would this remove let's say a lug nut on a car? it has abought 87.5 ft pounds of torque but would the impact mode make it enough to get them off? And how long will the battery last before performance suffer's? I have looked at them a few time's but I have not bought one yet would you reccomend it thanks

 

[Da Bull]

would this remove let's say a lug nut on a car? it has abought 87.5 ft pounds of torque but would the impact mode make it enough to get them off? And how long will the battery last before performance suffer's? I have looked at them a few time's but I have not bought one yet would you reccomend it thanks

Had mine for about year now, battaries last a good long time. Helped a buddy with his deck last month 25 x 60 feet went through 3 battaries with 2 1/2 inches screws. I have never tried to remove lug nuts. So far I am happy with the performance of this tool. I got it for $149.99 on sale, not what you pay for a DeWalt or Milwaukee 28 volt so I think I got my monies worth!

 

[dboat]

I dont use any of mine professionally.. but I have a 12V Dewalt Professional with the three speed choice on it, it has been great. IMHO, it works as good as most other 18V systems.. I have the 14.4 Hitachi that I found deeply discounted at Lowes, it has been great so far. I keep it in the garage to do various tasks in there.. And I have a variety of the Ryobi 18V tools. The best being the impact driver. That thing puts a lot of drill/drivers to shame because of how it was built to be used.. If you are driving a lot of screws, etc. It beats the pants off of most drill/drivers. Mainly because its design was made to drive things better than drills. Oh, and the cheap replacement batteries are a HUGE plus.

Dana

 

[roger55]

What I don't understand is why there are so many cordless drills on the market with Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries. NiCads are yesterday's technology. They have been phased out in all other uses in favor of Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Lithium Ion (LIon).

I am really PO'd at DeWalt for charging a premium for NiCad batteries that just plain don't last.

I will never buy another NiCad again.

 

[ads47]

Sadly I just had to replace my Dewalt 12v I bought in 1992. The batteries were shot and couldnt be rebuilt. After looking all around I decided on Bosch 24V. Although I usually buy the latest and greatest I couldnt justify the $500 for a Li. drill when I could buy an entire kit plus an extra battery for less with NiCad batteries. I really liked the old DeWalt but lately it seems there quaility has gone down. I also liked the Bosch radio charger better than the others. I bought mine from the Bosch reconditioned tool website. They have some great deals and nothing I have ever gotten from them has even had a scratch on it.


ads

 

[boiler7904]

I've got a Bosch 14.4 Volt Compact Tough kit that I bought a couple of years ago while I was still in college. Mine didn't come with the new BlueCore batteries. No complaints except that the chuck slips a little from time to time.
I also bought a Bosch 12 volt Impactor impact driver. That thing is awesome. It makes rotating tires on my truck so much faster until I fit an air compressor and air impact into my budget. I would have bought the 14.4 so they could share batteries but I found the 12 volt on a deep discount about 6 months after they came out and couldn't resist the impulse to buy.

 

[milly]

My most realible cordless drill is my 10 year old Makita 9.6 volt. It still gets the job done, when it is fully charged. I also have a 12 volt Craftsman drill that I got from my Father-in-law for Christmas a few years ago. The drill is awsome. It's just too bad the either the batteries are junk or the charger is. I guess I need to get new ones.

 

[OldOneEye]

I have one of the Home Depot Ridgid 14.4 volt. They had a lifetime warranty when they first came out (including batteries), and they also ran a all power tools 10% off (which they let me cascade with another 10% off coupon). I put in a 25' x 25' deck using this thing (cycled the batteries until they were almost hot, then put them on the charge, and by the time one battery was charged, the other was dischared).

I think they still have the lifetime warranty on these. I took my batteries back several months ago because they weren't holding a charge as long and got brand new ones.

I also have a 6 volt Ryobi I use around the house when I don't want or need to hold something really heavy over my head for long stretches of time.

Juan

 

[Coach James]

I've got three:

12v Skil, but the charger caught fire 4 years ago. Last year I got a recall notice for it. Lot of good it does me 3 years after I threw the charger away.

12v B&D. Fine for drilling 3/8 or smaller holes in wood.

14.4 Hitachi. Excellent drill. This past Thursday I drove 56 three inch #10 wood screws and 12 three inch #12 wood screws with it using a battery I had charged 4 days prior. No problems with the drill.

The reason there are so many drills still sold with NiCad batteries is that the lithium ion batteries are so much more expensive. A lot of people can't afford to drop $150 plus on a cordless drill and lots more don't need lithium ion performance. If someone uses their cordless drill 30 minutes every other month, a NiCad is fine.
Coach

 

[...dave]

Just picked up the Craftsman 19.4v drill/light/circular/sawzall set. Drill works well, although it doesn't feel very sturdy... i suspect that if i drop it onto the garage floor while working up in the rafters, i'll never even find all the parts, much less get it to work again. Still, speed, torque, and battery life have impressed me so far, and the set was a bargain.

...dave