I'm researching cordless hammerdrills/drivers. I've read several threads and I am well aware of the top favorite brands. Some of the older brushed models offer 450 in/lbs of torque, while some of the brushless models are in the neighborhood of 750 in/lbs, and the newest offerings from Makita and Milwaukee are offering 1090 in/lbs and 1200 in/lbs respectively. So I'm wanting to hear from GJ members about the applications that were just too much for their tool to handle. Please include the make, model, and torque rating when sharing.
Inadequate Power Tools
- Thread starter Tenex
- Start date
I've got the 1090in/# Makita.
1-1/4" spade bit into oak it picked the piece up, spun it around, tore the drill out of my hand, spun the shank about 20degrees off, and put a nice spiral on what was a straight pattern.
can't say ive ever encountered anything it cant handle, but ill say it's too goddamned heavy for regular use up high, and a smaller drill would've been nicer. mixes concrete like a champ, did ok tearing through concrete also.
1-1/4" spade bit into oak it picked the piece up, spun it around, tore the drill out of my hand, spun the shank about 20degrees off, and put a nice spiral on what was a straight pattern.
can't say ive ever encountered anything it cant handle, but ill say it's too goddamned heavy for regular use up high, and a smaller drill would've been nicer. mixes concrete like a champ, did ok tearing through concrete also.
kctyphoon
Banned
if you cant accomplish something with the cordless power tools of today, then your doing something wrong..
FigureItOut
Well-known member
Dewalt DCD 995, not rated in foot pounds but in Dewalt's enigmatic UWO. Klein 3/4" auger bit on 11 foot flexible shank with about 30° total flex, going through pine 2x4. Stopped the drill about halfway through, backed it out and was able to power through the rest.
I think the biggest current cordless drill from each of the big three is an absolute monster, and could never be called inadequate, but there is one that seems to have definitely edged out the other two.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
I think the biggest current cordless drill from each of the big three is an absolute monster, and could never be called inadequate, but there is one that seems to have definitely edged out the other two.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
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if you go to dewalt's Europe site, I believe, they DO show the actual torque.
European advertising rules also don't allow them to call the tools "20VMAX".
http://www.dewalt.co.uk/powertools/productdetails/catno/DCD995M2/info/specifications/
708 inlbs for the DCD995
European advertising rules also don't allow them to call the tools "20VMAX".
http://www.dewalt.co.uk/powertools/productdetails/catno/DCD995M2/info/specifications/
708 inlbs for the DCD995
Fender1325
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OP I think itd be hard to go wrong with any of the main brands. Perhaps you could tell us the type of jobs you'll be needing the driver for and we could shoot you in the right direction.
Go to the local stores and put them in your hands, get a feel for what fits your hand well.
Go to the local stores and put them in your hands, get a feel for what fits your hand well.
Personally, I'm considering the Milwaukee 2597-22 kit for majority use and 2704-22 if needed. I'm a minimalist so I prefer the most efficient tool, but I'm also a man and I want the biggest tool for **** measuring on the job.
Dewalt's premium 18v hammerdrill spinning a 6" diamond holesaw on speed 1(hammer turned off). I was going through 24 layers of aerospace fiberglass, and when the holesaw bit as it broke through the last layer, I'd lose the drill about every damn time. If you could hold onto it you could bog down and sometimes stop the drill if you got lucky.
Ended up getting a helper to hold onto the drill with me WITH the secondary handle in use. I know drills have only gotten more powerful, so I can only image what it would take to stop a new one.
Large scale manufacturers wouldn't even think of using a handheld power tool in this application.
Ended up getting a helper to hold onto the drill with me WITH the secondary handle in use. I know drills have only gotten more powerful, so I can only image what it would take to stop a new one.
Large scale manufacturers wouldn't even think of using a handheld power tool in this application.
In the last year or so the top-brand cordless drills have got to the point where their power tests the strength, technique and operating position of the bloke holding it.
In truth the power of my cordless is more than I desire in that form-factor when operating it in certain situations. If it had an electronic torque limiter, akin to my cordless impact wrench, I would certainly use it when drilling from a ladder or more extreme positions.
Hopefully manufactures will move away from the outright power race and refocus on weight, vibration, inertia safety and torque limiting options.
In truth the power of my cordless is more than I desire in that form-factor when operating it in certain situations. If it had an electronic torque limiter, akin to my cordless impact wrench, I would certainly use it when drilling from a ladder or more extreme positions.
Hopefully manufactures will move away from the outright power race and refocus on weight, vibration, inertia safety and torque limiting options.
rice rocket
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Bosch has a safety clutch built into their high end drill to prevent you getting spun around like a top, I'm honestly surprised this isn't more prevalent.
It's puts out 750 in-lbs, which is plenty to ruin your day (if the safety system weren't in place).
http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Tools/Pages/BoschProductDetail.aspx?pid=HDH181XB
It's puts out 750 in-lbs, which is plenty to ruin your day (if the safety system weren't in place).
http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Tools/Pages/BoschProductDetail.aspx?pid=HDH181XB
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CGT80
Well-known member
I have the Milwaukee V28 set from about 10 years ago, and I used them everyday for construction work for 7+ years. The cordless drill would spin a mud paddle to mix tile grout and if I wasn't careful, it would spin a 5 gallon bucket of mud while I was attempting to hold it with my boots. For big or aggressive bits, it was far safer to set the clutch on the max setting and let the drill do the work. It could really smack you or hurt a hand or arm if it got caught. The sawzall is very impressive as well. The circular saw was great for cutting up 2x lumber for framing walls. It was rarely the power that was lacking in those tools, but the batteries would run out on big jobs and I only had two. For small jobs, most of what I did, they did the job of a corded tool without the cord. They were big and heavy tools. I also have 14.4v Milwaukee tools that I use/used for lighter work.
My brother is still in construction and uses the fuel milwaukee tools and likes them, but they just aren't the same as the older stuff that was usually made in the USA. The label is worn off some of my v28 stuff and I eventually burned up the motor on the hammer drill and the replacement motor was made in china and came with a matching case (not a storage box, but the body of the tool) due to a design change, so it doesn't have the original COO on it. That drill got beat to hell and I expected it to die much sooner. The new motor works great, but has not been worked as hard as the old one since I changed to a different type of work shortly after replacing it. The v28 hammer drill didn't hit nearly as hard as a rotohammer, but it was impressive for the size, for doing up to 1/2" holes in concrete slabs. Some slabs drilled easy, and others I ended up using a corded rotohammer on (1" or 1-1/4" machines that were huge compared to the hammer drill).
I liked Milwaukee's designs better than Hilti or any other companies for the most part and I would be tempted to buy them again. The made in China deal gripes my ***, but most power tools are made in China now. Some of them are good quality, but many are not. Dewalt and Makita are also good brands.
If you want the biggest and baddest, look at the top of the line and most expensive tools. Milwaukee switched their top tools to M28 (same tool, but the new stuff is made in China vs. the V28 AFAIK). You can get M28 rotohammers for some serious drilling. I haven't looked lately at what they offer. The fuel tools in the lower voltages might be reaching the torque levels of the old V28/M28 tech for all I know.
My brother is still in construction and uses the fuel milwaukee tools and likes them, but they just aren't the same as the older stuff that was usually made in the USA. The label is worn off some of my v28 stuff and I eventually burned up the motor on the hammer drill and the replacement motor was made in china and came with a matching case (not a storage box, but the body of the tool) due to a design change, so it doesn't have the original COO on it. That drill got beat to hell and I expected it to die much sooner. The new motor works great, but has not been worked as hard as the old one since I changed to a different type of work shortly after replacing it. The v28 hammer drill didn't hit nearly as hard as a rotohammer, but it was impressive for the size, for doing up to 1/2" holes in concrete slabs. Some slabs drilled easy, and others I ended up using a corded rotohammer on (1" or 1-1/4" machines that were huge compared to the hammer drill).
I liked Milwaukee's designs better than Hilti or any other companies for the most part and I would be tempted to buy them again. The made in China deal gripes my ***, but most power tools are made in China now. Some of them are good quality, but many are not. Dewalt and Makita are also good brands.
If you want the biggest and baddest, look at the top of the line and most expensive tools. Milwaukee switched their top tools to M28 (same tool, but the new stuff is made in China vs. the V28 AFAIK). You can get M28 rotohammers for some serious drilling. I haven't looked lately at what they offer. The fuel tools in the lower voltages might be reaching the torque levels of the old V28/M28 tech for all I know.
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Conductor562
Well-known member
These 1000+ in/lb monsters just don't really appeal to me. Sure, they'd be great for mixing thin set, but outside of that there is no real world application that I can't accomplish with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel or Dewalt DCD995.
Ironically, it took my wife seeing me almost break my wrist with the Milwaukee while drilling 3/8" plate to finally give me her blessing to order my drill press.
UWO's? What a joke. Milwaukee started a **** swinging contest and the UWO rating was SBD's way of bowing out of the fight. That's my theory anyway. I'm not saying it wasn't a good idea. There's more to a tools design than torque, Dewalt just forces you to focus on the rest.
Ironically, it took my wife seeing me almost break my wrist with the Milwaukee while drilling 3/8" plate to finally give me her blessing to order my drill press.
UWO's? What a joke. Milwaukee started a **** swinging contest and the UWO rating was SBD's way of bowing out of the fight. That's my theory anyway. I'm not saying it wasn't a good idea. There's more to a tools design than torque, Dewalt just forces you to focus on the rest.
Milton Shaw
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- Feb 11, 2011
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One thing I really think is a safety problem is the non-slip hex shanks on drills, holesaws etc. If the bit hangs up you are going to have a lot of problems with really high torque drills. I cut the hex part off my extension that I use for hole saws after it really tore me up one time. Much safer to have a drill chuck slip on a smooth shaft than have to try to control a 7/8 horse power drill with plastic handles that broke off when it hung up. Slip chucks with adjustable torque help on this if you don't turn the setting to no slip.
My Ryobi 1/4 impact driver has like 1400 in/lb. I've needed the power to drill into 4x4's and other projects.
Sometimes having extra power is safer rather than forcing an underpowered tool to to do more than it should.
We use a corded Bosch rotary hammer at work for drilling holes into concrete and asphalt. I've seen it come dangerously close to breaking several wrists including my own. If you don't have it straddled between your legs then you're just asking for a week off.
There is a massive difference between torque achieved through an anvil impact and pure rotational force.
You get very little adverse rotational force with an impact driver; with a direct drive motor the tool can lift you off your feet and throw you somewhere.
Conductor562
Well-known member
Sorry, I suppose I wasn't crystal clear that I was talking about drills. A Robbie indicated, there is a whole world of difference between a drill and an impact driver with the same torque output.
We have cordless impact wrenches with 1000+ FT./LBS., but I sure as hell don't want a drill with that kinda power