Replies

1. 
   maliseetroofer | Dec 19, 2003 04:17am | #1

   hey mep;

   never tried a rigid but would love to. i have a 18v dewalt and a 20v king which i love them dearly. i use both on the job site. from what i seen of rigid i'd buy one but the she boss said maybe for christmas next year.  good luck and play not work.

2. 
   diddidit | Dec 19, 2003 07:46pm | #2

   A whole lot of people are going to say Panasonic 15.6 volt. The torque nearly equals the 18 volt tools, with less weight, and the battery life is outstanding. If you are driving a lot of screws, look at their Multi-Driver.

   did

   Blah, yada, whatever, Hi how are you today

1. 
   xMikeSmith | Dec 20, 2003 02:38am | #3

   u betcha... 15.6 Panasonic...Mike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   GoldenWreckedAngle | Dec 22, 2003 09:31pm | #8

   I didn't get here in time to be the first to second that motion but I certainly concur! Panasonic 15.6!Kevin Halliburton

   "I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity."  - I.M. Pei -

3. 
   KRettger | Dec 20, 2003 06:24am | #4

   Hey MEPTMOORE,

   I've gone through about a dozen cordless drill drivers over the years and a couple of months ago I got the Panasonic 15.6 multi-drive, which includes impact drive.

   Fantastic tool. When you put the drill chuck on it it will snug down and hold on tight to a 1/16" bit, and this little puppy has so much torque it will dang near break your wrist. Also when using the driver, with the impact this tool drives screws like there is no tomorrow. I will never buy a regular drill-driver without impact again.

   Oh yeah, the batteries are great, the tools not too heavy, and works like a Swiss watch.

   Needless to say I'm in love with this little beauty.

   Cork in Chicago

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Dec 27, 2003 08:52am | #17

   is this the one you're talking about?

   http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/ab/pana/ey6535nqkw.htm?L+coastest+ffkn9038ffc92ac9+1072575163

1. 
   KRettger | Dec 27, 2003 03:49pm | #18

   That's it.

   Just finished using it to drive 2 1/2" course thread screws through 3/4" plywood into 2x4's. Did a small job at a very high end house in North Shore in Chicago. Had to pull up two sheets of 3/4" T&G plywood flooring that had been shot down with ring shank nails and glued with subfloor adhesive. Then insulators got in and corrected insulation problem. So I had to add blocking and resheat with plywood. Stupidintenent had his helper pick up screws. I told the super to get 1 5/8" hi-lows, or course thread. Helper comes back with 2 1/2" real fat screws. Regular deck gun would not drive these puppies all the way in. Broke out the Panasonic and that little baby made short work out of the job. As soon as the Panasonic started driving the screws it would go into impact mode. Drove those screws all the way in and gave them a nice countersink (broke two #2 screw bit tips in countersinking), but other than that this sweet machine handeled the job like a champ.

   Most drill drivers could not handle a job like this without having to predrill and countersink holes before driving screws. When you have to get the job done and run into problems with driving screws, this gun is the champion, and gets the job done with no problem. Can't brag enough on this tool.

   Have a Happy New Year,

   Cork in Chicago

4. 
   MisterT | Dec 20, 2003 03:48pm | #5

   PANASONIC!!!!

   The rest are just "battery sales devices" that happen to hold drill bits.

   Mr T

   Do not try this at home!

   I am an Experienced Professional!

1. 
   Abe | Dec 20, 2003 08:15pm | #6

   I don't know how good the Ridgid is but I know that they are offering a lifetime warranty on their powertools purchased before the end of this year.  The lifetime warranty includes batteries.  So I bought myself a rigid hammer drill to throw in my truck.  I will still have my backup Hilti but I rather not carry it around all of the time and have it stolen.

   Since I am a mechanical engineer I am forced by curiosity to tear my rigid apart as soon as I get a chance and see what the guts look like.  I have never bought anything that has not come apart at least once.

   I have a couple of electricians who swear by their Panasonic and they have been put thru hell. 

   You cant go wrong with Makita either, I still have my 9.6 drill from 1985 and it still works.  It has fallen 3 stories and survived and is on its original battery still!.

1. 
   Bergsteiger | Dec 22, 2003 07:22pm | #7

   Thanks a lot for all the input from everyone.  I also have an old Makita 9.6V which I have been real happy with, so maybe something less than an 18v might do the trick.  At least it will be lighter.  So I plan to take another look at the Makitas, Dewalts, and the Panasonic before deciding.

   Thanks again.

5. 
   bill_1010 | Dec 23, 2003 01:15am | #9

   buy the panasonic.  you wont regret it.  For an upcharge go ahead and buy the multi drill from panasonic. 

1. 
   Bergsteiger | Dec 23, 2003 01:25am | #10

   I guess there are a lot of happy Panasonic owners out there.  I like the light weight of these things, especially compared to something like the Dewalt 18V at 6 lbs.  I like features the multi drill/driver, but it is pretty pricey for use by a weekend warrior like me.  I think I might go for the standard 3.5Ah drill/driver for about $80 less.

   BTW, I am looking at the All Pro Tools website for ordering one of these.  Anyone have another site they would recommend?  None of my local stores carry them.

1. 
   GoldenWreckedAngle | Dec 23, 2003 02:05am | #11

   I bought my Panasonic from http://www.ToolCrib.com. Find your best internet deal and they will beat it by ten percent of the difference.Kevin Halliburton

   "I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity."  - I.M. Pei -

2. 
   woodroe | Dec 23, 2003 02:52am | #12

   Hey, I'm a Panasonic gut too. I think DeWalt batteries are 1.7 amp hour batteries. Compare that to the Panasonic 3.5 Ah and it's a no-brainer. Longer run time per battery and assuming they are both good for the same number of charging cycles your battery life is twice as long.

   Do read the charging info with the batteries. I find it makes a difference (in battery life) if you switch batteries as soon as you notice a drop in power. I try to recharge them as soon as they go dead, and leave them charging overnight weekly (depending on usage) as the manual suggests. It's never a good idea to run them down to empty, especially under load. doing so can ruin some of the individual cells inside the battery pack.

6. 
   ravenwind | Dec 26, 2003 07:46am | #13

   I dont have any experence with ridgid but some of the drills have some nice features like 1/2 hour chargers and two batterys charged at once. if you were looking to by for the job id buy millwalkee 4 pac drill sawzall,circ saw and light  its only 30.00 +or - then the ridgid.but for what you sound you need  18 volt drill should be plenty of power and if you hurry and get by dec 30 it should have liftime warrenty,thats a plus.the charger even has a fan to cool batterys if there to hot and the price is pritty good for the drill,  my millwalkee drill sells alone about 270.00 ridgid 18 is quite a lot less.  dogboy 

   
   

   ---

   Edited 12/27/2003 8:12:27 AM ET by dogboy

1. 
   rasconc | Dec 26, 2003 06:11pm | #16

   Ridgid warranty offer is extended through end of January.

1. 
   ravenwind | Jan 06, 2004 05:22am | #22

   good to know rigid is offering that warrenty till end of january im thinking about there 6 in random orbit sander  dogboy

7. 
   slykarma | Dec 26, 2003 08:32am | #14

   Panasonic packs the most punch per pound of them all. But if the price tag seems a bit much for a non-pro user, try getting something a bit lighter. I have come to like the 14.4V size best for all-round use. It is a nice balance of weight and power; all of the 18Vs I've owned or tried are clumsy and too heavy for 80% of the work I do. I too have my trusty decade-old Makita 9.6V that is still my choice for shop work where light loads are the norm - and heavy drilling goes to drill press or corded drill. The 14.4V has the horsepower to drive wood screws up to 3" without bogging down, but is less tiring and better balanced than the heavier 18Vs and up.

   Wally

8. 
   poorsh | Dec 26, 2003 09:06am | #15

   Hi

   Chose the Makita 14.4 for weight performance. This was before Panasonic came out. I tried the Makita 12V impact driver and it was incredable how easily it drove screws. To me a combo sounds great. TRY to drive screws and you will be sold.

   Mac

9. 
   unioncarpy1 | Dec 27, 2003 07:37pm | #19

   my opinion on the rigid tools are pretty high.i am a union carpenter and our company purchased four 12 volt drills.  the best thing has got to be the free batteries . the average cost of a battery is 50-85 dollars i think the rigid line of cordless drills are the best value for the money. just remember you got to purchase before jan. 31 2004.

1. 
   4Lorn2 | Dec 29, 2003 12:45am | #21

   Same boat. Got the Rigid 12v, I like the lightness, 1/2" drill, the heavy dutier of the group. Pretty impressed with the smoothness of it. The chuck is nice and smooth and the carbide inserts really grip. Not overly impressed with the battery life but this is pretty much straight out of the box so they very well may improve after a few charge cycles. Some say a 30% improvement is not uncommon after a dozen charges or so.

2. 
   john | Jan 06, 2004 11:45am | #23

   I feel it might be worth mentioning that voltage is not a measure of power. Power is determined by the voltage multiplied by the current. The ampere hours at a given voltage will provide more info but the quality of that information is variable at least. Think of the 12v system in a car. That battery and starter motor can turn over a large, high-compression V8. Could an 18v drill driver do that, no.

   I would recommend anyone buying cordless equipment to forget the voltage and consider the quality of the equipment, its weight and handling, and the reputation of the manufacturer. Based on what I have read in this thread so far I would choose the Panasonic without hesitation 

   John

1. 
   Bergsteiger | Jan 17, 2004 12:55am | #24

   Thanks to all for your assistance.  I bought the 15.6 Panasonic a few weeks back and am real happy with it.

1. 
   blues_hound | Jan 17, 2004 01:08am | #25

   I have a 14.4,2 - 12 and one 12 volt impact driver i love them all oh yeah a 9.6 that i got in late 80s i still use it around the house.man found sitting on toilet is said to be high on pot!

10. 
    EricGunnerson | Dec 29, 2003 12:21am | #20

    What's your main use for the tool? If you do a fair amount of screw driving, consider an impact driver. I have a 12V Makita that I'm absolutely in love with, and in combination with my 9.6V DeWalt drill, I get pretty much everything done.