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I’ve had a 9 volt Makita for 5 years. Two weeks ago some one stole it from my job site. While I don’t use it every day, I miss the portability of the tool and now find myself faced with the task of choosing a new drill. The new FHB magazine just reviewed drills and I find their info very useful, but would like to hear from those of you who use a cordless drill on the job.
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Replies
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Terry, What do you use your cordless for? Lots of sheetrock screws? Mounting cabinets? Drilling through studs? Because I'm usually doing light stuff (small screws, pilot holes) I like the balance of a T-handle and got DeWalt's 12-volt so I could top it off from my car and power other 12-volt accesories (GPS, cell phone, fish finder) off the Dewalt nicads. And it weighs less than the 14.4 and 18 volt beasts. Been really pleased with it. Still have my 9.6 Makitas but almost never use them except when I need a right-angle drill, (DeWalt came out with their own after I bought Makita's :(
But if I did heavier tasks with it, or used it all day long, a pistol grip allows you to push more easily and the higher voltage drills have more torque. (One friend changes tires with his 18-volt Dewalt, using a lug wrench at the very end/beginning). At the rate things are going, 15 years from now, we'll all have 100-volt battery packs that weigh 20 pounds and we'll start to think about how much lighter a powerful drill could be if we just plugged it in the wall. -David
*I have a 15.6 volt Panasonic. I belive it has more torque than my Milwaukee 3/8 corded drill. When re-roofing my house with metal we fastened about 2000 clips with #10 x 1" screws. I used the Panasonic, and a friends 18v dewalt. The dewalt had worse balance and seemed to go too fast for the trigger position. The square drive bit kept popping out of the screws. The Panasonic has 2 Amp-hour batteries, the Dewaly appears to have 1 Amp-Hour batteries. The Dewalt lasted longer on a charge, but the batteries were new, my Panasonic is a year old.-Rob
*I haven't ever thought I liked a t-handle drill, but I went in the tool store the other day just to look around (kill time), and the guy sold me a new Makita 12 volt with the new nickel metal hydride battery. Two batteries, a flashlight and it comes in a nice case for $149 on some special deal. It is clearly a superior tool if I can adapt to the handle.
*Terry,Black and Deckers new line of Firestorm drills are very affordable and appear to be a decent tool. We normally use Bosch 14.4 volts (I have 4) but bought an 18v Firestorm for $139 at the last job for my brother to use and he loves it. Does seem to function well and has good ergonomics. Has a good case also with room for spare tips etc. We use our drills hard during the course of the day and will keep an eye on it.
*Terry - 20 years ago I bought a Milwaukee 1/2" magnum drill and a 2500 rpm screw gun. So when all these cordless drills came on the market 15 years ago, I was always jealous, but couldn't justify buying one. FINALLY, a couple years ago, my magnum bit the dust. I read up on cordless drills and bought the Dewalt 18 volt. I know. It seems heavy and akward, but it's not. Very well ballanced and plenty of power. I love mine and bought another last year when I had a guy come to work with me full time. And as you probably know, they have a whole line of other tools - sawsall, circular saw - that use the same batteries, so you can add as your needs/budget allows. - ybP.S. What is a "T-handle"?
*A t-handle, Bob, is the devil's work. Lonecat, frankly I'm shocked to see you go over to the Dark Side. As long as they keep making pistol grips, I will keep buying them. Current model Porter Cable, very good tool.
*YB, when you pick up your DeWalt, you're holdin' on to a T handle.Devil worshipping every day, BB
*Bucksnort - I just came from compressor thing, I see what you meant. You catch that "pistol grip" reference in Adrians post? Classic gunslinger syndrome. Next he'll be talking about how he oils his "holster"...sad case...maybe the worst I've run across. - yb
*Dance for me, greenhorn (or should I say ol' mossy toes?)
*My Dewalt 14.4 V is a nice little tool. Use it to drive ship augers, a concrete mixer, an occasional masonry bit, all sorts of abuse. Lots of torque. Sadly, the batteries do not last forever.Speaking of concrete, am i the only one who really enjoys the Bosch hammer drill? I rented one again today and I think it is a joy to use....
*andrew - after renting a hammer drill once every 6 months for 5 or 6 years, I finally broke down and bought a Makita roto hammer. Great tool. 250.00 or something, love it. Makita, now there's some good tools, I don't care what anyone says.hey - do you think Adrian's getting a little wierd? I don't want to say anything, but, did you read that post above? - yb
*Adrian may take tools a bit too seriously.I think the Bosch I've been renting is more around $500. After using it to drill several holes through the side of a neighbor's brick house -- and older fellow I've been doing some discount (free) work for, heck i had to rent the drill for a job anyway -- he commented, you know 60 years ago you'd have been here all day with a chisel to do that. And i was annoyed it took more than a few minutes.
*Terry, I too have a Makita 9 volt cordless drill. When I bought it 14 years ago, I couldn't believe how nice it was not having to drag out a cord or find a receptical to plug it in. But still, it had it's limitations. A couple years back I was going to buy a 12 volt, but the 14's had just came out. I bought a 14 volt Dewalt. It did so much more and did it longer. I found the T-handle very comfortable. I thought it had everything but wings, which a helper proved last summer. I now have a 18 volt Dewalt and will never go back to something smaller. I'm no Paul Bunyan, but the extra weight is no killer, specially when the work done faster. It certainly is no more cumbersome than an old milwaukee that the cord keeps getting caught on the bottom of the ladder. Panelmal seems to have found a holster that works. So I would go with the bigger the better. After all, we are trying to reproduce what a corded drill can do. I hope this doesn't mean I've got the Benford 3000 syndrome. Oh, by the way, my girlfriend has my old Makita. She loves it and it keeps my Dewalt batteries charged and in the truck.
*Adrian: I been down in Arkansas where I'm not sure they have computers yet. Do you want to buy that T-handle Makita from me? I like everything about it cept the damn handle.
*Okay, so I'm a tool guy. And yeah,the weight of the tool catalogues in the house is probably equal to the weight of the house, and that doesn't include the weight of the tools that are temporarily in the house, rather than the shop. And it's true, I have a lot of tools in the shop. And my best friend gave me a belt sander as a wedding present ( Makita, of course, he knows what's what). So what was your question again anyway?
*...well, my question has been rattlin' around in there for awhile now, when you said you needed a concrete floor in yer new shop because of equipment, did you mean to disipate the vibration of big woodworking equipment?...or did you mean to hold the weight of heavy equipment like tractors and such that a fellow with 12 acres in the country might use? I'm with you on the Makita bro. Those are some trouble free tools if there ever were. - jb
*I've had a Dewalt 14.4 with the XR batteries for the last 2 years and have tried many others belonging to subs and other contractors. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Just today I dropped it off the top of a 8' step ladder on to a concrete floor in our shop. Worse thing that happens is the battery pops out and you have to put it back in. Today wasn't the first time to have dropped it either. The guys that work for us are required to supply their own toolbelts and their own cordless drill. Most bring these lightweight Black and Deckers, 6v or 7v, something like that. Just bought one of the former B and D owners a new Dewalt 14.4 last friday and he wonders how he ever got along without it. Last months Tools Of The Trade magazine did a thorough product test on all cordless drills 9.6v up to 18v. While they really liked the 18v Dewalt, the hands down winner in their view was the Dewalt 14.4 as a all around good drill/driver.
*Terry:As you can see the inventor of cordless tools created yet another "Ford vs Chevy" conflict. They are all pretty good and if 12V or higher powerful enough to do most any job. Personally I don't like the T-handle because the balance and leverage seem all wrong.Other than that: Go to the store, try a couple, buy whatever you think feels the best and don't sweat it. Whatever you buy will be outmoded in the market l-o-n-g before it will break and give you an excuse to buy another. I know that is the case with my Milwaukee products.
*I'll jump on Dewalt's bandwagon. For me, the T-handle is perfectly balanced. Easy to work on the brushes if needed. It will be money well spent.I do agree with Fred, though, go to a display and toss various ones around, see which suits you best. May sound dumb, but make sure the battery is in when you do this so you get a true feeling for the weight and balance. Often the batteries are removed from the drills on display.
*Anyone ever try a Makita 18v???? All I see are Dewalts, but the Makita's are cheaper and you get two batteries with it for less than the Dewalt. I'm about to buy one or the other and need some advice.
*Fred - I have read many of your posts over the past few months and I generally find you sensible and knowledgable. While I agree that there is probably little significant difference the cordless drills on the market, I feel compelled to take issue with your comments regarding trucks.Everyone knows that Chevies are clearly superior, in every respect, and to suggest that F*rds even belong in the same sentence is ludicrous. Fred, there are many impressionable young carpenters readin' these posts and frankly, I consider what you said to be close to irresponsible! - jb
*Jim:Ah some humor in an otherwise slow day, thinking that those Chevy commercials are true :<)
*I just looked thru my stash of cordless tools and found that I have 11 of them. My favorites are the 12V DeWalt pistol grip and the little $99 9.6V Makita T handle. The 9.6V usually has a pilot bit in it and the 12V is used for everything else. I picked the 12V over the 14.4V because the drywall driver, the right angle drill and the trim saw are only all available in 12V. The saw could use a little more power but I have ripped 2X PT lumber with it. I prefer T handles for light duty but prefer the pistol grip when I have to push hard.
*I also have a trunkload of cordless stuff, and every time I pick up that 12 volt DeWalt pistol grip I'm struck by how good it feels in my hand. I have a brand new Makita 12 volt t-handle, which is probably a superior tool, but I use the flashlight that came with it more than I do the drill. I'd still like to sell the drill to Adrian.
*Nope. No way, boy. Too slick for that one.Pistol grips for me till the day I die; if they stop making them, it's back to a brace and bit for me, or I'll whittle me own from a hunk of plastic.Lonecat, I'm very, very disappointed in you. Very.
*Its hard to beat the dewalt system. I have some 9v Makitas gathering dust for my kids to use, but I always grab the 14.4 dewalt -- comfortable, easy one-finger reversing button (the Makita was not designed for someone trying to hold the cabinet level with his arm pretzeled into place praying the screw wont fall off the tip and he has just realized the drill is in reverse), excellent torque and a very sensitive trigger. Even the 14.4 power can twist your wrist back if youre not paying attention. Now I'm picking up some of the 18v saws.
*The 18v DeWalt hammer drill/driver w/pistol grip is in my opinion the most versatile of the cordless drills. The XR2 battery packs last forever and provide superior torque and power. The rubber comfort grip even absorbs the shock of drilling through concrete blocks. Chuck a drill and driver adapter up and your ready to install cabinets w/the adjustable torque clutch. If your going to spend the the money on the cordless I would definitely go with the DeWalt; its got durability, dependability, versatility, and (arh Arh ARH!)POWER.
*My vote is for 2 drills. A DeWalt 12V or higher preferably pistol grip instead of T handle. I use the 12V because it is the only voltage where you can get the saw, the drywall driver and the rightangle drill. For the second drill, go to Sams, Price Club, or Home Depot and get the $99 Makita compact 9.6V drill and flashlight kit. I keep a 1/8" bit in the Makita for pilot holes and use the DeWalts for almost everything else.Ron
*Well Well,as always it is dewalt against makita,personally i never jumped on the dewalt band wagon,and have found makita to be producing cheaper and cheaper products.I had a bosch 12v,beautiful drill although the high speed went after 3 years,Now it is Milwakee 14v,i like it fine,not too bulky,battery reverses for tight spaces,and as far as t-handle vs.pistol grip,I am an electrician/hobby cabinetmaker and anyone who ever drove an awgerbit between two floor joists will agree that t-handle is the only choice.
*Mike - you could amend that last sentence to read "anyone with half a brain"...uh huh, that's right...- jb
*Mike,Thats where I use a right angle drill. Which is one of the reasons that I chose the 12V dewalt. I have the pistol grip, the right-angle, the drywall driver and untill it was stolen the saw.Ron
*I don't use cordless drills too often, but that does'nt keep me from buying them. I have several DeWalts, A few Makitas, A Milwaukee, various Panasonics, and just purchased A Porter Cable 19.2 volt with A circ. saw kit. I won't be needing my old ones.
*Whatever anyone buys for cordless drills avoid the Bosch. Although I do like the way it handles over the DeWalt and the other "fat battery" drills a major design flaw lies in the high/low switch. The "engineer" who designed the thing never anticipated using it in tight spaces. After hitting the switch a few times (because it sticks up above the top of the drill) the gears become stripped rendering the tool useless. I bought two of the things and neither one is servicable anymore. Of course the warranty period was just expired excusing me from the refund/replacment I should have gotten. I will stick with Milwalkee from now on. They know how to make a drill as well or better than anyone.
*Can anybody comment on the new Bosch 13.2V drill at Home Depot? How about the 15.6V Panasonic with the metal hydride batteries? Can the Panasonic start at 0 RPM?
*Gotta agree with DWS, I also own two JUNK Bosch 9.6 drills. Both need a battery, both have junked gears.They lasted quite awhile, but they certainly aren't worth the price of new batteries. Dewalt 12v replaced, within a week it jumped off a ladder and landed right on something that center punched one of the battery retainer gizzies, Now that batt won't come out without a fight. Think some little DeWalt parachutes might be in order next. Joe H
*I too use cordless power tools quite often. What I need now is a battery operated staple gun. Not just regular staples, but round staples, used to staple wire to outside of houses. Sometimes I can get in some unusual positions running this wire and a battery operated staple gun would be like a third hand. If anyone has seen or here of such a thing, please let me know.
*Well, I have a lot of cordless stuff. Still haven't found the perfect one. loved my Skill 'Top-Gun' 12volt until it caught fire after 6 years. Bought a 12 volt porter cable to replace it, the charger broke in less than a year.(very few service centers, therefore shipping was more expensive than just replacing the charger at my own expense) probably because it is so heavy and fell over at some point. otherwise I like the torque and the light weight. also have the 18volt dewalt hammer driver (part of the 4-piece kit) the first time I tried to use the hammer (at one week) driving a 5/16" Tapcon pilot bit into old soft mortar (sand and lime) the "transmission" crapped out. had to return it for a whole new set. So of course now I'm afraid I'll never use the hammer feature. Love the torque and the half inch chuck, if not the weight. The main reason I bought the DeWalt (my first DeWalt tools) was the price ($499-hammer drill/driver, recipro,trim,light)and because there always seem to be batteries and accessories, etc. in the marked down bin at the Despot. That and they have a service center very close to me.
*As a remodeling contractor, I use cordless tools everyday. I have cordless drills, cordless circular saws, and both cordless finish and framing nailers. Heck, I've even got a cordless hand saw and 4ft level ;) Just kiddin'Of all the tools I own, I probably use my 9.6V DeWalt cordless drill the most. I have an 18V DeWalt drill, but I still prefer my 9.6V for everyday use. I've even used it to drive several 5lb boxes of galv 3" deck screws in one day, and it didn't even grunt!If you're looking for another 9.6V drill, I wholeheartedly recommend the DeWalt. It's the most powerful, rugged 9.6V I've ever seen. Their 9.6V line of tools also includes cordless right-angle drill, impact driver, and flash/flood lights.
*I've been researching the purchase of my first cordless drill and it has boiled down to the Milwaukee and Panasonic. The Panasonic owners are fanatic in their enthusiasm, the drill has excellent ergonomics, NiMH batteries, is smaller and lighter than comparable drills, and seems to have the best fit and finish. Now I have to decide on the 12v or the 15.6v. My plans for the drill include occasional cabinet assembly, household stuff and a deck or two a year. The price difference is only $20 on amazon.com. Should I go for power or less weight? I'd lke to hear your experienced opinion.
*The guy in the store said the 15.6 has more torque. I don't know if you'd need any more, but what the hell. I held both of them and the 15.6 is not much heavier, for $20 I'd do that. When you buy the cordless saw later, you'll have more batteries.
*Terry, I've set most of my guys (three) up with the porters, they seem to have good run times and dont wear your wrists out at the end of the day, have good power,(I don't know about spinning lug nuts)and have good balance.The price on the 12v is about 150/60 dollars. I have an old Bosch that works great, and just purchased a 24v (close to a backpack type)for the heavy stuff(spins a 1" auger with NO problem)but tooooo much for general work. Would like to hear more about the Firestorms (to give the kind souls who like to DROP the tools)from anyone who knows anything about 'em.
*I'm finally putting myself in the cordless drill market. I see here and other places that DeWalt, Porter Cable &Panasonic all have their faithful. But a new Makita has caught my eye: 14.4V, 1/2" keyless, "industrial" version with metal gear housing, NiMH batteries, and they claim 358 in-lb of torque.Does anybody have any opinions about Makita cordless in general, or this drill in particular, in terms of reliability and durability?
*I recently purchased the Bosch 13.2V in question. I have had no problem with it up to this point and it is powerful enough to do anything that I need it to do. Including driving large numbers of 3 inch decking screws. The only thing that I would consider before purchasing this tool, is it't voltage is on odd number. If unless Bosch plans to produce other 13.2V tools, this drill with have to always stand alone.
*I have had good luck with both Makita and DeWalt. I have more DeWalt because they make more different cordless tools that I use for the same battery. I have the driver drill, the right angle drill, the circ. saw and the drywall driver.
*For years I used the milwakee 12 volt pistol grip drills. Last year I bought the 18 volt Makita drill, saw combination and I have yet to pick up the milwakees again. The drill is great and I use the cordless saw all the time. I did buy a third battery because the saw can burn through battery time. I just added the cordless compound mitre saw which uses the same batteries as the other tools. I've been very happy with all of the recent makita tools (but only skil makes real skilsaws, wormdrives rule)John
*Ok-I'll take a kick at the cat-I have 3 cordless drills; a 9.6 Bosch which I love and always have, it lives in the shop and is a perfect size for furniture and cabinet work, a 14.4 Makita which has a lot of power but I never liked how the nose pointed up-it put a strain on my wrist and was hard to get my arm behind it. Used it for two or three years then reverse went out of it. Replaced it with a Panasonic 15.6 which I am amazed by-it is as light or lighter than the Makita, very comfortable easy to handle and use and drives 3" screws forever on a charge. Was working with a guy today who has a Makita like mine and guess what-his reverse was out. He said he also knew another guy that had that happen. Must be a Makita thing, a forward looking company, no looking back for them. Don't know about how long the Panasonic will last but it sure is sweet.
*I have also been looking into a new cordless drill. Panasonic owners love them, however I'm not sold on the NiMH batteries. According to one web site, http://www.repairfaq.org/ELE/F_NiCd_Battery.html#NICDBATTERY_024 any NiMH will self discharge 3 to 10% of its charge in one day. If you don't use your drill daily the batteries will be dead when you do need to use it.My choice has been narrowed down to the new 14.4 Milwaukee with 2.4 amp hour batteries. It is claimed to have 390 inch pounds of torque.
*Ditto Lonecat on post 40. Russel, if you prefer the nicads, Panasonic sells their 15.6 with nicads for less money than the NiMH. But know that nicads also self-discharge. This is from direct experience and I do not know the rate except to say that unless your drill is very seldom used it will not be an issue with either type.I also have a Bosch 14.4 volt drill that lost its high gear due to the faulty shift slide design. It was a great tool, but mortally wounded in the remodel wars. The newer version is not as nice for me, too tall, long, and heavy. So I got the Panasonic 15.6 and I love it. No, it does not start turning at 0 rpm like the Bosch does. However I have not minded losing that capability. What they both share, and I think the Firestorm does also, is a spindle brake/lock that stops rotation instantly when the trigger is released, and locks the spindle solid. Among the advantages this feature confers are:1) One handed chuck tightening and release. The other hand remains on the handle.2) Superior control, especially at high speeds.3) The ability to use the tool manually, like a big screwdriver, to make fine final adjustment to screw tightness.These advantages are important enough to me that I did not even consider any model lacking this feature. The Panasonic has enough power to drive long screws in high range and to break a 5/16" lag in low. The weight is modest and it is very compact and comfortable. The best advice was given early on, which is to handle the tools before you buy and get the one that feels right to YOU.Bill
*Anyone who recommends anything other than the Panasonic, has never used one. I have two (a 12 v for drilling and the 9.6 as a screw gun). My carpenter buddy has 4 of 'em. Between the two of us, we've given up our Makitas, Porter, Boschs and Milwaukees.
*I also used cordless tools, my experiences are with Black & decker, Dewalt, Atlas copco and Metabo. All have been used extensively and worked fine my preference goes to Metabo, Atlas Copco and Dewalt.As for a battery operated Staple gun, Metabo has one but I haven't used it nor is it available where I am. Try contacting a nearby Metabo dealer they might be of help.
*My response is both of the PCs I've owned have had the electric brakes quit. Very frustrating when you get used to the drill stopping when it should. Also, about 5 of 'em in our company had same problem. Flipside, the Panasonic 15.6V is very nice to use. It has the one handed chuck that works real well. I know I won't buy another PC.
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I've had a 9 volt Makita for 5 years. Two weeks ago some one stole it from my job site. While I don't use it every day, I miss the portability of the tool and now find myself faced with the task of choosing a new drill. The new FHB magazine just reviewed drills and I find their info very useful, but would like to hear from those of you who use a cordless drill on the job.