Looking for best cordless drill to purchase

[EddieWalker]

I'm excited that my batteries last two years. How long should they last? My thinking is that for $150 every other year to have new batteries is well worth the ability to have cordless tools ready to use every day.

Eddie

 

[PILOON]

I own quite a few cordless tools (mostly drills) and it amazes me that my (close to 20 yr) Makita 9 volt 'stick' drill still holds a charge while most of the other newer drills simply poop out after 3 0r 4 screws.
That ole 9 volt stick drill roofed 2 60' X 200' as well as attached all the siding and even the metal ceilings in the one barn.
We had 2 drills, 2 chargers and 4 batteries on that job and were at it nonstop for days. Maybe the cold weather (under freezing the whole time) helped the battery life as for sure they could not overheat.
It also helped that we made a jig and predrilled all the roofing sheets (using corded drill), 5 sheets at a time.
(Pre drilling sure made a pretty pattern when looking up from the ground, just like soldiers on a parade ground.)

 

[Scooby074]

Interesting you guys are having Batt issues with Dewalt.

I cant kill the DW 18V XRPs, and Ive sure tried! From being dropped off scaffold to frozen, they just keep on ticking.

Now the 12V on my old Makita.. Wont hold a charge for 10 minutes, and is the reason I went from Makita to Dewalt all those years ago

 

[IslandTractor]

I bought the cheap Ryobi 4 1/2 inch grinder yesterday since I already have batteries.. at 39 dollars I figured not a big risk. I will let you know if you are interested. So far so good, but I need to really use it not just test it.

James K0UA

Keep us posted. It would be nice to have such a tool if it was even half as powerful as a similarly sized 110V model.

 

[k0ua]

Keep us posted. It would be nice to have such a tool if it was even half as powerful as a similarly sized 110V model.

Island it does seem to spin at about half the speed as its 110 brother, but it seems to have a lot of torque. I couldn't stall it with a big knotted cup brush on it. I put a flap disk on it and it cleaned up some rusty steel in a hurry. It was 60 grit. I will test it further soon. I have no illusions it is as powerful as its 110v brother, but the handyness factor could make up for it. It seem to weigh as much as the 110 volt model, indicating there is something inside. If figured it might be handy to cut a chunk of rebar or something away from an outlet or just something quick to grab without stringing out a cord, and at $39, not a lot to try it.

James K0UA

 

[newbury]

Well since you are discussing tools other than just drills I'll pipe up about my Milwaukee screwdriver.

Milwaukee 0490-20 4 Volt Li-ion

Every time I use it I kick myself for only buying 5 (1 for me and one for each of my kids) of the drill w/ 2 batteries and charger kits. I should have bought 2 dozen. As far as I know they are all still running and the batteries are still good. I used two of the sets in the last few months.

Lowes was selling them for $19.99 when they were first introduced. The batteries, like most Li-ion seem to last forever, and it has enough torque to twist my wrist. Then the price jumped to over $100.

 

[DFB]

Well since you are discussing tools other than just drills I'll pipe up about my Milwaukee screwdriver.

Milwaukee 0490-20 4 Volt Li-ion

Every time I use it I kick myself for only buying 5 (1 for me and one for each of my kids) of the drill w/ 2 batteries
and charger kits. I should have bought 2 dozen. As far as I know they are all still running and the batteries are still good. I used two of the sets in the last few months.

Lowes was selling them for $19.99 when they were first introduced. The batteries, like most Li-ion seem to last forever, and it has enough torque to twist my wrist. Then the price jumped to over $100.

Wow :shocked:


That deserves a :thumbsup:

 

[two_bit_score]

Well since you are discussing tools other than just drills I'll pipe up about my Milwaukee screwdriver.

Milwaukee 0490-20 4 Volt Li-ion

Every time I use it I kick myself for only buying 5 (1 for me and one for each of my kids) of the drill w/ 2 batteries and charger kits. I should have bought 2 dozen. As far as I know they are all still running and the batteries are still good. I used two of the sets in the last few months.

Lowes was selling them for $19.99 when they were first introduced. The batteries, like most Li-ion seem to last forever, and it has enough torque to twist my wrist. Then the price jumped to over $100.

I have a little DeWalt like that and I love it. Had it for several years. Replaced one battery. Really handy.

 

[k0ua]

Keep us posted. It would be nice to have such a tool if it was even half as powerful as a similarly sized 110V model.

After playing more with it today, I would estimate its power at about 1/2 of my 5.5 amp 11,000 rpm Ryobi. Still very useful, but not quite the "guts" of the corded one. I did a speed test on a 1/4 inch bolt, at 4 seconds to cut with the battery tool and 3 seconds with the exact same worn harbor freight cut off disk in the 115 volt tool. I pushed the same amount of pressure on each, but I could have probably pushed the 115 volt tool harder. When using the 60 grit flap wheel I was able to bear down on it and lower its RPM to near stall. But of course it is a battery tool. If you think about the power going into the tool the 115 volt model if it really pulls 5.5 amps that is 632.5 watts so at 18 volts on the lithium battery to match that it would have to pull about 35 amps.. I don't think so!. I am sure it is way under that amount. But overall still useful and very handy!

James K0UA

 

[DFB]

Well since were stretching this thread some to include other cordless tools on battery compatibility (bare tools as add on's to a drill purchase) anyone use or otherwise have an opinion on the 2457-21 lithium-ion-ratchet from Milwaukee's M12 series. Right now the kit from CPO or Tyler is $30 less than the HD offering plus there is free xtra battery offer included as well. Up at the orchard cordless tools are really handy because there is only electric in one building and none in any of the barns or tractor sheds.