Good drill, very affordable, typical poor quality control

I recently visited a local HF store for the first time.

I can’t believe the smell inside that store. The Chinese import box smell at gigantic proportions! <g>

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i think for less frustration and about the same price, you might be able to get a good used drill. i understand your thoughts on price, but I’m just throwing another idea out there.

I completely agree with you about buying used. I shop craigslist all the time. Used does have its unknowns too but drills are pretty reliable. I am not sold on these for any thing other than a cheap adequate drill. I would readily advise something better if you can swing it. A decent introductory used drill will still cost you $20-30 (twice as much) and a new one will run you $40-60 (4-5x the price). I think 3 stars if fair, maybe generous.

-- All trees have projects inside of them, it is your job to get them out.

Isn’t it amazing that they’re still making a profit when they sell it for $12.99 ? I have to admit that I do shop there for some basic supplies . For instance , I got a locking holddown clamp(visegrip style) for my drill press for $8 last week and a free 6 pc. set of screwdrivers just for giving them my email address….I think it was mine that I gave to them …hahaha….and I’ve also had good luck with their Toggle clamps . My next purchase will be a router inlay set ($10) , but it might even be cheaper next week :)...no rush on my end. The router bit looks cheap , but the Brass parts look fine and it comes with a centering pin as well.

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

Yeah, Harbor Frieght just screams quality. LOL

i like the multiple drill idea. i always hear about it for routers, but I’m always swapping drill bits for driver bits when predrilling for screws.

“i like the multiple drill idea.”

You can’t beat it!

On another note, I love using an “eggbeater” hand drill for countersinking. It offers fantastic control without resorting to a “stop ring” that can mar the surface.

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Yeah, I love Harbor Freight. I have learned (and I imagine most guys do) that you have to watch what you purchase there. As stated they have a great return policy and I have picked up a few gems very cheap and some junk. I like their $25.00 18guage nailer so much I traded my Porter Cable to one of my son’s for some work and I got my HF nailer on sale for $12.00! I returned it once for a free replacement when the loading mechanism failed and have been using the new one now for about 4 years with no issues whatsoever.

That drill looks pretty handy, weird that it isn’t powerful enough to drive a 3 screw. I don’t know if I would purchase one to replace the Milwaukee or Craftsman drills that I currently own or not if one of them failed. But I did enjoy reading the review you have written.

-- Still clinging to my guns and religion.

it’s better than no drill

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

I just bought one a few weeks ago for sanding on the lathe on sale for $10. It works great for what I use it for. It did start to smoke recently when I was using a dull 2” bit putting in a sump pump pipe thru the sill to the outside. I blew it out with air and it’s worked fine since then. I figure for $10 you can’t go wrong.

-- If it wasn't for misplacing things, my shop would never get cleaned up.