Cordless drill question

i would go with a bosch impactor hands down. i have heard wonderful things about this drill. its very lightweight but holds and charge well. it has been reviewed on LJ’s here, and here

i think that they also have a smaller non impact driver version for about 50 dollars less to, just not sure where i saw that.

I’m still making my old Makita go after 17 years, although I did have to finally pony up for another battery.
I haven’t been looking lately, but McFeeley’s usually has some deal on their drill/drivers.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

I’ve had a number of DeWalts and generally like them except for their battery like which stinks. My current drill is a Panasonic 15.6V and it’s great. Good balance and weight & actually feels like a 14V model. Tons of torque plus a 1/2” chuck & great battery amps. I’ve had it about 2-3 years now and so far the batteries are still live and kicking. The only thing I dont like is the lack of integral screwdriver bit holding slots on the body like the DW’s but I picked up a stick-on rubber 4-bit holder thru McFeeleys that solves that issue.

-- Use the fence Luke

Betsy, if you like the one you had and want another one, check Ebay. I’ve had a 14 volt Craftman for over 10 years and it works the best for what I use it for. I found another on Ebay that was in better shape than the original one, so now I have two of them. Found a place called battery bank http://www.batterybank.com/
that has good deals on replacement batteries.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

I have two DeWalts. A 12v and an 18v. Had them both over 10 years – no problems.

-- Bruce from Central New York

Betsy,

I have 3 Dewalts (2 18V and 1 14.4) and 2 Rigid drills (18V). The 18V Dewalt drills would probably feel too heavy for you since you are used to a 12V model but one of the lithium-ion drills should be fine for you. I am just now evaluating the Rigid drills but they appear to have the same torque as the Dewalts and I like the way the battery slides on and off with the Rigid drills and they are lighter than the Dewalts.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Have you checked out the new black and decker ion? I was looking at cordless drills the other day and I may end up going that route. I can’t say how well it works but it was much lighter then anything else Menards had out. For me the price, 60 something, and the weight were big selling points.

Technical Details

• 14.4-Volt Cordless Lithium-Ion drill offers 200 percent more power than traditional 18-volt drills
• 40 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than traditional 18-volt drills; Lithiu- Ion battery holds charge up to 18 months longer than Ni-Cad counterparts
• State-of-charge indicator tells you how much charge is left in the drill
• Include charging base, 16 bits (8 driving tips and 8 drill bits)
• 2-year warranty

Here is a link to the same one on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-SC1400-Lithium-Ion-Technology/dp/B000HI101S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1213147230&sr=1-5

Wow——- go away for a few minutes and come back to such a good response! You guys make me think I’ve abused my cordless drill. Seems that 4-5 years is lightweight compared to 10+. In my defense I have corded drills that are more than 10 years old—- but never had a cordless last that long.

thanks for all the suggestions. I’m going shopping this weekend and see what I can find. I’ll definitely check out your suggestions.

I have to admit to being shy about buying tools on line—- the biggest reason is the feel of the tool. I’m not exactly a delicate flower—- but the weight of a tool is big for me. I have small hands and those larger, heavier tools are tough to handle. So I really like to buy when I can pick up the tool and give it a once over before buying.

I’ll let you know what I settle on.

thanks for the advise.

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!

I have had a number of cordless drills over the years. About a year ago, as the Lithium-Ion revolution began, I purchased the Bosch PS20-2. This has proven to be the best drill I’ve owned for everyday small jobs—about 95% of my usage. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for a heavy-duty job like deck screws, but it is incredibly lightweight, very powerful for its small size, and reasonably priced at around $100. And the battery lasts a very long time! Great tool.

Stop, you have to check the drills a Home Depot. I worked in the hardware dept for 1.5 years and you can buy a RIDGID with a life time warrenty. That includes the batteries. The only thing is that it does not cover industial use. Meaning if you tell them you use it for a company it will not be covered. And of course this is not a job but we all do this for fun. You know home use. My works fine and it came with two batteries. Keep in mine if your going to spend $100 or even $200.00 for a drill it should out last you.

-- Dominic, Trinity, Florida...Lets be safe out there.

What do you plan on using it for?

I would go for something with a lithium battery for it’s lightness and battery life.
It will be worth what ever you had to pay for it.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Black&Decker makes a good line of Firestorm cordless tools that are wallet friendly. Lots of torque and selection. I just bought a 18 volt w/2 batteries & charger for around $100.- bbqKing

-- bbqKing, Lawrenceville

I just bought the Hitachi cordless. Bought it last weekend. It is lightweight, balanced, came with 2 batteries and a flashlight, (my husband likes the flashlight part). About a hundred bucks and it is a nice one.

-- Berta in NC

Betsy, my son used to sell Hilti tools and while I’m not sure what’s comfortable for you, these drills are fantastic. Plenty of torque, long battery life and quick recharge, terribly sturdy. I tried to steal his a few times, but couldn’t quite make a getaway. However, they are a bit pricey.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

I bought a DeWalt 14.4 compact at the tool show in January and absolutely love it! Has a LED to light up the work area and lots of torque too. Like Doug, I also bought a 4 bit holder from McFeeleys (love them square drives!)to help with bit changing.

-- last night I played a blank tape at full volume - the mime next door went nuts!