Cordless Drills- gotta replace "old faithful"

[zio]

I lost my old Makita 9.6 v cordless. I've had that drill for almost 10 years. I know I could buy another Makita, but I want to make sure I don't overlook something better. Anyone have extensive experience or insight with the other brands? I have to form a patio this weekend, so I'll be buying in the next day or two. I don't need anything more than 14.4v. I'll even go down to 12v. Other than boring big 1"holes to run conduit, my old Makita was usually powerful enough for me. Those big 18v models will only be heavier.

Currently, here's what I'm looking at:

Makita 14.4v 1/2" - $199

Milwaukee 14.4v 1/2" - $189

Porter Cable 14,4v 1/2" - $189

- or -

Ryobi 14.4v 3/8" for only $49.99!

I have a mental block against DeWalt. So unless they're some super-tool that defies all of Murphy's laws, I'll pass.

The Ryobi is attractive, just because I'm getting cheap in my old age. I know the addage "you get what you pay for", but I think there are always exceptions. But, I am hard on tools. I need something very durable.

Here's something else I want to consider, though- battery life. Those smaller Makita batteries were relatively inexpensive ($33, I think), so replacing them every few years was cheaper than buying a new drill. But the newer, larger batteries now cost about double that. If that cheap Ryobi will last me as long as the batteries on an expensive drill, I'll just as soon go with less up-front cost. Get it?

 

[biglou]

Pass on the Ryobi. Go for the Milwaukee or the PC. PC makes some of the best power tools in the biz, IMO. The Makita is ok.

 

[Okiewan]

Everything I have or will have is DeWalt. GREAT stuff.

 

[bclapham]

My old man does a lot of drilling for his job. he could burn out a Black and decker in less than a month, LOL. He said the only thing that would hold up is the Makitas, but then this is England and we dont have some of the brands you put up. If makita served you well before.........

 

[whyzee]

I do this "drilling", "screwdrivering" crap for a living and go through a drill / year. With that said, the only cordless I'll buy is DeWalt 18v or bigger. HD cord drills get a Bosch.

 

[zio]

Thanks. I have one vote for each, except DeWalt, which gets two so far. I should have known ;)

 

[yzeater]

We've got a DeWalt as well. Couldn't be more happy :)

 

[zio]

I've got a $75 gift card to use at Lowes, I'll skip the cheapo's & get a Porter Cable. They're gray. I like Gray. That's that.

 

[Flying Scot]

Funny I have a DeWalt 9.6v. Love it. 6 years and counting. I've worked around contractors for 10 years and every cordless drill ( screwgun ) I've seen has been DeWalt of various voltages.

Agreed my cable powered drill is a Bosch - never let me down, but the contractors seem to prefer Milwaukee and Porter cable.

 

[Flying Scot]

P.S. - I have a Dewalt planer and DeWalt circular saw and a DeWalt sander.

DeWalt, DeWalt, DeWalt, DeWalt, DeWalt, Craftsman ( oops that was a mistake ). :laugh:

 

[Glitch]

We got a craftsman 18v. It works good, has two batteries that last a long time. Got a hammer feature to bust through rocks/concrete, and very powerful, used it to get through broken bolts on bike. A lot better than the milwaukee's and ryobi's that i've seen. And it can take a beating, unlike the milwaukee's, drop 'em once and your stuck with duck taping the battery to drill because latches break.

 

[dthoms]

Zio,
I'm in about the same position, I have a 15.6V Craftsman Industrial model.
It has been one tough a__ drill, in fact about a couple of years ago I was helping my dad build a shed. He had a newer Dewalt and I had my older Craftsman, he was so impressed he went out and bought a Craftsman. This guy knows his tools.
But after about 7 or 8 years it is shot, I've used it for every thing from building decks (amateur) and drilling out broken bolts, and hardened tapered pins on printing presses.
I have also used Makita's and been very happy with them.
I am leaning toward the Makita, I don't remember the model but they have one that I've seen on sale for about $200 and it has the nickel hydrate batteries.
I don't no what kind of luck you have had with batteries but in my experience those metal hydrate batteries out last anything I have every seen. Also they have no memory so if you want to recharge a half dead battery you can do so with out harming the life of the battery.
If you buy one with the normal cadium type batteries always make sure that you run the batteries dead before recharging, this will extend the battery life.
If you can buy one with a light attachment so when the battery is to dead to operate the drill you can use the light to drain the rest of the battery before recharging.
So check out the Makita's with the metal hydrate batteries, and let me know what you think. I would be glad to here anyones comments for or against the different types of batteries. There seems to be some sharp people on this forum.

 

[Farmer John]

Dewalt.

Ryobi's are real nice to look at, but will not last 6 months before the clutch fragments. Then they have no customer service whatsoever.

 

[WaltCMoto]

Porter Cable makes great Sawzaws, But get the DEWALT cordless drill
Of course im a little bias on the name

 

[smb_racing]

milwakee :)

 

[Lorin]

I have used a 12v DeWalt drill for 6+ years and am just now getting to where the batteries should be replaced. If I go that route again, I will probably go with DeWalt again. I believe that the 14.4v and up drills have the option of getting a corded, power-pack that you can plug into the drill if \ when your batteries are depleted and you still have work to do.

 

[XRpredator]

pssst . . . DeWalt's just a Black and Decker with yellow plastic . . .

But I gots a DeWalt 18v, but I don't think you'll be hurting with the Porter Cable. Hell, that's what Norm Abrams uses!

Best tip o' the day, though -- get two battery packs! I have kicked my own ass several times for not buying a second battery and taking a 45 minute break while I wait for my battery to charge :debil:

 

[Okiewan]

pssst... B&D does in fact own DeWalt... I'd suggest you tear one each apart and take a look.

 

[XRpredator]

;)

 

[clutchcover]

Not a fan of most Dewalt stuff. We used a lot of it while I was in school, and the majority of it fell apart. Especially the drills. We did have a 12" sliding compound miter saw that I fell in love with though. The best luck we had was with the Porter Cable and Milwalkee drills. They seemed to hold up very well. I have a Craftsman that I use at home, it's ok, and does the job, but isn't made of the best quality. My dad had the outer shell and clutch blow to pieces in his hands under stress. The good thing is the 3 year warranty that came with the drill.

 

[SFO]

I have a ten year old dealt 14.4v w/ 1/2" chuck.
Still on its original batteries.
I have a dewalt 18v at work but it is not as balanced a tool as the 14.4v and the power difference is not noticeable.
The real secret to battery life is get the 15minute quick charger.
It has an auto off feature that doesn't give the batteries a memory like the 45minute charger.

 

[zio]

Thanks for all the replies. I went to Lowes last night with my best buddy. We came home with the Porter Cable. I checked them all out, wanting to give the less expensive s consideration. Hitachi, B&D, and Skil all had s under $100. They all felt considerably lighter, and less "tight" compared to the four high-end brands (DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee & Porter Cable). Examples of this are the forward/reverse switches, and the way the motor/chuck seemed to wobble a bit in the chassis. Also, they used a lot more plastic pieces that may be prone to damage. This is important to me, because I get a little hasty when tackling projects and break a lot of things.

Even DeWalt's less-expensive "medium duty" ($129) was obviously of lower quality than the rest. The chassis was two plastic halves screwed together at the seam to house the motor/gearbox/chuck assembly internally (very kids-toy-ish). When you look at this compared to the "heavy duty" ($169) that was plastic only up to the base of the gearbox, which was then mounted to the chassis via 4 Torx heads (think F-1 or Indy Car). There's no way for it to twist under torque, and I doubt the chassis will ever split or wobble. Big difference in feel.

The DeWalt felt the lightest of the bunch. Of course, this doesn't include battery packs, these were the display s. The Milwaukee's grip wasn't comfortable for all my fingers. The Makita was fine, and the Porter Cable felt just right.

Of all four, the Porter Cable felt like it was built for a mission to Mars. It was also about $20 cheaper than the Makita. My buddy preferred blue (it's his favorite color), but agreed gray is a good color, too. When I got it home I popped one of the packs on the charger overnight & fired it up this morning. Holy crap.... It's by far the most precise, well built tool I've ever owned. The trigger is very easy to modulate, I can dial up any speed I want easily, and the motor sounds like a military jet. I'm very impressed. It maked my old Makita feel like a pinwheel. It also has a hammer mode which I may use from time to time (doing a lot of backyard landscaping lately). Lastly, it has a whopping 420 incl/lbs of torque, compared to the other three which were around 300-350.

The only downside is the weight- it's a good pound heavier (1.2 according to my digital scale). And it didn't come with any extra goodies (Makita gives a pair of Mechanix Wear gloves). And I have to toss my cheapo 9.6v Makita cordless circular saw, now that I know the difference.

 

[motometal]

I've got a Firestorm.  it gets used quite a bit, no problems, and was way cheaper than the other brands mentioned, but probably isn't considered "contractor grade".  Supposedly made in the same plant as the Dewalt.  Nice feature is that the brake locks every time you stop so you can loosen/tighten the chuck with one hand. 


I've been around batteries a bit, there's some varying opinions regarding NiCads and memory, but the consensus is that modern batteries are much more resistant to this problem, and only need to occasionally be run down all the way.  Running them down all the way each time just shortens the life.  Most users run them down at least most of the way anyway before switching.  I like SFO's idea of a charger with a sensor so it doesn't overcharge.  It isn't good for a battery to stay on a charger all the time unless there is an auto-off feature.

Hydride batteries, all else being equal, have significantly more capacity, and NO memory concerns.  Performance wise, it's like comparing a KX 60 to a KX 125.  Negatives:

1.  Quality control isn't as good yet, relatively new technology compared to NiCads

2.  They can't handle high current, draining or charging

3.  They really don't like being overcharged.  you really need a peak charger that shuts itself off at the optimum point (unless you want to use a trickle charger and charge overnight).

4.  If the battery feels warm, you are shortening it's life.  Do not charge in a hot environment (truck cab in the summer, etc.)

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Originally posted by zio
I've got a $75 gift card to use at Lowes, I'll skip the cheapo's & get a Porter Cable. They're gray. I like Gray. That's that.

I have had real good luck with my Porter Cable. Had it a couple years and use it hard with no problems. Good quality tools :thumb:

 

[Fark]

Porter cable man here. We have portable bandsaws at work (for mostly cable rack, iron aux bar, 5/8 threaded rod)and the milwaukies don't hold up too well. The blade guides get messed up and the blade will cut in a twised fashion.

We got a fewporter cable units that I like much better.