I have DeWalt, and have no complaints.
Martin
Martin
CK5
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Cordless drills!
- Thread starter cuervo
- Start date
i run all snappie and mac cordless.. if i was to buy new. i'd go makita ion...
for as much as i like dewalts diverse lineup, and have had good results with them in the past, i tend to think they are a bit more inconsistent than they used to be since they started making tools specifically for the chain stores... have heard of a few bad tools...
tho i haven't used milwaukee cordless, they have always been outstanding tools... AND they are the only company with a cordless caulking gun!!!
for most, thats a WTF 
, but marine guys use caulk guns daily... 
for as much as i like dewalts diverse lineup, and have had good results with them in the past, i tend to think they are a bit more inconsistent than they used to be since they started making tools specifically for the chain stores... have heard of a few bad tools...
tho i haven't used milwaukee cordless, they have always been outstanding tools... AND they are the only company with a cordless caulking gun!!!
for most, thats a WTF , but marine guys use caulk guns daily... 
Confedneck
3/4 ton status
The makita Li-Ion stuff is off the hook. Now if corporate would get off their tails and add it to our offerings, that would be ggrrreeaat
I'm running the older version of the Milwaukee 2602-22. It came with NMiH batteries, and they did me a good job.
Then one day, the battery charger quit.
I pulled it apart and found a blown fusible strip. Turns out one of the batteries had developed a short.
I was going to fix it, when I saw that the company had an upgrade kit.
Two 18V LiOn batteries and a "universal" charger for less than one NiMH battery.
Grabbed it, and have not looked back since.
Batteries are going on 3 years old, and a friend of mine is using it now to put up a fence.
Says he drives screws continuously for a while until the battery quits, switches, and the dead one is fully charged in about half the time it takes the charged one to go dead.
So he is never waiting for a battery.
Actually he is a little ticked off by that, because his old drill would let him take a break between batteries........
I did some research into LiOn battery life, and the last, best, word I got, was to store them at as close to 3/4 charge as possible, either somewhere cool, or in the refrigerator.
I have one of those little "dorm" type fridges in the shop, and that is where they live when not in use. Snuggled up next to my Cokes.
The 3/4 charge does not matter, I can drop one on the charger and one on the drill and have a hot one way before the first one craps out.
Then one day, the battery charger quit.
I pulled it apart and found a blown fusible strip. Turns out one of the batteries had developed a short.
I was going to fix it, when I saw that the company had an upgrade kit.
Two 18V LiOn batteries and a "universal" charger for less than one NiMH battery.
Grabbed it, and have not looked back since.
Batteries are going on 3 years old, and a friend of mine is using it now to put up a fence.
Says he drives screws continuously for a while until the battery quits, switches, and the dead one is fully charged in about half the time it takes the charged one to go dead.
So he is never waiting for a battery.
Actually he is a little ticked off by that, because his old drill would let him take a break between batteries........
I did some research into LiOn battery life, and the last, best, word I got, was to store them at as close to 3/4 charge as possible, either somewhere cool, or in the refrigerator.
I have one of those little "dorm" type fridges in the shop, and that is where they live when not in use. Snuggled up next to my Cokes.
The 3/4 charge does not matter, I can drop one on the charger and one on the drill and have a hot one way before the first one craps out.
BTW, if you are in the market for a corded drill, DO NOT buy this one, unless you have something like Hulk arms.
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-0302-20-2-Inch-Drill-Keyless/dp/B00005Q7AH/ref=pd_cp_hi_3
I have one of the magnum hole shooters, and its great. Found myself needing another one, so I ordered this one.
It has an automatic spindle lock that works great with the keyless chuck. 1 easy twist, and you will wring off a shaft before that chuck slips.
And Power? Don't worry, you will not stall that drill.
So why not buy it? That damn drill has sprained both my wrists, darn near broke the arm of a friend of mine.
And even my other friend, who literally can bench press a Buick, refuses to use it without the side handle.
Its a great drill, just don't let it hurt you.
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-0302-20-2-Inch-Drill-Keyless/dp/B00005Q7AH/ref=pd_cp_hi_3
I have one of the magnum hole shooters, and its great. Found myself needing another one, so I ordered this one.
It has an automatic spindle lock that works great with the keyless chuck. 1 easy twist, and you will wring off a shaft before that chuck slips.
And Power? Don't worry, you will not stall that drill.
So why not buy it? That damn drill has sprained both my wrists, darn near broke the arm of a friend of mine.
And even my other friend, who literally can bench press a Buick, refuses to use it without the side handle.
Its a great drill, just don't let it hurt you.
he!! mines 15, 20 yrs old and would still snap your arm like it was new... I think every company I've worked for has had at least one too...
actually my only bad drill story is with that focker.. drilling a 2" hole up into the bottom of a boat trailer rail about 10 yrs ago, right upside the temple, almost knocked my duma$$ out...
usually I'm the one everyone turns to, to run psycho power tool stuff.... torches in bilges, 7"cutoff wheel in a 4.5" grinder, etc, etc...
actually my only bad drill story is with that focker.. drilling a 2" hole up into the bottom of a boat trailer rail about 10 yrs ago, right upside the temple, almost knocked my duma$$ out...
usually I'm the one everyone turns to, to run psycho power tool stuff.... torches in bilges, 7"cutoff wheel in a 4.5" grinder, etc, etc...
79rustyk10
3/4 ton status
When I bought my Dewalt 18v XRP, the dude at lowes said that the Li Ion batteries would drain when subjected to cold, thats why I bought the regular version. I figured with snow on the ground six months of the year almost Id be better with the older ones.
I guess not. I wonder if the LiIon bat could be used in my drill?
Confedneck
3/4 ton status
Call dewalt, usually there's a simple identifier to tell if yours will accept the other batteries, on snap-on stuff, if the battery terminal on the tool is green, then it will accept li-ion
i've heard they don't like cold too..
Well, that was why I said the last, best.
I checked back on some of my sources, and things seem to have changed somewhat, or I just had a brainfart.
The new guidelines seem to be around 40% charge instead of 75. Still needs to be kept cool though.
They definitely wear out faster the more charged up they are.
Here are a couple of places that mention storage. I need to fire up the big laptop, its got the links to the university studies and the manufactures websites, but this should help.
http://www.buchmann.ca/chap10-page6.asp
http://www.powerstream.com/Storage.htm
I checked back on some of my sources, and things seem to have changed somewhat, or I just had a brainfart.
The new guidelines seem to be around 40% charge instead of 75. Still needs to be kept cool though.
They definitely wear out faster the more charged up they are.
Here are a couple of places that mention storage. I need to fire up the big laptop, its got the links to the university studies and the manufactures websites, but this should help.
http://www.buchmann.ca/chap10-page6.asp
http://www.powerstream.com/Storage.htm
x2
I also have Dewalt (for my profession) and Ryobi (at home)
The Makita Ion stuff is normally used by some of the other guys I work with. Talk about jealousy, if I could afford one....
I have that same drill, I made the mistake of drilling a 1/2" hole through the frame without the side handle one day(I had done it before), and when the bit caught the drill proceeded to spin around and take my own hand and hit me in the face with it pretty hard. I was putting some pretty good force on it to cut faster and when it caught I was too close. No major injuries but sore wrist and face, and I never use the larger bits without the side handle on now.
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I have the Milwaukee Li-ion set with the impact. Its pretty much the same set as the Makita my bro has. Only real difference I saw is his case is a nice foam padded case, and mine is a plastic one(cant store any bit sets).
Well, I ended up getting the Milwaukee Li-ion 2602-22. Seems like a good deal and the new battery and charger seem to have overcome the issues with leaving the battery on the charger too long.
Thanks guys.
Thanks guys.
Charged both batteries and let one sit the entire month and then tested it. Works like it just came off the charger!!
Dig it!
Dig it!
Confedneck
3/4 ton status
The issue with overcharging by leaving a battery on a charger was cured a LONG time ago, around the time of the invention of the microchip
Not on my last drill!!! Not even close to fixing it. Within 3 or 4 months the batteries were pretty much toast!
I had a couple of Snappie's older style 18 volts just up and die after a few months... didn't seem to overcharge, but just wouldn't take a charge...
I'd say it was 2 out of 8 on the older style where bad... sucks at $90 to 120 a pop....
the new slip on ones tho, I haven't had a prob.. have had 3 of those for 3, 4 yrs now...
I'd say it was 2 out of 8 on the older style where bad... sucks at $90 to 120 a pop....
the new slip on ones tho, I haven't had a prob.. have had 3 of those for 3, 4 yrs now...
I like Dewalt, I have their whole 18v setup. No problems.
I didnt get the lithium however, didnt feel like spending that much more.
We have all milwaukee at work, seem pretty good other than the sawzalls... Im always rippng apart one because the switch went bad, or a wire came unsoldered... yatayatayata.... We also have some of the lithium drills, work very nice and charge real fast, but if its cold out and you leave them in your cold truck/garage or whatever, they are dead in the morning. Found that out last winter after buying a few sets at work. Guys come to work in the morning, head to a job site, and all their batteries dead from the cold. Needless to say they all ditched the lithium batteries for the old ones dureing winter.
I didnt get the lithium however, didnt feel like spending that much more.
We have all milwaukee at work, seem pretty good other than the sawzalls... Im always rippng apart one because the switch went bad, or a wire came unsoldered... yatayatayata.... We also have some of the lithium drills, work very nice and charge real fast, but if its cold out and you leave them in your cold truck/garage or whatever, they are dead in the morning. Found that out last winter after buying a few sets at work. Guys come to work in the morning, head to a job site, and all their batteries dead from the cold. Needless to say they all ditched the lithium batteries for the old ones dureing winter.
