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396_WAYS_TO_SPIT
03-15-2005, 05:04 PM
Im looking to replace all of my junk a$$ makita drills. I just want to see what people have and how they like it. Please post what you have for a cordless drill(brand,size,voltage,etc). I am leaning on a dewalt or milwaukee. Who has the best warranty,battery power,etc?
Thx,396

PE 316
03-15-2005, 05:07 PM
18-volt Dewalt.
Pros:
- Tons of power
- Long battery life
Cons:
- Pretty heavy for sustained use...
(Gave me elbow "tendonitis" after one fairly "major" construction project)

Mandelon
03-15-2005, 05:09 PM
Didn't we do this a few months ago? :confused: Its like Deja Vu all over again..... ;)
I use DeWalt and they last a few years. I go 14.4 volts, as a good compromise between power and weight. They recharge pretty rapidly and are pretty cheap to have repaired when the chucks wear out.
In our shop we have Makita 14's, (wimpy) Bosch (heavy, and it broke) and a couple of Dewalt 24's (too heavy). Someone had a Firestorm but we made so much fun of him, he bought something else..... :D

Lightning
03-15-2005, 05:12 PM
I have used Dewalt and have not complaints. My first one was a 12 volt. I was thinking about going to the 18, but did not like how heavy it is. I think I will take Mandelons advice and go with the 14.

Ivan Dan
03-15-2005, 05:15 PM
I just got a 19.2 Craftsman it was a pretty killer cordless set at Sears with a flourescent light, circular saw and sawzall. It was like $169 for the whole set and came with 2 batteries. So far it works really well.

Beer-30
03-15-2005, 05:20 PM
I have an 18v Milwaukee and love it! I will never get tired of it.
Hey IVAN DAN, I sent you a link on the HID issue in TOW RIGS.

v-drive
03-15-2005, 05:21 PM
They are hard to come by but my nephew got me one from panasonic industrial div. kicks effen ass.......... :cool: v-drive

396_WAYS_TO_SPIT
03-15-2005, 05:25 PM
The main thing I'm looking for is battery life and torque. My makitas are JUNK and they dont hold charge very well. My corded drill is very nice but I hate dragging out all them damn cords.
396

396_WAYS_TO_SPIT
03-15-2005, 05:26 PM
Didn't we do this a few months ago? :confused: Its like Deja Vu all over again..... ;)
:D
I dont spend too much time in the sandbar. So thats the reason why I am asking. My bad mandelonbrotha;);)
396

mike37
03-15-2005, 05:33 PM
I use DeWalt also and it works good its the 12v
but if I ever replace it it will be another DeWalt but 14 or 18 volt

396_WAYS_TO_SPIT
03-15-2005, 05:37 PM
The battery on a makita drill has a Ni-MH battery, Dewalt has a Ni cad battery.Whats the difference?
makita 1/2 drill@14v
milwaukee 1/2 drill@14v
dewalt 3/8 drill@14v
The dewalt has a 3/8 chuck compared to the milwaukee and makita's 1/2.

Flying Tiger
03-15-2005, 05:42 PM
Started with 9 v Makitas
then DeWalts
Now onto Milwalkie 36 V

canuck1
03-15-2005, 05:53 PM
Dewalt if your a wood butcher
Milwakee if your a sparky or a plumber

Racer277
03-15-2005, 05:57 PM
My 2nd Dewalt 12v is going. It's been 6 good years.
I'll replace with a Dewalt 14v.
Some of those cheapo deals look tempting, I could get three for the same price.
Nah, I'll stick with Dewalt instead.

PowellScooter
03-15-2005, 06:03 PM
Had a Hitachi 18v and it lasted a couple years, worked OK was balanced nicely but it quit charging on a sunday in the middle of a fence project so I went to the only place open (remember its at Lake Powell) Wal-Mart (sucks), and bought a Black&Decker 18v Quantum Pro drill kit , 2 batteries and a charger,and case with the drill. I couldnt believe how it kicked ass.. Ifigured Id use it on sunday and go get a dewalt or something at the hardware store monday for me and give the B-D to my wife for in-house duties. No way.. the B-D fokkin kicks ass its on the heavy side but its got the torque and it drills really nice on the fast setting. 2 years later Im still using and never a complaint outta it.

78Anthonyjet
03-15-2005, 06:11 PM
At work we use DeWalt 18 volt drills, sawsalls, roto hammers,impact guns, and lites. We do steel rolling doors and are drilling into steel all the time, have had no problems other than the clutches on the drills because some
d!(k heads don't know how to adjust them and burn them up. But the clutches are easy to replace. The batteries last pretty long--depending on what you are doing-- drillling a 5/8" hole in 3/8" steel will take the life out of it fairly quick if you don't start out with a smaller hole and work your way up.
15 minute chargers are great to have, you can quick charge a batt. for that last screw or leave the batt. on the charger for a deep charge. The batteries have been redesigned so they don't blow apart if you drop them off of a ladder.

a catered life
03-15-2005, 06:23 PM
old fashion black and decker verse pack here 9v cant dril shi% but lite and user friendly hell for a caterer i need pots and pans not drill power

PHX ATC
03-15-2005, 06:40 PM
Burned through 2 Ryobi pieces of poo poo.
Whatever Home Depot's store brand name is, that's what I've got. 18V, I think, carrying case, 2 batts, all for a Christmas price of $99. I figured if it lasts through the new house installing picture anchors and the like, I'm a happy guy.
Besides, my wife usually takes it out and "loses" it on her horse trailer. :D

Tom Brown
03-15-2005, 06:49 PM
I have an electrician who works for me and we've ripped the clutches out of a few Milwaukee 18 volt hammer drills. Right now, both of our drills only function in hammer mode. No warantee on any of them because we were using larger than 1/2 inch bits. Also, we had one 18 volt Milwaukee grenade when the switch shorted and the battery exploded. My electrician is a big Milwaukee fan and the 14.4v stuff seems fantastic but I'm not going to buy any more Milwaukee hammer drills.
I'm a DeWalt guy but the two brands seem pretty comparable at the top of the heap at the 9.6~14.4 volt levels.
A knock against both brands is that they are still using NiCd batteries. It's time to go NiMh because NiCd is shit.

hoolign
03-15-2005, 06:50 PM
Dewalt if your a wood butcher
Milwakee if your a sparky or a plumber
Or a Tesco top drive if your a rig hand
:devil:

Tom Brown
03-15-2005, 06:52 PM
I use DeWalt and they last a few years.
My personal drill is a 9.6v Univolt DeWalt from 1993. It was a good drill then and still kicks ass. I see zero need to upgrade until they come out with NiMh batteries.

Dr. Eagle
03-15-2005, 06:55 PM
I like my 18 volt Milwaukee cordless..

Mandelon
03-15-2005, 07:27 PM
Burned through 2 Ryobi pieces of poo poo.
Whatever Home Depot's store brand name is, that's what I've got. 18V, I think, carrying case, 2 batts, all for a Christmas price of $99. I figured if it lasts through the new house installing picture anchors and the like, I'm a happy guy.
Besides, my wife usually takes it out and "loses" it on her horse trailer. :D
The Depot pushes Rigid tools. I think they bought the company. They're decent. I the DeWalt is owned by Black and Decker.....
I see Coleman cordless drills at Kragen for $39.00 ! :messedup: Dewalt has a HD drill too. I have a couple of each. No need to switch back and forth between drill bit and a driver bit....

BiggusJimbus
03-15-2005, 07:33 PM
You want THIS...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009KDGX/ref=pd_ts_c_th_1/103-2007678-0282259?v=glance&s=hi&n=561138
It is the ONLY unit that uses the 3.5 amp NiMh batteries.
They run longer and with more power for less weight.
The drills themselves are extremely good and well build.
Jimbus.

Dusty Times
03-15-2005, 08:35 PM
I'm a big Dewalt fan but I'm not real happy with the laser I bought.
I will never by Makita again.

thesunking
03-15-2005, 09:34 PM
Im looking to replace all of my junk a$$ makita drills. I just want to see what people have and how they like it. Please post what you have for a cordless drill(brand,size,voltage,etc). I am leaning on a dewalt or milwaukee. Who has the best warranty,battery power,etc?
Thx,396
I'm done with Makita and use exclusively Milwaukee
1/2" Drive
18 Volt
Just over 450+lbs=inch of torque
Cordless-Hammer Drill
My Employer picks up my warranty
http://i21.ebayimg.com/01/i/03/40/cc/a8_1_b.JPG
I also use PLS-5 Lazers for PLUMB LEVEL AND SQUARE (Forget 'bout the old plumb bob)
http://i3.ebayimg.com/01/i/03/a4/b7/7e_1_b.JPG

WaterBox
03-15-2005, 10:15 PM
All Battery power tools SUCK

396_WAYS_TO_SPIT
03-15-2005, 10:56 PM
All Battery power tools SUCK
true! but so does tripping over cords!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Freak
03-16-2005, 04:20 AM
I agree they are all junk in some way or another. With that said "currently" I do like my 18 volt Milwaukee.

mtndewdrops
03-16-2005, 06:19 AM
Dewalt is the way to go, I have the 9.6V :)

Essex502
03-16-2005, 06:33 AM
Milwaukee is the best and probably the most expensive. I chose a 18V Bosch from Skil/Bosch Powertools (Bosch but Skil). Made in America but profits overseas...oh well. Great drill. Have used it extensively and it is definitely rugged as I've dropped it numerous times while up a ladder. Bounced and no damage. Great torque. If hadn't been for the need of a cordless one afternoon and the local store didn't have Milwaukee I would have bought a Milwaukee but am very satisfied by the Bosch drill.

BarryMac
03-16-2005, 06:42 AM
I do the buying for the Facilities Department where I work, we wont buy anything but Panasonic, they are extremly durable, not too heavy and the best part is the gears are not plastic like so many other manufacturers, they still use metal gears, we've had drills in our shop going on 6 years with little to no repairs...

callbob4homes
03-16-2005, 06:53 AM
DeWalt and B&D are the same company, some of the batts will interchange. DeWalt 14.4 last forever, (exceptions of course) and warranty not bad. Usually wear out a batt before the drill goes. :coffeycup

Dribble
03-16-2005, 07:35 AM
14 volt Porter Cable. Still works flawlessly after seven years of abuse. The batteries charge in a shorter time then you can run one down.

Sherpa
03-16-2005, 08:31 AM
my dewalt 18v clutch crapped. and there's almost no way to get the chuck
off to work on it... so it's screwed it last screw........crap anyway.
Go Panasonic and never look back.......... totally kicks ass..... major power,
the battery-life is non-short of friggen amazing..........
Milwaukees are good too, but in a contractor magazine test article, the
Panasonic 14VOLT kicked all the others 18volts units in the ass...........
--BTW, Panasonic makes most of the batteries for other cordless tools,
so they kept the best technology for themselves.......
--Sherpa

ROZ
03-16-2005, 09:32 AM
If it makes a difference, DeWalt is, or atleast use to be, the only cordless drill MFG who's warranty was still valid under commercial applications...

Havasu_Dreamin
03-16-2005, 09:37 AM
Craftsman 16.6 Hi-Performance Series. Great drill. Two batteries with charger and carrying case. Only problem is one of the batteries has gone out and it is $60 to repalce it.

Sherpa
03-16-2005, 10:57 AM
retail price on an XRP 18V Dewalt battery is about 85 bucks ea......
(I still have some other Dewalt 18v tools, so I gotta buy the stuff)
You can find vendors online on Ebay that sell dewalt batteries...
I paid about 105 for a new pair of factory-first XRP 18 volt batteries..
--Sherpa
Panasonic cordless fan........

Tom Brown
03-16-2005, 11:51 AM
14 volt Porter Cable.
I'm not sure if this matters but DeWalt just bought Porter-Cable.
I have some P-C tools and have found them to be excellent. I have no experience with their cordless stuff, though.