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Thread: Corded drill - powerful, accurate but...light

  1. #1

    Corded drill - powerful, accurate but...light

    Hello, I know it might be difficult to find the perfect drill but I have not found enough information to completely give my search up. So, my hands are very small and I am not very strong. I need a powerful drill (drilling 20mm holes on bench) not too heavy. Based on my research the only LIGHT corded drill is Ryobi. Ryobi does not have a reputation to be very durable and accurate. However it is the lightest of the corded and also the cheapest. I would prefer to go for something durable, precise and powerful but light. Any suggestion? I am moving away from cordless because drilling my type of holes (Kreg Jig, Parf, etc) drain battery way too quickly. Sometimes I have only 1 hour to work on my projects and I need to be sure this hour is well spent producing and not swapping drills. Thanks for your help!! Kitui

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    I use a very old Black and Decker corded drill for this kind of thing...old as in it's green. Corded drills are a lot more difficult to find these days, but they are out there. A quick Google search on "corded drill" brings up suspects from all the major brand names.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
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    There are some nice small 12V drills available these days - I recently got my daughter a Milwaukee Fuel drill/driver set. Brushless tools have a lot of power and run longer on a charge than the older brush motor models did. If you have two batteries, you can just keep one in the charger and swap when your working battery runs out.
    -- Jim

    Use the right tool for the job.

  4. #4
    I've had a corded ryobi for several years. Bought it to drill holes in metal, and now use it a lot for wire wheels and such.
    It's cheap, it's ugly, it's loud, and I have zero complaints.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    I use a very old Black and Decker corded drill for this kind of thing...old as in it's green. Corded drills are a lot more difficult to find these days, but they are out there. A quick Google search on "corded drill" brings up suspects from all the major brand names.

    My 37 year old 3/8" B&D started spewing parts and pieces just before Christmas. Sad day. It was a great drill motor.

  6. #6
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    Laura, the type of drill I would suggest is 3/8 right angle close quarters drill with variable speed. Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita should have suitable models. The reason I am suggesting a right angle drill over a pistol grip is the RA will provide much better control over reaction forces. A pistol grip drill will give a fierce quick snap that will rotate the wrist in a potentially injuring manner. The RA will rotate away from your hand and pull against your arm, if you set up your grip and approach with reaction force in mind. Use a two handed grip and keep the variable speed to half-speed.

  7. #7
    I have a D48C corded Ryobi drill I bought a year ago at the local orange Borg store for about $70Can. I needed a drill driver because my Milwaukee drill and screw gun were packed in a shipping container. I wanted it to drive screws to hold the OSB on the walls of my shop. I put in over 2,500 2" flooring screws putting up the OSB along with drilling holes for the Jigsaw to cut out electrical boxes. Because it is relatively light and handy I reach for it first over the other drill that I've owned for close to 40 years. The only gripe I have is the numbers on the torque setting ring are smudging a little and the cord is a little stiff because the plastic insulation takes a set, but for a near disposable drill I can live with it. It is a 4.5 amp motor so it should be strong enough for your needs and you can set a torque to release before it twists out of your grip for big holes or lock it in drill mode for small holes. It looks outwardly like the battery version of the tool. I'd buy another if it died on me.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Berklich View Post
    My 37 year old 3/8" B&D started spewing parts and pieces just before Christmas. Sad day. It was a great drill motor.
    Yea....mine is my second oldest tool. I thought it might go toast a few years ago, but it's still working strong, doing pocket holes and drilling in metal when I can't take something to the drill press. The oldest tool is an orange Black and Decker circular saw that's in really excellent condition...largely because I so rarely use it since my track saw does so much nicer cutting with the majority of material I need to cut with a portable saw.

    If my corded drill did die, I'd immediately replace it. As much as I love my battery drill/drivers, there are just some times when plug-in does a better job for me.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  9. #9
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    A 1/2 inch Milwaukie corded drill will be one of the best mid range drills, and will have a side handle, which you certainly want if you're not that strong.

    Regards, Rod.

  10. #10
    My corded 1/2" B&D (Grey & Silver) is 45 years old this year, Other than a new chuck and trigger switch about 18 years ago, it's been my go to drill when I need to do serious work.
    Mac

  11. #11
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    Clearly...some tools were made, um...different..."back in the day". It's always interesting to hear about "vintage" portable tools that are still working hard after decades!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  12. #12
    Laura I put a 1 1/8" cheap forstner bit in the Roybi and it whistled through a piece of softwood, all I had handy, without any problem. Your 20mm bits should do the same.

    The big old drills are indeed great but they are heavy and the OP is looking for lightweight options. My Milwaukee 3/8" Hole Shooter is twice as heavy as the Ryobi but being 38+ years old is unlikely going to die. I wouldn't pick it for pocket screws though.

  13. #13
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    Bosch has a 3/8" corded drill that they say has best-in-class power to weight ratio. I've never used one, but it might be worth seeing how it compares to others that you've been looking at.
    https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/bos...06vsr-34780-p/

    --Geoff

  14. #14
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    Drilling Kreg Jig holes well and drilling 20mm holes well can very likely be 2 drills. Kreg Jig done well requires high speed for clean holes. I've never seen anything that does that as well as my 0-4000rpm Milwaukee 1/4" drill. This also has the benefit of being light and small for a corded drill. You can do reasonable Kreg Jig holes at 2500rpm but the drills with the power to do that and drill 20mm well will no longer be small and light.
    Cordless drills have the benefit of multiple gears simply because they are designed to be portable and be able to do a variety of jobs. The only two that will do Kreg jig and 20mm well are the Festool PDC and an obscure Fein Drill. This is because that big a range requires a 3-4 speed change and that is rare. The big transmission adds weight and there goes the light weight.
    Probably best compromise out there will be a Bosch 1006, which barely goes fast enough for Kreg Jig and barely has enough power to drill your 20mm holes well but is very light weight. The compromise here will be a plastic gear case and shorter life. Should last a long time for hobby use and they are very inexpensive anyway if you have to replace it.
    Last edited by Greg R Bradley; 01-10-2018 at 9:54 PM.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geoff Crimmins View Post
    Bosch has a 3/8" corded drill that they say has best-in-class power to weight ratio. I've never used one, but it might be worth seeing how it compares to others that you've been looking at.
    https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/bos...06vsr-34780-p/

    --Geoff
    I bought this one a few years ago to use with my Kreg jig (I use an array of battery powered drills and drivers for everything else).

    After reading a multitude of good reviews (some on this site), I picked up mine from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-1006VSR.../dp/B002ECEDE6

    It's been a good tool for me, and I can recommend it.

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