Bye bye Ryobi

[Burt Alcantara]

I've given up on trying to get my Ryobi 18v drill fixed. The chuck won't hold hardly anything anymore. Worse, I tried to request information from their website and it rejected my request with one of the incredibly lame messages "Request rejected for unknown reasons." Phooey.

I'm not fond of their impact drive either so as soon as I find a replacement pair, up they go to CraigsList.

So. I need a decent drill and impact drive pair that won't break the bank. I'm not a professional and use the drill(s) about 2-3 times a week for light chores. I have a cheap HF 1/2" corded drill for heavy work that thinks it's the Energizer Bunny.

I don't want keyless unless there is a quick & easy conversion readily available. I'm also not adverse to reconditioned.

Looking forward to your replies,
Burt

[Chris Harry]

The Makita drill/driver pair gets lots of good reviews.

I have an 18V (NiCD) Ridgid set and I love them aside from the weight (it can use the 24V LithIon batteries too, just never got around to buying any)

[Prashun Patel]

You won't find a consensus here.

I've been happy with my Makita 18v LiIon set. You can often get a good deal at BORG on these units.

If you don't want to go LiIon, Dewalts have a good history

[David Keller NC]

"You won't find a consensus here."

Indeed - you're going to get flooded with "I like brand XXX". The important point is that regardless of how lightly you use it, a cheap tool is, well - cheap. The saying of "buy well, cry once, buy cheap, cry often" is very true.

If you want re-conditioned, most of the major (good) brands like Makita, DeWalt, Milwaulkee, etc... have factory stores where they sell factory reconditioned models. I'm not sure about Makita or Milwaulkee, but most big cities have a walk-in DeWalt factory store. That may be your best bet to get a good tool ar a reasonable price.

[Ed Labadie]

I've had good service from my 12v DeWalts. Batteries do start to degrade after 2 years, but thats my only complaint.
I've got both new and reconditioned, no difference in quality or performance.

Ed

[John Coloccia]

Best cordless I've owned is the Hitachi, hands down. Built like a brick. I've been abusing it for 3 years and it's like the day I bought it. The new Makitas are really nice too and seem to be very well built from what I can see.

I won't say anything bad about others, but quality seems to have slipped a bit with a bunch of manufacturers the last few years.

[Prashun Patel]

If you want re-conditioned, most of the major (good) brands like Makita, DeWalt, Milwaulkee, etc... have factory stores where they sell factory reconditioned models. I'm not sure about Makita or Milwaulkee, but most big cities have a walk-in DeWalt factory store. That may be your best bet to get a good tool ar a reasonable price.

I've bought 2/3 my drills reconditioned. You usually get screwed on the batteries, though...

[Paul Steiner]

I have 2 dewalt 18v batteries going on 5+ years. Yes I use them. I have not seen a noticable degrade in power or longevity. Having a charger with tune-up mode helps. I know everyone has a favorite I would just recommend you get something common and that has been around for a while. My business partner has 18v dewalt tools and it is nice to be able to borrow a tool or battery and not the charger. It is also easy to get replacement tools, batteries, parts, service.

[Matt Meiser]

I've had a PC for about 8 years. I had the batteries rebuilt once and they are starting to go again so I've been looking at new ones. Porter Cable has really gone down hill. I had a Dewalt 12V impact that one of the batteries literally burned up (had to throw it out in the snow because it was smoking badly and getting very hot) so I'm not a big Dewalt cordless fan. Now I have a Bosch 10.8V Li-Ion driver and a Makita 14.4v Li-Ion impact and both seem to hold up great. If I could get a Makita that used the same batteries I'd do that hands down, but the 14.4 Li-Ion is only offered on that impact. I've been looking pretty hard at the Bosch "Compact Tough" 18V Li-Ion drill. I almost bought a recon while on vacation in TN but the shipping and worry about the batteries being partially used up made me think twice. Menards had it on sale a few weeks ago for $179 and I think Lowes has it for $189. Panasonic also seems to get great reviews.

[Ellen Benkin]

I just bought a Makita 10 V LI-Ion set for less than $150. It comes with two handles, two batteries, and a charger. You can get it even cheaper at Amazon, I think.

I like the design of the Makita. It is very light and easy for me to handle and it comes with a light. I thought the light was a useless gadget until I started working inside a bookcase and found it really helps. Li-Ion batteries are supposed to last a long time but, since I just got these, I have no experience with that.

[Larry Edgerton]

I've had a PC for about 8 years. I had the batteries rebuilt once and they are starting to go again so I've been looking at new ones. Porter Cable has really gone down hill. I had a Dewalt 12V impact that one of the batteries literally burned up (had to throw it out in the snow because it was smoking badly and getting very hot) so I'm not a big Dewalt cordless fan. Now I have a Bosch 10.8V Li-Ion driver and a Makita 14.4v Li-Ion impact and both seem to hold up great. If I could get a Makita that used the same batteries I'd do that hands down, but the 14.4 Li-Ion is only offered on that impact. I've been looking pretty hard at the Bosch "Compact Tough" 18V Li-Ion drill. I almost bought a recon while on vacation in TN but the shipping and worry about the batteries being partially used up made me think twice. Menards had it on sale a few weeks ago for $179 and I think Lowes has it for $189. Panasonic also seems to get great reviews.

Matt, I just bought a couple of years ago three Makita sets with a impact/drill/flashlight that use the 14.4 LiIon batteries. I still see them on the market for sale for about $170 for the set. I replaced all my Hilti's because of battery issues, and so far the Makita's are working fine. I do miss the auto chuck lock on the Hilti's.

[Jason White]

I've been THRILLED with my little 12v Hitachi impact driver (the one that looks like something out of a Godzilla movie).

I have an 18-volt Bosch, too, that is much more powerful (and heavier). But I much prefer the Hitachi because it's so lightweight and comfy! I don't think I paid much for it, either. Must've been on-sale at Lowes.

Jason


I've given up on trying to get my Ryobi 18v drill fixed. The chuck won't hold hardly anything anymore. Worse, I tried to request information from their website and it rejected my request with one of the incredibly lame messages "Request rejected for unknown reasons." Phooey.

I'm not fond of their impact drive either so as soon as I find a replacement pair, up they go to CraigsList.

So. I need a decent drill and impact drive pair that won't break the bank. I'm not a professional and use the drill(s) about 2-3 times a week for light chores. I have a cheap HF 1/2" corded drill for heavy work that thinks it's the Energizer Bunny.

I don't want keyless unless there is a quick & easy conversion readily available. I'm also not adverse to reconditioned.

Looking forward to your replies,
Burt

[Prashun Patel]

That Hitachi gets a lot of high marks.

[Matt Meiser]

Matt, I just bought a couple of years ago three Makita sets with a impact/drill/flashlight that use the 14.4 LiIon batteries. I still see them on the market for sale for about $170 for the set.

Looking at their site, I see 14.4V drills that use a NiMh battery but none with LiIon. The two aren't physically compatible. Got a model number? I'd love to find a compatible drill.

[phil harold]

5 years going strong for two makita 18v ni-mh drills I have
bought 2 new batteries last month and the drills seem like new again

[Tim Elder]

I bought a Makita 9.6v drill in 1989 and have replaced the battery once. Although not abused, it has been used regularly. I finally recently bought my second Makita drill because I wanted one with more power. If the drill lasts you 20 years and you average 2 projects per week that's over 2000 projects. How many Ryobis would you have to buy over that time span? Point is, spend a little more and get a lot less grief.

Try looking at CPOMakita.com, they have a good selection of reconditioned tools and their service is very good.

[Burt Alcantara]

Is this a good deal? They are implying that it is beat up but works like new. I don't care if it looks beat up. I look beat up.
http://www.cpomakita.com/reconditioned_tools/cordless_tools/drills/18v_cordless_drills/bdf452hwb-r.html

BTW, what's a hammer drill and its uses?

[Ed Labadie]

A hammer drill is used when drilling masonary/concrete. Makes life much easier.

Tip: do not try to use a hammer drill as an impact driver, bad things will happed to your hammer drill.

Ed

[Nick Abbott]

Sears has some good deals. I use my drills daily. Although I prefer the Panasonic brand drills my Sears drills can't be beat for price and service. I have a pair of Sears 19.2-volt drills that have been going non-stop for a few years now. I bought one in a kit that contains a drill, skillsaw, sawzall, jigsaw and light for about $250. The other separately.

[David Keller NC]

"BTW, what's a hammer drill and its uses?"

A lot of the higher-end brands and models are combination drills/hammer drills. Generally speaking, you'll spend days getting through 2" of concrete with a drill, and a hammer drill with a concrete bit will get you through it in about 30 seconds.

That said, it adds weight, and if you're going to have one for the woodshop and one for general around the house use, you'll never need the hammer drill function in the woodshop.

[Don Eddard]

I've been real happy with my 14v Hitachi drill and impact driver. Both were reconditioned but have worked like new, and the cost was reasonable. I also have the Ryobi 18v drill and agree that it's pretty unimpressive.

[Larry Edgerton]

Looking at their site, I see 14.4V drills that use a NiMh battery but none with LiIon. The two aren't physically compatible. Got a model number? I'd love to find a compatible drill.

OPPS, you may be right Matt, they may be NiMh. I'll look today.

[Tim Elder]

I believe Home Depot has the same setup on closeout here for $109.


Is this a good deal? They are implying that it is beat up but works like new. I don't care if it looks beat up. I look beat up.
http://www.cpomakita.com/reconditioned_tools/cordless_tools/drills/18v_cordless_drills/bdf452hwb-r.html

BTW, what's a hammer drill and its uses?

[Matt Meiser]

It doesn't show up online for me, but that would be an awesome price. And I was just across the street from Home Depot at lunch time. Guess I'll have to run back down there after my late-afternoon conference call.

[Matt Meiser]

OK, found the 18V Makita Li-Ion on Homdepot.com. Not on clearance there, or at two local stores. :(

[John McClanahan]

Why not just replace the chuck?

I like my Sears 19.2 volt system. I got everything reconditioned, in the parts department. Quite a savings, and they carry a new warranty. They sometimes have a Saturday sale with 10-20% savings on reconditioned tools.

John

[Bill Orbine]

I have a couple Dewalt 12 volts, a couple of Bosch mini lithium drivers. I expect the life-span to be at least 2 years and I typically get to 4-5 years before I find the need to replace them simply because the batteries are at the end of its life expectancy. It's my habit by a new drill rather than replace batteries. Ryobi is cheap and you get what you pay for. Cheap is usually junk and sometimes the more expensive, better looking stuff is junk. Research is the key. if I buy something that become junk is unreasonable amount of time, I won;t buy it again. With cordless drills and other hand power tools, it's my habit to throw it away (past warranty period) rather than deal with servicing if the tool breaks beyond resonable repair which is usually the chuck or basic cleaning. Can't believe how crappy some of the chucks are these days. When the drill goes in the trash, I save those aftermarket chucks I install. I like the Dewalt because they do last a long time, don't break early (except the chuck sometimes) and usually the battery fades away first. I go for the XRP models. The Bosch lithium drivers fit in the palm of my hand and do great with driving screws for cabinet work.

[Blake Barr]

I hope it's ok to link to ebay but you won't beat the LXT407 kits on ebay for $320... I have a set from ebay, came brand new and they are TOP NOTCH models.... the recip and light are like freebies at this price....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Makita-LXT407-18V-LXT-Lithium-Ion-4-Pc-Combo-Kit-NEW_W0QQitemZ290318786850QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item4398592122&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1 |293%3A1|294%3A50 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Makita-LXT407-18V-LXT-Lithium-Ion-4-Pc-Combo-Kit-NEW_W0QQitemZ290318786850QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item4398592122&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A15%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7 C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50)

I read that the white makita's had chuck issues and really aren't all that high quality...

[Burt Alcantara]

I've love to replace the chuck and be done with it. Problem is getting the chuck off. Today, I managed to get the chuck screw off but still couldn't get the chuck off. The instructions state that one puts an allen wrench in the chuck and hit it counter clockwise to unloosen the chuck from the body. Well, this is impossible as there is nothing holding the chuck in place.

I'll try calling Ryobi again.

[Tim Elder]

OK, found the 18V Makita Li-Ion on Homdepot.com. Not on clearance there, or at two local stores. :(

I'll probably end up at the depot at some point this weekend. I'll let you know if my memory is correct...

[John McClanahan]

Yes, insert a large allen wrench in the chuck, with the long end out. Then, while holding the drill in one hand, whack the allen wrench with a piece of 2x4 8-10" long. Make sure you are turning counter clockwise. You will need to hit it several times. Using a hammer doesn't seem to work very well. A few quick whacks work better than a big heavy blow.

John

[Burt Alcantara]

That sounds so weird but I'll try it. I'd love to get the chuck off and get a good keyed chuck.

Thanks for that tip.
Burt

[Matt Meiser]

Burt I have a Ryobi as well--its chuck has never been worth a darn, which is a shame because other than that it seems to be a decent drill. I took the chuck off a dead PC drill someone gave me and was going to (try to) put it on the Ryobi. The PC came off exactly as described above but I never got the Ryobi chuck off. I don't know if they are overly tight, loctited, or what, but I tried taking the chuck another drill I have just to try it and got it right off as well. But that darn Ryobi...

The thought just occurred to me that maybe I should chuck up a 1/4" hex bit with the back side facing out of the chuck and try putting my impact on that end.

[Burt Alcantara]

Matt,
Did you remove the internal reverse threaded screw? If you don't get that out, you won't be able to remove the chuck (as if I can). I used a fairly wide flat screw driver. You need to fish around inside the chuck to feel for the slots. It will still be difficult to get the screw out but that is a necessary first step.

[Matt Meiser]

Yep, did that.

[Danny Hellyar]

Burt,
I'm a professional woodworker and learned a long time ago that Ryobi tools are generally made for home owners who use them once a month on average. They should be considered similar to Sears Craftsman power tools, except with no customer support. If it breaks through it away! Actually they make a lot of power tools for Sears, so If you do ever buy one again, buy it from Sears, at least they have some customer support and parts availablity, although I wouldn't reccomend that to any one. Actually you would fair better buying one of the newer drills with lithium Ion battereis as they retain their power between charges which would benefit you since you don't use yours frequently. I personally own the Makita 18 volt combo and believe it is the best drill combo currently on the market, but yeah it is a budget buster but well worth it for me since I use it on almost a daily basis. Once again, you get what you pay for

[John McClanahan]

I tried using an impact on 2 different drills, and couldn't get the chuck off. I did manage to damage the gears on a Craftsman cordless drill that way. I didn't want the drill, so it didn't matter. I also tried it on a Dewalt hammer drill. In the end, a allen wrench in the chuck, and a few swift smacks with a wood block did the trick on both drills.

Somewhere long ago, I read about removing a chuck that way. I think it was on the package of a replacement chuck. They recommended using a hammer, and hitting the allen wrench with the handle while holding onto the head. I didn't want to ding up the handle where I grip the hammer, so I used a piece of 2x4.

John

[Bob Slater]

My 7 year old Dewalt 18V XRP hammer drill has been very good...other than battery life it seems to be built for the long haul. The Chuck never slips. I would only go keyless on a battery powered drill. The hammer drill is a necessity for me.

[Samuel Brooks]

I picked up a Jacob's Replacement Chuck for my Ryobi at Home Depot for around $25.00 and it has not slipped once. I have had it for almost a year now. It's like a new drill. I never had issues with speed, or power but I always hated the chuck. Save yourself some green and pickup a replacement chuck.

I will say that I had a VERY hard time getting the old chuck off, I had to put the drill in a vice so I could get a good grip on the drill to remove the old chuck. I was worried about crushing the old drive but like I said it was very worth it.

That being said if you really want a new drill, you have found a great reason for one. Never miss an opportunity to talk yourself into a new tool. :-)

[Matt Meiser]

I was using my Ryobi today and the chuck slipped on me again. So I thought what the heck I'll try it again. Took out the screw, put in a big allen wrench, gave it 3 whacks with a hammer and off it came. I must have gotten it started last time or something.