Hammer drill problem

[Rick Potter]

Used my DeWalt 595 hammer drill to put up a wooden play set today. It drilled the 5/8" holes ok, but when I went to use it to drive the lag screws in, it had no power. I used my Makita 18V impact driver to do the lag screws.
We are talking about four lag screws here, 1/2" X 10", and like I said, the Makita did it.

Normally, this corded drill would drive the lags right through the wood, but it just acted like a cordless drill when the battery runs out. It was on a 100' extension cord, but it was a good, heavy duty one, and the drill only draws 5 amps. The drill runs fine with no load, variable speed and reverse work, as does the two speed transmission.

Any ideas??

Rick Potter

[Rich Engelhardt]

It was on a 100' extension cord, but it was a good, heavy duty one, and the drill only draws 5 amps

If you plug it into the wall & drive a test lag, what happens?

I'm really curious since that drill is one I'm considering getting to replace my Firestorm when the day comes.

[Rod Sheridan]

Was it on the low speed setting for high torque applications?

(If it has a multi-speed function)............Regards, Rod.

[Rick Potter]

OK.......This morning I checked the 50' extension cord. It is 12/3, and it was coming off a 20A outside plug.

I found that the workman was using the high speed, low torque setting on hammer drill. I tried it both ways this morning and the 1/2" lag wouldn't even start a hole in the doug fir 6x6 when it was on the high speed setting. Using the low speed setting, it would drive it in about 2 1/2", then stall.

The play set is about 20 years old, and I think the doug fir is extra hard too. Obviously we need to pre drill for the lags. I have run lags like this without pre drilling several times in the past, but it has been in new wood. Sooo, I think the drill is just fine.

Score: wood 1, workers 0. This is the sort of thing that happens when you are supervising instead of doing it all yourself, and let them use your tools. I have had 4 guys working in the yard for the last month or so.

Rick Potter
5 years into a two year remodel (at an advanced age, too).

PS: AAAARGH. They just broke my last string level. Again.