Bye bye, Neiko Angle Drill

[Brian Kent]

Well, it was old. Bought it in March, 2013. Didn't expect much at $38.81.

So now I need a new angle drill for power sanding. Any recommendations? Same one?

Corded is fine but I don't have pneumatic.

Should I just use a regular big ole drill with an angle attachment?

Whaddya think?

[Scott Hackler]

I only use and would only buy the cheapest ones from Harbor Freight. The amount of dust and abuse my right angle drill gets does NOT warrant buying an expensive one. I paid $35 about 3 years ago for mine. Since I have dropped it 100 times, cracked the case and CA'd it back together. I usually blow mine out with the air hose every month or so. When it dies, I will go back to Harbor Freight and buy another, but next time I might see if they have a close quarter drill instead of the 90 degree one I currently have.

[Tony Rozendaal]

This isn't a recommendation, just informational. I just bought my second Harbor Freight angle drill. The first one was their "DrillMaster" brand, and lasted about three years or so before it started to give me a little tingle on occasion. This one is their "Chicago Electric" brand. We'll see if it lasts any longer.

I don't think the angle attachments are viable because the ones I have seen require a second hand to keep the angle aligned where you want it. The idea of the angle drill is to get into the (smallish) diameter of the bowl and I think the room for the extra hand defeats the purpose of the angle. I also think (without experience) that you would be fighting the angle attachment all the time to keep it where you want it - kind of a wet noodle effect.

[Brian Kent]

Sounds like good advice, and a few bucks cheaper. And I need to blow the dust out with a bicycle pump or the shop vac.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Vince's Woodwonders sell angle drills. I've replaced the bearings on my Milwaukee twice. The rest of it has been solid. They all suffer from heat and dust.

[Greg McClurg]

I bought a Milwaukee angle drill off of CL for $40 and it works great.

Greg

[Brian Kent]

I just got the Harbor Freight - with discounts about $28. I'll report back how it works.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Brian, I bought a HF angle drill and never use it. I have a drill I bought from Vince and it is much better. I understand wanting to buy inexpensive but to me the extra $ is worth spending.
I would happily sell you my HF but though unused it is out of warrantee.
Faust

[Bob Coates]

I also had Drill Master HF drill. Did something dumb with it and destroyed the gear reduction near the motor. Was going to use the chuck to hold bits, then saw people doing high speed sanding, so I took it apart, removed the reduction ring and expoxied the gears together for direct drive. Works great. Being using it for about a year. Then bought a second HF for low speed. Also had some tingles with the first one, sanded the armature, corrected the problem.
Bob

[Jack Gaskins]

Brian, I have been using my Sears corded drill for two years now with no problems. Just received a coupon book from Harbor Freight for a small variable speed reversible drill for only $12. Im thinking of getting that for a backup. Jack

[Dan Hintz]

I use a Neiko I picked up from a computer supplier (of all places) for about $26 shipped. For the low price, if mine ever dies I'll pick up another of the same.

[Harry Robinette]

I bought the cheapest angle drill Vince had in Cincinnati at Turning 2011. It's still working great. One thing that I think helps any of them is I blast it with air every few minutes while I'm working then a really good blowing out when done. Last Milwaukee I had made it almost 10years but they are a little expensive.

[Greg Just]

Like others, I have been using a HF for about 3 years and will get another when it dies.

[Todd Zumach]

I have used up two angled drills I got from Menards for about $30 in the last year. You can buy and extended warranty for $4. I recently picked up a 48" flex shaft with a 1/4" chuck. I attached to my cheap bench top drill and have found it very effective. I don.t to worry about dust in the motor. Th only drawback is you can‘t use reverse. But at $15 it is worth the try.

Todd

[Jon Nuckles]

I bought my first from Vince, and I'm pretty sure it was a Neiko. It lasted about a year. I bought a second Neiko via Amazon and it started making unhappy bearing noises within the first few uses. Don't know where I'll go next.

[Paul Singer]

I have been using two of these drills from Harbor Freight http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-close-quarters-drill-with-keyless-chuck-95877.html for about two years and have had no problem. Some of the bad reviews refer to the gear head stripping out the gears but I think that might be from using it to drill with and sanding does not put as much torgue on the gears. I am not sure but mine have worked great but I am not a heavy user maybe a couple dozen bowls a year but I am a heavy handed sander.

[Mike Cruz]

I had a no name version of the Neiko. It crapped out on me after about a year. I bought a Neiko off Amazon. I decided I better have a back up in case the Neiko craps out on me (then I won't be without a sander until the next one comes in). Purchased another Neiko off Amazon BUT!!!!!!!!!!! when it came in, it wasn't a Neiko brand. Not saying it is any better or worse, just saying they pulled a bait and switch on me. Probably all made in the same factory and probably the exact same thing. But if you care, beware...

[David C. Roseman]

Events have overtaken this, Brian, as you've bought the HF version. I love my 2-y/o Neiko, especially the 45 degree angle., which lets me get into a deep bowl easily. If it eventually strips or burns out, I'll likely get another. I've mostly heard good things about the HF angle drill, but it sands at a 90 degree angle, which I less prefer. The Neiko appears to be an inexpensive knock-off of the terrific Milwaulkee-Sioux model, which I couldn't find when I was searching for it two years ago. Don't think it's made anymore, otherwise that would be my choice, hands down, for quality.

BTW, I wouldn't rely on either the Neiko or HF for drilling much of anything, because of the polymer gears. But they seem well suited for sanding on the lathe if we don't overheat them.

David

[Mike Lipke]

I use a Makita I got pretty cheap on Ebay. Had a Bosch, but like the Makita a lot better. Better speed control.

[Vince Welch]

I have seen mixed reviews on HF drills but have not tried them myself. I tried working with the Nieko and had no luck with durability. The drills I have are a pain for me to get but last as long or better then anything else I have used. I beleive the idea(s) to keep in mind 1. These are drills not sanders or grinders. 2. Operate with half throttle and control your speed and heat. 3. Do not allow your drill to get hot!. 4. If you have compressed air use it and help keep you DRILL cool and clean. Hope this helps, Vince

[Brian Kent]

I have sanded one bowl with the Harbor Freight. It is quiet enough and cheap. I probably should have paid an extra 10 bucks for a 2 year in-store exchange warrantee. I did like the angle of he Neiko better than the right angle.

[Greg Bender]

Brian,
I too would prefer an angle drill versus a 90 degree drill. I looked at the HF drills this weekend and did not like that the trigger is right up near the chuck housing. If they had paddle switches further down the barrel I would have tried one.
Greg

[Tom Hamilton D'ville, GA]

Brian, Like you I went through a couple of Neiko's before discovering the Lee Valley $35 flex drive. It attaches to your drill press and PRESTO you have quiet power sanding. The flex drive will break/wear out after a while but it is so light weight and quiet that it's worth replacing.

Must my two cents, Tom

[David Weaver]

Events have overtaken this, Brian, as you've bought the HF version. I love my 2-y/o Neiko, especially the 45 degree angle., which lets me get into a deep bowl easily. If it eventually strips or burns out, I'll likely get another. I've mostly heard good things about the HF angle drill, but it sands at a 90 degree angle, which I less prefer. The Neiko appears to be an inexpensive knock-off of the terrific Milwaulkee-Sioux model, which I couldn't find when I was searching for it two years ago. Don't think it's made anymore, otherwise that would be my choice, hands down, for quality.

BTW, I wouldn't rely on either the Neiko or HF for drilling much of anything, because of the polymer gears. But they seem well suited for sanding on the lathe if we don't overheat them.

David

You have to call sioux tools themselves (it's still in their listing as an available tool - 8020ES and 8030ES). Years ago, a buddy that got me into woodworking insisted I needed the clutched driver that looks like the close quarters drill, and the retailer where I got it had to order it and have it made by them (which they did, but it took months). That said, who knows what it would cost now to get the drill...$250? Not something I'd subject to the dust. I don't use my sioux driver, either, but can't bear to part with it under the assumption that at some point, i'll have a screw that only it will reach.

I'd imagine the plethorea of cheap impact drivers has pretty much killed the idea of getting a $250+ clutched driver.

I'd imagine if milwaukee has anything, it's cheaper, but made in china.

[Kevin Groenke]

We bought a few of those Neiko's a few years ago to get a big project done. When they started slipping, I tore into them to figure out the problem which was a gear press fit onto a shaft. A quick hit with the TIG welder solved the problem in 10 mins/drill. They haven't been used heavily since that project but they're still going strong. Of course if you don't have a welder (or a friend with one) you'll spend as much getting it fixed it as replacing it. Then again the new one will eventually have the same problem while the fixed one won't.

-kg

[David C. Roseman]

We bought a few of those Neiko's a few years ago to get a big project done. When they started slipping, I tore into them to figure out the problem which was a gear press fit onto a shaft. A quick hit with the TIG welder solved the problem in 10 mins/drill. They haven't been used heavily since that project but they're still going strong. Of course if you don't have a welder (or a friend with one) you'll spend as much getting it fixed it as replacing it. Then again the new one will eventually have the same problem while the fixed one won't.

-kg

Kevin, this is great to know. Was there something special about the metal that required a TIG over a MIG?

David

[David C. Roseman]

[snip]That said, who knows what it would cost now to get the drill...$250? Not something I'd subject to the dust. [snip]

Good point!

David

[John King]

Angle between drill chuck and drill body is 90 degrees on the Harbor Freight angle drill. Neiko and similar drill chuck angle to body is more open - guesstimate 135 degrees. I find larger chuck to body angle makes for easier sanding of bowl interiors. - John

[Thomas Canfield]

I have 2 Neiko and recently picked up a Genesis 90 degree right angle drill from Amazon about same price as Neiko. I used it this morning sanding interior of a 16" NE pine bowl that had a lot of tear-out and found it was as easy to control as the Neiko. It is variable speed, reversing, and key chuck like Neiko. The right angle came in handy earlier when needing to drill some holes with limited access. The Genesis has a different sound, but so far seems OK and offers a different angle.

[Cody Colston]

When I started power sanding my turnings, I bought a Sioux for around $150. It lasted about 1 1/2 years. I've been buying Neikos through Amazon ever since. I've on my third one in over 6 years (I don't turn as much as I once did) and still have two more to go before spending what I spent on the Sioux.

[Richard Jones]

I have 2 Neikos (one rebranded) and have had zero trouble with them. One of them always has a 2" pad, the other a 3". I do blow them out occasionally. Got the first in 2006, the second about 2009.

Rich

[Brian Kent]

Just an added note on something I did wrong. On that first Neiko, I did not think about blowing it out. I always ran it at a slow speed. When I was trying to troubleshoot it, I squeezed the trigger all of the way and about a quart of sawdust blew out. In addition to blowing and vacuuming, I will also occasionally punch it - to clean out the carburetor.