Cordless drill question

[Brad Knabel]

Hi everyone,
My 14.4 Porter Cable drill died recently. I got a nice long life out of the tool and was very happy with it. For my uses 14.4 seems to be a really nice compromise of power/weight. I've done a little shopping and have run across a couple of deals and would really appreciate any input you can provide.

Here are the options I'm seeing so far:
1. Costco has a Dewalt 14.4 drill for about $115.00. I didn't need it last week when I saw it, so I didn't look all that closely. I think it came with 2 batteries at that price.

2. I just saw that HD has a 4 piece 24 volt Ridgid Lithium kit for $197.00 online (hammer drill, recip saw, circ saw & flashlight). Shipping would be an additional $29.00 and I assume I'd still need to tack on sales tax. I don't have a need for the circular saw, but I could sell it and the flashlight on eBay to maybe offset the shipping/tax. I don't have a reciprocating saw and could certainly find a use for it.

3. Buy the 14.4 Ridgid at HD with the lifetime service agreement.

4. Bite the bullet and buy a 14.4 or 12 volt Panasonic for a bit more money. I'll be honest - I don't mind paying a premium for good tools where they'll make a difference for me. But I would probably have a hard time paying this much more unless there was a compelling reason.

Right now the Ridgid 24 volt kit seems to be the leading contender for me. I need to try out the weight at the local store to make sure it's at least reasonable. This would give me an excuse to also buy one of the baby litheon Bosch drills soon for small jobs like installing hardware.

But the Dewalt also seems like a good deal at that price - but that could be offset by the Ridgid service agreement.

Any thoughts? Will I be miserable with the weight of the 24v tools for typical household tasks or should I jump on that deal? Or is there something else I'm missing.

[Sam Shank]

I'd jump on the HD deal before it's all gone. Call your HD and ask if they'll match their online price instore.

I'm tempted to sell my panasonic drill (which I love) and get one of these.

[Paul Canaris]

I would purchase one of the Fein HandyMaster cordless. The build quality is the best I have seen.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

I'm happy with my Panasonic but I'm sure those are options will do just fine. How it feels in your hand is key.

[Terry Flowers]

Doesn't sound like you need 24v, so I would try it at the store to see if you are happy with the extra weight.

Amazon has great bargains from time to time, and normally free shipping and no tax in most states. Search there and see what you find.

Good luck,
Terry

[Erik C. Hammarlund]

After some research on my own, I got one of these (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=182091-67702-DS14DVF3&lpage=none). (Hitachi 14.4v 3/8 cordless drill, 2 batts, flashlight, 1 charger, $99). I've been very happy with it.

[patrick anderson]

Hitachi's tools are excellent imho

[paul aubin]

the
Ridgid deal includes free shipping and is an online only special. I had a
makita 18 volt for 5 years and the battery life was fading. new batteries were $120 for 2 I opted for the
ridgid 18 volt combo kit (Drill,
Recip saw, skill saw, flashlight, and impact driver. 3 batteries and a charger) The drill is a little in the heavy side but with the driver for screws it works for me as that is lighter.

Truth is i have no brand loyalty but have in the past stayed away from the big box brands (not sure why) what sold me was the lifetime warranty including batteries.

/
paul

Oh i payed $299 last
January

[paul aubin]

just saw that that deal does not qualify for the free shipping

sorry
paul

[Mark Pruitt]

Look here (http://www.amazon.com/Drills-Power-Tools-Hardware/b/ref=amb_link_3886752_2/002-7840479-8201611?ie=UTF8&node=552794) for a few deals that might interest you.

[Eddie Darby]

What went on your drill? If it was the batteries then check out this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=8545&highlight=freezing+battery

Some people are freezing their batteries for two days in a zip lock bag, and then letting them thaw-out, and then re-charging them. Sounds new to me!:confused: You gotta wonder who did it first?

[Mark J Bachler]

I have a Dewalt heavy duty 14 volt & 2 Bosch light duty 14 volt. The Bosch batteries last twice as long as the Dewalt & it's much easier on my elbow.

[Brad Knabel]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Eddie - I'll try the battery trick. They seem to be the problem. The drill is 7-8 years old or so and has lived a full life so I don't hold out too much hope.

Thanks again!

[Doug Shepard]

I'm happy with my Panasonic but I'm sure those are options will do just fine. How it feels in your hand is key.

What he said.

[glenn bradley]

Oh, here it is:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/features/12vdrills.0203.pdf

[Kent Fitzgerald]

Any thoughts? Will I be miserable with the weight of the 24v tools for typical household tasks or should I jump on that deal? Or is there something else I'm missing.
Take a look at some of the drill / impact driver combo kits. I got the Makita 14.4V combo recently, and the impact driver is really nice.

The Ridgid combo is a tempting deal, but IMHO:
1. 24V is overkill for drilling and driving.
2. Circular saw, hammer drill, and recip saw are better served by corded versions (unless you're actually working at a site w/o power).
3. I think the fact that you're already thinking about getting another driver for small jobs suggests that it's not quite the right thing for you.

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Brad,

Have you thought about rebuilding your batteries? There is a member here that does it for about $35. each. Once you get a flashlight that work on your rechargable batteries I think you will like it. I really like mine that is the snake light style and have used another that has a rotating head that worked well also. The battery helps hold the flashlight up so you can set it down and use both hands for what you are working on.

Do you often work on site or in other peoples homes where dragging out cords looks messy and creates a tripping hazzard? If so, I would lean toward the kit.

I also like my cordless saws-all for working off of ladders, crawling back in tight spots and quick jobs. Do I use it to cut off car parts that I would use the Corded Super Sawzall nope, but it has a place.

Don't have a corded circular saw yet. Traded the one in my kit for the jigsaw.

[Jeff Weight]

I've owned Dewalt, 2 different Makita's, Porter Cable, & Panasonic cordless drills. For what it's worth, the Panasonic is the best of those I've owned. I currently don't own a Panasonic, and I regret not replacing it with another Panasonic when the batteries died. I"ve seen 12 volt Panasonics on sale recently as low as $115. If I didn't already have two other working cordless drills, I'd buy one. My next cordless drill will be another Panasonic.

[Mark Singer]

This Panasonic is great for the shop...I also have the 14.4 Fein which is very good too.

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-EY6405FQKW-12-Volt-Ni-Cad-Cordless/dp/B00006IIO9/sr=8-3/qid=1166802287/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/104-9280923-5520712?ie=UTF8&s=hi

[Michael Cody]

Hi everyone,
My 14.4 Porter Cable drill died recently. I got a nice long life out of the tool

2. I just saw that HD has a 4 piece 24 volt Ridgid Lithium kit for $197.00 online (hammer drill, recip saw, circ saw & flashlight). Shipping would be an additional $29.00 and I assume I'd still need to tack on sales tax. I don't have a need for the circular saw, but I could sell it and the flashlight on eBay to maybe offset the shipping/tax. I don't have a reciprocating saw and could certainly find a use for it.


I looked all over HD site, I didn't see any 24v kits for 197.. 397$ yes, but not 197$.. there is an 18v reconditioned kit for 199$ which would not be a bad deal. I have the 24v Rigid kit, it's fine for but not for everyday use IMNSHO .. the drill is too heavy. But it's a fine setup for heavy duty work when needed which is why I bought it. I sold off my other cordless drills, a 15.6v panasonic (great driver), a 12v dewalt, plus some cordless saws, craftsman & dewalt stuff. I wanted to get down to only a couple of cordless items all with same batteries. I have a 9.6v Makita Stick drill that I use for just about everything else, I kept that as it just won't die.

Personally I would go w/a lower cost combo in the 12-14.4v range for general driving.. Makita would be my first choice, if cost was not an object, I would consider Panasonic. But in truth, my son has a 18v Ryobi set that is a fine toolset, not to heavy and drives anything he throws at it within reason. He's hard on tools (diesel mechanic) and this has lasted him 2 years, even the recip saw still is going.

[Al Willits]

Considering all these a bit of money, I agree with the, go with one that fits you.
I have the 14 volt Dewalt and like the keyless chuck, slip clutch on it, the fact I can change directions with out moving my hand and the way it fits my somewhat large hands.
When I was looking I'd hold the drill above me and see which ones were more tiring sooner, I found the 18 volt drills to heavy to do a lot of overhead work, also the 14 volt version has plenty of power for both the wood and metal drilling I do.
This one fits me and that's what counts.

Al

[steve swantee]

Hi guys, I just bought a Dewalt 12v drill kit (DW907K-2) at my local Canadian Tire Store. They've got them on sale for $94.99 (Canadian)with a $20.00 mail in rebate. I had $30.00 in Canadian Tire money, so I got the drill for about $79.00 including the tax. Minus the rebate, and it comes to $59.00. Seemed like a pretty good deal, considering other stores in the area are selling this exact drill for $179.99 + Tax ($204.06). I have had a Makita 12v for about the last 8 yrs and it still works like a charm, but I couldn't resist the Dewalt. You can never have too many drills.

Steve

[Steven Wilson]

Well, I'll put in a plug for a Festool (either CDD or TDD whichever feels right for you). I was fortunate to participate in a "tool test" for cordless drills and the two that I liked the best were the Metabo (with the impulse feature) and the Panasonic. I liked the Metabo better than the Panasonic because of the chuck. When one of my Dewalt 14.4v battery packs started to die I looked into new drills. I found the Festool TDD to be very comfortable and the additional chucks actually make it a good value (Festool plus the various chucks are roughly the same price as too drills). I sold my Dewalts (regular and right angle 14.4v) and replaced it with one Festool TDD with all the chucks. I find the right angle attachment to be fantastic and the offset chuck is perfect for driving screws up against a vertical divider (like a drawer side, wall, whatever). Before you decide, check out the Festool.

[Jesse Thornton]

How does that 24v Li-Ion compare in weight to NiCad/NiMH? If I remember correctly, Li-Ions are on average about a third the wieght. Still a little hefty for a shop drill, especially if you don't think the extra muscle is going to make much difference. My dewalt 18v batteries are nearing the end of their life, and I'm considering selling it and getting an 18v Li-Ion (not sure which brand yet), which would compare with a 12v in weight but still have plenty of oomph. I like a good deal of oomph, personally. I've definately had many occasions where I utilized the full 18 volts of torque, but it sure would be nice to have a more compact and lighweight version. Besides Li-Ions having a better power-to-weight ratio, I really like the fact that the power doesn't taper off like a NiCad does. Plus they're far more environmentally friendly when it comes time to dispose of old batteries.
There are questions regarding longevity though - not something that the manufacturers make much noise about. I have to look further into that, but I've read that they can start to rapidly decrease in performance in as little as a year, depending on conditions. That and randomly exploding. :eek: Actually, I don't think the power tool versions have had too many problems with safety, the technology is in place for keeping them from overcharging. Li-Ion technology is also rapidy advancing, so it might be smart to wait a bit longer for both A) The technology to improve and B) the test of time.
Let us know which you do go for.
And have a Merry Christmas!

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I have four milwaukee drills.
They are all over two decades old (the 3/8" is 3) and I have worked them silly.

My 3/8 drill was used to drive all the 3" long screws on my 20'-x-40' deck and it's as strong today as it was when I biught it.

[Mike Buelow]

Dunno about you guys, but I find the hammer feature on my 14.4 PC to be indispensible as I've had to drill into concrete on a number of times. Of course, this only applies if your doing home improvement as well as woodworking.

[Brad Knabel]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I ended up landing on the 14.4 Dewalt for 99.00 from Costco. I'm really happy with the drill so far.

The 197 price at HD only lasted for a day or so (I originally posted this thread over a month ago). I wouldn't be surprised if it had been a pricing mistake so who knows whether they would have honored the purchase anyway. I did try them recently at HD and the tools would have been too heavy for me anyway - even with the Li-ion batteries.

I have a feeling I'll be revisiting this in the near future when funds are a little more fluid - you can never have too many drills, right?

Thanks again!

[Clint Winterhalter]

I would be carefull of the Rigid. It is made by Ryobi. (I got a third battery when I bought my set, it came from Ryobi). The saw was GREAT. The batteries were fantastic! The flashlight was FINE! The chuck on the drill wobbled! I went to the ridgid website. It appears to be a common problem. I took it back, returned it and now own a Milwaukee 18volt kit..

[Al Garay]

I had a Porter Cable 14.4V 1/2" cordless. It wouldn't die so I gave it to my dad and bought the Makita LX202 18V set, 1/2" drill and impact driver plus 2 batteries for $240. HD has the same set for $399. Check the sales at heavydutytools.net, Mark has excellent deals.

I also really liked the Milwaukee cordless but the Makita LXT series has the best ergonomics, weight, power and fast battery recharge. I also really like the built-in LED light. Read the reviews in Amazon and go handle them.

Good luck,

Al