Panasonic Li-Ion Driver vs Festool...

[Derek Arita]

Just wondering if anyone has had a chance to use the new Panasonic EYC140B, Li-Ion driver. I'm also wondering how it compares to the Festool drill/drivers. Anyone have any real-world experience yet? Asked this on another forum, but I guess no one had used the Pansonic yet.

[Greg Mann]

There is an inherent problem making this type of comparison. If you are only interested in 'normal' drilling and screwdriving you are probably just as well off getting the Panasonic. Probably the same if you are enamored with 'battery life'. Probably the same if you would not spring for the attachments that Festool offers.

Having said that, I have several Festool drills and I love them because they are great drills in their own right and because they do have those wonderful attachments that you can only appreciate once they have solved problems for you. I recently installed a sliding door stop in the corner of a closet using the offset head with an extended bit holder. As I was cinching it home the thought occurred to me that some guy/some day will wonder how the H... this thing was ever installed. There was just no room for any other tool. You think you won't use the options much and then you find yourself using them all the time. As for battery life...How long do they last? Long enough.

Greg

[Greg Mann]

Derek,

It is probably poor etiquette to follow your own post but I wonder if you got the info you were looking for. Usually, any post with the word 'Festool' in it will bring out the passion around here (see Domino thread).

Greg

[Derek Arita]

No other responses yet. I figure no one has had a chance to use the Panasonic driver.

[Peter Pedisich]

Derek,

I have not used the new Panasonic 14.4v Li-Ion Drill/Driver or the Impact driiver with the new Brushless motor, but...

The Festool C12 is a Brushless motor, Panasonic Drill/Driver is not. (Impact driver is)

The Festool C12 goes to 1500rpm, Panasonic to 1350.

Panasonic is 3.5lbs, Festool varies by battery.

I have owned (3) Panasonics: (2) 12v drill drivers and (1) 12v digi impact.

Great battery life (NiMH), great ergonomics, but dont expect them to take abuse like a DeWalt/Bosch type of drill. I dropped the 12v drills and both had bent shafts! about 3' drops on cement. Could be bad luck.

My next drill will be a C12 for the chucks alone.

Pete

[Dan Clark]

In general, it's a great drill. Add the chuck kit. Then, it's awesome.

The chucks are quick-release. The chuck can be changed in seconds. And, you can insert a 1/4" hex bit into drill head, so that with bit the entire drill head is only about 6 1/2" long. And the chucks can be combined.

As an example of what you can do... For one project, I had to build 28 support jigs. The trick was that they had to be clamped in place, pre-drilled with four holes, and then four 3-inch lag screws had to be screwed in. I put a drill bit in the standard chuck and a 1/4" torx screw bit in the Centrotec chuck. After a couple of jigs, I could change chucks in about 4 seconds. It only took about 30 minutes to assemble all 28 jigs.

Dan.