Cordless Drills

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Just wanting to know if anyone has tried or are using the Ridgid battery drills. I prefer the DeWalt XRP but when I was in Home Depot last friday, they had the Ridgid 18 volt drill with two batteries, 20 minutes rapid charger and carry case for 99.00 Ca. I bought one to try as the DeWalts were 300.00 plus.Miller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:Why don't you have Panasonic in your list?  Of course, you can't get them at Home Depot, you have to go to a tool store.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:You left out a choice. I would have voted for "All cordless drills suck".Miller EconotigCutmaster 38Yes ma'am, that IS a screwdriver in my pocket!
Reply:Originally Posted by Joe HYou left out a choice. I would have voted for "All cordless drills suck".
Reply:my last two have been craftsman 18.0 volt.  i am happy with them,  but the last one, the batteries don't last as long.  i might have messed up the first charge sequence.
Reply:I can't vote........I only have a 14.4V Mil.Welding HacLincoln Electric 3200HD
Reply:The Makita. The battery is the smallest and the lightest of them, the drill is built like a tank with replaceable brushes, they have an unbelievably good service/ warranty policy, and the batteries last forever and 2 minutes.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:What about Ryobi?  I bought a 1/2" drive 18v Ryobi in 1999 for $159 which was really cheap for an 18v back then.  I've used and abused it on a regular basis ever since.  I finally replaced the batteries last fall because they didn't hold a charge very long any more.  The drill is still in great shape!  An, I've done bad things with it like running big reduced shank drills, holesaws, and even 1.5" flat spade drills in it.  Oh, I forgot about tapping 3/8 and 1/2 holes in steel and aluminum.  It's gotten so hot that I've had to put on a pair of welding gloves to hold onto it!Having said that I bought my dad one a couple of years later and it was nowhere near as well made.  In fact, he had to get it replaced under warranty once.  I guess I got mine when they were better made.One feature mine has that I really like is the spindle locks when the trigger is off making the keyless chuck a one handed operation.  And, you can grip the whole chuck rather than a thin band of it, so you can really get it tight.
Reply:I've got 2 Makita cordless drills. Had them for about 15 years. They've been amazing, but I'm not a tradesman.I've had to replace two batteries and need to again. Of course, the cost to buy a new drill (not Makita, but not a real cheapie) with two batteries etc etc is less than the cost of a replacement battery.
Reply:I have a Rigid 18v hammer drill - love it - never had a problem and has plenty of torque.
Reply:Milwaukee 28vJimmy
Reply:I'm on my third Panasonic and I'm really happy with it. When I was using it a lot (building theatre staging) they were one of the few cordless drills that you could run more or less continuously, just cycling batteries through the drill and charger. Three of us all had them and we never had any problems. They last a few years of hard use and then it's time for new bearings and motors... or a new drill is cheaper.
Reply:Cordless drills suck.  That is my vote.  I bought the first Dewalt 1/2" 18 volt they came out with ($269.00 with one battery and charger).  I still have it and use it regularly.  Its a decent drill probably 12 years old. I replaced the battery once.  BUT you can't beat a drill with a cord on it when drilling steel.  I have a 3/8 Rigid 110v I bought in 1986.  It will still break bits like nothing.  Instructions said "metal gear case and plastic handle so no matter how hot it gets you can still drill with it".  Now that is a drill!  1/2" vsr Milwakee holeshooter 110v.  Another bit buster.  Either the bit breaks, or it spins me around.  It don't stop.  Either one of those corded drills will unscrew a cheap bit.I have a ryobi 18 volt hammer drill ($59.00).  The battery is a one hole wonder.  I have a ryobi 90* drill ($59.00) that is really nice if I go out and buy the new battery pack.Keyless chucks are useless to me too.DavidEdit, now that you told me, I'll probably go out and buy the rigid 18v.Last edited by David R; 02-11-2008 at 09:03 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RKeyless chucks are useless to me too.
Reply:Now I don't know if The Milwaukee's (made in Germany)we get in Oz  are the same as you get in USA , but I have 3 14.4 v and 8 batteries I have used them to death but the boys on site all have Panasonics and they are a better unit ,Weight,Charge timeCharge holdChuck  andTorque.I do like the way Milwaukee's have the reversible battery its a great idea for weight distribution.A good guess is better than a bad measurement
Reply:Originally Posted by Joe Hn.At work there are cordless drills everywhere, I never touch them. I've got a little IR pnuematic drill that I use constantly. If I need a REAL drill, out comes the dropcord.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloThe Makita. The battery is the smallest and the lightest of them, the drill is built like a tank with replaceable brushes, they have an unbelievably good service/ warranty policy, and the batteries last forever and 2 minutes.
Reply:Loved my 18 volt milwaukee... till both batteries puked.  Can't bring myself to buy new ones at $80.00 apiece.Replaced it with corded milwaukee with keyless chuck and it is a very good drill. I've used hole shooters for years, and they are legendary, but I'm actually very happy with the keyless chuck. It works. It makes a kind of ratchet sound when you tighten it, and the jaws have little ridges that grab the bit. I've drilled 3/4 inch holes in plate and it hasn't slipped. Time will tell though. This one hasn't been through the wringer yet.
Reply:Although I havent tried all of the choices, I own a DeWalt and it is sweet... I was at harbor freight the other day and they had an 18 Volt Drill/Flashlight combo for $12 so I picked it up for a testrun. Havent had a chance to really try it out, but for $12 you cant do too much wrong. I tested the battery on full charge and it came to 20.xx volts.I'm 21 and learningAvid 4wd enthusiastASE Master tech (Automotive), mechanic/fabricator by trade
Reply:The Dewalt 18v is a tough drill. It can take a beating. However the batteries are expensive and seem short lived; the batteries also have a terrible retention system.The Milwaukee 18v has a great battery pack; However the drill can't take much abuse. One or two drops and the motor magnets fracture, then the magnet slivers jam the armature, locking the motor up.But, since the Milwaukee 18v Sawzall is second to none, I guess it's a trade-off of sorts.
Reply:Corded drills suck. They serve very little purpose to me, especially when out in the field, under or on top of a vehicle in the shop or on a rooftop. I only use one when I'm running hole saws in stainless steel many times over.I have a DeWalt XRP 18V hammer drill and it rocks. It will pick you up and throw you with all the torque. I keep the batteries charged and change them when needed. A little inconvenient, but that's the price you pay for portability. In the time it takes to drag the extension cord out and plug it in, I have the holes drilled with the cordless.I also have an 18V Ryobi that runs all day long in the shop. Every 2 years, I just buy a new one since it's the same price as a pair of batteries.The Ryobi keyless chucks got better, but still aren't that great. The DeWalt one works flawless. If you have a non-hammer DeWalt, throw your keyless chuck away and get the keyless chuck from the hammer drill.One of my friends owns a cabinet shop and him and his guys swear by the Porter Cable 14V drill. They run them all day long doing installs and never fail. He likes the 14V since it's much lighter in weight and still makes enough torque to do the job.
Reply:I have a DEWALT 18V 90 degree drill a grinder a light a 24V drill  36V drill and a 36V sawzall. I use them all the time and love them all. There are drawbacks but I wont go with out. I need new batteries for the 24V it is 5 years old and I have one bad 18V bat it is 5 years old. The 24V drill it the heaviest cordless drill I have ever seen. I once drilled 60 3/4" holes with a spade bit when I wired my grarage on one battery over 3 days. My new 36V stuff is incredible. The first big job I used it for was mixing cement to set sign post. I mixed 11 bags of cement in on day with a 5 gallon pain mixe and only put a second battery in after 10 bags. I had the corded drill and the bobcat ready but never used it. It does not have the power of the 24V but it will hurt you. It runs forever and has chuck lock hammer drill and screw driver setings. If you use one for work buy the best. If you are using for home buy what you can but remember you get what you pay for. Steel Thunder Welding LLC. St. Thomas VI USAMM350PBOBCAT 3MAXSTAR 150 STH375 EXTREME PLASMA6.5 HP COMPRESORDEWALT 18, 24, AND 36 VOLTO/A TORCH SETAND SO MUCH MORE I DONT REMEMBERALL IN MY 2005 2500HD EXTENDED CAB L/B
Reply:I'm a Makita fan thats for sure. I have tried alot of others that other people owned and they just didnt seem to perform as well. We have had a few DeWalts at work and the batteries never lasted long.The Makitas we have now at work at starting to show thier age. They still not bad for being dropped off ladders and out of man lift baskets for years on end.Patriot Performance AutoLincoln Power Mig 255CLincoln AC-225 StickVictor Journeyman O/AQuincy QT-5 Compressor
Reply:I love my 18v XRP!  I only had to swap the battery once putting on a tin roof.  I also have the 18v firestorm, the charge don't last nearly as long but I like the removable chuck so I can put a driver behind it when I have some diverters to build at work.  I have to drill a 7/32" hole and then shoot self tapping screws every now and then.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:I have two 18v. cordless drills: a Bosch heavy duty model with 2.6 A/Hr NiCad batteries and a Hitachi DS18DMR model with 3 A/Hr NiMh batteries.  They're both strong, but the Hitachi is definitely my favorite.I can't comment on the 18v, but my 14.4v Rigid 1/2 drill and impact driver are little beast. As for the keyless chuck, haven't spun a drill bit in it yet. Now the new line of Rigid cordless tools are out that can run 18v, 18v lith and 24v lith battery packs in the tool itself, it auto senses the type of battery. I highly recommend Rigid cordless tools.
Reply:I have had good luck with Ridgid also!
Reply:Originally Posted by redram71I have had good luck with Ridgid also!
Reply:J,  My bandsaw broke the blade and I didn't have a spare, so off to homodepo I went.  I bought the last rigid 18v drill they had for $99.00.  It came with one battery and a charger.  I was going to buy a spare battery, but guess what?   $99.00 for another battery.It is a decent drill.  I drilled a pilot hole about 5/16 on speed #2. When the bit got to the end of the 1/4" piece, it slipped in the chuck.  I then opened the hole up to 1/2" on speed one.  Drilled a nice hole.  The drill has a metal drive unit enclosed in plastic.  When using my old Dewalt like that, I could feel the case of the drill twisting in my hands.  Looks like a winner.Thanks for the tip.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I use everything I can get my hands on, I own Makitas 18v and 12v right angle, for pneumatics I have a Central Pnuematic 3/8" & 1/2", I have an electric 3/8" Milwaukee (a brute), I want a 1/2" Milwaukee (a megabrute), but I own a 1/2" DeWalt D-handle (dangerous in untrained hands). I have not owned any plumbers right angle hole hawgs, good Lord! The magnetic drills I've used weren't mine, they are sweet, but the favorite is the free standing drill press, now how about this vertical mill?  Anybody remember the brace & bit or yankee screwdriver?  Never needs batteries! City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by jamlitWow this surprises me. I use drills a lot when working on overhead doors. I havn't seen to many corded drills that are as good as some battery ones. I bought a Dewalt HD 2 speed 1/2 corded drill . My 14.4 Dewalt XRP will out do it, at least to the battery goes down. I normally never run out of batteris with the one hour charger and the job I am doing. My XRP has been super hot and it still works like new. I just hope the new ridgid close to being as good.
Reply:Okay the Ridged tools are just a marked up Ryobi. The manufacture of the Ridged power tools (drills etc) is the same as Ryobi. One World Technologies. Now I know that when they first came out the return rates were out of this world. In the order of 60%... wow thats not good. I think the deal with them is that they are NOT pro grade and designed to be used for hours on end, day in and day out. Kind of like Ryobi is really built for home use where it has allot lower "duty cycle" as the term is used with welding.Also I think that DeWalt has really gone in the dumps in the last 5 to 8 years. They usto make all the internal drive train parts out of steel. But when they exported the manufacture over to china all the internals started to come out plastic. Sad. I have been using Milwaukee for a long time and other than the price tag I am impressed by the durability. They can take a beating day in and day out. I have known allot of other guys in my trade buy DeWalt and then switch to another brand. Be it Milwaukee or the new Makita ect. Not many of them stick with the DeWalt anymore due to the lower life of the tools.At the end of the day you have to look at what you are getting for your money. Sure you pay for the name but some tools are not designed to take the abuse. I have the expensive sets for the hard work. But I have a light duty set like the Ryobi at home for the projects around the house. But dont expect a tool that costs $200 to perform the same as one that is $300+"I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way.""I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."
Reply:The $99.00 drill so far has worked great for me. In first gear, it spins real slow to sharpen tungsten.  Puts self taping screws in metal like nothing.  Its a winner in my hands.  The battery has lasted longer than 2 ryobis......so far.It feels a lot more solid in my hands than my old dewalt 18 volt.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RThe $99.00 drill so far has worked great for me. In first gear, it spins real slow to sharpen tungsten.  Puts self taping screws in metal like nothing.  Its a winner in my hands.  The battery has lasted longer than 2 ryobis......so far.It feels a lot more solid in my hands than my old dewalt 18 volt.David
Reply:I like these..May only be 14.4 but when the batteries crap out and will not charge anymore you can forget paying 65$ for a battery..There is a B+D outlet store not too far from me..You can get a new drill/battery/charger/carrying case for $39.95!Dont need heavy duty here at the house and I brought one to the shop just for tungestion sharpening..Very handy.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Now that I have used this a little, I can say its better built and more powerful than my old $269.00 Dewalt.Thanks for the tip.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.