Time to buy a new tool for the shop.

[Your Old Dog]

My 10 year plus Bosch battery operated drill gave up on me. It's the batteries that can't be replaced.

I'm looking for a new one. Anyone have any suggestions. I don't mind spending good money for one that will last me as mine see a lot of use. At the moment I'm looking at a Dewalt 18V 1/2" 3 speed drill/driver for around $279. Comes with charger and two batteries. Anyone know if this is a good choice or of something better?

Here's the description: "The DeWalt DC920KA is an 18V Heavy-duty XRP Cordless Drill/Driver Kit. It has DeWalt built built high power, high efficiency motor which delivers 510 unit watts out of max power for superior performance in all drilling and fastening applications. Its XRP extended run-time batteries provide long run-time & battery life. It features patented 3-speed all-metal transmission matches the speed to the application for optimal performance. Heavy-duty 1/2 inch ratcheting chuck locks the sleeve to prevent bits from slipping and falling out."



Thanks in advance for your input.

BTW, I recently replaced my cordless screwdriver with a Makita cordless Impact screw driver and find it's an awesome tool. 150 ftpounds of torque plenty for bench use. Sears had a 50 piece accessory kit for $39.00 with every size and configuration of nut drivers and blades that makes it even handier. This one straightens out with a flick of the wrist, nice for one handed use.

[Just Bob Again]

Can't do every job with one tool. Why such a big hulk of a cordless? It's heavy. I've stopped using the low-speed/high-torque cordless drills. They tear you up. Impact wrench for that. Light drill for drilling. Light impact for driving. Corded or pneumatic for the heavy jobs. You need a half-inch chuck, you need a big corded drill like a Hole Hawg. Enough mass and size to do the job. I got Hilti last year to replace my old Porter Cable and Dewalt. An impact driver and a drill. 14.4 lithium. Expensive, but industrial quality. Then I have a range of other stuff for percussion drilling, large holes, air impact wrench, etc. The right tool for the right job.

[dalesvp]

I was told by an engineer friend Festools were the best quality power tools. I have not checked this claim out. Does anyone have any good or bad comments on these tools?

http://www.festoolusa.com/default.aspx

[HSS]

YOD,
I carry the 14.4 version of that same drill, and my son carries that exact drill. We use them daily and are constantly having to buy new batteries. It seems they have come out with a new battery for the DeWalt drill that will cost twice what the ones we use cost and last a bit longer. I saw a Makita 18 volt cordless 2 weeks ago that a tradesman was using to put up sheetrock and it was considerably lighter than the 18 volt Dewalt or the 14.4 DeWalt, for that matter. I would rather use the 14.4 Dewalt rather than the 18 because of the weight. Even so, Dewalt is a good drill.

[torker]

I don't know about that drill but I have a Dewlat 18V impact driver. I also have a very expensive SnapOn impact driver. The Dewalt is a far better machine. It has more power and the batteries last a lot longer(this came with 2 batteries).
If the drill was as good as the impact.. I'd buy one in a heartbeat!
Russ

[Stu]

before giving up on the old batteries.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Revi...with-a-Welder/

I used this on 3 PorterCable and 6 DeWalt 14.4 batteries and it worked pretty well on all of them. The PorterCables were almost non usable, they would not hold a charge over night and in use would not work very long. Now I would estimate they have 80% of their original power, and they hold the charge. The Dewalts are much better, but not as dramatically improved as the PorterCables.

Bill

[Bill McLeod]

I have Makita and I am not wild on any of them but I would look at Rigid from Home Depot because they are gaureented for life including the battery

[airsmith282]

iill second that motion on the homedepo rigid stuff its awesome , really good i got a set on sale with the lithum ion batters 18 volt kit comes with a drill and an imppact drill you want power to rip stuff apart put together and so on they will handel it, and you want to talk about tourqge .... all our contractor that built our deck uses is rigid cordless tools for everything he builds.

i drove 4 inch deck screws for most of the day on one charge with the impact drill and it has no mercy the drills are well made very balanced replacement batteys are cheap enough, lifetime warranty on everthing thay even give you a cool contracter grade bag to haul them in.. i paid only 228.00 on sale canadain dollars of course.

i looked at dewalt once and after seeing the price on the replacment batters i waited and i waited and then came rigid , now iam not to thrilled with the QC on their band saws or drill presses but everything else seems great and thoes cordless drills are total tops on my list.


belive it or not iam a hard man to please and iam very picky as well ..but you got give them rigid drills a go. just buy the set that has the lithum ion batteries with them , you can get the same set with nicads but nicads suck bad ...

one more thing recharge time is less then 30 min.... first time charge new is about 30 min but charges after that is well under.

[jcarter]

I have pretty much given up on cordless tools. I just can't justify having to purchase new batteries every one to two years.I have a corded Dewalt that I use most of the time and a small generator to plug it into when power isn't near by. I have a 14.4 volt Dewalt that I attached a set of leads and clips to and I now run it off of a garden tractor battery. I use this combination when using the generator isn't feasible. This works great for working on boats and other vehicles- I just attach it to the vehicle's battery.

[wrk24wheel]

I have the complete set of 18v dewalt tools including that drill. This is a love hate relationship. The tools last a long time, but the batteries don't. I get a couple of years on a battery and that is it! Batteries from Dewalt are expensive (I keep six in my cabinets at any one time) as they do not last long. I cut and drill a lot of steel with them and this punishes them considerably.

On a good side, the drills have lasted me on the average of 5-6 years. I just recently had to replace the one for the one you are looking at. If I had to do it all again, I would purchase the Rigid lion stuff from HD. Unfortunately, I have too much money in Dewalt and unless I just toss everything, which I am not about to do, I will not be buying the Rigid any time too soon. Rigid provides free battery replacement for the life of the tool. This alone can pay for itself over the years. I actually think the Dewalt might be a little better made, but it is a toss up.