Cordless drill recommendation?

[sabala]

Hi all.

Looking at getting a cordless power drill to use on my GEBE and for regular around home stuff as well, (e.g. will be installing Murphy Bed frame in my apt) but unsure what I need.

So, I want to bolt my GEBE lower mount strap to my bike frame. Looking at drills but I'm not sure what volt drill I need? Looking at 12v, 14v, 16v and 18v but I don't know what would be too much or too little. Also, does drill or drill/driver make a difference and finally how important is 3/8" or 1/2" chuck?

How much power would I need to drill through the 1/8" steel(engine mount)and 1/4" aluminum(bike frame)?

Thanks for any thoughts - not too much of a tool guy here!

[keatonx]

The voltage shouldn't make a big difference in useful-ness. It's the gearbox that makes the biggest difference. You should look for one with a 2 or 3 speed gearbox for the most torque and speed. That will make drilling anything much easier. Also, look for the widest chuck, which will allow your drill to accept big drill bits.

[Stan4d]

Voltage does make a big difference depending on how you use it. For drilling a hole here and there or screwing in a few screws, lower voltage should be ok. But to drill through 1/8 steel I would use a higher voltage. The main difference is operating time between charges.

I inherited craftsman cordless tools and had a set given to me. 19.9 vdc. I am impressed with them, but for the money a better value would be the Ryobi line. I think they call it the 1+ line.

EDIT: I would also look for fast charging setups......It saves when you run the battery down and don't want to wait 8 hours.

[Al.Fisherman]

DeWalt is a very good brand. Whatever you choose, make sure that you can add other cordless tools, and using the same battery.

[Stan4d]

DeWalt is a very good brand. Whatever you choose, make sure that you can add other cordless tools, and using the same battery.

Exactly......(I skipped DeWalt, but they are very good......)

The main thing to remember is what you have to pay and what you want. Long term I would go with Craftsman or DeWalt (other names can be added here)....for short term Ryobi is ok, but be prepared to replace sooner than other named products.

[MikeJ]

I'd recommend a spare battery that is charging while you use the first battery. If you don't like downtime while your battery #1 is charging, you probably could justify getting battery #2. And check out the every-expanding line of options available for a given battery pack... sanders, grinders, scrapers, radio, and whatnot......

[sabala]

Good points, thanks all.

And looking online I see 19v drills with only 125 in lbs torque and 14.4v with 310 in lbs... but how much torque should I be looking at? Would something like this drill be a good one to start off with?

I will look at ones that have the 30 min battery (Li - ion only?) charge time and come with 2 batteries...oh, warranties probably good to take note of -

Ack, too many options!

[MikeJ]

I'm sure your choices involve compromises.

Sears tools are pretty good for around the house and shop. If you had to make a living using your drill (like an electrician), you would gravitate toward more expensive and rugged designs.

For drilling little holes, high speeds and less torque are optimal. For big holes, lower speeds and more torque are optimal. But note either choice is optimal under a narrow range of condition.

If you get a lower-power drill and some optional goodies because you saved money on the purchase, it may take a little longer to get the hole you want compared to buying the expensive fast drill and no goodies. But you will get your hole, which is the rationale for buying the tool in the first place. (Me: I don't want drills; I want the holes that drills produce.)

I think that in the long run, you will adapt to whatever you have. (I used to have a Black & Decker 6 volt cordless. I had to travel to many places with as little weight as possible. It was a small drill, limited speed and limited torque. But it produced any size hole I wanted with a step drill in the chuck. Until I just plain wore the B&D drill out.)

[Al.Fisherman]

Good points, thanks all.

And looking online I see 19v drills with only 125 in lbs torque and 14.4v with 310 in lbs... but how much torque should I be looking at? Would something like this drill be a good one to start off with?

I will look at ones that have the 30 min battery (Li - ion only?) charge time and come with 2 batteries...oh, warranties probably good to take note of -

Ack, too many options!

http://community.craftsman.com/Craft...--2610-reviews
http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_101...Tools&prdNo=10

Nothing and I mean NOTHING beats 110V. Cordless tools are heavy, need charging, charge won't last as long, but yes can be convenient. I DON'T own a cordless tool, should I need power where no power is available I have a 900W generator that is transported very easily. Oh yea I have a cordless tool....a flashlight. There is not one cordless tool made that will last as long as 110V. I have tools that are older then most here. You can buy a good corded tool (drill $30.00) with what a good battery will cost you.

[Stan4d]

[url] There is not one cordless tool made that will last as long as 110V. I have tools that are older then most here. You can buy a good corded tool with what a good battery will cost you.

These are very good points. The aplication of the tool is something to consider. If you do not have a drill at all and this is going to be your only one, I would go corded and get a good extension cord.