How many cordless drills do you normally have in use during a project?

[ship]

While I have an APEX QR-M-490-A magnetic quick release power bit holder for my favored pistol grip at home, and a second in a secure place at work - so more of them don’t get “lost” , I find it easier to have a second drill - my old T-handle already set up for my countersink bit with the power bit lock. (Expensive bit holder, normally at work I just supply the “ok” Wiha but the APEX is the best on the market even over Black & Decker similar but reverse pull one.) Than at home a third cordless - the right angle with a #30 drill bit so as to further pilot hole for longer screws or be ready to drill for or out rivets. The quick release bit holder is useful on-site for interchanging bits, but easier to grab another drill if in shop conditions.
At work for normally metal working or plastics projects, I also often have a hoast of pistol grip and T-Handles in use all with different bits on my work table. Normally the case of not enough holes to use the drill press, but just enough to warrant more than one cordless drill. All of course shop or home, 14.4v in balancing weight verses battery life as a standard. At work also more than one drill out and ready to switch between in doing stuff where I really should be using the corded drills at least.

Anyone note the need for more than just one cordless drill in speeding up the operation?

Urr.. Your Dremmel tool is on fire... got me also to buy a more powerful rotary tool in addition to replacing the fourth tool in eleven years.. for quick stuff. A hoped for no more power tool fires in my Department is the norm now also.

 

[erosing]

The majority of my work these days involves me keeping a step bit in my Milwaukee drill, twists, forstners, paddles, etc in an old Black and Decker t-handle, and then I keep whatever screwdriver tip I need in a Black and Decker cordless screwdriver (unless I need more power, then I'll put it into the Black and Decker t-handle).

 

[kicknargel]

Urr.. Your Dremmel tool is on fire... got me also to buy a more powerful rotary tool in addition to replacing the fourth tool in eleven years.. for quick stuff. A hoped for no more power tool fires in my Department is the norm now also.

What rotary tool did you get? I've been looking to get away from Dremmel.

 

[soundman]

When I pretend to be a carpenter I have been known to use 3 screw guns for things. To build a platform with legs for example I will have you to shoot drywall screws, one with a twist bit to drill a hole for the leg bolt and another with a spade bit to drill a recess for the carriage bolt.

 

[Footer]

Isn't this the solution to the problem....

 

[avkid]

Isn't this the solution to the problem....

If Ridgid made one, possibly.
Mansfield makes garbage.

 

[Footer]

If Ridgid made one, possibly.
Mansfield makes garbage.

But it looked so perfect on TV!

....now... I'm going fishing.... after I dry some jerky.... and roast a turkey.....

 

[Anvilx]

I prefer to do the 2 drill thing when I can If say I need to drill pilot holes and drive screws.

At school when am working with a friend we usally end up commendeering 3 or so drills (of the maybe 6 working drills) plus a surge protector...
Hmm, even though we ~50% of the avialable drills we still end up doing 70% of the work...

 

[BrianWolfe]

Two 18v DeWalts, one to drill the other to drive, and a drill press for the tough stuff.

 

[ship]

What rotary tool did you get? I've been looking to get away from Dremmel.

Was thrown in chosing between the 1/3 and 1/6 horsepower tools but finally settled on the McMaster Carr 4454A75 .

Turns out it's a big and powerful tool sufficient and I bought right. Just using a hand Dremmel 300 at home tonight and was worried about how hot it was getting in just grinding down some screw heads with an abrasive grinder wheel. This given my last Dremmel rotery tool with flexiable shaft at work really did catch on fire. (My mistake in turning it on again to cool it...)

Nice tool but that foot switch will be changed out with a table mounted reostat dimmer once I get one of a collection prepped - time.


Recently had some projects where at lower speed and in long amounts of time in operating that such a tool was very valuable. Nope... no permission, normally I don't ask anyway, but in this case I would stand by this tool buy as really valuable to have. It's collets if you forget the provided ones at work, while not the stame are also workable with the dremmel system. Different but similar tools if you get the proper wand. Much less chance you will melt it down in more money but well worth it.

I did replace the Dremmel on a flexible cord (second replacement of it) for usefulnes on quick things, but the investment in the bigger tool was also really a good thing in me not killing off more Dremmels. Think I'm up to like four now.

 

[ship]

Isn't this the solution to the problem....

EEK!!!

Do you use one?

 

[dramatech]

Being a community theatre, we have quite a few volunteers, mostly retired folks. We therefore have quite a few cordless drill/screwguns. Our present count is:
5ea 18volt DeWalts
3ea 18volt Black & Decker
3ea 14volt Makita

During strike, all of the units are in use.

 

[jonliles]

2 18V Ryobi - one for pilot holes, one for driving screws
1 12V B&D - Small Stuff, like attaching skins to flats.
1 Corded 3/8" chuck Ryobi w/ Clutch for big stuff (driving lags, mixing paint, changing tires...yep tires - this thing is a beast)
1 B&D electric screw driver - really small stuff

 

[shiben]

Being a community theatre, we have quite a few volunteers, mostly retired folks. We therefore have quite a few cordless drill/screwguns. Our present count is:
5ea 18volt DeWalts
3ea 18volt Black & Decker
3ea 14volt Makita

During strike, all of the units are in use.

We is a college, we usually run 6 18V DeWalts during load in/out. During projects, I will usually have 2 drills handy, one for drilling and the other for driving, as mentioned above. Also, electric drills made putting new connectors on all of our cables so much easier, its not even funny.

 

[Theresa]

We use several of these combo drill/drive bits Drill Drive Accessory System: Drill Drive Complete Units | DEWALT Tools

 

[ship]

Interesting and thanks the above in perhaps two or three seperate topics (sorry.)

Main question for me was about such as the above DeWalt bit holder setup others use verses what I use, and my three cordless drills, one with the Phillips and quick release, one with the countersink and another with a drill bit for longer screws. All for me at 14.4v - I'm a bit old school perhaps in liking it's weight verses power better in having started with 9.6v and skipped 12v as it came out. But in testing 18v early on, had no interest in it due to weight and by these days battery price.

Dremmel tool burning out - yea, a cautionary tail, cool tools but not what one might exect in being rugged.

Than onto the cordless inventory in-general one fields for use which is important but seperate. Enough tools you can beg, borrow or steal for a project is also important.

 

[kicknargel]

I just noticed no one's been talking about impact drivers. IMO once you go to an impact driver you'll never want to drive a screw with a drill again. They have WAY more torque--you can pilot less and don't use nearly so much muscle driving screws. Using McFeeley's steel square drive screws (sawtooth) and a Dewalt 18V impact driver I sink 3" screws into platform frames with no drilling and no effort. Can't recommend it enough.

The other advantage is the torque and speed automatically adjust depending on the resistance, so the first half of the screw goes in quick, then as it gets tougher the speed goes down and the torque goes up. They'll drive lags, tighten bolts, etc, etc, etc.

I went with the 18V because I wanted the same battery to run all my tools, but I think some of the smaller versions are also quite nice.

 

[Theresa]

I use my Makita impact driver most of the time (it makes up for a lack of upper body strength) but I have a bad habit of splitting wood with it.

 

[dramatech]

I just purchased a Dewalt impact driver, and after one load out removing a ton of 3" screws, it will be my driver of choice into the future. Yes Teresa, puting screws in with the impact driver will split the wood or bury the screw, if you aren't paying attention.

 

[MarshallPope]

We usually keep two drills going at a time per set of people - a predrill and a screwdriver. Usually times 2 or 3 concurrent projects. Our shop has 8 or so total. I don't think any of them match. We have a handful of makitas and I think a few b&ds and dewalts.