can anyone recommend a drill please?

[Tom]

Hi, I'm VERY new to DIY and am redecorating a fairly beat up flat I bought a while ago.

I need to buy a drill. It won't be used for anything very heavy duty but I'd rather buy something decent.

I need to drill holes in internal brick and plaster for light fittings and curtain rails, and also outside brick walls for lights.

Can anyone recommend one please? Do you recommend mains power or rechargeable? The flat is on one level and I have an extension lead so I'm not sure I need rechargeable. Also, I'll be using it so seldomly I doubt it will be good for the batteries.

Cheers for any help,

Tom

[Muddymike]

Lidl have recently re run their SDS hammer drill offer. I bought one about 5 years ago, burnt it out after 2.5 years hard work, got it replaced FOC under the three year warranty. The replacement is still going strong. I find SDS bits are far better for masonry drilling for some strange reason. Try a Lidl branch or two and see if they have any left.

Mike

[The Medway Handyman]

A cheap mains is a better bet for occassional use than a cheap cordless - the latter are cheap partly because of the crap batteries.

A cordless 'combi' is useful because you have a drill/hammer drill/screwdriver all in one.

A mains drill & a small cordless screwdriver is a good bet, there are lots of deals around like this one

If you just want a cheap mains drill I carry one of these on the van I've been quite impressed with it for the money.

Avoid the stores 'own label' like the plauge (except Wickes which are quite good). B&Q Performance Poo, Argos/Homobase Challenge etc are usually rubbish. Go for a brand name like Black & Decker or Bosch.

HTH

[Bob Minchin]

Tom,

To be honest in your position I would buy a cheapie mains hammer drill. Don't worry if you have not heard of the brand, but buy from a store that you have heard of! With only these modest jobs to do which you will possibly complete within the guarantee period (12 month minimum and sometimes 3 years from Aldi and similar outlets) even if you do have a problem then you can get it fixed free. If doing these jobs gives you a taste for DIY then use it until it is knackered, learn what you dislike about it and what sort of jobs you are then aspiring to do and buy a higher spec tool.

I quite agree about the impact on the batteries of a rechargeable tool. Stick to corded tools for your sort of usage.

HTH

Bob

[Andrew Gabriel]

I would also recommend an SDS, but do make sure you buy one with a clutch. Otherwise, particularly as a novice, you may end up in A&E when a bit jams and the drill body spins round and dislocates your wrist or whacks you in the face. A lot of the cheap ones don't have a safety clutch.

[Ash]

Wish I'd thought about the warranty ... I bought one also and after about the same time (2 1/2 years) it was worm out so I just threw it in the recycling bin at the tip and bought another one even cheaper then the first one. Must remember to keep my receipts the next time.

Ash

[Chewbacca]

A cheap battery hammer drill is rubbish, get a Bosch SDS (Argos can be ok) and later if you need a light drill for drilling the odd hole in wood, or a few screws a small battery drill/driver is good.

[Bored Borg]

On Sun, 8 Feb 2009 14:12:35 +0000, Bob Minchin wrote (in article ):

What he said. Exactly.

The mains drill will have a bit more muscle than the rechargeable and won't suddenly die on you. OK the mains lead is a bit of an inconvenience, particularly if you're single handed up a ladder but, _generally_, not as much of an inconvenience as a dead battery. Ultimately you'll probably need both - but by then you'll know for certain _why_ you need each.

[ARWadsworth]

I actually prefer my mains drill when up a ladder. It is much lighter than my SDS cordless and I can make a loop with the mains lead and hook it into the ladder.

Screwfix have got a deal on the Ryobi at the moment

Adam

[Muddymike]

The Lidl one was over 1000w at only £24.99 with 3 years warranty in a case with loads of bits/chisels and a chuck converter.

Mike

[Muddymike]

Sorry forgot to add. And it does have that all important safety clutch.

Mike

[Tom]

Hi, I've never heard of Ryobi. Is that one better than this?

Cheers.

[Bob Minchin]

Different animals. The ryobi is an sds drill which will do your masonry drilling with ease by turning bricks into butter, but to do ordinary drilling in wood or other materials you will have to buy a sds adaptor chuck for a few quid to hold ordinary drills. like this one

the Bosch , ordinary drilling comes as standard and hammer drilling will do your masonry jobs more than adequately. I suggest the Bosch for your needs.

Bob

[ARWadsworth]

How much did it weigh?

The usual cheapos are 5 or 6kg and are more for demolition than drilling.

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

With the Bosch , ordinary drilling comes as standard and hammer drilling

As Bob points out, the two drills are very different animals. If you have got very hard bricks in your house then you will fall in love with an SDS drill. You will, as was also pointed out, need a SDS adaptor to drill wood etc if you buy a SDS drill (unless the drill comes with one).

If you do not think that you need an SDS drill at the moment then do follow the good advice that has been given here and just get a cheap mains hammer drill and upgrade when you start to do more DIY(1).

HTH

Adam

(1) Once you start your wife will not let you stop

[The Medway Handyman]

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