Cordless corded tools?

[John Doe]

I just converted a Dremel 10.8 V rotary tool to use Bosch 10.8 V batteries. I always have the rotary tool immediately in front of me, so the battery will either be worn on a neck strap or be set down near the work. The wires coming from the rotary tool plug into the battery, using a socket taken from another Bosch tool.

That was done because the rotary tool battery charger sucks. Apparently the charger destroyed one of my two battery packs. Also, I have lots of Bosch 10.8 V MAX batteries.

Preliminarily speaking, having the battery connected through a wire to the tool is working great. It's a cutoff tool, so maybe the fact that it is ultra light without an integrated battery is the reason. Or maybe it's just infatuation, wouldn't be the first time. The battery pack can be worn around my neck, hung from a utility belt, or set on a table (the way I'm doing it now).

I suppose eventually battery technology will be light enough that we will reach the point of diminishing returns for lightness, but that hasn't happened yet.

[clare]

7.2 volt drills, run on 12 volts, work great for drilling nominal 1/8" holes for rivets in aluminum. Several friends have built entire Zenith (zenair) 701 planes with them.

[Richard]

I've an old Ryobi 12 volt drill that I was thinking of wiring up to a

cigarette lighter plug for use on the boat.

Run off the house battery.

But removing the batteries doesn't always improve tool balance...

[John Doe]

Removing the battery pack and (instead) connecting it through a short wire improves the balance of my rotary tool.

They could probably make an extremely compact and lightweight lithium-ion battery powered rotary tool that would function better than a flexshaft, that way.

[Art Todesco]

I too, have a rotary tool always next to me, actually 3. Dremel does make a Li-Ion battery model ... that's my #3 unit. Actually, it is usually my number one go to unit. Its battery and charger seems to be ok. I only have 1 battery and have had it for many years. It's probably close to needing replacement. This battery unit does, however, lack the power a regular AC Dremel possesses. Maybe a new battery would improve it. The 2 other units I have, which are always on the bench, is a variable speed AC dremel and a Ryobi. When Dremel built this AC model, they built pure junk. This model has the variable speed slide lever. The tool itself is our of balance so that at high speeds it vibrates. It vibrate so bad that the speed lever will move on its own. However, I still use it. The Ryobi speed is only 20K max, but has much more torque than the other 2.

[John Doe]

If you have other 10.8 V battery tools (like Bosch 12 V MAX), and a socket that can be taken from the same type of tool, you can convert your rotary tool into an ultra light weight cutoff tool. And likely you will be improving the battery performance at the same time. I took the connector/socket out of a Bosch 12 V MAX flashlight, connected a 2 foot wire to it, and soldered the wires into the rotary tool. I'm going to buy some cheap connectors in addition to that, so that I can use the same (expensive) tool/battery connector to connect the same type battery to another device. For example... For using the bright end of the hacked Bosch flashlight on my skating helmet.

Might be a good time to move away from the cheap charger that comes with 8000 series Dremel tools. The only difficulty is finding a spare connector for the battery.

[clare]

If removing the battery hurts the ballance, fill the battery area with Bondo - and lead shot if required.

[Michael A. Terrell]

Like they did with TMT's head?

[John Doe]

You are a waste of space.

[John Doe]

And speaking of a waste of space...

Too bad you cannot at least keep your garbage in all of your off-topic threads, instead of letting it seep into everything around you.

[generic.homeowner]

It seems like people are obcessed with cordless everything these days. I have never understood the reasoning. Granted, there are situations where a cordless device has an advantage, for example a cordless tool when working out in a field, a cordless phone when one has to be walking around, such as in a warehouse, to locate items, etc. But these situations are rare compared to most uses. They are for unusual situations. Most of the time there is an outlet nearby. Myself, I think cordless devices have more disadvantages than advantages. Batteries going dead at the wrong time are at the top of the list, as well as lower power, weight, and the cost of batteries is a huge factor..... and there's much more, not even mentioning all the pollution found in those batteries.

According to the advertisers "cordless" is a selling point and is highly praised, but in the real world, cordless is more often than not a pain in the ass. What is really so bad about a cord? The cord on my plug in drill, power saw, or other tools is no real problem, as well as the cord on my house phone.

I think the advertisers all have us brainwashed into thinking cordless is better, but after using the stuff it dont take long to realize that it's not best or even good in most instances. If I'm near an outlet, I use the outlet. Even devices like my laptop computer, are normally plugged in, because I hate interruptions "low battery".....

Cordless has it's uses, but in most cases they are overused....

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[legg]

You might want to consider adding snubbers or clamps to the switch and harness, at the motor. The harness may also radiate.

RL

[clare]

RADIATE? If you are worried about AM radio interference throw a ferrite torroid on the cord at the rool end. If your worried about something else, don't be - because it is NOT a problem.

[legg]

That would depend on the control circuitry and motor combination used by the tool, and the voltage of the substitute battery used. There can be considerable di/dt, normally handled by the local battery's placement. Stick the battery at the end of a cable, you'll get more than just DC cable losses - there will be voltage spikes at the load, voltage ripple on the controller supply, and rdiation from the interconnection.

I'm not worried. It's not my tool, but you don't paint just one side of a fence.

It IS becoming increasingly difficult to get clean and stable FM broadcast reception - never mind AM - particularly from smaller or distant stations.

I expect there are similar problems over the rest of the spectrum - with effects not so easily identifiable by the victim. The perpetrator is, inevitably, ignorant of them.

RL

[clare]

12 to 24 volt battery operated tools do not "broadcast" very far - either from the brushes or the PWM controllers.

Cheap Chinese line operated power tools are another story altogether.