Bosch cordless drills/drivers

[Stephen]

Hello,

Some years ago, I bought a Wickes high-torque 15.6V drill. It was the one recommended here by the Medway Handyman, as it had a right angle attachment.

Sadly the nicads died and new cells would cost more than a new drill.

I have managed using cordered drills since. Sometimes it seems a hassle to get the extension lead, which is silly really because unwinding a lead is not a big job. It must be psychological.

Any way, with Christmas coming I have been asked what I would like. I will be putting up plasterboard next year, so a cordless driver would be nice. Is it a good idea to get a cordless screwdriver, or would it be better to pay a bit more and get a drill than can be used as a drill or driver, on the basis that it would be more versatile?

Do they even make cordless screwdrivers any more? I'm only aware of one green bosch model.

Screwfix seem to sell a wide range of 18v blue bosch drill/drivers. I think there are four and the only difference is the batteries:

1 x 2Ah 2 x 2Ah 1 x 3Ah 1 x 4Ah

I am unsure whether two 2A batteries is better than one 4Ah one. I guess with the former you can drill with one, while you charge the other.

Are there any other differences that you can see or am I right to think it is the same body with different batteries?

Interestingly the Wickes one was advertised as high torque but it is

60Nm / 40 Nm, whereas the Bosch ones are 67/28 so this means the Bosch is as good as my old Wickes one.

I am unsure what the torque figures mean; one is hard and one is soft; what's that all about? The hardness of the substrate?

What are the groups opinions on what drill to buy? (The sds one would be nice but too expensive)

Thanks, Stephen.

[Tim Watts]

For driver sized, my blue Bosch 10.8V has done 6-7 years of solid service - with one new battery and now the brushes smell like they are a bit knackered. I might attempt a re-brushing or possibly just get a new one.

The other question is: do you want a driver with torque limiting (really useful) or an impact driver (also really cool, but the usage domains are different, with significant overlap).

[Bill Wright]

I really can't see the point of cordless tools when you have mains available.

I've just bought a 240v drill for £119. Same make, same spec, but cordless: £300.

Bill

[newshound]

DEFINITELY go for something with a spare battery and fast charger. Personally, I'd stick with smaller batteries to keep the weight down. I don't doubt that for decking or for a beefy professional builder the big batteries are useful and necessary.

I don't think you need a separate screwdriver. I have had one of these for 3 or 4 years

although I didn't pay that much. I've replaced a couple of batteries. I don't normally like NiCad, but it has been very good indeed. It is fine for screwing, has a "slipping clutch" to control torque (although I don't use it much) and an impact setting which is OK on softer brick or concrete although I sometimes need to get out the mains drill.

These have had excellent reviews here

I did actually buy one, but my son took it as a birthday present. They are much more compact than the "green" one, but reportedly have the same amount of "oomph".

[newshound]

If I was going for a Bosch, I would probably pick one of these

which looks similar to my Makita, but a bit more up to date. I've got several Bosch "green" tools including a circular saw which has had about

30 years of very hard work. I've never seen the need to go to Blue.

[Scott M]

That must count as the most surreal statement I've seen on here. Never worked up a ladder or outdoors? (Yes, that's ironic & rhetorical.)

Drills are the first tool to have as battery over mains. In any sort of installation work they're wanted in so many different places that dragging extensions round would be a huge headache. Mains drills are just screw head mangling devices and become a pain for anything ceiling related. My mains drill has long been relegated to plaster mixing duties, heavy duty steel drilling and wire brush duties.

[Scott M]

Drill/driver all the way. But not a hammer drill.

I note you're looking at Bosch. I was seriously underwhelmed with the Blue Bosch I had (and I generally like Bosch). My previous equal voltage'd Makita felt better built and so much nicer to use.

The only advantage of a 4Ah battery over 2 x 2Ah would be purchase price. Otherwise it's just heavier and the possible downtime while charging.

[charles]

Is mains always available?

[Bill Wright]

It is when you are only envisaging domestic DIY, and when you have a 2kW generator anyway. And a 1kW inverter in both vans.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Very nice as a little toy thing for small jobs. But if you're doing any serious stuff you need something like this a Bosch GBH 2-26 DRE SDS-plus Rotary Hammer 240V.

Bill

[John Rumm]

Often the case alas...

Depending on what kind of work you do (i.e. if you don't need a huge drilling capacity), you might find it worth looking at the 10.8V twin packs with combi drill and separate impact driver.

Having said that its hard to beat the shear "do anything" grunt you get from an 18V combi drill.

They do...

Indeed - two batteries are generally better than one. In fact three is better still for intensive work ;-) (one charging, one in use, and one cooling)

You probably need to read the small print.

It suggests its probably better actually.... i.e. can develop more torque in low gear and run at a higher speed in top gear.

No, its down to the gearbox - you trade torque against rotations speed.

[John Rumm]

Unless I need to reach for the SDS or something special like a core drill, I can't recall needing a mains drill in the last decade or so ;-)

[PeterC]

Interesting that you say that. I bought a blue Bosch 10.8V drill-driver about a year ago, with some trepidation as I'm 'hooked' on Makita, and it does everything that the Mak 12V does and is better between joists. It even put a spade bit about 5mm above its rating through a joist - I did do it gently!

My 10.V Bosch has a single 2Ah Lion battery and lasted all day on next door's fence, mainly screws but some drilling as well. Used the Mak DD for drilling, the Mak combi for some holes in brick and the Lidl SDS for a hole in blue brick. The little Bosch was light and easy to use and went from full to indicated half charge, then took about 20 min. to recharge. I'd considered 2 batteries, but I doubt that I'd ever need a second one.

[Adrian]

I'm using a cordless and two mains at the moment, doing a fair bit of framing and panelling, tidying and internally insulating the walls of an outbuilding that's becoming a studio.

One mains with a masonry bit, set to hammer, for rawlplugs. One mains with a small bit for pilot holes in timber. The cordless with a driver bit and, because it's the only one without a keyless chuck, for any quick-swapping for hole saw or whatever else.

I'd VERY happily swap the second mains for a second cordless. It'd make life much easier, because I'm pissed off with dangling extension leads banging against the ladder, and getting my feet tangled in cable as I go up and come down, often carrying an unwieldy and heavy sheet of ply.

[cl]

I have the Titan 10.8 drill/driver impact driver set from Screwfix, LiIon and it does all I want of it. The LiIon batteries at 10.8 volts mean that there is no bulge at the bottom of the handle.

I do have some more expensive Metabo 9.6 volt and 12 volt cordless which are more powerful but a lot heavier and rarely needed.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Having them re-celled professionally won't cost more than a new drill of equivalent quality with two batteries. (That Wicks unit wasn't the usual cheap shed tat)

I have the same drill and found it worthwhile paying for just that - because of the right angle drive. Paid IIRC 70 quid for the pair.

[F Murtz]

Aldi often has lithium battery drills and screwdrivers at about a third of the price of the name ones and seem to last for years.

[newshound]

Bit OTT for plasterboard, though, which is OP's next job.

[Adrian]

Or, even, for one cordless that is "seen" by the charging base, ffs.

Hey-ho. Bosch (green), still under warranty. Let's see what happens.

[Bill Wright]

I used my new SDS mains drill today. So much faster than any battery drill. I was staggered at how good it is. I did the first part of the job last week using my son's 36V SDS and the mains one is vastly quicker and better. That's a £120 mains drill outperforming a £400 battery drill. In terms of convenience I'm quite happy to have a mains lead trailing behind me if it means I don't have the awful weight of all those batteries and the need to hold the drill for ages because of the slowness of a battery drill. I wonder if many of you have, like me, become used to battery SDS and haven't realised how much mains SDS has come on.

Bill