Need a new drill/driver

[dadiOH]

My 30 year old B & D Industrial drill and driver is getting flaky and I'm looking for recommendations for a replacement. I prefer...

corded

3/8 VSR (variable speed reversible) clutch

By "clutch" I mean this...the B&D has a ring just aft of the chuck with two positions; namely, "Drill" and "Screw". In the drill position the chuck turns continuously; in the screw position, the chuck only turns when one applies pressure...handy because when it torques out the turning stops.

Actually, the drill is still just fine but the adjustment ring doesn't want to stay at "drill", tends to slips off it. I plan to disassemble and look but have already checked parts and what I might need is no longer available.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[Gramps' shop]

I know you specified corded, but you might want to look at the Makita 18v l ithium ion drill and driver set. All the power you'd want, light weight, d rill provides a variety of torque positions. Decent battery life and fast charge. I've had mine for about three years and wouldn't think of going ba ck to corded.

Larry

[FrozenNorth]

I tend to prefer a cordless as well, have a 14.4V DeWalt that I am quite happy with, for a lot of drilling I break out my corded DeWalt drill/hammer drill combo, quick switch selector between the two modes.

I find if I am switching between pre-drilling and driving screws, having the two tools handy is a lot faster than all the bit changes.

[Pat Barber]

I don't think you will find a corded drill with a clutch.

An excellent corded drill with variable speed trigger is a

It is light,strong and it "never" needs a recharge or a new set of batteries. About $70-$80.

I am tired of buying batteries or new drills.

[-MIKE-]

So am I. That's one reason I bought the Ridgid drill driver combo with lifetime battery replacement and parts/labor warranty.

We'll see how that goes when these batteries wear out... still going like new for now.

[Leon]

The only corded brand that I know of that has a clutch is Makita.

That said, for what ever reason you want a clutch/corded drill I think you will probably get a better clutch if you get a cordless. So is the clutch more important than the corded or visa versa?

I have a 25 year old corded DeWalt I use as back up.

Should you decide to go with cordless I would strongly suggest looking at those with brushless motors.

Yes I would recommend the Festool T15 BUT it is brushless and since getting it 20 months ago I have pretty much not used either my 12 volt Makita impact drive or my 18 volt Bosch impact drive. So far the Festool T15 seems to be able to drive just about anything that I used to drive with the impacts. It appears to have as much torque a 1 RPM as top speed. You don't have to give the tool more juice to drive screws and lag screws, drive them at any speed you choose.

Anyway I don't know if this is a brushless motor thing or the fact that it is a Festool. The clutch on the T15 Festool is electronic so no rattling noise once you reach the predetermined clutch setting.

[Leon]

For what it worth, the free battery replacement warranty has been around long enough that battery replacement is a daily occurrence. Nine years ago I considered a Ridgid drill with lifetime warranty including the batteries but went with a Makita because of the weight of the Ridgid drill at the time. I would think that if you are happy with how your Ridgid feels and performs you may never have to buy another drill or battery.

[-MIKE-]

What does this mean? Ridgig is replacing them, daily?

I'm tickled with these, so far. I hope you're right.

[Leon]

They have probably sold so many over the past 9 years that routine replacement is a daily routine, not that the batteries for an individual have to be replaced often. I have not heard of any one having a problem with having any thing repaired or replaced under the life time warranty in the last 9 years.

As I mentioned above, in the last 9 years of this warranty being in place I have not heard one comment about the warranty not being honored. I suspect that you will have to send the battery to a repair facility and wait for them to ship a replacement. If you are in a hurry this might be a problem but a back up battery will be handy to have, which you probably have. I would not wait for both to go bad before taking care the situation.

[-MIKE-]

I get it, now.

Chances are before either of my batts go bad, I will buy another of their cordless products that come with another battery, so I'll probably be good on that front.

[Swingman]

You're probably too young to remember the old prank re: the "magic" Volkswagen carburetor that got 200 miles to the gallon, but I often feel that way about my two Makita ion cordless drills.

I use the hell out if them for days at a time. Have never, ever had one run down on me during use on a job site; and when I do bother to charge them, mostly out of guilt, it only takes about ten minutes to a full charge.

I think I got a 22nd century prototype by mistake. ;)

To the OP: I would buy my two Milwaukee 1/2" corded again in a heartbeat.