Recommend Cordless Hammer Drill

I have a black and decker firestorm 24V cordless hammer drill. It works very well. But there are 2 things I dont like. The torque setting is inconsistent. I have messed up holes occasionally due to this. Especially when changing the speed. That affects the resultant torque very much.

Is there any cordless drill that has more consistent torque setting?

Also, I would like some kind of drill stop to help speed up my hold making when I know the depth ahead of time. Any drill also with that feature?

Thanks!

dnoyeB

Reply to
dnoyeB
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Never noticed any difficulty w/ Milwaukee but never done a controlled test, either...

Not than I'm aware of, but there are a million add-on ways to accomplish it from as simple as a piece of tape on the bit to "store-bought" jigs...choose a method that suits you is best I can recommend.

If you typically do repetitive things of the same type, making a set of collars of the desired size(s) and depth(s) would seem worthwhile. You can, of course, buy them as well.

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Reply to
dpb

We are about to start a project where we will be installing vertical supports on each side of the garage door. It will need three holes on top (each side) and three holes on the bottom (each side) ... top holes are different size from bottom. How do we make a "collar" so that after we drill the first hole and get it right, we can put on the collar and do the other holes uniform size? Thanks.

Reply to
Dottie

I'd use two drills or drill all of one size or then the other, or this would also be a place to use the interchangeable hex bit holder, or...

:)

Actually, I now realize that several of my drills _do_ have an extension bar w/ a clamp which can be set to hit the work at a preset depth -- in

40+ years I've never used the "feature" so had completely forgotten about it....it would be another way...
Reply to
dpb

Actually, another respondent just jogged my memory that I have a couple of hand drills (not cordless, though) that have a depth rod that can be adjusted. As I noted in that response, in all the time I've had them I've never found the need... :)

I suppose one could fashion something similar if desired...

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Reply to
dpb

Dottie wrote: ...

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Is one style of purchasable ones -- actually one of the nicer as they clamp on the overall bit diameter, not like some that have just a set screw that sets on the bit itself...these, you see, are made for a range of bit sizes.

To make your own, two basic choices --

  1. Drill hole in a block or the right size or slightly larger and adjust the bit in the chuck in combination w/ the wood thickness to get the right depth. Rarely is the depth so critical as that closer than
1/8-th or 1/16-th at most is required for accuracy and lots of times not even that -- all you normally require is to not blast through some piece so anything that prevents that is "good enough"...
  1. Use a little more effort in the construction and model them after those in the link -- add a lock screw to one by drilling through from the side. Doesn't take much to hold in place and it's easy enough to thread a block of wood using a bolt or screw and in side grain w/ a piece of hardwood it'll hold quite a bit.

Normally, unless there's a real problem in seeing what I'm doing I'll take the simple expedient of a piece of masking or electrical tape around the bit at the right place and just wing it -- again, it's rare the depth has to be exact to much precision...certainly from something you've described can't imagine it would matter much at all.

HTH...

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Reply to
dpb

Any comments on the consistency of the DeWalt cordless hammer drill torque adjustment?

Reply to
dnoyeB

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What are you drilling that it is noticeable on a drill setting (messing up holes puzzles me -- I can understand depth on driving screws, harder time w/ drilling).

Other than that, no comment other than the B&D Firestorm is a relatively inexpensive line, try Milwaukee red or similar...

Reply to
dpb

I am screwing screws into plastic holes most often. sometimes soft wood like plywood or particle board.

Reply to
dnoyeB

That's not "drilling" :) ...

More than likely the variability is in the material more than the drill, I'm guessing from that.

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Reply to
dpb

Torque setting on a drill is to limit the torque, its not like a horsepower dial or anything ;)

When drilling, you turn the setting to 'drill' which is all the way up.

Do you know of a better powered screw driver? I woudl like to have one as it is a headache to keep swapping out drill bits for screw heads.

Reply to
dnoyeB

-- I am screwing screws into plastic holes most often. sometimes soft wood -- like plywood or particle board.

And for this you are using a hammer drill? Hammer drills are typically used for drilling into concrete, not screwing screws (or even drilling holes) in relatively soft materials such as the examples you gave.

As far as making a drill stop that should be foolproof, try this:

1 - Cut a length of dowel stock to the exact length needed to expose just enough of the drill bit for the depth of the hole 2 - Drill a hole through the center of the dowel stock. 3 - Slip the dowel stock over the drill bit.

I've seen this method used when drilling the holes for undermount sinks. The last thing you want is for your "screw-on" drill stop to slide up the bit and cause you to drill through the counter top. By slipping a solid piece of dowel stock over the drill bit, you won't be able to drill any deeper than the exposed section of the bit.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

LOL, yea I usually have a helluva time with those flathead screws. The hammer action really requires a steady hand and damn good timing :D

The drill needs the option to turn off the hammer feature. I am not a professional carpenter so I dont have several better tools, but fewer tools that to acceptably. its just that I am less than satisfied with the B&D.

I think these drill stops sound much better than the drill attachments. I had trouble when I had an attacment because the slightest tip of the drill and the depth changes.

Using them on a counter top is a good example. I just had to do that at my moms. I use the tape now, but id rather have a proper stop of some sort.

Reply to
dnoyeB

- The drill needs the option to turn off the hammer feature. I am not a

- professional carpenter so I dont have several better tools, but fewer

- tools that to acceptably. its just that I am less than satisfied with the

- B&D.

My point was that a hammer drill is not a standard homeowner or carpenter's drill. Typically one would only buy a hammer drill as an "specialty" tool, not as the only drill in one's arsenal, especially if the hammer feature cannot be turned off. I cannot imagine trying to use a hammer drill for everyday projects.

Perhaps you are less than satisfied because you're using the wrong tool, not because the tool itself is a B&D.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I have only Milwaukee for cordless and no complaints. I don't do enough setting of screws like drywall or deck-laying, etc., to make a dedicated screwgun worthwhile. As noted, I've never had a complaint w/ Red for the torque setting w/ what I have done...

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Reply to
dpb

..

If it doesn't have that, it's worthless for anything except that. I wasn't aware even the cheap B&D stuff didn't have that capability.

In that case, almost anything would be better...

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Reply to
dpb

thanks. ill have to consider them. I am considering a dedicated screw tool now. then perhaps I can keep the B&D for the hammer action and swap bits less.

Reply to
dnoyeB

On Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:58:18 -0700, DerbyDad03 wrote: -

Perhaps I was not clear. The drill I have no is a B&D 24V cordless hammer drill. The hammer feature can be turned on and off. it has a torque know too, and a hand chuck.

I use the hammer feature when I am drilling into the basement walls or floor for one reason or another. Otherwise I use the drill with the hammering turned off.

Reply to
dnoyeB

it was supposed to be sarcasm :/ The drill does allow you to turn off the hammer feature.

Reply to
dnoyeB

OK...I missed out. I had thought that but figured they might have forgotten it... :)

I'm still partial to Red (Milwaukee) if you're still asking... But, they're not cheap -- not most expensive certainly, but not on the "low price spread" side, either.

Reply to
dpb

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