Cordless drill recommendations

[Tony Bryer]

I know this isn't aus.d-i-y but as there's no such group I'll ask here. I gave away all my tools before emigrating as I didn't think I'd need them in a new high rise, but now have to do a little work to a rental property.

Main job is replacing the roofing on a very long covered way, about 25m long x 1.5m as the existing fibreglass is covered in moss and algae and has clouded over, some sheets cracked. I will be using corrugated polycarbonate (not twinwall) fixed with these self drilling screws (several hundred in total)

I need a decent cordless drill driver but am not sure how powerful a one I need. I'm assuming an 18v one and have shortlisted three, a Hitachi 43Nm torque at $277 (£182) and two AEG, one at $269 (£180) with 47Nm torque, the other $399 (£266) with 70Nm. Is it worth buying the more powerful one, bearing in mind that after this job it may not get too much use?

Any other hints - have done lots of more complicated jobs in the past, but never this. I assume the screws will have to be set by eye as the torque setting on the drill won't help with corrugated plastic.

[polygonum]

I'd suggest an impact driver rather than a drill/driver, but have no =

experience with corrugated.

Surely someone else will be along in a minute to agree/disagree.

[The Medway Handyman]

Makita. 14.4v will do the job.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Tony Bryer writes

Lightweight, relatively low speed, torque control although, as you say, this may not help on fragile material.

I commonly use a little Bosch 9.6V drill/driver for this. Around 12Nm but you need a back up battery for a long job.

regards

>

[michael adams]

You don't say how the sheets are going to be fixed. But in such a situation I'd be tempted to mark out and pre-drill the plastic sheeting beforehand in a more accessible situation - on a bench say or on the ground. Where more care can be taken with drilling the plastic. And then having manoeuvred the sheets in situ. use the pre-drilled holes as a guide for drilling into the support. This is assuming that the supports are at regular intervals making it possible to mark up the sheets beforehand. The rationale for going in two stages aside from convenience being that the best setting\technique for satisfactorily drilling through the plastic might not be the optimal setting\technique for fitting the plastic to the supports

michael adams

...

[F Murtz]

I have been using two different Aldi lithium drills (18v and a smaller one) for quite heavy work and they are both still going strong Lots of self drilling screws through wood into steel tube frames (picket gates)

[js.b1]

Makita MXT 8434DZ. It is a 14.4V tool, but has a 3 speed gearbox 1700-600-300rpm, combi hammer/drill/drive, side handle, enormous 70Nm torque, good clutch control, 13mm chuck handles all the bigger bits.

Available on Ebay and elsewhere. UK prices are =A350 for body

=A322 for charger, =A345 for 2.6Ah NiMH. However worth picking up a Makita 6281 body for about =A319 re superlight &

*compact* screwdriver or small drill bit use.

There is a 12V MXT and 18V MXT, you may find the 12V MXT at very good prices and perfectly competent. Time to check Ebay and the "body-only" suppliers. Refurbished worries me unless bought with say 1 battery and at least 1 new battery bought.

So good that your mains drill can be either limited to SDS or a proper

2 speed gearbox percussion for core drill use.

You may want L-Ion, but the batteries & charger are expensive so the rest tends to be a bit lightweight on the low end - whereas similar or less money gets an MXT which wipes the floor with their "toy" standard cordless drills etc.

[David WE Roberts]

You can get special screw bits with a collar which disengages a clutch when it hits the material. They are mainly used for power screwing plasterboard screws, where (as you indicate) the torque setting is unlikely to prevent you driving the screw in too deeply.

Dave R

[Doctor Drivel]

I'd suggest an impact driver rather than a drill/driver, but have no experience with corrugated.

Surely someone else will be along in a minute to agree/disagree.