Versatile drill

I've had my little Black & Decker two speed rotary drill since the early '70's.

Screwfix are offering:

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or would I be better with

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I'm looking for occasional use around the house, getting screws in and out, occasional brick, might hit the odd lintel. The attic has been floorboarded and screwed so if I want to get at anything a bit of help would do.

PS I recently resurrected an old Stanley hand-drill which had been neglected in a dilapitated shed and used it today to drill some small holes for curtain pole supports. Something very satisfying and controlled about hand-drilling even if somewhat inefficient.

Reply to
AnthonyL
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I would go for the Bosch even though recharging is 10mins longer the all metal gearbox swings it for me not sure what is in the Hitachi.

Richard

Reply to
Tricky Dicky

If it really is occasional use and you expect a long life, stay clear of cordless. The batteries will fail long before the machine does. And may well need charging before you can use it anyway.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Agreed. A cheap mains hammer drill from the likes of Aldi/lidl will do nearly all you require of it and even if it dies after 10 years, it wont owe you anything. Battery tools need regular use so they will be ready charged when you want them. Don't expect more than a few (5?) years life (irrespective of level of use) from a battery pack.

Reply to
Bob Minchin

Both are well OTT for occasional use.

A JCB, black & decker etc NiCd/NiMH 14v drill would be plenty

yes... they're very handy, but for occasional use the batteries will be flat, and waiting a few hours is far from handy.

... but you'll get better service from your 1970s B&D. They're deeply out of fashion but are surprisingly able, and very reliable.

yep. In your situation I might stick with the old B&D. Better certainly exists, but I don't think you'll get what you want in a cordless.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

The bosch is slightly lighter?

Reply to
newshound

Though a cheapy drill probably not much good for screw driving.

Li-ion is much better though for tool batteries.

I've picked up a tool that hadn't been used for a few months and there was still plenty of charge.

NiCd or NiMH, yep they'd have been flat.

Of the two I'd go for the Bosch, probably as much cos I've a few Bosch tools, they have all been reliable

Reply to
Chris French

I'd assumed that the B&D had finally died? Agree that an old all metal

70s B&D is the best option - even picking up another from the same era rather than buy new anything.
Reply to
Bob Minchin

dless-combi-drill/9647j

ss-combi-drill/8652f

flat, and waiting a few hours is far from handy.

ut of fashion but are surprisingly able, and very reliable.

exists, but I don't think you'll get what you want in a cordless.

If it's dead, I'd look for something more modern as those lack reverse & ha mmer. But a more modern one won't have anything like the longevity. If anot her old B&D is offered for next to nothing, it's not a bad deal, as long as you have other drills for hammer action etc. I did some core drilling once with an ancient B&D, 270w or something, and it did just as well as a moder n drill despite the power rating difference. (There was some problem with t he shank that made it impossible to use the SDS.)

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

I really don't think I'd agree. It is a fair point that very occasional use (a couple of times a year?) will be bad from the battery viewpoint.

But the battery drill will have far better control than a cheap mains drill if you are using it for screws.

I use my Makita for screws more often than I use a screwdriver. E.g. for removing and replacing the back of the washing machine the other day: far quicker and easier.

Reply to
newshound

it's bad in the sense that you'll need to wait 3 hours for it to charge first

for sure

yes.... once it's charged. Which takes hours.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

It isn't how occasional the job is, it's what the occasional job is. Even if you only drill brick once a flood you need SDS.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

No, money-wise a mains drill will be far better quality that a battery drill costing the same. No batteries and charger you see.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

No - it's still going - and no - it's not the metal one either. But it doesn't do screws - it doesn't do hammer. Just pure rotation at

900rpm and 2400rpm.

However I don't mind not having cordless so I'll look around for a mains driven unit which can sit in its box for a year and still work when SWIMBO needs something doing.

Reply to
AnthonyL

The OP was looking at drills with two batteries and a fast charger. My Makita charges in less than an hour. I honestly think a cordless drill/driver is one of the first tools I would recommend for basic DIY (e.g. assembly of IKEA stuff). After screwdrivers suitable for plug tops.

Reply to
newshound

better quality yes. better on screws not by a mile.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

mains drills will screw, though control is grotty.

You haven't clarified what tasks you want it for.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

I would too, except in a case like this where charge time will turn 2 minute jobs into hour jobs.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

I've got an ancient B&D mains drill (Tradesman) which is an excellent screw driver. No torque control, but you soon get the feel of it, as it runs at a very slow speed - about 50 rpm.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I've got a Bosch 18v drill with the LI-ion batteries (although mine are

3Ah) which I use only occasionally these days - mostly for winding my caravan steadies up & down. The batteries charge in around 30 minutes and hold their charge for months on end - unlike my older Bosch Nimh drill. The charging time on the Screwfix one is only 50 minutes, so wouldn't delay the job by much.

John M

Reply to
John Miller

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