Milwaukee 0234-6 Magnum 5.5 Amp 1/2-Inch Dril

[Bill]

I'm about to move into my first house--my wife and I already picked out the washer and dryer so I"m starting to shop for the important stuff (like maybe a Grizzly 1023 Table saw).

Is the drill I mentioned in the subject line a good "general purpose" household drill? I already have a lightweight, battery operated "convenience" drill (which doesn't quite have enough torque to fully seat a

1" screw in a 4 by 4).

I'm think that a good wired drill will last me a good long time, longer than the battery in any battery operated model. The Milwaukee 0234-6 received very good reviews at amazon.com. I lack the experience to know whether this is possibly "too much" drill. Is this a decent drill to use for simple woodworking and household use? I noticed a reviewer faulted it for not having high enough RPM (0-850). Is this drill much heavier than a 3/8" model? Should I possibly choose a 3/8" drill instead because it would probably be sufficient? For the marginal difference in the price of this tool, I'd rather have "good" than "good enough".

Thank you for any comments/suggestions, Bill

[Ignoramus5857]

I think that it is a good drill for drilling large holes, deck screws etc where a lot of torque is required. It may not be so good for general purpose use, as it may be "too strong" and could cause you to sprain your wrist if something binds. I use a smaller drill (Black and Decker) for general purpose stuff. I have a similar (to what you mention) DeWalt drill and try to use it only when really necessary. If possible, I would have two drills, one for general drilling, and another, stronger one like this Milwaukee, for more rare cases like driving long deck screws, etc. If you do go that route and buy a smaller general purpose drill, you may find that a keyless chuck is a big time saver.

i

[RonB]

Might want to give this some more thought. I own two 14.4 volt Makita portables, a 14.4 volt impact driver and a wired Bosch. The Bosch is about 5-6 years old and sits in its box looking like new. One of the Makita's looks like a well-worn stock car and the other two are heading that way. Message-the wired drill gets to be a hassle. Always looking for an extension cord or plug in. Also, it causes the same problem that Ignoramus mentioned - a whole lot of torque. On occasions when I need more time that the battery will provide; or I need the power it usually tries to twist my wrist or slam my fingers against an adjacent object before I remember what I'm doing. If you are going corded, I would suggest a low end, lower powered machine. You might not use it as much as you think.

BTW - I have owned a 1023S for about seven years and love it. Great machine.

RonB

[Steve Turner]

I have this drill. It's built like a tank, and it's quite heavy relative to your standard cordless unit. The quality is typical American-made Milwaukee; nearly flawless and built to last a lifetime (and beyond). That said, I rarely use it if my cordless (14V Porter Cable) can do the job. Unless I need to bore a hole clear through a 4x4 with a 1" auger bit (which this drill can *easily* handle) it's very often just too much drill for the job. That's not to say I'd recommend the 3/8" model instead; if you're going to get a corded drill don't cut yourself short - by all means get the 1/2" model (and Amazon's current price of $109 is a great deal). Just don't fool yourself into thinking you're going to use it all the time.

Sounds to me like the lightweight drill you have is not enough, and if you get this one you'll have "too much" AND "not enough". You might first consider a good, strong, reliable 3/8" cordless drill to cover the majority of your general purpose needs, then come back and get the 1/2" Milwaukee later on (unless you can afford both now, then by all means!). Others can probably do a better job of recommending a cordless; I may be in the market for one myself pretty soon and I haven't been keeping on what the best choices are...

[Lew Hodgett]

IMHO, no.

That drill is a real "Hoss".

If you want a heavy duty 1/2" drill, consider a right angle unit.

At least that way you won't jam your wrists when that big hole saw jams or some other large load doesn't want to cooperate.

Lew

[notbob]

So, that's why right angle drills are so popular with you guys. Problem is, that right angle gear set robs a lot of power. They're very inefficient. Besides, many 1/2" drills have large double handles perpendicular to the drill axis just to control all that torque. My only Mikita is a 1/2" drill motor. Got more handles than a usenet troll! ;)

nb

[Lew Hodgett]

After the first time a 4" hole saw jams and twists your wristsn with a straight drive, nobody has to smack you up side your head to get your attention next time.

So?

They have torque to burn.

Try standing on your head drilling a 4" hole thru a set of floors, 16" on centers, in a boat hull.

It's all ass holes and elbows, no room for handles.

Lew

[notbob]

Agreed. That's a tuffy.

I'll learn. ;)

nb

[Bill]

Thank you for all of the replies to my question. They confirmed my concern that the drill is unnecessarily powerful than I have a use for at this time, and provided me with other helpful information.

1. I don't wish to enflame anyone, but does Craftsman (Sears) make a good "general purpose" household drill, or should I avoid them?
2. Same question as above, but for drill press.

As I haven't had access to a garage in 30 years, I'm virtually starting from scratch in power tools.

I have another question. I'll live in central Indiana and I'll have an attached garage (brick if that matters). Would large and small tools left in an environment like that generally be safe from corrosion (rust)?

When I grew up near Detroit, my dad told me not to make the mistake he did of leaving his tools (wrenches) out in his external garage as they all became quite rusty. Of course, they were not plated like those you would buy today.

Will I need to do something "extra" to protect a tool like a table saw or a drill from corrosion? Or should I leave the drills, and maybe especially the batteries, in the house?

Thank you for any comments, Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

S&R may get back to where they were 60 years ago, but why wait?

Milwaukee, Bosch, DeWalt all have decent equipment at a fair price.

RE: Indiana

Somewhere along 24 (Peru, Wabash, Logansport)?

Properly stored tools are not a problem; however, I'd keep batteries inside.

Winter weather is low humidity, so store up off the ground in containers that won't sweat.

Cast iron surfaces, T/S, drill press, etc, need to be coated and then DO NOT store things on top of these surfaces.

Have fun.

Lew

[Bill]

Lew, I live closer to Indianapolis. Thank you for your suggestions! After reading them I think I'll be storing my smaller tools in sealed plastic containers resting on milk crates or plastic shelves.

I wish to thank all of you for the tool suggestions too--I've got a lot of "pent-up" wood cutting to do! I'll start off with a few bird feeders (which is certain to please my wife) and work towards a few luthery (instrument) projects I've been reading about for a few years.

The current owner of the house has truly the biggest (machinists) vise I have ever seen, bolted to a workbench (maybe it's for working on his RV?). I just hope that he leaves the bench!

Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

Along that stretch of 24, my guess is that I have a relative living in about every 10th house, most of whom I've never met.

Get some desiccant packs and you are good to go.

Have fun.

Lew

[Leon]

You can do much better,

2. Same question as above, but for drill press.

You need to decide what you will do with a drill press before deciding on a particular type.

I live in Houston and it has very humid climate along with salt in the air when we get a southerly breeze. I have no real problem with rust at all. The rust potential will be more of a problem if you work in an air conditioned shop and let the shop warm up with humid air at night. Condensation on cool surfaces will cause rust. As long as your equipment does not experience sudden temperature changes it should do fine.

Exposed iron surfaces can be protected with TopCote.

[Max]

"Bill" wrote

Here is a stout little drill that I bought a few years ago to replace a DeWalt that had been worked to death.

Lowes and very reasonably priced.

Max

[C & S]

...Snipped.

The 0234-6 is too much drill.

I have 3 main (hand) drills and the 0234-6 is one of them. The reason why I bought this drill is for the 1/2" chuck, low RPM and high torque. The same reasons that make it a poor choice as all-around household drill. You want something with less weight and higher RPM. And BTW you don't have to pay north of C-note to get a decent all-purpose corded drill. $50-$75 will get you a 3/8" keyless chucked drill from a quality manufacturer.

The day may come that you need that big boy, save your pennies until then.

If you have a good cordless drill (which, by your description of it's power, you do not) you will reach for it 90% of the time.

Happy drill buying

-Steve

[krw]

I agree. However, he has a point about batteries. They are outlandishly expensive. That said, I currently have seven cordless drills (a couple because a new drill is often cheaper than a new set of batteries). My only corded drill is a Bosch hammer-drill I bought specifically for drilling into concrete walls and mixing thinset.

A trip to the toy store is always fun.

[J. Clarke]

In answer to your question, no, it's not a good household drill due to the low RPM--it's fine for drilling steel with big twist drills but you're not going to be doing that very often if at all. The 5378-20 (or the equivalent from one of the other vendors) would be a far better bet for a general purpose household drill due to the dual speed range and the ability to easily sink a hole in concrete.

In all honesty, though, a good cordless would be a better bet. My 18v dewalt has over the past 15 years or so drilled everything I've thrown at it, and the newer ones have features that make me wish it would die and give me an excuse to upgrade. Yeah, eventually the batteries go but it's a small price to pay for the convenience. I finally gave away my corded Milwaukee because it never got used anymore and I hated to see a good tool gathering dust.

[David G. Nagel]

Lew

Where along US24? I used to live in Wabash from '58 to '83.

Dave Nagel

[Robatoy]

Sorry, a bit late to the party, but that is waaay too much drill. Great to have around for them large hole-saw jobs or that shoulder dislocation that seems to be so popular these days. I have a 5370 5.5 amp, and I think it might have the same motor although that model has a 2-speed gearbox and hammer function. I love my little Makita 9/16" chuck 1501 HP. I use it all the time when there is an outlet nearby.

[notbob]

I'll answer with four craftsman stories.

1. I worked at the Museum of Erotic Art in SF back in early 70s. The in house carpentry shop was outfitted with all new Craftsman tools. Table saws, band saws, planers, etc. Within 5-6 weeks the carpenters (not me) were complaining and bearings were being replaced.
2. When I worked as a motorcycle mechanic, had some Craftsman hand tools. Two open end wrenches broke. "Sears will replace them for free", you say. I lived 100 miles from nearest Sears.
3. I bought a brand new Craftsman electric weed cutter. The design was such that the cutter line would eventually destroy the blade holder that trimmed the line, which it did in short order.
4. Had a friend who bought a Sears floor stand drill press (1/2"). Pure junk! Bearings were shot within a year and the quill was rough and jerky.

Craftsman does make some good tools. Screw/nut drivers come to mind. Their deep sockets are unbeatable for the price (on sale) and if you're not using them at home. I'll testify before gawd their older roll away tool boxes are indestructable. But, on the whole, most of their stuff is a crap shoot and if you have the money, spend it on something better. If you're working to make a living, avoid it like the plague.

my 2¢... nb