On Sat, Apr 9, 2016 at 11:02 AM, Bob Spidell <bspidell@comcast.net> wrote:
> Folks,
>
> I realize this is like bringing up 'best oil' or 'best tires' on a car list,
> but I'm in the market for a battery drill/driver/sander/etc. combo to
> replace my ancient--but still working--Makita 9V driver-drill. I want
> something with all the 'goodies;' I'll need the usual driver/drill, but also
> need a portable sander (belt and/or disc), and at least the option for more
> attachments.
>
> I know I probably can't lose with DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita or even
> Craftsman--hell, they might all come out of the same factory in China for
> all I know--but would like to see if there's a consensus on best overall.
> Is more voltage always better, or is 14.4V better for some reason than
> 19.2V, etc.?
Pick the one that comes in the color you like. I like red, so I have
Milwaukee[1]. Consider brushless for your most used tools, they're
lighter and more powerful, and the price differential is getting
smaller. Careful buying kits, and make sure you get the version of
the kit you want.[2] Some kits are good deals, some aren't.
Drill/driver + something kits tend to be good values, as they're sold
on the drug dealer 'first one is free' model. Others are more
expensive than buying the tool and batteries separately. And once
you've got a collection of batteries, you don't need one for every
tool.
Modern Li-ion batteries and tools are far superior to Ni-Cad or NiMH
batteries and tools. Li-ion batteries have lower self discharge, so
they stay charged better, and they have higher power densities, so the
batteries last longer. They also have much lower internal
resistance, so tools can take power out of them much faster. That
means the current crop of high-end 12V stuff is better than any 19.2
nicad tool, in nearly every respect: lighter, smaller, more powerful,
and usually cheaper. The 18V stuff is amazing; my m18 fuel drill
drills holes faster than my corded drill, which is a nice drill that
I've never thought underpowered or slow.
A note on voltages: the lithium cells used in the battery packs of
these tools have a nominal voltage of 4v, which is closer to 3.6 under
load. The 12V tools use 3 cells in series, the 18v tools use 5.
(Dewalt's 20V stuff is 18V, the 20 is just marketing to make it sound
better.) High capacity packs have two sets of cells in parallel.
Name brand batteries have a pretty good life, and seem to last two to
three years in professional use.
[1]The actual reason i have Milwaukee tools is that I used to work
with people who had them, and it meant I could borrow a tool I didn't
own, and use my batteries on it.
[2] I recently bought a drill/impact set. The version with the
previous generation tools was still widely available, as was the early
version of the kit I got, which came with lower capacity batteries.
Both were more expensive...
--
David Scheidt
dmscheidt@gmail.com
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