A few months back I needed to upgrade my cordless drill situation in the shop. I had a cheap Ryobi 14.4 that just would not die. Batteries were pricey for the 14 as the 18v young turks took the field. Poor guy we’d grown to like each other but the battery cost was making me look for a … replacement.
I had some bad luck with my green Makita stuff and drifted away from the old standby. Along came the Makita black and white stuff: 18volts and super light. Man I can not say enough positive things about the tool. I bought the drill and driver set with a flashlight for 230. I wondered about getting the big battery(3.0) but looking back that was not necessary. I got the 1.5 battery that charges up in 12 minutes. HDep mismarked the battery pack for 2(1.5v) and priced them at 33.00 for the pair. Wow. For anyone out their that has to get in a tight spot or they like a light weight cordless drill- this is a great choice.
After using my son’s 18v DeWalt, I will never get another lead weight for the shop again. I have to lock my Makita up at night to keep my wife from using it .. she loves it more than she loves me. Well maybe not that much??
I know I sound like a Makita salesman but- take a look at these drills and the drivers. They are a joy to use and they feel good. Enough. I’m so fired up I might take a picture of that little beast… Naw I have to take the trash out.
dan
Replies
Dan,
I haven't yet heard anything negative about those black and white Makitas. Festool has a new lithium ion drill out which I had a chance to try at a recent wood show and the torque it has is amazing. And this drill was only a 12V drill.
By the way, when you said, "HDep mismarked the battery pack for 2(1.5v)", I presume that should have been 1.5 Amps (or is is amp/hours?)
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
and now www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I bought the black & white Makita to replace two 12v DeWalt cordless drills. I have not had any issues with the Makita other than I feel it doesn't have as much range at the lower end of the variable speeds as the DeWalt. Also, it doesn't have a place to clip the screw driver bit when not in use :-)
the jist wasn't amps or volts. the pack sells for 88-90 dollars as a rule so the price was good.
We've been using them for two years now I think and they are outstanding. We use them every day for everything from Hole-saw and lag driving to cabinetry. Very pleased
Best,
John
Edited 5/27/2009 5:59 pm ET by Jmartinsky
Edited 5/27/2009 6:00 pm ET by Jmartinsky
At the risk of being run out of town for saying something good about Ryobi...............
A few months ago, I got a Ryobi 4v Li-Ion cordless, and it's become one of the handiest tools in the shop. It won't replace any of my full sized cordless drills, but it's great for installing drawer glides, door knobs, drawer pulls, hinges, etc.
Great battery life, too. It gets used almost every day and I've only had to recharge it 3-4 times since I got it.
On the Ryobi note...I bought an 18V Impact driver last year for $50, figured I'd give it a try. I'm suitably impressed. I ended up buying another two, one for my father and one for my father in law...
My kids bought me the Ryobi 18v combo set for Xmas, '07 and it's been just fine except for the drill chuck. The braking action causes the chuck to loosen and the bit can fall out after 3-4 uses. A minor annoyance most of the time, but a real PITA if I'm on a ladder. I would love to figure out a way to adjust it or shut it off.
I bought the same set. I went to TX to screen in my DD's porch and got a set for her as well. I especially like the light weight and the quick charge. The light is surprisingly useful as well.
I think the weight and the small size make it very useful for shop use
I'm with you, Dan, we bought the drill-driver/impact driver set last year, built our deck with them and they are fantastic! Whoever invented the impact driver should be enshrined wherever they honor geniuses of the tool world.
Whoever invented the impact driver should be enshrined wherever they honor geniuses of the tool world.
You should start an nline petition!
I picked up a Makita 10.8 Li-ion Drill and Impact driver set (for $125 CDN!) from the Borg after my Dewalt 12V packed it in. There are a great size for woodworking and other light duty home tasks. It's nice to have the pair going, one for screws and one for drilling. The only issue with this particular set is that the drill uses hex connectors so I need 'special' bits. It came with a large collection of bits, so I'm probably good for a few years.
I'll have to take a look at the 10.8V system, is it smaller than the 18V? (which is pretty dang small). The 18V gives big power in a small package.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I have a pair of the 10.8 LIon from Bosch.......factory recons for $60 each & each w/case and spare battery and full manufacturers's warranty.
Got them through Amazon about 1 1/2 years ago. They work great and I grab one of these now for most jobs because they are so compact and easy to use. Will fit into a large pocket, no porblem. Each also has an LED for those dark spots.
Batts are quick charging, too.
I've had a 14.4 set for what seems forever, also Bosch. It won't die. (Probably just jinxed it, huh?)
I still keep and use a good 1/2" corded Milwaukee & DeWalt for heavier stuff, too.
They're like routers and good screwdrivers, never have enough.
I'm not flippin' you off.........just counting cubits
"Each also has an LED for those dark spots." It's surprising how helpful that little LED is, eh?
"They're like routers and good screwdrivers, never have enough." You're probably right. Might add the 10.8 to my Craig's List list. Have to disagree about screwdrivers, though, I find it easy to have toooooo many of them (and not the one that needed now, LOL!)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
http://www.tylertool.com/makita258.html
Anyone interested in a good sale on a drill, driver, flashlight and charger look at the above. I included a photo of the stuff if you're interested. It was 230 and now 249. Still quite a bargain. I don't think you need the big batteries. It seems the smaller 18v bats will keep it going strong. It only takes 12 minutes to recharge one battery and I can not run one down in 12 minutes.
Edited 5/28/2009 7:16 pm ET by danmart
Another good place to check (but I have not compared to Tyler prices) is CPO Makita. They sell refurbished, and the set we bought was nearly mint, came in a spiffy-clean cloth carrying case with plenty of room for bit-cases, plus new owner's manuals.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Danmart,
Thanks for posting this discussion. It's been very helpful.
This thing weighs 3.5 pounds! From what I've been seeing, that's really good for an 18-volt drill.
I was looking at 14.4's, thinking they were going to be lighter. Most of them are well into the four pound range.
(Just how does a volt weigh, anyway? Tee-hee.)
--Jonnieboy
Real men don't use cordless drills. They get a corded Sioux.
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