Ok... Its tool time folks... Just a few random thought on the cordless variety...
Cordless tools pay a key roll in theatre production... We don't really have any kind of assembly lines that we could have tools on constant tethers like cords, or pneumatic lines... Sure, we use lots of pneumatic nailers and staplers as well as corded tools, but the single most common tool in use by most theatre carpenters, is the cordless drill... Why not use a corded version?... Well cordless is more portable, and frankly, everything in a theatre tech's life is portible... That's just what we do... So that means that we need a good, highly reliable cordless drill... In the last few years, tool manufacturers have introduced a cordless version of almost everything, so you want to consider what else you may want to be cordless when you consider you choice of drill... From personal experience, I have found that the drill and circular saw are the most frequently used cordless tools...
Back in 1993, when I bought my first cordless drill, one brand really rulled to world of cordless tools... Makita... They had been making their drills for years, and they were the staple in virtually every shop I came across... (I was in college then, so I tried to get around to see different shops for a variety of resons) They were simple, rugged, and reliable... So naturally when I went shopping, I looked at the other brands, but I was alread leaning heavily toward a Makita... In the end, I didn't go with Makita's tried and true design, but went for their brand new style... It was a mid grip (tee shape) that has become pretty much the norm these days... It ran with 12v battery rather than their standard 9.6v, and it could stand up on its battery. (that seems like a silly point, but its actually quite convienient if it stands up) Well my choice was both good and bad... The style I had picked was the single most comfortable design out there then... The gun had an outrageous amount of speed and torque... The batteries seemed to hold a charge quite well... The problem came after a year of use when I burned out the motor... It was so expensive to replace the motor, that I simply bought another gun thinking I must have just gotten a bad unit... One year later, I did that one in too... So needless to say, I was pissed and swore off the Makita guns after that... On to chapter two of the quest for the holey grail of cordless tools...
Looking around after Makita #2 burned up, I started seeing Dewalt tools becoming popular... There was only one of them out at college then, but it too was a mid grip, and stood up (something I had learned to love, and still hadn't cought on fully). So biteing the bullet, I went out, and bought one after playing with the one in the shop for a few days... The gun I got was a 14.4v Dewalt, with a 3/8" cordless chuck... (a step down from my Makita's 1/2" chuck, which I soon learned was a mistake) This was now 1995... It is now 2003... I still have that drill... The only thing I have ever had an issue with was that I cracked the plastic case in 1999... I sent it off, and they slapped a new case on it, and its back... The 3/8" chuck is a bit annoying honestly, so all my follow on drills have had the 1/2" variety... The thing is, the 14.4v units are simply the best value drills I can find... The batteries last for years (not on one charge... you do have to keep chargeing them, but batteries wear out after a while and will not accept a charge...) The cases are durable, the balance is good, and they have a very comfortable grip and easy operation for both left and right handed people... Speed is good, torque is good, weight is good... These drills now form the core of my cordless drill selection, taking up 4 of 6 slots...
The other slots are an 18v Dewalt hammer-drill, and a 9.6v Makita right angle drill. (for those annoying close quarters drilling issues) I wouldn't recomend the 18v series from Dewalt... I bought mine as a kit to get a saw-z-all... The 18v gear is nice if you need the added power, but it comes at a cost... they are more pricey, much heavier, and honestly, I've managed to destroy the battery packs pretty much once a year... At $90 per battery, you'd like them to last for a few years... The drill itself is pretty much the same as the 14.4v model in my case, so the gun will certianlly hold up... They have changed the cases in the last couple years, so I can't really speak to what they are today... They look ok, but without torture testing them, I wouldn't venture a guess...
Now, does that mean you should buy nothing bu Dewalt 14.4 volt drills?... Well I'm sure Dewalt would be ok with that... But you need to consider your application... I use mine day in and day out in an industrial way... They get abused, dropped, and asked to drill holes that a corded drill should be used for... (think 4" hole saw at times) They mostly are use as screwguns, and literally drive hundreds of screws a day at times... That said, I have a couple women that work for me now and again, who don't like the Dewalts for one reason... The grip is pretty big... Personally I have big hands, but I understand their issue with something that doesn't fit well in you hand as I have issues with some of the thinner bodied tools... I've seen small handed folks go for mid-grip Makita's (they've gotten way better since I was burning them out) Panasonic (don't laugh, they make a kick ass drill) and lately either Porter Cable, or Milwalkee is making drills with different size grips (I can't recall which one right now). That's a great idea, but unfortunatly, I don't see it as something that will last, I can't see them being able to get places to stock one of each size... Also, you may want to consider what is around you already... If everyone already has Dewalts, then you can be pretty sure, they will hold up in your situation... Plus you can always borrow a battery from someone else if you forget to charge yours... On the other hand, some of my friends specifically buy something different so it is readily identifiable and less likely to grow feet and walk away...
Not thinking of going into the industrial use catagory?... I don't blame you... Need something that is going to get you through the life of a homeowner?... Well then, lets take a step back in price and somewhat in durability... Ryobi is hands down the winner in cordless tools in the next price group down... I see a few people use them in my environment, and they're holding up reasonably well... But they're around half the price or less at times... When I was in Mississippi, we were useing Skill Top-Gun model drills, and I have to say that they held up reasonably well, and were quite cheap... Honestly I don't know if they still make them... I'd have to take a look and see what the story is... I have never liked the Black and Decker line... They have always seemed cheap to me, with uncomfortable grips, and thin plastic bodies... Odd since B & D owns/makes Dewalt...
More next time... I'll go into some of the other non-drill options... After its all said and done, you should be able to consider well what brand/voltage you might want to consider... (hey, the holidays are coming up... Perhaps I'll make this a theme for a time to help people pick out something for their friend/family member that wants tools...)
As always, I'm open to questions, there aren't too many tools I can't discuss at length...
Posted by Backstage at November 17, 2003 06:35 PM