Thread: Cordless Drill Advice

You can get heaps for under $300. Bunny's has 18V Li-Ion Bosch that I bought for $249 - but it fails your fast charge test, but they also have Bosch Blue 14.4V NiCad(or are they NiMh??) for $199 - in retrospect this may have been just as good for me - in fact maybe better, and it comes with a 13mm, not a 10mm chuck. Also seen a lot of the trade tool places knocking out NiCad Hitachi's, Metabo, and similar brands, within your budget.

I don't know why I keep looking but I do

Only caveat is, I doubt you'll get a keyed chuck, unless you buy one separate and fit it yourself.

Originally Posted by q9

Only caveat is, I doubt you'll get a keyed chuck, unless you buy one separate and fit it yourself.

Must say after worrying about not getting a keyed chuck a few years back I've found that I've never needed one really. Preference is keyless these days. IMHO keyed chucks are needed for very unique situations and a keyless is more handy for 99% of things you'll be using the cordless for. With a corded tool I'd still like keyed chuck though as you are getting into the gruntier stuff which when it comes into it's own.

Originally Posted by q9

You can get heaps for under $300. Bunny's has 18V Li-Ion Bosch that I bought for $249.

Hmm, my bunnings had no Li-Ion cordless drills. Might have to try another store and hope for a better range perhaps. They did have a GSR14V Bosch for $199 with two batteries, charger and case which I guess was alright value but it wasn't Li-Ion. Thinking hard however about importing tools from the US and just buying a sheap stepdown transformer to charge and in the process get a better spec'd drill for the same money. Prices in Oz are a bit ridiculous.

Hi hootsman

I was like you Have a Real Drill 1/2inch 700watt, but wanted a battery drill
started with a makita 7.2volt ( yes it was a while ago ) found it very handy... Then started use one a work..... that was it a wanted one....
panasonic 15.6 volt 1/2 best thing I ever bought I couldn't live without it
on the second set of batteries now, but it was dear $400+....

So my advice ( grain of salt ) is get a good battery drill, it will becoming your favorite toy, well for any handyman, the good old plug in will only come out for special jobs

Cheers Don

My advice: get at least 2. One for pilots and one for screwing. Even with a keyless chuck you'll find having at least 2 machines extremely handy.

I recently worked with a guy who had a top-end cheapy on site. Thought it was going to be absolute crap but it did the job well. Two batteries and a 1 hour charger. I'm guessing there must be similar machines on the Aussi market around the 150 mark?

When I'm knocking up furniture, I have at least 4 battery drills on the go. But picking up 2nd hand Metabo BEAT 12 volters is a lot easier over here... And the ICS 10 minute chargers as well... Okay, so this doesn't help you much... But believe me when I say to get 2.

Damien

Originally Posted by damienhazo

My advice: get at least 2. One for pilots and one for screwing. Even with a keyless chuck you'll find having at least 2 machines extremely handy.

I recently worked with a guy who had a top-end cheapy on site. Thought it was going to be absolute crap but it did the job well. Two batteries and a 1 hour charger. I'm guessing there must be similar machines on the Aussi market around the 150 mark?

When I'm knocking up furniture, I have at least 4 battery drills on the go. But picking up 2nd hand Metabo BEAT 12 volters is a lot easier over here... And the ICS 10 minute chargers as well... Okay, so this doesn't help you much... But believe me when I say to get 2.

Damien

I acquired 3 cordless and 3 corded drills. Like Damien says, more is good. Mostly they are Makitas with one heavy duty corded Hitachi screwdriver/drill that was made before batteries were invented.

Originally Posted by montiee

They did have a GSR14V Bosch for $199 with two batteries, charger and case which I guess was alright value but it wasn't Li-Ion.

I think that may be the one I was thinking of. They also have 14.4V Bosch Green NiCads (with 2 batteries) for around $98.

In retrospect, I don't know how important being Li-Ion is, or should be. My old Bosch Green 12V is still going. Maybe not as good as it used to be, but it still works well enough to be very handy (yes, I'm another that thinks having 2 cordless drills is great!).

I've had mine at least 5 years...sad part is a new battery is $70 odd dollars! See the price of the new 14.4V above...bargain I reckon!

I agree that the 14.4V is an ideal alround drill becuase its not too heavy if you have to use it overhead. I like metabo but any reputable brand will do the tricK.

Why do you want a keyed chuck? Go keyless! make sure that the drill has an auto brake so you dont strain against the motor to tighten or loosen your bits.

I can't say enough good things about having a brake on a drill.

How about this one. Under $200 15 minute recharge time and my Bunnings tool expert that the get very few Ozito tools back compared to other brands.

http://www.ozito.com.au/productinfo....did=OZLICD108A

I have a 14.4V Fein, that I bought after feeling it. Until recently I had a 6227D 12V Makita, that was absolutley brilliant for light work like cabinetry and plaster screwing - it felt wonderful in the hand. When it died recently, I bought a new Makita 12V body unseen on ebay and am disappointed with it because it's heavy (US made and metal gears) and is a bit fatter in the hand. My advice is to go to a good tool store and see what feels good. The 14.4v Fein has enough torque for everything I've come across in trade use so I don't believe you need anything bigger for home use.

Cheers
Michael

I have a 7.2 volt Makita which I bought about 10 years ago and can't kill it with a brick, it seems to shrug off being left on charge for days on end - when I forget to turn it off! It's covered in epoxy from boat building but keeps going. The other cordless is a 14v Metabo with 2 batteries that I picked up at half price when the local Bunnies was getting rid of anything with a reasonable reputation to go with their policy of 'lowest common denominator and chuck it away when it falls in a heap'. Metabo really know how to extract torque from so few volts. Oh, and it's keyless too.
Cheers
Graeme

Thanks for advice,

I've just got back form a week away camping and am off to the tool shop with Santa (My Missus) tomorrow. I'll update what I get

cheers all

I'm late to the party but I bought a 14.4 makita at B a few months ago that has been brilliant. Light, battery lasts a while, and it comes with two for $200.

GMC are better than they sound,

PS I have a bosch 18 volt- $120 does very well and has light hammer function

And a black and decker Firestorm $99- this one has a removable chuck with a hex bit socket underneath- you drill your pilot hole then take the chuck off ( push button and pull off) and have a screw bit waiting to work.

I have been abusing the b-jebuz out of both for more than two years now.

Tool shop was shut yesterday so went round bunnies, They had a 14v Bosch blue for sale at 199 which looked ok. GSR14 I think? Gonna wait for Jan sales then see what pops up