Thread: Best Drill/Driver for Joinery/Cabinetmaking

Thanks for so many responses guys, really great to have such help aboard.
Ive opted for the bosch GSR professional series.

The two drills are just fantastic, the drill has so much power, it is truly unbelievable that a drill of that size can tear through anything, alsmost as if it is a hammer drill. :P

The driver is fantastic to, not as much sting, but definately does the job for screwing as it is a touch lighter again and even more compact!

This was the exact deal I purchased:

Powertool World - Bosch 10.8V 3Pcs Combo Kit With Bonus Accessory Kit

You'll notice the price is $429.00 AUD.
But I got it for $345.00 from Bunnings, South Australia.

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Overall thanks guys for all your input, but im still thinking of a third drill, one of which has extreme power... how about this new Hitachi:

Hitachi Power Tools Australia

Sort of a cordless hammer drill for butting up the cabinets/cupboards to the walls.

Let me know.

Also, anyone know of a good place in SA which sells drill bits (preferably hex shank). Something in a nice case, of sizes like 1mm to about 15mm diameter.

Originally Posted by bhos0344

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Overall thanks guys for all your input, but im still thinking of a third drill, one of which has extreme power... how about this new Hitachi:

Hitachi Power Tools Australia

Sort of a cordless hammer drill for butting up the cabinets/cupboards to the walls.

Let me know.

Also, anyone know of a good place in SA which sells drill bits (preferably hex shank). Something in a nice case, of sizes like 1mm to about 15mm diameter.

Seems like a waste... if you need something with hammer, get a small rotary hammer drill. That will do brick and typical holes in concrete just fine so should do all that you're after.

I'd say look at corded percussion or rotary hammer drills (defnitely rotary if you'll drill concrete) in the $200 and up price range.

The hammer on cordless drills really doesn't cut it with concrete, fine for small holes in internal brick and okay for harder bricks.

As an example, I'm a security tech, install work is similar to a sparky.

At the moment I have a Metabo LTX SB 18v, which does drilling, driving and light hammer duties.

For me at least I quite often will be using it on a roof or up a ladder or whatever so there is little benefit to having a dedicated driver... that hassle of swapping bits isn't so bad as the hassle of lugging around a second tool.

I've got a cheap percussion hammer corded Dewalt... but that was more of a fill in while I had a cheapie cordless.

Really looking at a Ramset combi-hammer, a cordless would be great but that would really stretch the budget.

Basically I think that would be my ideal setup would be:

Cordless drill/driver for all drilling and driving, light masonry work.

Decent percussion hammer, for light/medium masonry work and some drilling if need be. I find rotary hammers too powerful on internal brick walls... for me at least anyway.

Then a largish combi-hammer for concrete drilling and any small chiseling jobs etc.

Depends on your state as well... something like 90% of WA houses are brick and most commercial sites I go to are concrete.

That's just to give you an idea... you really need to think what you need for your trade and what you'll actually use.

For mine 10.8V tools are toys for trade use. Theyll be lucky to last 18 months imho

best driver on the market is the hilti 14.4 volt impact driver.

best drill on the market would be the festool t15.

dont expect much change from $2000 after buying these both!

justin.

Over Easter I was asked to fix quite a few panels of perspex to to some doors and windows, in total about 120 8g 15mm screws. Very little effort in screwing and very easy to strip. I had a choice of power tools to do this with but ended up choosing a very cheap battery drill with a clutch turned all the way down to 3. I rarely come across such delicate work.

What drivers do you guys use when you want to screw and set high numbers of small screws without stripping?

My 2 bob:
I went with the Panasonic 14.4, admittedly a few years ago now when the Li tech was brand new. I do a lot of fitting out and the small size helps for getting into smaller spaces while it's still got stacks of torque (44nm on the higest setting from memory). The best bit is the battery last longer than anything else I've used and 3 years on they are showing no signs of wear or slowing down.

Massive advantage is the 13mm chuck that comes fitted from the factory, a big plus for versatility.

While it's not the biggest on the market, I really like the clutch but more importantly the progressive trigger is the biggest help for starting tricky screws that still will require force once you've started them.

I'll be interested to see how the makita holds up in the long run.

Originally Posted by dakotax3

What drivers do you guys use when you want to screw and set high numbers of small screws without stripping?

Not a metabo.

I've twisted the head off a 12g tek on 3/7, it seized as I was undoing it.

Not sure what the higher settings are for... shearing large bolts ?

With sheet metal or wood even on the very lowest setting you go by feel, not the clutch as it will never kick in as you've already stripped or bored out what you're working on.

Awesome drill but it's greatest downfall. All they needed was more torque settings or possibly tone it down and have an 'insane' button for that extra large serving of torque.

Originally Posted by Oblong

I do a lot of fitting out and the small size helps for getting into smaller spaces while it's still got stacks of torque (44nm on the higest setting from memory).

Dont' make me laugh... that hardly compares to my 100nM of fastener twisting carnage.

For general purpose and without going to ridiculous money (they are still expensive) the Panasonic 14.4V Li-ion combo is the way to go.

My builder son had the drill and drill driver and I was so impressed I got the later version for myself. Very light weight, powerful and a 3.5amp/hour battery. They are little jewels. My son maintains the drill driver will put a 100mm batten screw into hardwood without pre-drilling. I have not tried it myself or seen him do it, but have no reason to doubt.

The only other make that seems to rival this performance is the Hitachi equivalent, but I have not had the opportunity to try them other than pick them up in the shop. They feel right and the spec is close to the Panasonic, but that is hardly an objective review.

Regards
Paul

Why no one mention DeWalt 18v coreless set? Is that because it is too expensive or it's not best money in value? I am very attempted to buy from this website which is in USA(Factory Authorized Outlet - DeWalt Tools & Accessories.). It's a huge saving in terms of discount rate and exchange rate (1.1 against $US)! However, I will buy 18v battery deal on ebay because is cheaper and it's 240v battery charger.

If you have the money the best battery drills i have ever used are Hilti. We have just replaced our battery drills after 12yrs and they are used every day they have had no mercy spared including tapping m12 holes in steel running gun taps.
They are not cheap but we have never replaced batteries or chargers or anything for that matter. The build quality has no peers and that includes Festo.
I think they have a 2 yr total replacement warranty as well.
But the downside is they are around the $730 bracket for there 14Vlt. But if u see the drill you will see the reason why. Very small very compact well balanced and great build quality.
Admittedly i bought 2 of these for work.....Would i buy them for myself as a backyarder i think not.

My Hilti rep came in yesterday trying to flog the 14.4v drill & impact driver. Nice bit of kit, compact ,light and feels like it's got a bit of grunt.
$499 for the drill only, with two 1.3A/H batteries, or $950 for the drill and impact driver with two 2.6A/H batteries. Although depending on how much fixings you buy, the price can drop a fair bit. As sinjin said, 2 year warranty and Hilti's warranties are pretty much argument free.

Would I buy it? Probably not. For a small compact drill and driver I'd go for the 14.4v Panasonic, $700ish for both with three 3A/H batteries. I went the 18v Makita as their pretty good value for money, but mainly the wide range of skins available. Something like 35 different tools now.

Originally Posted by Kyle

Would I buy it? Probably not. For a small compact drill and driver I'd go for the 14.4v Panasonic, $700ish for both with three 3A/H batteries.

Kyle

The original combo, which my son has had 3a/h batteries. The combo I bought a year later had been uprated to 3.5a/h. They are brilliant. The $700 price tag for drill, driver and three batteries is worth every cent.

Regards
Paul

I like the Makita 18v range myself. I screw hex heads into steel all day with my impact driver and it hasnt missed a beat in 3 years. I have another for screwing in drill point screws. I brought a cordless pack from a hardware store in Aust. and then brought extra batteries and skins from America for half the price. I can get a new skin from Hardwaresales.com for about $90 delivered and used to be able to get 2 new 3.0 batteries for about $170 but they dont sell them now by the looks...

Agree with the Panasonic 14.4 drill and driver. Bought the pair when I first saw them about 3-4 years ago and still going strong, still using the same batteries it came with, the 3Ah but they are offering the 3.3Ah now. I believe it was voted the top drill and driver in the States, in a woodworking show some years back.

Build a deck, a few garden shed bases and pergolas, numerous household cabinets and shelving, odd jobs around the house, a favourite borrowed item by close mates, the in-laws and family members, etc....., AND it still going strong!

Definite one of my best buy and most used in my tool shed.

PS, you can use the batteries and charger for the 14.4v portable circular saw and jigsaw too...very handy!

Woodin.............