Best compact drill driver...

[Jeff Scott]

My landlord has one of these and loves it.

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I want to do more with it other than drive screws. I'd also like it to be my everyday use drill so I don't have to haul the big Dewalt out for smaller jobs.

...What are sinking the screws into?
An impact driver would usually be the best tool for most jobs that involve lots of screws....

The impending job is to place seven acrylic sheets that are 33"x55" and 35"x55" onto windows to replace the typical 4mil plastic sheets that are taped around windows using shipping tape to hold it down. Each acrylic sheet will be screwed down with 28 screws around the perimeter of each panel with rubber weather seal just inside the perimeter of screws. This should provide a good long term way of sealing these windows against drafts in the winter time. The room is used strictly for storage so no need to be able to open and close the seven double hung windows which are actually nailed shut so they can not be operated, anyway.

My arms will get really sore using the Dewalt DW235G that I have as the balance is way forward placing undue stress on my wrists. These compact drill drivers seem to be well balanced with the handle grip placed under the middle of the motor housing for better balance.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Couldn't post earlier because I was at home but this is what I have on my bench.

Black & Decker Pivot Driver

This model I have is about 10 years old or older and holds a charge just fine and works like it did the day I took it out of the box. Three positions, comes with a charger.

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It's about 9 inches long without the bit.

The new version has a light on it.
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I have an older Craftsman version of this driver that never seemed to hold a charge for too long, but I will see how it does. I don't think the battery charge will last too long on it and it does not have replaceable batteries so I'd have to wait for the built-in battery to charge up before continuing to work. In general, the Craftsman tool wimps out to early. Good thing it was a X-Mas gift many years ago.

 

[lowplaces]

Here's a review of some compact ones.

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[Dave W]

I want to do more with it other than drive screws. I'd also like it to be my everyday use drill so I don't have to haul the big Dewalt out for smaller jobs.

The impending job is to place seven acrylic sheets that are 33"x55" and 35"x55" onto windows to replace the typical 4mil plastic sheets that are taped around windows using shipping tape to hold it down. Each acrylic sheet will be screwed down with 28 screws around the perimeter of each panel with rubber weather seal just inside the perimeter of screws. This should provide a good long term way of sealing these windows against drafts in the winter time. The room is used strictly for storage so no need to be able to open and close the seven double hung windows which are actually nailed shut so they can not be operated, anyway.

The sheets are being screwed directly into wood (casing/trim) around the windows?

I'd prefer an impact driver for that job but the Milwaukee M12 Fuel drill would be up the task too. That would serve you well for pretty much anything a typical homeowner would be tacking short of boring large holes through a lot of wood.

The M18 Fuel would be more capable, but larger and heavier overall.

I've used both extensively as a low voltage cabling contractor, and I'd reach for the M12 the majority of the time.

 

[Jeff Scott]

The sheets are being screwed directly into wood (casing/trim) around the windows?

Yes. The whole interior of the den really needs to be gutted and redone - new windows, trim, walls, floor, ceiling, you get the idea. Due to this it is only used as a storage area. So, it doesn't matter that there are 196 screw holes to add to all the other ones already there, in addition to some other atrocities. The screws I'm using are pretty small, either #4 or #6, but a lot of them per sheet to keep it tight against the weather seal.

Some day we may ($$$ depending and available) we will do the gut renovation to it. Add insulation and more electrical, new floor, five or seven (my preference is for the latter) new casement windows to replace the rotting out five double hungs. All the wall and ceiling cladding will be wood, probably maple or cedar. Run HVAC in there (there is none, currently), new floor, most likely, linoleum.

 

[sissy kathy]

Yes. The whole interior of the den really needs to be gutted and redone - new windows, trim, walls, floor, ceiling, you get the idea. Due to this it is only used as a storage area. So, it doesn't matter that there are 196 screw holes to add to all the other ones already there, in addition to some other atrocities. The screws I'm using are pretty small, either #4 or #6, but a lot of them per sheet to keep it tight against the weather seal.

Some day we may ($$$ depending and available) we will do the gut renovation to it. Add insulation and more electrical, new floor, five or seven (my preference is for the latter) new casement windows to replace the rotting out five double hungs. All the wall and ceiling cladding will be wood, probably maple or cedar. Run HVAC in there (there is not, now), new floor, most likely, linoleum.

That can be done in stages. Each stage except for the windows is farily inexpensive.

 

[mellowinman]

The Remulex 65731925XXXB126437C is formulated from lightweight Cyallica and weighs in at under .00007 grams soaking wet. It has a torque of 75,000 foot pounds and drives a screw so quickly you have to be very careful not to turn back time. The Remulex 65731925XXXB126437C is constructed by flies in a factory in Oswamia, who can turn out 5,000,000 of them every 3 seconds. The Remulex 65731925XXXB126437C is so cheap that once you buy it, it will pay off your home in sixteen hours, and create a wall of apathy that prevents visitors from baking pies.

The Remulex 65731925XXXB126437C. It's not just a compact drill driver, it's your friend, your dog, your child and your preacher, all in the same durable package.

The Remulex 65731925XXXB126437C will not just make your life better. It will make you experience total consciousness, and the entire Universe will unfold before you.

Get yours today!

 

[sissy kathy]

^^NO PIES? That's no good.^^

 

[T_Bone_TL]

No Pies is a definite deal breaker, but I don't trust a spec sheet that gives weight in grams and torque in foot-pounds. I think it's a hoax that also interferes with your pie intake.

 

[Jeff Scott]

No Pies is a definite deal breaker, but I don't trust a spec sheet that gives weight in grams and torque in foot-pounds. I think it's a hoax that also interferes with your pie intake.

What if the pie has a, um, gram cracker crust?

 

[T_Bone_TL]

What if the pie has a, um, gram cracker crust?

Then we set a gram-mar enforcer to kick the "ah" or "ha" into it. One lousy gram of graham cracker crumbs does not make a crust for a pie bigger than the tip of your pinkie finger, and that would clearly be a tartlet, not a pie.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Long ago I standardized all my power tools on DeWalt. I don't even shop other brands.
The reasons for that decision are the great quality, the great customer service as @MattZilla mentioned, and I like the consistency of the same brand/logo/colors in my tool collection (that may be some borderline OCD behavior on my part).
I know many guys who are loyal to Makita. Milwaukee too.The contractor and his crew have tools by all three companies. I found the Dewalt cordless table saw interesting but the carpenter was overly fond of it; he has it, primarily, for its cordless-ness. He usually uses the corded one as we have AC convenient wherever it's needed. Even throughout the gut renos the electrician always made AC available.

-Mike

Then we set a gram-mar enforcer to kick the "ah" or "ha" into it. One lousy gram of graham cracker crumbs does not make a crust for a pie bigger than the tip of your pinkie finger, and that would clearly be a tartlet, not a pie.

Can you post some photos of tartlets, please?

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Certainly:

 

[Jeff Scott]

Hmm, time for dessert!

 

[rtslinger]

If you go off of your choice I suggest Bosch 12-Volt Max FlexiClick 5-in-1 Drill/Driver System.

 

[Ironbar]

I work for a large lumber company, and we sell the heck out of the Makita 18v XPH12Z. Still need a battery with it though.

 

[MD]

My cordless drills over the years, on both residential/commercial construction sites have all been DeWalts. The only thing that has ever died on these tools were the old NiCad batteries. I upgraded a while ago to the Lithium Ion powered drills.
And, since the old tools still run strong, I fashioned an adapter to mate the LiIon battery to the 14.4 NiCad platform - DeWalt makes the adapter for their 18v line.

 

[Ben B]

Long ago I standardized all my power tools on DeWalt. I don't even shop other brands. The reasons for that decision are the great quality, the great customer service

Me too. After having a few B&D and Skil power tools in my teens, the first couple of premium tools I bought were Dewalt. They performed well so I never really investigated other brands. I know people that use Bosch and Makita and I haven't heard complaints. I'm sure they are great tools as well.

If I wanted a tool that I know I was only going to use a couple times a year, I would probably go with Ridgid and save a few bucks. Ridgid products seem to be built well, but I like my Dewalt tools a little better--this may be my personal bias, and not fact based. I'm not sure how readily available repair parts are for Ridgid.

 

[Jeff Scott]

If you go off of your choice I suggest Bosch 12-Volt Max FlexiClick 5-in-1 Drill/Driver System.
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I have read/watched a couple of good reviews on Bosch, and in general, Bosch makes good products (friends of mine have a kitchen full of Bosch appliances).

Yesterday afternoon I bought a Ridgid R82005K, but upon reading the "requirements" for their Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA) I returned it this afternoon and bought a Milwaukee M12 model 2504-22. I did like the way the Ridgid could be finessed at slow speeds, but the LSA thing put me off, not to mention that the Ridgid corporate color matches that of Home Depot (HD) a bit too much. Also, it seems a bit too coincidental that the only place on the Where To Buy link at the Ridgid website was Home Depot. I checked as far out as a 200 mile radius; nada, except HD.

I called Ridgid this morning to ask about the LSA and about dealers. The robot on the other end of the phone line (at least, she talked like one with the very limited corporate-speak she was allowed to say, apparently, with absolute no inflection in her voice, nor any friendliness!). I've read lots of complaints about the LSA; she said none of it was true. Hmm........... As to the dealer thing, she said that HD has an exclusive agreement with Ridgid. Hmm......... I think it is the other way around, personally. Ridgid's robot-like customer service cemented my resolve to return the R82005K.

The Milwaukee I got may be a bit more than I really need (I don't, for now anyway, need the hammer capability), but I like the higher capacity batteries it came with, along with the nice hard case vs. the cheap, flimsy, soft bag that came with the Ridgid. There is a very nice range of batteries and chargers available for the M12 system, compared to the very limited range for the 12V Ridgid products. In fact, the Ridgid website does not even show the charger that comes with the R82005K on the page for batteries & chargers. The only chargers shown are 18V models, nothing for their 12V system!

I did consider the Makita and Dewalt; I found I liked the Milwaukee drill driver more than the former, overall, for a variety of (small) reasons, and the (only) Dewalt 12V model they make was not stocked at either of the HDs I went to (I wanted to buy in store, not on-line), only their 20V models were available, so I couldn't check it out.

 

[fhm555]

I used to work in a high volume new boat dealership. We sold a lot of new boats, enough we had three full time assembly/rigging stations and each station was equipped with three Mikita rechargable drills set up to drill, countersink and run the screws for windshields and other assorted items. Short form, they got used, a lot, and knocked off decks onto concrete floors and all manner of abuse. We used them enough to replace the batteries twice in one busy season and the drills just worked. Every electric hand tool i’ve bought after that has been a Mikita and so far so good.