njc110381 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) I know we've got a few builders, fitters ect on the site so wanted to run a new drill purchase past you. I'm looking to buy a new cordless combi drill. Budget not too much of an issue, I want a good one, but I don't want to spend over the odds. I got an email the other day about an offer that's on at Toolstop. A DeWalt 18v li-ion with 2x 4ah batteries for £250... http://www.toolstop.co.uk/dewalt-dcz785m2x-18v-xr-li-ion-2-speed-combi-drill-2-x-4ah-batteries-with-free-p66885 Looks like a reasonable deal, would you agree? Anything else for around the same money that I should be considering? Most of my work is fencing and decking, so driving 2-3" screws and the odd 6" timberlock. Currently I've got an 18V Makita NiMh but the batteries are shot. It's time for a new one I think because a new pair of batteries cost a fair bit for decent ones. Edit... The other option is that as the drill is fine I could buy three of these.... http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-0Ah-Battery-Makita-193102-0-193061-8/dp/B003YV51CY At £40 each it would end up at half the price and the reviews seem to suggest that they are ok. Added bonus is that the chap I work with runs the same drill and we currently share batteries and chargers. Having a new Dewalt would mean we could no longer do that. Edited September 20, 2013 by njc110381 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Need advice on a new cordless drill. Like where to plug it in perhaps? :lol: I just spent a while trawling through web pages and that seems like a good price. Some are as high as £350. The De-Walt gear seems well built, I have been using one for 7 years now and it is still going as strong now as ever! I would definately have another when this one goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I have the dewalt stuff (li-ion) to replace the Ni-cad,i like it a lot.Do you really need the 4Ah?its extra weight every time you pick it up,i have seven 3ah batts and they drill,screw,cut and grind everything I do day in day out,It might not have the kudos of Makita but you wont be disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted September 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I've got a mix of Dewalt and Makita. Both seem very good. It's a tough decision... I love tool shopping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 If you can run to it.... Festo are amongst the very best See if Axminster Power tool centre have any offer on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted September 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) Never heard of them?! Oops!... Edit - 'Ow much?!!!! :o The higher amp battery is mainly down to the off grid sites we sometimes work on. Run time without a charge is more important than weight. Customers go out and leave us without power and going flat half way through the job is a problem sometimes. Edited September 20, 2013 by njc110381 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegleg31 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Panasonic the other makes don't compare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Never heard of them?! Oops!... Edit - 'Ow much?!!!! :o The higher amp battery is mainly down to the off grid sites we sometimes work on. Run time without a charge is more important than weight. Customers go out and leave us without power and going flat half way through the job is a problem sometimes. Festo will give amazing life and power out of lightweight units. They do cost loads but you really do get what you pay for . I've Dewalts, Makitas and Bosch pros .... they are OK and will work for most people but cannot compare to Festo If I was a real man, I've have more festo but cannot justify it now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 We Have used Panasonics (3.5 to 4.0 AH,very torquey,real wrist twisters) for the past 9 years and they're just starting to wear out now....clutches going.They have had years of very hard use on site and in the unit,have been dropped off scaffolds and all manner of abuse.Can't fault them. Most of the lads have now changed to Makitas of varying descriptions and power and they make some superb little hammer versions now which drive timberlocks in like anything.Have no idea of their longevity however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett1985 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 i have one of these that i bought 18 months ago when i bought my house. http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-tools/drills/hammer_drills/JCB-20V-Lithium-Combi-Drill-12157537 dont be put off by the fact it has jcb stamped all over it, the internals are panasonic i believe... ive never had one issue with it, other than the length it takes for a battery to charge, but then again, they last for ages... ive completely refurbished my house and literally drilled thousands of holes and screwed thousands of screws with it and never had one problem. an amazing bit of kit for the price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besty57 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Panasonic.hilti.or milwauki.all good makes .I use Panasonic probly the cheapest of the three,but still great gear. its not so much the voltage that matters,its the batterys ampage that make them last longer when using them , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Hi Neil, you don't need a combi drill, you need an impact driver. i've just picked up a pair of panasonic dual voltage drill driver/impact driver combo pack with 18v 4.2ah batteries for £288 inc. i have a vgc 12v panasonic impact driver going spare now with 3x 3.3ah bats, 2 of the batteries are nearly new. This is one of the best drills i've ever owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 If you can run to it.... Festo are amongst the very best See if Axminster Power tool centre have any offer on... festool! very nice but too expensive for site work, every tealeaf on site will have their eye on it. i've had a few of the festool range, most of it has been knicked, all i have left is the jigsaw which i don't use much as i also have an old cordless unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I've used Makitas for over ten years. Been using my Bhp451 18v combi drill for seven years bought it when the first came out with three three amp hour batteries. Never been out of battery in a day yet. For driving screws I've just bought a makita impact driver tool only to go with my kit as i have three batteries and charger,never used the drill for screws since getting it. Figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingnewport Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Festool , up there with the best . but im going for the milwalkee impact driver and hammer drill combo for around £300. Dewalt imo have gone down hill in build quality . All these ones on b n q for £100 are **** quality dewalt and makita aimed at diy but to look the part. you can tell if there good if they have a metal chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted September 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Hi Neil, you don't need a combi drill, you need an impact driver. i've just picked up a pair of panasonic dual voltage drill driver/impact driver combo pack with 18v 4.2ah batteries for £288 inc. i have a vgc 12v panasonic impact driver going spare now with 3x 3.3ah bats, 2 of the batteries are nearly new. This is one of the best drills i've ever owned. Where did you get the kit from fella? I still have to drill holes for coach bolts etc so having both would be ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljaddy12 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Decent reduction of dewalt atm i have 2 bosch on van and they take some proper abuse if you driving in three inch screws consider an impact driver too http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-dcd735m2-gb-14-4v-4ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill-xr/36181 http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-gsb-18-2-li-18v-2-6ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill/96805 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruity Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Makita combi drill driver set , use them everyday cracking drills Westward tools usually have some good deals on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I had old nicad dewalts and replaced them with Makita when the batteries all died, then the van got emptied by ***** scum. Looking around I replaced them with dewalt again, not because I liked the old dewalts, but because of the 4ah batteries. They really do last well get yourself a combi kit with the drill and an impact driver and you will be delighted how well it works for what you're doing. The box they come in is very heavy duty, and ridiculously heavy, but the tools are pretty amazing. The Makitas I had pinched were good, and the 20 minute charger was great, but I so rarely need to charge the new batteries that it doesn't factor in. Also the Makita impact wrench didn't actually have much torque, the dewalt has much more torque and a three speed gearbox so you can go down a gear for more torque and it is super powerful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Im on a de fault free site, wouldnt have one if it was free. They were good back in the day but went diy market. Have a Makita 18v twin pack, an 18v Hitachi drill driver and a Milwalkee 24v for heavy stuff. Impact driver is the way to go for sure, even for tacking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JABB Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Milwalkee all day long. Was the biggest fan of Makita for ages, but the latest stuff hates the batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unapalomablanca Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I used to have a Makita and a Bosch jigsaw, they were replacements for the same ones I had worn out. They were pretty new, I made the mistake of nipping up the shop for a sandwich for 10 mins and those lovely travellers stole them. I have a stupid little homebase one now and its rubbish, but I cant justify buying expensive again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I buy the single drill / drivers with 2 batteries and then buy bodies. Got two 18v Hitachis for £180 so bought an impact driver and cordless circular. No riving knife on the saw so it plunge cuts.v handy when roofing. Paslode and that means no saw, no hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psyxologos Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I have been using this in the last 12 months for some DIY and I am impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 I've got makita 3ah 18v combi drills with impact driver and 3 batterys for £300 and loads of other makita stuff. I only buy makita as I use them everyday without fail . I wouldn't touch dewalt and even our rep says that but he highly recommends Bosch jigsaws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.