Drill speed - cordless vs corded

[paulc2]

Are ALL cordless drills slower than corded? For example, I have searched and searched and all cordless drills seem to spin at 1300-1500rpm or so, maybe 2000rpm no matter how good they are. While even a £25 corded drill will go at 2800rpm.

If there's any cordless ones out there which will do "speed", any at a reasonable price (£100 or under)?

 

[Burnerman]

Corded drills will always be faster.....thats how they develop their torque.
Slower speeds are what you want anyway for general use 99% of the time.
Have you some specific project in mind?
John

 

[paulc2]

I recently fixed a squeaky floor which involved putting lots of small screws through floorboard/chipboard into the joists, so that's a pilot hole then a larger one part-way through the floorboard, then a countersink. Wth knowing the location of the electrics, pipework and joists (existing nails), drilling was potentially fast but slowed down by the drill.

I have an old single speed, non variable speed corded drill and I thought it would be redundant but the (admittedly cheap) cordless driver I recently bought was noticeably slower in this task. So, I'm looking around for a better cordless driver, potentially to semi-retire my corded drill, but wanted the speed as well as the 2 speeds, variable speed, torque control (for screws), reversing, Li-ion batteries, and a side handle.

I guess I'll buy the nearest match which doesn't tick all the boxes, and be hanging onto the corded drill a little longer! (Unless there's anything out there that has all the above).

 

[big-all]

you could easily get a cordless to do as you wish and with the same power but the 20 or 30 kg off batteries may put you off a little bit
if you use the correct screws you don't need to drill any holes turbo gold for example will self pilot and self countersink
or a countersink bit will do hole and countersink together

a battery drill is a compromise and in general is far more use than a mains drill as it can do about 95% off what a mains drill will do with the odd bit off slower progress counteracted by the convenience off a cordless

 

[foxhole]

I recently fixed a squeaky floor which involved putting lots of small screws through floorboard/chipboard into the joists, so that's a pilot hole then a larger one part-way through the floorboard, then a countersink. Wth knowing the location of the electrics, pipework and joists (existing nails), drilling was potentially fast but slowed down by the drill.

I have an old single speed, non variable speed corded drill and I thought it would be redundant but the (admittedly cheap) cordless driver I recently bought was noticeably slower in this task. So, I'm looking around for a better cordless driver, potentially to semi-retire my corded drill, but wanted the speed as well as the 2 speeds, variable speed, torque control (for screws), reversing, Li-ion batteries, and a side handle.

I guess I'll buy the nearest match which doesn't tick all the boxes, and be hanging onto the corded drill a little longer! (Unless there's anything out there that has all the above).

You need right tool for the job, an impact driver would put screw in easily and counter sink, will drive a 6inch screw to same depth with ease.

 

[paulc2]

Just spent ages fixing a floor including reinforcing some joists and replacing floorboards because it had just been lashed together with no pilot holes drilled, so all the floorboards and most of the joist sections were split. Just finished cutting up the boards for firewood today.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

if you use the correct screws you don't need to drill any holes turbo gold for example will self pilot and self countersink

a battery drill is a compromise and in general is far more use than a mains drill as it can do about 95% off what a mains drill will do with the odd bit off slower progress counteracted by the convenience off a cordless

again.


Paul - get yourself a blue Bosch, 18V, hang onto the corded one, and start looking on eBay for a bargain used 4-6kg SDS+.

 

[cajar]

Agree about the bosch 18v but think 2kg sds would be plenty for any diyer.

 

[27neth]

Are ALL cordless drills slower than corded? For example, I have searched and searched and all cordless drills seem to spin at 1300-1500rpm or so, maybe 2000rpm no matter how good they are. While even a £25 corded drill will go at 2800rpm.

If there's any cordless ones out there which will do "speed", any at a reasonable price (£100 or under)?

My cordless drill goes at 3800rpm but it cost more than £100

John..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Agree about the bosch 18v but think 2kg sds would be plenty for any diyer.

Until you want to use it for core drilling, box sinking, breaking...

 

[paulc2]

Are ALL cordless drills slower than corded? For example, I have searched and searched and all cordless drills seem to spin at 1300-1500rpm or so, maybe 2000rpm no matter how good they are. While even a £25 corded drill will go at 2800rpm.

If there's any cordless ones out there which will do "speed", any at a reasonable price (£100 or under)?

My cordless drill goes at 3800rpm but it cost more than £100

John..

What make/model, and do other manufacturers do similar?

 

[27neth]

Its a Festool DRC 18/4. The new Fein 18v drill is about the same rpm too.

John...

 

[cajar]

Agree about the bosch 18v but think 2kg sds would be plenty for any diyer.

Until you want to use it for core drilling, box sinking, breaking...

Not typical activities for someone asking what drill to spend his £100 on. Besides, bosch blue sds 2kg will sink boxes and do moderate breaking.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The choice of cordless is entirely separate from that of a more powerful SDS drill.

A perfectly reasonable strategy is to have an average cordless and a very capable corded SDS. But because cordless ones are so convenient, you really don't want to be dragging a big corded SDS about when if you'd had a decent cordless that would have done the job, hence my recommendation of an 18V blue Bosch. I'm sure that there are equally good alternatives from other makers, Makita for example, but the Bosch is the one I'm familiar with hence the suggestion.

A key thing is to avoid the stuff aimed at the DIY market, and look at ones made for professional use. So with Bosch, blue rather than green.


Re the SDS, you may be right about 2kg, but I've got a 4kg one (picked up a bargain GBH 4 DFE on eBay a few years ago), and TBH I don't think I'd want a lighter one.