Although I bought few of them until 30 or so years ago, I'm not actually convinced that the cheap power tools ever were necessarily 'rubbish' - but, as I say, I can't be sure about that. However, during the most recent 30 or so years, I've primarily only bought cheap ones, and have had very few significant 'disappointments'.
Drills needed please help
- Thread starter jcaan
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Hi. Mate I just completed my level 3 early 40s lol not currently working in the trade.
I probably just work for a 1 man band to get experience in domestic work. Then go solo.
That's a decent set you posted. I was just wondering if there's a cheaper maybe a different decent brand too.
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The life led by DIY tools is nothing like the one by tools used on building sites.
That's obviously true. However, for a start this is a DIY forum and, in any event (and in the context of this thread) I would not expect power tools to get a particularly hard a life when used by a practising electrician.
I haven't looked too closely but I suspect the above set differes only in having 2 2AH batteries, If you're not in a rush that set was £99.99 in their last sale.
I did go down the Dewalt route with a pair of 12V drills and had both batteries replaced under warranty and one a second time. Much later (after they laid unused for a number of yearsdue to the cost of replacement batteries I discovered it was an extremely common problem with the 12V batteries. I have used homebase own brand and when the battery failed after several years I did a quick botch with a bit of flex and a 7AH gelcel and that gave me excellent service until the switch burnt out, I reckon that gave me 5 good years of panel building (unlike the Dewalts).
I have to agree with this as it mirrors my own experience, the only battery drill that was "rubbish" was a B&Q own brand but in all honesty i think it was something like £15 when the B&D or bosch were more like £70. I purchased it when I desperately needed one on site and I was working away from home for a few days and it did get me out of a work hole.
I'm currently using the Lidl tools like Eric, only because I made a casual comment about how much easier a DIY job I did would have been if I'd had a multitool and a couple of weeks later the Lidl version appeared at a thankyou present and now have purchased 2 drills. I think they are quite good compared to much of what I have used in the past, my only criticism so far is they have lots of (soft feel) lumps sticking out which makes them get caught up in tight spaces and feel bulkier than what they are.
Since retiring (HaHa) they are only getting DIY work loads rather than daily use building control panels so I expect them to last. A bit miffed though, the 2 drills, one charger and one 2AH battery cost me £75, a couple of weeks ago they had a set in the middle aisle; same 2 drills, double charger and 2 bigger batteries plus a light and a set of drills & bits for £69.
You obviously haven't met the electricians I've had the pleasure to deal with
My money would be on "appreciably more than just one"
I'm glad I'm not alone in my experiences.
Designing machines that are likely to be pretty reliable and long-lasting is not rocket science, and does not necessarily add much (if anything) to the cost. As with so many types of products these days,the thing most affecting price seems to be the maker's name written on it, regardless of the quality of the product
When I was at uni, colleagues studying engineering told me that one of the exercises they were asked to undertake was to design a machine that would work fine initially but was likely to fail after a relatively short time in-service. I gathered that that was not necessarily all that easy, but certainly gave the students some insight into the factors relevant to reliability and longevity!
Fair enough - but, as I imagine you understood, my point was really that power tools used by electricians get far less use than do those used by other flavours of tradespeople who work on building sites!You obviously haven't met the electricians I've had the pleasure to deal with
in diy light trade use aldi lidle and simmilar quality will do as starters then when they fail you can replace with the big boys often never needing to be replaced -------------------buuuuuttt because you are trade and are needing a battery platform for simplicity select your battery [i love dewalt] and mains powered you can go any off the cheaper ranges till they fail then replace with your chosen make or makes but start on chosen battery tools ------- go for last years model never the newest as newest has a 30% premium where as older is fully tested and reliable with no premium addedThat's very probably true.
However, in the very distant past, for very many years I nearly always bought expensive tools (and many other things), in the belief that they were 'better' (maybe they were, back then) - but when I eventually questioned that approach and 'swung that pendulum', then buying only 'cheopos', I can't say that I saw any appreciable deterioration in my experiences. The cheopo tools usually worked fine, and some are still going strong decades later - and, even if the much-more-expensive ones would have lasted several times longer, I still would probably have ended up financially better off
as an aside the dewalt drill in your set is a lower level off drill [starting with a "7"]as in plastic chuck[although that one is metal] and around 450w power where as the a 996 around £30-35 more has metal chuck and twice the power at 907w[i have both the drills ]
as an aside the drill and impact in your link can be had for around £68 each 2x5ah at a ton a charger about £35 but only by periodic checking so that kit at £250 ish is good but only iff you want that exact combination
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Thanks for the replies gents... just so you know when I was doing mu level2 I was shadowing a couple of sparkies told then I had my own drillset. Pulled out my black and decker they p1ssed themselves laughing at it. They told me never to take that on a site if I ever was to work on a site. Lol
Anyway I rather just invest in a more known reliable brand than not to start off with. So I don't go through that again or having to replace them again and again.
I'm either looking for dewalt, makita, milwaukee or bosch as I heard these are trade standard.
Anyway I rather just invest in a more known reliable brand than not to start off with. So I don't go through that again or having to replace them again and again.
I'm either looking for dewalt, makita, milwaukee or bosch as I heard these are trade standard.
Of all the drills I've owned over the years I have no problem saying my corded Bosches (I have 3) have been by far the best, they are now 30 years old and I got the first and third in a Homebase end of line sale and the second in their summer sale. The pair of 18V cordles Bosches also from their end of line sale were the longest lasting and my favourites. I still have several B&D's (I think none with variable speed), wolf, corded drills from the 1980's and Makita from 00ies but none of them have maintained their good performance or reliability in the same way as the Bosches.
I've managed a few over the yearsI'm glad I'm not alone in my experiences.
Designing machines that are likely to be pretty reliable and long-lasting is not rocket science, and does not necessarily add much (if anything) to the cost. As with so many types of products these days,the thing most affecting price seems to be the maker's name written on it, regardless of the quality of the product
When I was at uni, colleagues studying engineering told me that one of the exercises they were asked to undertake was to design a machine that would work fine initially but was likely to fail after a relatively short time in-service. I gathered that that was not necessarily all that easy, but certainly gave the students some insight into the factors relevant to reliability and longevity!
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