[Closed] What 18v cordless drill for £100ish or less?

Lots of good deals on the the outgoing NiCad technolgy - look for a makita or bosch (blue not green) with all the functions you want and you should find a deal that appeals to you and you won't be disappointed. Dewalt stuff is OK but not as good as it used to be. I've always found Dewalt stuff feels more robust than it actually is, and lacks finesse in use.

18v isn't the be all and end all though. My 14v makitas produce more torque than the equivalent 18v dewalts, and 14v is pretty much the range standard for makita stuff.

The new Li Ion stuff is better in all sorts of ways, but unless you use a driver all day every day, or have small hands, then they are not better ways that you'll ever be able to appreciate.

You'll get decent prices from Screwfix, Toolstation, D&M tools online, and B&Q in the physical world.

14v Makitas is where it's at.

I bought an 18V Ryobi from Screwfix on offer last week, 2 Li Ion batteries, nice feel to it, hammer action, on offer for £ 86 (allegedly reduced from £ 160).

What skidartist says! The LiIon stuff is brilliant but the benefits are only there if you're using one every day. Also, I had a 14V DeWalt for years which I thought was great until I swapped to using a mate's Makita and then my own new Hitachi. They felt far better than DeWalt.

Also, to repeat, there are loads of deals around on outgoing NiCad packages - bearing in mind that the old NiCad 18V batteries are pretty heavy fellas. You should be able to find a deal on anything by Bosch or Makita. The last bit of blue (trade...green is DIY) Bosch I bought (jigsaw) had a three year warrenty with it but I haven't seen many deals going on Bosch drivers.

2 batteries should be more than enough?
Hammer action is a bit overrated on cordless drivers (unless you're going into cheese)...unless you're going up into 32V SDS stuff but that's serious money up around there.

Why a 3/8" chuck ? I would expect all 18v drills to have a 1/2" chuck. Which is obviously quite useful.

Also why 3 batteries ? I've always considered deals with 3 batteries to be a bit of a gimmick - if kept properly charged up, the battery in the drill should easily last whilst the spare is being charged. If you are doing a job which is really hammering your batteries, then you should be using a corded drill imo. Obviously 3 batteries will over time last longer than two, but if you are going to use the drill for DIY purposes then I'm guessing that you will find it difficult to keep all three constantly charged.

And as skidartist says, 14v should be more than adequate if it's a decent drill.

stumpyjon's 18V Ryobi from Screwfix sounds like a good deal imo.

[url= http://www.ryobipower.co.uk/PT08/product-pages/layout5a.asp?productID=409 ]Quite like the look of this one[/url]

Stumpyjon - do you have a link to the deal or model?

This looks good imo

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/57840/Power-Tools/Cordless-Drills/Hitachi-DV18DVC-JK-18V-Cordless-Combi-Drill-Torch

£80 for that??? Bargain...I'd be biting their hand off. Hitachi do nice kit these days.

I've just seen this :

Quantity - - Back Soon

😕

Sorry, can't find it, looks like the deal's finished. Can't even see that model on their site. Worth keeping an eye on the site though if you don't need it asap.

What is this one like? Anyone?
[url= http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250488026676&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3554wt_939 ]Ryobi 14v...[/url]

I wouldn't bother mastiles_fanylion. It only has one battery and a three and half hour charger ...... which could seriously bugger up the continuity of the job in hand 😕

Yeah, the one battery put me off a bit. But then again, it is only for occasional use.

Makro had a great deal on a Black & Decker one last week - 18v, two batteries etc all for £35 inc VAT but they sold out straight away.

Found a nice 18v Ryobi with 2 Li-ion batteries for £100 but the batteries are only 1.4ah. I can get the same drill with 2 larger 2.4ah batteries for 50% more (£150 for those who are mathematically challenged 😉 ) and wondered whether you thought the 1.4ah batteries would be enough?

What will you be using it for AB?

In my capacity as a cabinetmaker i need to use quality tools,so this is my recommendation-

Makita are a good pro tool company 8) my biscuit jointer is made by them

However Bosch blue drills are pretty damn good
the feature i like on them is the chuck lock ,where you only need one hand to tighten,once youve let go of the trigger the spindle locks,you can use the whole gun to turn the screw the last bit ,if youre working fine that is.
Makita make the best belt sanders 8)

If you just want a good drill for rough-joiner work ,go for ryobi

1.4ah batteries would be enough?

Unless you want to constantly use the drill throughout the day, I can't see why not imo.

there's a bosch 24v one that comes up for £100 on B&Q all the time

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10256482&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=bosch+24+drill&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1251808342059&isSearch=true

give it 2 weeks and it'll be back there. I've done the whole house up with it, and its been pretty good. Get a sds driver if you're going to be doing a lot of drilling in masonry, makes all the difference.

[url= http://www.screwfix.com/prods/70640/Power-Tools/Kits/Bosch-2kg-SDS-Hammer-110V-Free-Drill-Driver ]What do you think of this for a deal?[/url]

looks like a good deal i have one of them 12v bosch drills and really like it,
however the electric drill is 110v so you would also need a transformer to use it

oops, didn't think of that!

At that price I would be very tempted to buy it AB (depending on what you need electric drills for of course)

You can buy a tranny for about £40, and the 12volt cordless should be enough for your needs - specially if you have an SDS drill as well. And of course you have the added advantage of safer 110volt power supply.

I wouldn't be tempted with 24volt cordless drills btw, they are not necessary imo (unless it's a SDS drill) and they are considerably heavier, bigger, and more awkward to use - specially in confined spaces.

Yeah, once you start getting into big voltages, the size of the battery itself then means the drill/driver will be awkward for that once or twice you need it in a tight spot.

If you're going into masonry, believe me and the others who have said it, a cheap-ish plug in SDS will make the job so much easier. I use the things for a living and still have a plug in SDS for the meaty stuff (e.g. doing the clearance for a long screw + wallplug) and use an 18V for the final few turns of the screw. The hammer setting on my 18V (which was fairly pricey at the time) would struggle going into anything more than breeze block and eats up battery big-time. Also, on an SDS drill, you'll have the option of a purely hammer i.e. no rotary action, setting which is useful for any chasing or chiselling that you don't fancy doing by hand.

110V trannies are cheap now but are a bit of a weight to be lugging around to be fair. No great prob if you're just using it at home though...and as the lynch fellow says, safer too.

Bought the one in 5labs link today, mostly as i was desparate I'd have preferred the gsb version (blue) but couldn't find one, Got it as the batterys are the same and the chuck mounts the same (i changed the chuck straight away). not a bad bit of kit but the supplied batteries are half the charge and its no where near as robust. If it blows up in the next few days I'll let you know. BTW the last one has lasted about three years of pretty heavy use and I had to change as the front bearings started to wobble and the hammer action locked....

Thanks for all the advice so far guys. Went to my local Screwfix last night to take a look at these two:

[url= http://www.screwfix.com/prods/24993/Power-Tools/Cordless-Drills/Ryobi-One-LCD1802M-18V-Compact-Cordless-Drill-Driver-Bare ]Ryobi 18V Compact Cordless Drill[/url]
[url= http://www.screwfix.com/prods/56826/Power-Tools/Cordless-Drills/Ryobi-18V-Combi-with-2-x-Li-ion-Batteries# ]
Ryobi 18V Combi with 2 x Li-ion Batteries[/url]

I know you said go for a Ni-Cad drill, but these two look quite good so I went to give them a feel. Both pushing out 37nm of torque and it was noticeable how much better the smaller, more compact model was to hold. The Li-ion batteries made the whole package very light too, but something about the drills didn't convince me to buy either of them.

After your suggestions, I might try and see if I can get a hold of a 14.4v Matika and see what I think of that.

You do you realise that the first one is naked - don't you ?

I like Li-ion batteries, I would certainly choose them over Ni-Cad. I [i]think[/i] Deadly was suggesting that for DIY purposes, it wasn't worth paying over the odds for Li-ion. And as he pointed out, and you have discovered, Ni-Cad are alot heavier.

Having a wee look at 14v Makita drill and there are TONS of varieties. A little confused by the differences in each of them. Also most look only 10mm chucks.

Here are a few of the deals I found:
[url= http://www.powertools2u.co.uk/MAKITA/Makita-6281DWPE-14.4V-10mm-Drill-Driver.htm ]
One[/url]
[url= http://www.powertools2u.co.uk/MAKITA/Makita-6337DWDE-14.4v-Drill-Driver---2-x-2.6Ah-NiMh-Batteries.htm ]Two[/url]
[url= http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/section/6109/sn/MAK6280DWPE3AV ]Three[/url]
[url= http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/section/6109/sn/MAK6281DWPE3 ]Four[/url]

Any thoughts?

If it was me, out of those, I would go for the Ryobi 18V Combi with 2 x Li-ion Batteries**. Those 4 you've listed are drill drivers, I reckon you'll find a combi drill very useful - sure it won't be as good as 24v SDS drill, but it'll get you out of trouble most of the time. It's also got a half inch chuck, although it is quite a bit heavier than 4 drill drivers. I also reckon Ryobi is very good DIY quality - why waste your money on a drill which is designed to be used throughout the day every day, when you only need to use one perhaps once a week ? Although TBH, I bet there's little difference between Ryobi and Makita when it comes to quality - a bit like the difference between XT and XTR if you like.

** I still think 18v is probably an overkill and if there's a 14.4v equivalent, I would go for that.

Thanks. I'm a little unclear about the relationship between the volts and the torque. Some of the Ryobi 18v drills have torque around 37nm, but some of the 14v Bosch and Makita drills can manage the same levels of torque, if not more, but are smaller bodies and voltage.

So, am I better to go for a voltage, or is it the torque numbers that really count?

Well ok, Bosch and Makita drills cost more money than Ryobi ones so they pack a bit more power. Again, it's like the difference between XT and XTR .... pay more money for XTR and you'll get the same thing only lighter - but is it always worth it ? I wouldn't get too hung up on torque, although I've never owned a Ryobi, I bet it has plenty of torque. TBH, my Bosch 14.4 has far more torque than I actually need - it will often snap screws or screwdriver bits if I have it on maximum.

Been looking about for a few days now and think I'm quite close to deciding on [url= http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=166970 ]this drill. It's a Bosch 14.4v Cordless with 3 x 1.3ah Lithium-ion batteries[/url].

It comes with a 3 year guarantee. The batteries might only be 1.3ah, but there is three of them. Also, there is a fair whack of money off and it's about £50 less that what it sells for elsewhere. Torque up to 50nm as well - which seems plenty. Pretty lightweight too.

Any final thoughts before I pull the trigger?

Thanks.

Did you buy one yet? I noticed [url= http://www.elliotts4tools.co.uk/power_tools/clearance_items/c-295.html ]Elliots[/url] seemed to have some good deals on Makita.

[url= http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/2827_11174.htm?WT.mc_id=2009-09-11-11-29 ]Not for me, but looks a great deal for anyone after a drill, angle grinder or jigsaw.[/url]

Although TBH, I bet there's little difference between Ryobi and Makita when it comes to quality - a bit like the difference between XT and XTR if you like.

Absolute bollox, I am a tradesman & have owned both, still do in fact I have Mak stuff that is 15-20 years old & still performs. It is made for professional use, Ryobi is DIY stuff but it is pretty good for its cost but not a patch on Mak.
If its for DIY then buy Ryobi & you won't be dissapointed, but if you use it day in day out buy the Mak stuff.

Absolute bollox.........Ryobi is DIY stuff but it is pretty good for its cost ......

Nicely taken out of context there mate.

Of course the sentence before the one you quote, makes exactly the same point as you do, ie :

[i]"I also reckon Ryobi is very good DIY quality - why waste your money on a drill which is designed to be used throughout the day every day, when you only need to use one perhaps once a week ?"[/i]

My comment was an attempt to show a lay person that whilst Ryobi might not be 'the XTR' of power tools, it's certainly good quality DIY/entry level gear and shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. Maybe the XT-XTR analogy wasn't the best in hindsight, and Alivio/Deore-XTR would have been a better one, but 'absolute bollox' ? not imo.

BTW your comment "[i]I am a tradesman[/i]" does little to impress me - I've seen plenty of tradesmen with tools that are simply a heap of sh1te. And after all, you freely admit to owning Ryobi ........ which as all tradesmen know, are DIY power tools 😉

Don't you love a smart arse, who thinks he knows what he is talking about & comments on stuff he has never used let alone owned.

He he ..... tell me waynekerr ......... how come you're such an expert on DIY tools ? ..... is it cause you is a 'tradesman' ? 😀

I freely admit (as I have on previous threads) that my personal experience of DIY tools is more or less nil - well apart from when I have very occasionally borrowed tools. Which is the reason for my past reluctance to advise on DIY tools. I do however have credible, if undoubtedly hearsay information, which suggests that Ryobi do indeed manufacture excellent DIY tools. If however you have experience which suggests otherwise, and you feel that you are able to offer a better DIY alternative, then I am of course happy to accept your expertise on such matters 8)

I freely admit (as I have on previous threads) that my personal experience of DIY tools is more or less nil - well apart from when I have very occasionally borrowed tools. Which is the reason for my past reluctance to advise on DIY tools

So why have you posted 11 times on this thread?...is it cause you is a "IT guy" who thinks he's an expert on everything? 😀

So why have you posted 11 times on this thread?...is it cause you is a "IT guy" who thinks he's an expert on everything?

What ? you've gone through counting how many times I've posted ...... lol that's hilarious ! 😀

But why have I posted you ask ? Well the OP didn't specify that he was looking for a DIY drill - in fact the lack of information concerning what the drill is to be used for made making a recommendation rather difficult. So whilst I am happy to suggest what he should be looking for in a cordless, I can't recommend a DIY make. Apart that is (for reasons which I have already stated) Ryobi. In the same way that if someone wanted a recommendation for a cheap bike to cycle down to the shops, I would recommend that they look at Decathlon bikes, even though I've never owned one - there is sufficient anecdotal evidence from reviews and the components used, to suggest this would be a sensible consideration.

.

..is it cause you is a "IT guy" who thinks he's an expert on everything?

Why thank you, that's very kind ................ but I really think you might be exaggerating my expertise on all things *blushes*
And no, there is no way that I could be described as an "IT guy" .......... social commentator and philosopher, might be a fair description though 8)

.

But anyway waynekerr ........ you still haven't haven't answered my question, ie : how come a "tradesman" uses DIY drills ? Do tell - I'm really rather intrigued.

And don't you think your 20 year old Makita cordless drill needs upgrading ? ...... specially if your livelihood/bread and butter depends on it. You'll find that there's been quite a few advances in the last 20 years

😉

You need to grow up, as it appears you will not be happy until you have the last word
Don't you see you are making a proper twunt of yourself.

it appears you will not be happy until you have the last word

Sorry mate ............ but you asked me a question 😕

I presumed you wanted an answer........

What disappoints me waynekerr, is why you didn't respond to the OP when he originally asked for recommendations. It seems we were all wasting our time huffing and puffing trying to figure out what might suit the OP best, when you could have sealed the deal in one post. I love it when someone's post starts with "...absolute bollox..." because if always alerts me to the sensible advice to follow.

Well DD, I responded as soon as I read it, sorry if it was not soon enough for you but quite simply, I do not sit in front of a PC all day reading forums.

No. Neither do most of us...apart from ernie, apparently.

But sadly Deadly, not often enough to respond to AB's final post requesting opinions. By the time I had read it several days had past and I figured it was probably too late to comment that, whilst the drill is undoubtedly an excellent one, it has no hammer action which might, or might not be, a problem for AB.

BTW AB, if you do need a drill for occasional use into brickwork etc, just buy yourself a corded one with hammer action, they are really very cheap - even for a decent one. And yes, that Bosch 14.4 drill driver looks really excellent - I reckon you'll get many years of reliable use out of it 8)

Thanks for all the advice folks.

Ended up with this [url= http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=166970 ]Bosch 14.4v lithium ion drill driver complete with 3 li-ion batteries[/url]

Good deal I feel.

A couple of months ago I got the [url= http://www.aonetools.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=267 ]Makita LCT204W[/url] drill/driver combo.

Next purchase will be a router, but I'm genuinely afraid to ask for advice lest I stir up a hornets nest...

I'd best answer this quick then in case I get in trouble.
I've owned several models over the years, including Makita & reckon [url= http://www.screwfix.com/prods/99260/Power-Tools/Routers-Planers/Trend-T10ELK-2000W-Router ]this one[/url] is the best, it all depends on what you want it for & what you want it to do. I have had this one for about 8 years now & it has loads of abuse & is faultless, It replaced another Trend which got damaged in a fire. I have used a 1500watt router & it was not a patch on this one.
It's what Trend do, the others follow.
Ernie may know better though.

Ernie may know better though.

No mate, you've completely lost me now ........... your recommendation for a cordless drill/driver is ......... a
2000W router ? WTF you on about ? 😯

.

It's what Trend do, the others follow.

Again, I don't know WTF you are on about. The Trend T10ELK router is a direct copy of the Elu MOF 177 router which ceased production many years ago after DeWalt bought the Elu company. But you knew that .........right ? 😕

The Elu MOF 177 router (which is a design probably about 30 years old) :

[img] [/img]

And the current Trend T10ELK router :

[img] [/img]

You'll notice that the routers are almost indistinguishable. In the case of the variable speed version of the Elu MOF 177, the current Trend router is more or less a carbon copy of it. As can be seen by this picture of an extremely old Elu router :

[img] [/img]

Though I will agree with you on the suggestion that Trend routers are worth considering .......... but only because they are direct copies of the old Elu routers.

Quite what this has to do with the OP is beyond me 😕

i'm speechless.

your recommendation for a cordless drill/driver is ......... a
2000W router? WTF you on about?

Quite what this has to do with the OP is beyond me

It was actually me that brought up the subject of routers - see my post a few up.

Have been looking at Trend routers, in particular the very basic one that you can get for less than £100; I'm a Craft & Design teacher so this would be a personal purchase for light use.

househusband - right, I had seen your link to the Makita cordless but hadn't noticed your request for advice on a router ........ that explains a lot ! 😀

Whilst I am sure that waynekerr's Trend T10ELK is an excellent router, as you say it's 'for light use' I [i]very strongly[/i] recommend that you don't buy a half inch router.

The T10ELK weighs over 6 kilo, you'll get a decent quarter inch router for less than half that weight. I can't emphasis enough how much easier and safer imo, a 1/4" router is to work with, over a 1/2" router...... specially if you're working away from a workbench.

As far as recommendations are concerned, all the big boys - bosch, makita, etc, make decent motors for their power powers, so for me, the overriding issue would be the tool's ergonomic qualities - something which I believe to be extraordinarily important when using a router.

For that reason I would shy away from companies such as Bosch which have never had a huge share of the router market (and I've known their routers to have piss-poor design faults) and go for either a DeWalt or a Trend.

Don't be put off by the fact that many people sneer at DeWalt for being the 'Specialized' of the power tool world - they make very good routers. And because DeWalt bought Elu which was at the time, the market leader in routers, DeWalt routers use tried and tested designs. Personally I would go for a Trend if the price difference isn't too great, but only because I like the company. I've never quite figured out how Trend have managed to copy the Elu designs - whether they have paid for the rights to use them, or whether DeWalt/Elu manufacture routers on behalf of Trend 😕

.

BTW waynekerr, with reference to your smart-arse comment "Ernie may know better though" I'll remind you that it was [u]you[/u] that contradicted and challenged [u]me[/u], and [u]not[/u] the other way round - something which you have obviously conveniently 'forgotten'.

Now I am of course, more than happy that someone should challenge me and accuse me of talking 'absolute bollox'. But don't automatically assume that I won't repudiate any such claims - because it's always possible that it might ... ok ? 8)

YAWN

I can't believe you can be bothered to research all this, it's not exactly off the top of your head like the comments I have made, I think you are one of these guys that just feel the need to prove themselves to be better, I reckon your either vertically challenged or have a very little dick.
If you have any sense, you should just shut up now & save yourself from appearing any more foolish than you have already, but..... I suspect you will feel the need to get the last word in.

I can't believe you can be bothered to research all this

Research what ?

That the Trend T10ELK is over 6kg ? ...... that was on the link which [i]you[/i] provided 😕

That a 1/4" router weighs half that of a 1/2" and is much easier use ? I knew that already ............. didn't you ? 😯

What exactly do you [i]think[/i] I have 'researched' ? ......... because yes, it's all "off the top of my head" as you put it.

.

And there's really no need for your touching concern about me looking 'foolish' ........ but thanks anyway 8)

And oh yeah ....... if you're 'yawning' and haven't got anything constructive to say - why don't you have a lie down instead of posting 💡

.

BTW househusband, I forgot to mention that variable speed on router is imo, a waste of money and more of a hindrance than a help. You are unlikely to ever need it, specially if you use your router mostly on softwoods.

And you'll find it really quite irritating the fact that you constantly have to turn it back up to maximum revs because the "variable speed fairies" have somehow turned it down !

Also don't inadvertently buy a 110v router unless you really want one (I think waynekerr's link is to a 110v one)

[img] [/img]

Am glad that everyone is in agreement that a 1/4" router is safer than a 1/2" - and that the variable speed isn't needed.

Am drawn to a Trend as spares are so readily available; school I'm at actually has an ELU MOF96 router, as have most schools I've worked at, but it needs spares and the collet is jammed. Can get the basic Trend T4 for about £70, and that's all I'll probably ever need - the T5's start at about twice that.

Are the variable speed fairies the ones that constantly turn down the speed on my orbital (Metabo, don't you know...another fine tool manufacturer) sander? Have always wondered what exactly you would use the '1' setting for, given that it wouldn't sand butter. Do you know where these fairies live? Or does every one of us carry one around in the hand kit bag?

househusband - my ELU MOF96 is over 25 years old ! 😯

During that time I've only replaced one cracked fence (with a second hand one) and a switch - although the present switch is just starting to play up now. I believe that the extremely fine dust from MDF (which didn't exist when the router was designed) eventually penetrates into the switch casing.

But not bad eh ?..... considering all the abuse it's received over the years on building sites, what with rain, mud, blunt router cutters, being throw into tool bags, dropped, etc ....... good old German/Swiss engineering 8)

I've got no experience with the T4 or routers that size - I would worry that the 'narrowness' of them might make them a little less easy to control ? Although it's more powerful than my MOF96 which is only 750 watt ! Also might you have less choice of possible accessories than with the T5 or DeWalt equivalent ?

You should still be able to get spares for your school MOF96 - perhaps you could get the school to buy a new router and you could take it home to fix it for yourself ? ! Although I know that I can no longer get spares for my Elu planer though, which incidentally, is exactly the same age !

.

Deadly ...... sadly I have no idea where the variable speed fairies hide - but the little buggers are always annoyingly playing with the dial on my router, as they do with the one on my jigsaw (although that one is actually useful) And no, I don't know why an orbital sander might need variable speed.

But neither do I know why my Henry, which already has a hole on the tube/handle which you can open up to reduce the amount of suction, should have a switch on the side of it to make the motor go half the speed - presumably it's there in case you want to spend twice as long vacuum cleaning ? 😯

Hehe, I was going to mention about the half speed switch on my Henry too. What's the point in that? One assumes that it's for the first few cleans of one's extra deep shag pile carpet.

Of course, if you're on day rate instead of price, you might want to hang the day out a bit towards the end.

Out of interest, when would you use low speed on your jigger? I only ever use mental speed, unless the VSFs have adjusted it for me of course.

when would you use low speed on your jigger?

Normally when cutting metal - orbital action switched off and low speed. Or, if ever I need to do short/slow precise cuts or/and want to avoid overheating. Hardly ever though.

Yeah I can see how occasionally you might want Henry to suck a little less, but that hole thingy (which annoyingly keeps opening up on it's own) on the hose/handle is surely more than enough ?

That ****in hole...yeah! Forgot about that. Mine has a bit of plastic sleeve around the tube that somehow keeps managing to line up its hole with the hole in the tube. Wonder which fairies do that! They'd be the same fairies that keep switching the direction on my SDS drill just before I need to use it.

Drill arrived. What a piece of kit. Very, very light, but still 50nm torque. Li-ion battery is just a little bigger than a pack of cards. Just feels very good quality.

Dead chuffed.

If I get the winning bid at the property auction I am going to next week, I will be buying one of those too. And lots of other man toys 🙂

Unfortunately, price-wise, I couldn't justify it to myself otherwise - looks great value though.

Yep, it's amazing just how tiny Li-ion batteries are. And if 'lightness' is important to you, you did well not to get a combi drill - they add quite a lot of weight. Isn't it a nice feeling when you're chuffed with a purchase ? 8)

Ernie it is - thanks for your advice BTW.

8)

Who here will admit to trying a drill for 'size' in a DIY store (you know, pulling it like a gun, that kind of thing...)

🙂

I've never done [i]that[/i] mastiles_fanylion. But I used to have a habit of spinning my hammer before putting it back in the holster on my toolbelt. I don't do it anymore - partly because I really dislike wearing toolbelts/nail pouches.

I've fired nails across rooms by holding back the pressure safety catch on a Paslode gun before now, that's good fun ....... I just can't help it - it's the cowboy in me that does it 😯

I've never tried that with a Paslode. Must do it now. Do they stick in things? I have, however, fired a paslode nail between the flesh and nail on my thumb. Concentrating on squeezing the external mitre together too much and didn't realise I'd angled the paslode outwards. I screamed with the shock! Didn't actually hurt the much afterwards...those paslodes are nice and clean.

Do they stick in things?

Well I suppose they would if you were standing close enough - although you would seriously risk the nail ricochetting back into your eyes.

BTW, firing a Paslode by holding back the pressure safety catch is highly dangerous.
And it isn't big or clever to do so ...................................actually [i][b]it is[/b][/i] ......

I've only done it with a 1st fix gun btw, I wouldn't fancy trying it with a 2sd fix gun - they're a bit too small and fiddly.

Actually I did once fire a 2sd fix brad nail straight through my thumb because it got deflected by a knot. Although it wasn't until I stuck a plaster on one hole to stop the bleeding, that I noticed I had another hole on the other side of the thumb where the nail had exited 😯

Yep........... that's how tough I am 🙄

Crucifixion ? ...........pah, I'd take it in my stride 8)

Yeah, but my supplied safety specs are well used. No way are they still in the bag they came with, sat in the slot in the box!

When it comes to it, I'll make sure we use a 1st fix gun to nail you on. Any preference of timber for cross construction?

......... just what Jesus would have wanted

PSA

On offer at B&Q...
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