I’m going to be fitting plasterboard to ceilings, a kitchen, a bathroom and loads of other DIY stuffs soon.

So I want a reliable drill set, by which I mean a combi drill and a impact driver.

I’ve been looking at Makita sets for circa 300, which would you go for?

DLX2173TJ Drill DHP459 Impact DTD153

DLX2145TJ Drill DHP458 Impact DTD152

DLX2180TJ Drill DHP484 Impact DTD153

If you are just starting out with power tools, I’d choose one of the brands where you can buy the tools ‘bare’. Then you can buy one set of batteries and charger that will fit any tools you buy from the same brand. Makita do them and are fairly well respected.

I’ve never used one myself but brushless tools (3rd option) are meant to be smarter and more efficient (i.e. they run at a constant speed whether drilling into chipboard or hardwood and only draw the current needed, whereas a normal drill would just spin faster in the less dense material (thats how I understand it anyway)

P.S The famous Ave and his scathing unsponsored product reviews loved the Makita brushless…

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY7XO5H_6HY[/video]

Makita stuff is great. As above you can buy bare tools very cheaply once you have a battery or two and a charger. The impact driver is a good tool but not essential for DIY. Pretty noisy for home use. The standard drill/driver puts screws in very well so you can live without it. There are other tools I’d buy before getting the impact driver. The brushless lxt drill/driver is ace.

Makita are good but there’s not much to choose from in that list.

The new 10.8v tools are very powerful for their size and suitable for the jobs you’ve listed. I have Bosch, and one issue with the plug in type batteries is the clips can snap off. Makita make 10.8v tools with either plug in type or slide on type batteries, I would consider looking at the second option, probably half the cost of the ones listed above.

within you’re choice of three theres not a huge amount of meaningful difference. An impact driver makes up for any torque shortfalls any of the drills might have.

I don’t know if I’d choose a metal gear box / housing on a drill driver again. Notionally they’re tougher but they’re spinning more weight and bringing it to a dead stop each time you use it and I got much less use out of my old metal geared MXTs than the cheaper spec LXT I replaced them with.

I bought the low end plastic housing LXTs on a propotional deal as a way of switching up to Li-ion batteries when they first came out. I expected I’d end up replacing the drill bodies pretty promptly but 7 years later they’re still going strong and I only used to get 2 or 3 years out of the MXTs for the gears would start slipping

Unless you have very roughty toughty work planed I’d choose the lightest option. If you can get a cheaper deal on the same bodies with 3 or 4 amp hr batteries go for that, no real benefit in paying for higher capacities when you’re working around the house.

I got an 10v ish driver and impact driver. I never use the impact one…generally if I need more torque I’d much rather just use a bigger drill than an impact because its so bloody noisy 🙂 And the harder the work the slower it drives, which can be infuriating if you are doing lots of big screws.

whilst we have a few tool geeks on, the makita lxt batteries is thete much weight difference? my set came with a 5amp which is quite hefty and never need a full charge are the lower capacity batteries lighter?

I was just watching a few “how to” videos and when fitting plasterboard they all tended to use the impact drivers for a quick fit..hence I was looking at both.

In terms of pricing it works out cheaper getting a 1x battery set from fastfix then a additional battery from amazon…

Have just stumbled across this set too: https://www.powertoolsuk.co.uk/power-tools-dewalt-bosch-milwaukee-evolution-makita/cordless-power-tools-drill-drivers-combi-drills-impact-drivers-angle-grinders-impact-wrenches/cordless-power-tool-kits-18v-power-tool-kits-10-8v-power-tool-kits/dewalt-dck266p2t-power-tool-kit.html#product_tabs_specification_tabbed

I’ll look into further tool bodies as that’ll influence things too, think I’ll need a jigsaw at some point too.

I wouldn’t use an impact driver for plasterboard. No need and too easy to sink the screws too far.

With the makita fast charger having multiple batteries is less of an issue. It’s charged in the time it takes to make and drink a cup of tea

If it’s just a bit of DIY, pretty much any drill driver will do. Plasterboard is one of the easiest things to drill / screw, so you really don’t need anything expensive and certainly not an impact driver.

It’s for a load of DIY.. every ceiling in the house is being removed, hence why I’m wanting to invest in a proper set so I can’t blame them when things go wrong 😆

It’s actually easier with a small impact driver to guage the correct depth of the screw into the plaster board. Personally I don’t rate Makita. In the spirit of recommend what you got.. Milwaukee
https://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/milwaukee-m18bpp2i-402-18v-twin-pack-2-x-4-0ah-li-ion-batteries-pid23441.html

DT78, yes, the 2ah battery will be about half the weight and size.

I think Makita QC dropped for a while but they seem to have got back on top. BIL is a sparky and has the Milwaukee full set, I was impressed, very robust tools.

https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Power+Tools/d40/Kits/sd3313/Makita+CLX201AJ+Li-Ion+10.8V+Cordless+Twin+Pack/p16812
This is all you will need.

Cheers.

That set is what I have. Except I got bigger batteries. Dump the insert out of the box and buy the multi coloured insert for all your drill bits and stuff. Great having it all in one box, I used to always spend multiple trips to the garage looking for this and that adding time to the jobs.

I use makita drills, when fixing plaster boards to walls and ceilings, I use a 10.8v impact driver. I have the 18v makita set as well but the lighter weight of the 10.8v makes it a bit easier on the arms after a few hours.
If I were in your position, I’d probably go for the 10.8v set and a corded SDS drill for heavy duty work.

Yep that’s the set in bear-uk’s post up there.

I wouldn’t use my* impact driver for drywall screws. I’d use those special hooded Ph2 bits and my most sensitive torque-adjustable drill driver. Otherwise you just punch through the paper skin of the board.

*My impact driver is a cheap Erbauer, with no torque setting. Even though I use it almost daily, and I could justify an expensive one, I just work to its limitations. And don’t use it on plasterboard or pocket hole screws.

He will soon work that out 😀

iv always used makita power tools, never had a problem, other than some bugger nicked a load out my van! good quality reliable tools

For that money I’d get this:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/festool-cxs-li-2-6-cordless-drill-driver-set-10-8v-2-6ah-506745

(Or the TXS with the ‘nornal’ pistol grip) The tool/head attachments make changing between drill and screwdriver much simpler and the 90deg head is a real boon. It’ll charge fast, last ages, and at the end of a day of use you’ll be very, very grateful you didn’t get a big fat Makita – the Festool is light, well balanced and the tool tip sits perfectly I front of your hand grip, so there’s no adjusting pressure to get the right balance for drilling/screwing pressure.

Yeah you guys are right, I was focusing on raw power and reliabilty etc. I didn’t factor in this thing needs to be raised above my head for hours on end…

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AWOI406/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

Looking like a winner at the moment!

Oooh, that Festool looks lovely.

I’ve got a Festool rail saw, which I thought was an extravagant purchase at the time, but without it I wouldn’t be able to do what I do for a living (make bespoke wardrobes). I always thought I could never justify another Festool er, tool but that little beauty almost makes me want to overwork my Makita till it goes up in smoke.

If you can afford it OP, get that Festool. You’ll find you develop a special swagger when anybody asks you what drill you have.

Whatever set you get you will be amazed by how much power these little drills have. They have 12v batteries so the 10.8 motor is overvolted.
I also have a Dewalt set for outside and rough work.
These things will stick Reiser 5×100 screws in all day long.
Use the drill and proper bit for plasterboard. I fitted about 60 boards in a house last week with no issues.

10.8v and 12v are the same, 10.8 is the nominal working voltage, Dewalt called their tools 12v for the American market, as the batteries reach that when fully charged, now everyone else is changing the names too.

How much do you charge per day bear-uk? 😆

Having asbestos riddled artex ceilings removed, so I’m planning on re plastering the entire house over Christmas – sounds fun!!

I always use my impact driver for plasterboarding. I find it very easy to set the depth of screw correctly, just like brake levers, they’re not on/off, you squeeze and feel.

To much 😀
dont remove the old stuff just find the joists and overboard with 1/2″ 3×6 sheets.
Dont make work for yourself.

Removing the asbestos though they’ll take everything out won’t they, just leaving the joists showing??

I need to call and confirm with the people tomorrow but this is how I’m expecting to find it…

We’ve got the vendors paying for removal so it’s too late to go back now 😆

Underboard, shurely? 8)

The brushless 18v makita is still pretty compact and light. You get power when you need it but it’s easy to handle. Going 18v will let you buy bare tools that are compatible. The little 10.8v stuff is a nice addition but I’d start with the 18v

FWIW I’ve had a Makita 18V for 7 years and done a load of DIY with it including a lot of light stuff but also some torquey work into wood (flooring, stud walls, etc.). It hasn’t blinked.

@ nathb I seriously hope the asbestos guys know what they are doing..this is a far bigger concern than how to fix plaster board to the joists.
I’m talking empty room, polythene
Walls floors etc. 20pascals of neg pressure etc. etc. All surfaces vacuumed and then (possibly sprayed with weak pva/watermix or similar) and an air-test before you move back in.

Yeah they’re specialist asbestos removers, with very good reviews on Checkatrade. We won’t be moving in until it’s all removed, hence my only concern is how to put it back together.

Milwaukee stuff is good to but pricey

We bought a stack of Makita tools for our house build. Can’t complain about the quality of any of it. It’s usuallly cheapest to buy a kit with batteries then top up with bare tools but there are a few online places where it doesn’t make any difference as they price everything low.

Impact drivers are fantastic tools and fine for putting in plasterboard screws. 18v is overkill really – great for studwork and big screws but the 10.8v is more appropriate for 50mm screws and below. The 10.8v impact driver was the most used tool on our build – we had one each in the end.

If you’re doing ceilings a lighter tool makes a big difference so t;he 10.8v tools would make a lot of sense BUT the old cluster style batteries were a poor design – they’re prone to falling out and when they do the clips break. Only buy the slide type.

For a whole house of plasterboarding you could buy an auto feed screwdriver and sell it at the end of the job. (Or buy on eBAy and sell again). Save a lot of time.

For that money I’d get this:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/festool-cxs-li-2-6-cordless-drill-driver-set-10-8v-2-6ah-506745

I’ve got that model, use it all the time. Really light and compact, which means it’s good in confined spaces eg inside a chest of draws etc. Right angle attachment is very handy.

Torque is a bit low, so does struggle with big screws, for which I use an 18v Bosch driver.

I LOVE the sound of the auto feed screw driver!!

That’ll make plaster-boarding so so much easier?!

18v only though..

For the past four years (complete house renovation) I have used Bosch Professional as got a deal on one; once I was on a make and had the big batteries I wasn’t going to change.

If working above your head putting boards up or leveling slate laths on which to mount boards you will be very grateful for some light small batteries too.