Porter Cable cordless drill - now junk
 

I was using my way too old Porter-Cable cordless drill today and it finally died with a failed clutch. I decided that I wanted a new one - and since this one had lasted so well. was going to buy another one - that is until I started doing my research. Porter-Cable as an independent brand, formerly owned by Pentair, is now owned by - are you ready for this - Black and Decker :pain: (who also own Delta, Rigid and Riyobi as well as DeWalt). Oh crud!!!!

I bought a Bosch for my replacement cordless drill. At least it's still an independent brand and a couple of other Bosch tools that I own are very nicely built.

Dave W

I knew DeWalt was owned by B&D, but to be honest with you my DeWalt 18V cordless drill has been amazing. It has been dropped on concrete from the top of a ten foot ladder more times than I care to think about and is still going strong. I have zero respect for anything made by B&D because just about everything I own that is B&D is junk.

Vince

Dave, when I was in the maint. dept. at work, they bought two of these drills from Makita, and I was completely blown away by how tough they were. I'm not sure what they paid, but when I buy a new cordless, that is the one I'll buy. Short recharge time, very light weight, and man oh man, the torque. Dang near dislocated my shoulder one night while drilling a 1/2" hole in a steel beam.

In a while, Chet.

I've used (and abused) older DeWalts while building scenery for a theater that I do some volunteer work for - and they do work nicely - as long as you have the pro level version. The owner has a couple of newer and lesser copies - and they ain't the same!!! I also did some political campaign work last fall and against my advice they bought a couple of B-D Firestorm 18v cordless drills - what junk!! They didn't have even the power of my 12v P-C that had my lower capacity rebuilt battery pack (if anyone recalls my post of last fall about doing that little deed - and that's the battery I was using when it died today)

Dave W

Chet - way out of my price range - List is $511 and at Tyler Tools, $295 (WOW!!!!). My new Bosch was $166.

Dave W

Is this the same one? Seems a lot cheaper off google...

K

Interesting - differences in price.

Oh well, I now have a Bosch tho NiCad powered. I'm not convinced that Li ion is the best way yet as far as long life based on some good name rechargeable camera batteries I've been using.

Dave W

And there are some safety issues associated with LIion batteries.

Vince

So Black and Decker owns all those brands? Crud indeed; I have never used a B&D tool that didn't fail on me. They are absolute junk.

I recently had to buy a new cordless drill (they never seem to last very long) and I ended up buying a Hyundai chordless drill at Menards. It blows away everything else I've ever used- excellent torque, charge lasts a long time, recharges from dead in an hour. I was skeptical, but everything else in the sub-$150 range I looked at was junk. I'm sold on Hyundai tools now. :thumbup:

Vince, care to share those issues?


In a while, Chet.

Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer batteries are very sensitive to charge. If they are over charged they tend to overheat dramatically faster/higher than NICAD's or NIMH batteries. They also are very susceptible to internal shorts that can cause the battery to suddenly overheat and explode. But there are no other batteries currently available that offer the power density per weight that the Lithium cells do.

Vince

I see. But if we give the battery industry a little more time to work out the bugs, those LI batteries may become the new benchmark standard. Of course, I have been wrong once before, more so if you ask my wife.....


In a while, Chet.

Moving this to the tools forum

that one also looks like the Milwaukee and they are tuff, I also like the way the chuck works ...... keyless with a good grip, have not had a bit slip or ruined the chuck end of any of my bits ...does cost money.


say irc have you got your car back from the upholsterers yet ??

Makita
 

Had lots of Makita tools over the years, both the industrial and the pos handyman variety. after getting conned into helping my brother build a 30 x100 metal storex building bought a new makita kit ( drill, impact 2 batts and charger), using it in sub zero conditions,along with the usual drops offthe ladder,roof,.....Best cordless i ever bought. Home Depot $299 canadian (kinda like free in USD) I especially like the impact - it will drive 50 4" deck screws on 1 charge without stripping the screw socket or bit - and recharges in lass than an hour. This would be my choice. b