battery or gas drill

[LewisJon]

We have a discussion going within our sap-sucker family. Do we continue with the Tanaka gas drills or do we go to cordless electric drills? Your thoughts?

[PARKER MAPLE]

IM planning on going to bascoms to buy a gas drill this season. I have for the past 2 years been using a battery drill. but what i have found is if your tapping in cold weather the batteyr really take a beating. I have a lithium ion makita cordless and can probably only get like 60-70 taps out of one battery. If you dont have a power source near by for recharging makes for a long day. With the gas drill dont have to worry about it just keep adding gas. They are a little bit heavier and bulkier but you can put alot of taps in, in one day.
just my two cent

Maple Rookie

[maple flats]

I use 2 drills with 2 batteries for one and 3 for the other. All are 18V. A Ryobi (sp?) Lith ion with 2 batteries. Each battery will do about 125-150 taps but a battery dies suddenly with little warning. The other is a DeWalt NiCad and they drill about 75-100 in cold temps. These show slowing before they quit. A charger in my truck will recharge the NiCads but unless I run the truck for heat, the Lith Ions will not charge in the cold. I generally wear out before all of the batteries do. On the plus side, cordless is much easier to carry and quieter in use. I have a holster to carry the drill to keep my hands free to help in climbing my steep sections.

[michiganfarmer2]

IM planning on going to bascoms to buy a gas drill this season. I have for the past 2 years been using a battery drill. but what i have found is if your tapping in cold weather the batteyr really take a beating. I have a lithium ion makita cordless and can probably only get like 60-70 taps out of one battery. If you dont have a power source near by for recharging makes for a long day. With the gas drill dont have to worry about it just keep adding gas. They are a little bit heavier and bulkier but you can put alot of taps in, in one day.
just my two cent

Maple Rookie

I agree, but I have better luck with my 28 volt lithium ion milwuakee than you do with your makita. I bought a used gas taper last year. I love it.

[Dave Y]

I use both gas and battery drills. Gas for buckets and battery for tubing. the both work well.

[Rhino]

We use 4 gas tappers, 3 Tanakas and one Echo. They are alot more to lug around the woods but i put a small metal hook on the handle that i can just hang it off my fanny pack loop, and then have both hands free to work the drop lines. I carry extra gas in plastic bottles and everything else i need for the day in the fanny pack. When i leave the truck, i don't want to see it until the end of the day. They are very reliable, but a tad loud. Years ago i did try cordless drills but to much time with batteries. I can average around 800 in a day useing the gas drills. Just a side note, the Echo brand tapper is just as strong as the Tanaka and was a cheaper but that was around 6 years ago. If I didn't have many taps to put in i would certainly use battery powered drills though.

[Ausable]

For a small operator like myself - I use an 18v Ryobi Drill. Started off with Brace and Bits and soon realized that was totally insane -- even for me -- Mike

[mountainvan]

36 volt lithium bosch with 2 fat packs. I can do 800 taps by myself in a long day, no need to recharge till the night. CPO bosch sells reconditioned for a good price.

[Mark]

If you are drilling 5/16 I would go with the electric. I have three Tanaka's that I have not used in the last four years once I got the Dewalt drills. Smelling the fumes gave me a headache. The drills are quiet so when tapping with other people you can still communicate.
We get 200 taps from a nicad battery. At times we have had six people tapping and am thinking of getting a small honda generator so we can charge up in the woods. I have 3 or 4 batteries for each person. Each person will carry an extra battery so by the time you drill four hundred it is time for a brake at the main trail were were keep a sled with spout adapters, repair tools, fittings, batteries and food.

I will have to look into that Bosch.

[Ausable]

If you are drilling 5/16 I would go with the electric. I have three Tanaka's that I have not used in the last four years once I got the Dewalt drills. Smelling the fumes gave me a headache. The drills are quiet so when tapping with other people you can still communicate.
We get 200 taps from a nicad battery. At times we have had six people tapping and am thinking of getting a small honda generator so we can charge up in the woods. I have 3 or 4 batteries for each person. Each person will carry an extra battery so by the time you drill four hundred it is time for a brake at the main trail were were keep a sled with spout adapters, repair tools, fittings, batteries and food.

I will have to look into that Bosch.

Mark -- I have had a Honda 2000 gen. for the last two years and am very happy with it. As small generators go - it is quiet and fairly easy to move around and easy to start - usually one pull unless I forget to do something. We use ours for camping and hunting and no complaints yet -- Mike

[Mark]

That is the one I had my eye on.

[Rhino]

Mountainvan, That is good to know they have drill/battery combos that can last that long, I would much rather haul around a couple batteries then a gas tapper. You get 800 taps with 3 batteries even when it's a colder day of tapping? Or does that zap the life out of them?

[ennismaple]

We used Tanaka gas drills for years. They are effective but are also loud, smelly and heavy. Once we switched to 5/16" spiles we tried 18v battery drills - and we'll never go back to gas again! Last year we had 2 tapping crews for the weekend. We started tapping Saturday morning and had 4,000 taps finished by early afternoon on Sunday - that's an average of about 150 taps per hour for a 2-man crew! The limiting factor is being able to keep batteries charged in front of the crews. This year we'll have 4 drills and 8 batteries so we can keep everyone moving! For smaller operations this isn't an issue.

[Brokermike]

For those thinking of going gas I'd recomend looking at a power inverter for your truck or UTV. I get plenty of juice through my inverter to charge my makitas in about 15 minutes

[mountainvan]

I use 2 batteries, fat packs, and don't tap below 25 degrees. I split the wood too much when it's colder.

[adk1]

I will use my new 18V Lithium Ion Dewalt this year (2 packs) and see how it goes

[sugarstone]

As you will see in the other posts..more pros vs. cons for gas drills. I've used both.
Better production/person/day going with cordless even with re-charging and 3-4 batts/person and healthier.
Easier on the lungs and the body.
We average probably 800 taps/person with snowshoes/day and thats repairing as we go. But thats GOOD snowshoeing.
We use forestry timber-cruising vests which have lots of pockets and a big one on the back for a bit of extra tubing/droplines and of course a huge lunch.
One person crew, not two.
My company works for another producer with 17,000 taps...tap, repair, patrol during season, run pumpstations, install all tubing/fittings.

[stoweski]

Ryobi One 18V drill for 80 taps last year... 125 taps this year. Only used one fully charged battery to tap 80. Probably will stop by the house and switch batteries 1/2 way through just to keep the chips flying.
I'm ready!!! :D

[gmcooper]

A nice sharp maple tapping bit extends the life of any cordless drills. Not sure if is double but saw at least 50% increase in number of taps per battery when we switched to the Canadian maple tapping bit. I use Bosch drills now and have had good luck except when trying to charge a really cold battery. I usually keep spare batteries in an inside jacket pocket to avoid the issues on really cold days.

[sapman]

Using the Canadian bit and a DeWalt 18v XRP last year, I think I did over 400 on one battery. Maybe even 500. At that rate, the two batteries are plenty for a day for me. I still bring the gas tapper along in case, but haven't used it in years.

[adk1]

where do you get the canadian tapping bit?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

where do you get the canadian tapping bit?

https://www.bascommaple.com/category/tapping_bits/

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have a drill holster that I use and it goes on your belt like a hammer loop and I have used this same one for years and it still works great. Quick and safe place to drop it to free up your hands:

http://www.harborfreight.com/drill-holster-67165.html

[farmall h]

Tanaka Tapper..."be a MAN"!:lol:

[LewisJon]

Thanks to all of you who took time to share your thoughts on gas vs. battery drills. I bet we do a bit of both this year and maybe make a full transition to battery next year.

[cpmaple]

Just got yesterday a new dewalt 18volt lith. ion drill with 2 batterys and charger see how it works and have a older 18 volt porter cable we use should be able to do 600 no problem cpmaple

[adk1]

I have the same drill. Will be using it in mid Feb to tap