Cordless drill performance

[ibby458]

I've read the previous posts about cordless drill battery life, and thought I'd add to the discussion. In previous years, we tapped with a motley assortment of Makita cordelss drills, 9.2 volts and 12 volts, with old batteries. Sometimes, I didn't even get 20 7/16 holes per battery.

This year, I got a Craftsman 18 volt "professional" Drill, with 4 new batteries. We drilled 187 5/16 holes, changing the first battery as soon as it started slowing down. THe second battery was still going strong when we ran out of buckets, sunlight and energy, all at the same time.

It'll be interesting today. We're doing roadside trees with metal buckets and cast iron spouts. Since my Craftsman is only a 3/8", I borrowed my son's 1/2" Dewalt 18 volt and 3 batteries. I wonder how many of the bigger holes I'll get per battery (they're XRP batteries, new in December)

I bit the bullet and bought the expensive tapping bits this year, and I'm starting to think they're worth the money. Nice, clean holes, with little effort.

[GregMVT]

When the batteries on my K-Mart special drill (2 years old) would only do about 10 holes between the 2 of them this year I went to Sears and bought one of their 19.2 volt drills with the die hard batteries. Didn't count the number of taps I got out of them but I was tapping after I got out of work between 3:30 and 5:30 and there was still a little juice when I was done. Think it was about 150 taps the first night and 100 the second. For the 250 taps on tubing I use the leader health spouts but the 150 or so buckets are on regular taps. It can take up to a 1/2 bit and has a high/low speed setting that works pretty slick.

Greg

[TroutBrookSH]

No doubt that tapping bits are the way to go. Not only much faster and cleaner, but less heat/friction to burn the hole. I think you'd get less sap per hole with a regular bit.

I use a 14.4v B&D firestorm drill and a 18v Skil. Got pretty near all 200 taps drilled with a single charge on each!

Greg

[ibby458]

I'm glad to hear the Sears 19.2 seems to work good. I've been seriously considering one of their cordless tool packages. Really great prices, as long as they work good.

I wonder if one of the Canadian tapping bits made especially for cordless drills would work even better?

[royalmaple]

Years ago I purchased a B&D firestorm package drill sander jig saw combo. I think it is 12v.

This year I noticed it was just stalling out in trees way too soon. Could just be my batteries etc, but I was having to redrill in / out to clean out hole and to finish drilling hole.

I think this was adding if not the only reason why my taps were leaking.

Just ponied up the other night and purchased a new dewalt 18v xrp cordless with two batteries for the nice price of 200. It has a ton of power, may be testing it today on some new taps. Stinks paying another 200 for a drill but it is a nice one, and heck with my supplies bill this year at well over 2500 what is 200 more.

[lew]

WE bought one of the 18 volt SKIL drill kits. This is it's econd season. This year we tapped 250 healthe spouts on 1 1/2 batteries (the batteries have a gauge on them to let you know how much juice they have left in them). Last year it was colder when we tapped and we barely got through the 250 taps before the second battery died. I still love my tanaka gas drills, but we decided to mix health spouts and regular spouts in the same woods, so we carry a cordless in a holster and the tanakas on a shoulder strap. A real pain in the neck, will never do that again.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The Canadian cordless tapping bits are awesome as I stated before. Takes 3 to 4 seconds per hole on low speed. Clean hole and almost no effort and makes the batteries last a lot longer. I used a 19.2 Craftsmans last year and a great drill and batteries for the money. Additional batteries are less than $ 30, so a good investment. We bought one for my dad and brother for Christmas in 2004, so I got to try them out tapping last year. :D

[Mike]

There are a few big producers up here who use the 18v Ryobi....They get them at home depot for a decent price.....The extra battries are also reasonable at home depot...This one guy showed me a carpenters pouch that has suspenders built in, i bought one for about 25 bucks at one of the mobile tools sales they have here every now and then....Holds a lot of stuff which I like when Im tapping.....

[sweetwoodmaple]

Still like my gas tapper. 1 tank of gas = 300 taps. Not affected by cold temps. Don't need to buy special bits. Taps 5/16 or 7/16 without extra effort.

Just need to pump a little iron on the off season so I don't get too sore! :wink:

[maple flats]

I use an 18V Ryobi and got 150 holes for health spouts on a single charge and battery still had lots of power, never had to use second battery. That was the most I tapped in 1 day, but was split session with about 100 taps in morning below freezing and 50 in above freezeing after work. Temp was in upper 20's for part and mid 30's for the rest. So the battery rested but was not recharged. The drill has 3 spd and I use high all of the time with high priced tapping bit (5/16)

[brookledge]

Dewalt has come out with 36 volt drills, it will be interesting to see how they do. I myself have a 24 volt craftman professional and get about 175-180 taps per battery
Keith

[royalmaple]

If the drill you use has two speeds like my new dewalt, do you prefer using the 1st (low gear) or 2nd higher gear?

[brookledge]

I use the high speed
Keith

[GregMVT]

I use the high speed also, very fast!

[ibby458]

We started out late yesterday morning with 3 fully charged 18 volt XRP batteries. We had killed one by lunchtime, and recharged it while we ate pancakes and last years syrup. Heading back out, we kept tapping until all 3 batteries were dead, but only got 238 taps total for the day, with 4 battery charges. That bigger 7/16 bit REALLY sucks the power.

The drill disappointed me, too. I tried speed 3, but it would suck in and stall out. Speed two was better, but I still had to be careful not to let it suck in too fast. I pull it back several times to clear the chips and keep friction down. I wonder if it's just getting tired. It was rebuilt about a year ago.

THe bits I use are Leader tapping bits, not the Canadian Cordless bits. I wonder if switcvhing to them would help?

If I get bigger, I'll probably get a gas tapper, but I hate the noise and fumes. It can't be much heavier than the bigger cordless drills & Batteries, and it sure isn't that much more expensive than a big drill and extra batteries, but I'd rather have the peace & quiet.

I don't see the Craftsman 24 volt in the catalog anymore. Do they still make it? THat 19.2 package is looking good - - -

I don't like the idea of changing out all the Warner spouts that I've spent years and a lot of money accumulating, but that 5/16 hole sure is a lot easier to drill, and the aluminum health spouts for buckets seem to be working good for everyone else.

[brookledge]

Ibby458
I don't believe they make the 24 volt craftsman professional any more. I have 2 18 volt dewalt with xrp batteries at work and they do not have as much torque and power that my 24 volt does. I have not looked into the 19.2 or the 18 volt professional craftsman to see which will have more power.
Keith