Lithium Ion Batteries [Archive]

ibby458

01-02-2010, 07:21 AM

I gave up on cordless drills for 7/16 spouts, and bought a gas tapper. Now that I'm switching over completely to the 5/16 health spouts, I want to try the cordless drills again. I bought 3 lithium ion batteries for my Craftsman 19.2 volt drills. Can anyone tell me how many tap holes I might expect from each battery?

gator330

01-02-2010, 07:27 AM

I would bet you can tap the hole bush with two of those batteries. Mine isn't any were near 19.2 volts. I do 100 with out a problem and have a lot of batterie life left.

caseyssugarshack93

01-02-2010, 07:44 AM

the litium ion milwaukee drill= A producer near me stated they can do around 700 holes on 5/16 drill bit on one battery not 100% on that,

vtmaplemaker

01-02-2010, 08:18 AM

I tap with a makita 18v lithiam ion drill.. The 3.0 ah battery, I can get about 600 taps per battery, the 1.5 ah batteries, I can get about 300

mountainvan

01-02-2010, 08:20 AM

my 36 volt bosch will do 600 on one battery. I would think 19.2 would do 300+.

cncaboose

01-02-2010, 08:57 AM

ibby, I use the Craftsman 19.2 but with the older batteries. I get about 75-100 5/16" taps per. On the low end if the wood is still frozen. Higher when thawed. A spare battery and recharge when I break for lunch and it's worked very well.

jrthe3

01-02-2010, 11:12 AM

my ryobi 18 volt will do 500 per bat 5/16 whole

maple flats

01-02-2010, 02:51 PM

And my Ryobi 18V lithium ion lasts over 600. I had 2 batteries but never had to put on the second battery. I guess I'll need to add more taps to find out how many holes it will drill on a battery.

KenWP

01-02-2010, 05:39 PM

I guess I need to buy a better drill. I get a couple dozen holes and then run out of steam. The 19/64s do drill better. I usually carry 2 drills and a brace so that I don't run out and have to walk a half mile back to recharge.

maple flats

01-02-2010, 08:02 PM

I bought my last three drills as factory reconditioned, 2 DeWalts and a Ryobi. I still have and use all three but if working alone I use the Ryobi lithium ion because the batteries last longer. On my 18V DeWalt I only got about 250-300 holes and had to switch batteries. I only bought the Ryobi because I thought I was going to have some free help last year, but it didn't happen. I used the "new drill" to test it. I was pleased.

farmall h

01-02-2010, 08:08 PM

Batteries have come along ways in tha last 10 or so years. I still use the 7/16" spout and Tanaka tapper. I know, I know...that mixed gas isn't good for the environment.;) Don't give away your Tanaka. I priced a new one the other day and they are upwards of $700.

Sugarmaker

01-02-2010, 08:15 PM

After several years with the 18 volt Dewalt tapping 5/16 holes. It didn't seem to have the same power. May need to look into these lithium ion batteries.

I do know that I caused myself sever pain and discomfort last year when I tapped 380 holes by myself one weekend and ended up with "tappers elbow". (similar to tennis elbow I guess?) Drilling holes for tubing is somtimes at heights near eye level. You can't resist the torque easily at this height.

Took about 8 months to get back to normal. Hurt like Heck!

So on the safety side those drill have a lot of torque plus twisting and this could injure you.

Regards,
Chris

farmall h

01-02-2010, 08:20 PM

Does the speed of the power drill smoke the tap hole or is the speed adjustable. As you all know the Tanaka is one speed and is clutched. Just curious.

Sugarmaker

01-02-2010, 08:26 PM

Farmall h,
FYI
I did give away my Tanaka.:( (still didnt get paid for it and probably never will) That's one maple trader that I have not seen back on here!
Another dumb move by me!

But I also couldn't picture myself holding it above my head tapping for tubing:)

Regards,
Chris

farmall h

01-02-2010, 08:31 PM

Arhhh, should have joined sooner. Sorry to here. :( Chris, may I ask why your taps are so high? Granted there are some that will be above the shoulders...tubing too high?

Sugarmaker

01-02-2010, 09:01 PM

Farmall h,
We have mostly flat land and at the end trees the tubing lines get waist high, and the drops need to be about head height.

I try to run 5% slope on this gravity tubing.
Chris

ibby458

01-03-2010, 07:57 AM

That's good news. 3 Lithium batteries should be enough to do it all in one day. (I also have 12V drills that can be run off the UTV with a long cord)

I'd NEVER part with my Tanaka that I got from Russel Lampron on here. I've used it for dozens of non-maple things, and my Amish buddies borrow it quite often.

WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER

01-03-2010, 03:59 PM

The biggest key in how many holes you are going to get is how good is your bit. You can have the best battery and drill made, but if you don't have a good bit, you are swimming upstream. Been said on here many times, the $ 20 Canadian bit from Bascoms is 10 times better than anything else I have ever used. I can drill a hole in about 3 seconds or less and there is no work to it, the bit does all the work. The 3 seconds includes in and out. I will be tapping with the same one I have used for the last 3 seasons and it is up to close to 1600 taps and still like new. I have an extra brand new just in case.

Big_Eddy

01-04-2010, 01:00 PM

I have a pair of 18V Ridgid drills - one came with 2 NiCad and the other with 2 Li-Ion batteries, but they are interchangeable and use the same chargers.

The Li-Ion batteries are 1/3 the size and weight and just as strong. In the summer - I get as many holes / screws on a charge with either.

In the cold (-10C and lower) the Li-Ion are close to useless. Charge them up - let them sit for 6 hours in the cold - they are close to dead without any use. Charge them and use them right away and they die twice as fast as the NiCads. The NiCads seem fine to about 30 below.

Also - when I stick my cold Li-Ion batteries on the cold charger in the garage - it refuses to acknowledge them and start charging them. I need to bring them inside and warm them up before they will charge.

I don't know if this is something unique to Ridgid, or something to do with the Li-Ion cells, but it has been consistent for me over 2 winters. Wondering if anyone else has experienced similar issues.

sugarmaker43

01-04-2010, 02:40 PM

I agree about the Li-Ion batteries not holding up in the cold. I use several 18v Dewalt which work great. However the XRP NiCad batteries last well in the cold. It wasn't until I complained to the Dewalt Rep about not getting much life out of the Li-Ion batteries that he told me that they don't preform well in the cold which in Vermont is about half the year or seems it. If you are going to use them to tap don't spend the extra money for the Li-Ions. I can get about 3 years out of the Dewalt NiCad batteries before I have to change them out.

Sugarmaker

01-04-2010, 07:49 PM

Jim,
Nice handle!
Thanks for the tips on the Li-ion bats and the cold. Yes I like to use them in the cold so thats interesting info. I may look into two new batteries for the 18 V DeWalt.

Chris

Z/MAN

01-04-2010, 10:39 PM

Interesting! I'm in the market right now for a new drill and I was leaning towards the Lithium batteries. My drill stays in the cold garage all winter so it doesn't sound like they will work for me. Anyone else have this same problem?

3rdgen.maple

01-04-2010, 11:31 PM

Same deal here. I use 18v ryobi and the drills I have are interchangable between the regular and Lithium ones and the nice thing about the ions is the drill just stops instead of slowly losing power but when it comes to using them in the cold they just don't hold up as long as the regular batteries do. Not to mention they are like twice the money. So Lucky for me I was able to exchange them for new regular batteries and will stick with them. And as said a good drilll bit goes along ways. I used the canadian drill bits for years and liked them alot. Last year I found a place that sells a special fluted boat builders bit and I will never use anything else now. Clean and fast.

ibby458

01-05-2010, 07:25 AM

I figured out a trick a few years ago. I load all the batteries in a cooler in the house while they're warm, and they hold up much better. Sounds like that'll be even more important with the lithium ions.

THe Canadian tapping bits really are worth the money. I've used them in the past and they work great. Gonna get a couple more.

KenWP

01-05-2010, 09:07 AM

They must sell the Canadain bit in the US as I have no idea what they are called up here. I found a Vermont bit in my stash of tools that has a rapid twist on it and it drills way better then the regular metal bits I was useing. I do notice that the bits in the catologs seem to have a sharper point on them then you use for steel. I am going to sacrifice a regular bit and sharpen a different point on it.

Homestead Maple

01-05-2010, 08:42 PM

Homestead Maple

01-05-2010, 08:45 PM

Jim,
Nice handle!
Thanks for the tips on the Li-ion bats and the cold. Yes I like to use them in the cold so thats interesting info. I may look into two new batteries for the 18 V DeWalt.

Chris
Here's a website to check out if you might want to consider having your batteries rebuilt. www.walkersbatteryrepair. com
I've had a few done there, with good results.

Big_Eddy

01-06-2010, 08:34 AM

One thing I should say about the Ridgid batteries. Ridgid guarantees them for life (as long as you register them on line) and will replace any that fail. Given my history with batteries, that was enough to convince me to buy the Ridgid instead of the DeWalt.