Need tool recommendation

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Libbylady

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
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Apr 26, 2009
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I have had a number of projects lately that have required a small drill, prefferably a cordless type.
I have a hand drill currently, but I find it heavy and awkward for a woman's hand, and as a lefty, never convenient.
Is there a battery drill that is slender and would be good for cross nailing to augment my v-nailer on tall & elaborate frames?
Somehow, I just think there is a better option than I find at the home stores.

If it comes in PINK... all the better... no one will steal it!

TIA to any of you with a recomendation or website.
 
You could get a cordless Dremel drill, or even one with a cord.
 
I have a 7.2 volt Makita - it is small and yet powerful enough for the shop (and weighs about half of my big drill/driver that I have at home)

Don't know if they make anything this small anymore though.

I like mine so much I even bought new rechargeable batteries for it when my hardware store guy tried to convince me to buy a new one. :)
 
I use PowerSmith 12V LI drills in my shop for attaching hangers and pre-drilling screw holes. They are very light and the LithiumIon Batteries last quite a while between recharging. There are a number of tools from PowerSmith that use the same battery including a Dremel like tool that is great when the occasional vnail doesn't go all the way in and needs to be ground down.

Between home and the shop I have about 5 batteries and about 10 tools (drills, saws, etc). You can buy them in various kits or individually without batteries. The link below shows a number of the kits and individual tools. They are priced lower than any of the other LI drills I have seen.

Highly recommended.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&N=0&Ntk=All&Ntt=powersmith&Nty=1&D=powersmith&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial

Pay no attention to the first item on the search page above. The rest are all good.
 
pink-impact-drill-465-411.jpg


http://pinktools.wordpress.com/2010/06/19/cordless-power-drill-cordless-impact-drill/
 
I found one from the auto industry by Snap on Tools. That's the truck that drives around town and sells to auto shops. However I found my on Ebay and I just love it. It is very small, not heavy and has the pistol grip that I like for control. It also reverses on the same button. It is actually called a snap on cordless screw driver. I think it's perfect for a lady's hand. Look on Ebay, they are on there all the time.
 
My favourite tool for attaching D rings etc to mouldings is a humble bradawl. One poke to mark the spot, wipe a little lube on the screw threads then drive it in with my equally old-fashioned ratchet screwdriver. Quick as you like, no batteries and, using the awl means I never punch right through the wood.
 
JFeig said:
Cross nailing is not a good idea if you have to take apart a frame.
Click to expand...

I can't remember the last time I had to take a frame apart! Now, going after a nunnie under the glass is a different story.

Larry, thank you for the Toolsmith site. I'm going to try the small drill that doesn't have a built in base. It's the heavy base that makes the drill I already have a pain to use.
I love the pink tools also! With 3 sons and a DH, "tools" seem to be thought of a communitry property even when they raid my shop!

Thank you to all who were kind enough to respond!
 
artfolio said:
My favourite tool for attaching D rings etc to mouldings is a humble bradawl. One poke to mark the spot, wipe a little lube on the screw threads then drive it in with my equally old-fashioned ratchet screwdriver. Quick as you like, no batteries and, using the awl means I never punch right through the wood.
Click to expand...

Same here....I have a nice fancy awl (because it just looked soooo nice) Will try to find a picture....
I have a few ratchet screwdrivers as well; fast, cheap, great control.
 
Libbylady said:
I can't remember the last time I had to take a frame apart! Now, going after a nunnie under the glass is a different story.

Larry, thank you for the Toolsmith site. I'm going to try the small drill that doesn't have a built in base. It's the heavy base that makes the drill I already have a pain to use.
I love the pink tools also! With 3 sons and a DH, "tools" seem to be thought of a communitry property even when they raid my shop!
Click to expand...

Thanks,

The PowerSmith drills don't have the heavy base. After looking at all the options presented, I think that the PowerSmith drills are your best choice. If you can tolerate the "manly" green drills, the have the highest voltage (12V), the most options for other tools, the LI batteries for the longest charge, the batteries are swappable (unlike your pink favorite) and are probably cheaper than most of the other options.

And they are very light.

I especially like the hex shank drills (i have both types) ( http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200371785_200371785 )

399422_lg.jpg


when you use hex shank drill bits with this drill you never have to worry about the drill bit spinning out or sticking in the wood.
 
Get one of these...
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32294&cat=1,180,42337&ap=1

I have a Stanley that was given to my dad as part of a kid's tool set when he was 12 (Feb 1931). It still works real well and requires little maintenance, just a little oil every so often. The chuck is small enough to grip 20 gauge wire brads (use them instead of bits). And the batteries never run out. :D

Small learning curve, isolating the left hand holding the tool from the right hand cranking, and you are all set. I reach for this tool before the power drills, especially when control is critical.

Artfolio, I have and use a palm awl for marking where screws go, and to make a starter hole, but using it instead of a drill defeats the purpose. A wood screw holds more efficiently when the hole is drilled and the wood that would normally be pushed aside is removed in the drilling process. If there is no hole the wood tends to split and only a part of the threads are holding the screw in place. By pre-drilling the threads will gain purchase on all sides equally.
 
Here is part of my own PowerSmith collection.


PowerSmith.jpg


The drills are cheap enough that I have one for each purpose. One has a drill for predrilling screw holes and the other two have #0 and #2 square drive bits for the two kind of screws I use. The rotary tool will use any Dremel attachments.

I have a table saw witha 52" fence for cutting acrylic and a panel saw for rough cutting acrylic. Both have no-melt Tenryu plastic blades. When I need to cut a piece larger than 52" and have a precise cut, I use the little 4" saw with a plastic cutting blade.

The flashlight came with one of the kits and is so-so.

I have other PowerSmith drills/saws at home. It's powerful enough for jobs around the house that I almost never need to use my heavy 18V LI DeWalt drill.

For some more of this product line see:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_hi?ie=UTF8&search-alias=tools&field-brandtextbin=PowerSmith

I also have the Compact Hand saw on that page and plan to get the Angle Grinder, Jig Saw and Orbital Sander. One thing I like about they way they sell things is that they sell the tool only, so adding on pieces is cheap.
 
Pat Murphey said:
I use the Skil iXO3 lithium ion palm screwdriver for pre-drilling. The screwdriver's slower speed gives excellent control over depth when drilling. Battery life between charges is excellent.

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Skil-2346-05-3-6-Volt-Li-Ion-Cordless/dp/B001IZZDDK


41RKVt7RxlL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
Click to expand...

one speed, perfectly slow . . . you won't accidentally go to far. Comes with a charging cradle tray that holds all of the tips you will ever need. FrameTek makes the micro drills with the hex bases you need for the fast drill-swap-screw.

The battery charges fast, and goes for ever. The whole unit weights about 6ozs and fits in the palm of my hand.

"Looks like a toy, works like a man" :D
 
It's a TOOL..... what does sex or color got to do with anything...

oh, sorry Doug..... I just noticed the Minnesota..... or is the sheep thing Wyoming...? :rolleyes: :D
 
I've had the small Makita mentioned, which is a very nice little drill, but I now use lithium-ion battery drills by Ridgid from Home Depot. The look almost identical to the one on the left in Larry's picture, except orange, and the chuck design is a bit different. I have been very happy with these. They are powerful, the batteries last a long time, and they charge quickly.
:cool: Rick
 
Rick Granick said:
I've had the small Makita mentioned, which is a very nice little drill, but I now use lithium-ion battery drills by Ridgid from Home Depot. The look almost identical to the one on the left in Larry's picture, except orange, and the chuck design is a bit different. I have been very happy with these. They are powerful, the batteries last a long time, and they charge quickly.
:cool: Rick
Click to expand...

It seems like most manufacturers have come out with their own versions of the 12V LI drills....and that's a good thing.

Milwaukee, Rigid, PowerSmith, Bosch, et all. The drills all have a similar form factor and as far as I can tell, the battery technology is the same for all. The weakest part about any cordless system is the battery technology. I have had 18V NiCad Dewalt's for years and the NiCad batteries just didn't do the trick. They didn't last all that long (only a few years) and the chargeable life decreased with age. The same doesn't seem to hold true for LI. I replaced my 18V NiCad batteries with LithionIon batteries a while back. The LI Batteries are great. I don't use the 18V system as much any more since I got the 12Vs but don't remember the last time I charged the 18Vs.

The 12V LI tools seem better and stronger than older 14.4V tools I have had in the past. I just bought an old house a couple of months ago and with all the misc things you need drills for in an old house (drapes, repairs, etc), I used the 12V drills far more than the 18V.

These new 12V tools are great; regardless of which you get. Many won't need the larger tools.

Now for the jist of all this. Some of the drills recommended are 4-7V drills which may be just fine for simple frame related tasks but can't used for much else. If all you need is a frame drill, fine. But if you ever want to use it for more, get a 12V. You won't regret it.
 
Try googling around for a push drill -you might have to go to e-bay. They weigh nothing, and use elbow not battery power.
 
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I know that this is shameless plug but they are really very handy and fit in with this posting nicely. http://www.frametek.com/HTML/Other/PilotDrills.html
I too had 2 identical drills in charger stands near my fitting table. One with a hex socket for hex pilot drills I made up on 1/4 inch hex stock, another was a phillips screwdriver. No time wasted in changing bits- always charged up - no dangley cords - cheap too, like $12 throwaway type drills.
 
Pat Murphey said:
41RKVt7RxlL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
Click to expand...

I have a couple of these...got them from some fishing outfit...Probass or something like that for about $20/per. They may not look like much, but they have torque! Carry one with me when I go on installs...great backup tool.
 
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