Craftsman Cordless Drills

[4x4mike]

Not sure if this is the right spot for this post but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the new C3 line at Sears. I've always had Dewalt and have great luck with them but I'm looking for something for my dad for Christmas. He's never owned a cordless drill so anything is better than nothing but I don't want to buy something that has crap batteries or no guts. I'm not looking for anything Milwaukee or Snap on and want to spend ~$125. There aren't a ton of deals still available for this stuff right now. After removing about 20 screws at their house the other day I feel it's time he steps up to battery power as my forearm cramped (it's been some years since I worked in a ski shop).

[CJM]

Personally never used that line of them, but I did use older sears ones. They arent really built that well imho, kinda cheap and the batteries died rather easy.

I did have excellent luck with ryobi, had a set for work and eve tho its cheap its pretty nice and you can buy it piece meal or kits or such.

[Seanz0rz]

not the c3 line, but the previous line of 19.2V batteries power our drill, right angle drill, trim saw, recip saw, jig saw, and work lite. battery seems pretty good, i like it so far. i would say its not quite as good as our dewalt 18 volt. bought that reconditioned over 10 years ago and its just now starting to wear out, alot of HEAVY use from the dewalt.

personally id stick with dewalt if i was going to buy another drill/driver. look over at www.toolking.com (http://www.toolking.com) great deals, alot of refurb stuff but our dewalt factory refurb unit has been stellar! only way we knew it was a refurb was the price (100 with 2 batteries) and a 'R' melted into the casing.

[DHC6twinotter]

x2 on the Ryobi. That is all we used at my old job. They were cheap enough that if somebody lost one in the ceiling, it wasn't as bad as losing a Dewalt. They held up great too.

My dad has a craftsman cordless drill, but I don't know if it is part of the C3 line or not. It is pretty new and he hardly ever uses it, so I can't really comment on its durability.

I did notice that some of the Craftsman drills looked very similar to the Ryobi. I’m wondering if they are the same drill with different names.

[Robinhood4x4]

I had a 12V or 14.4V ryobi that helped me build my bumper and solid axle. The batteries eventually gave up the ghost but I liked the drill. I still have it and one of these days I'll rebuild the batteries.

[RunnerUp]

i have the 19.2V one, works well enough for light duty stuff, havent drilled many holes in metal with it yet though, its kinda just a quick to grab tool that will hold up fine for 90% of users

[4x4mike]

i have the 19.2V one, works well enough for light duty stuff, havent drilled many holes in metal with it yet though, its kinda just a quick to grab tool that will hold up fine for 90% of users


The thickest metal my dad will drill would be thin sheet metal and hole drilling would be minimal. I think the majority of the use would be screws. I think I'm going to have to stop in and take a look. Thanks guys.

I thought I remember reading somewhere that the older Ryobi line had a free battery exchange within the first year or 2. Is that correct? Just wondering about the hassel as batteries seem to be a crap shoot with these type of devices. I was hoping that the C3 li-ion ones would last and have a good reputation.

[garrett]

i've used craftsman drills before, but it was a while ago and i'm not sure of the voltage or model. but they were pretty weak compared to the dewalts i've used.

my dad has a 12v dewalt, and i've used both a 14.4v and 18v dewalt pretty extensively. i wouldnt buy another brand for a cordless drill. the 12v has lasted my dad and I a long time. consider getting the XRP batteries though.

btw, the torque the 18v dewalt produces is impressive, although i find that drill/battery combo a little heavy for extended use.

[4x4mike]

I've got 2 14.4 volt XRP's and I love them it's just that my dad doesn't need anything hardcore and honestly an XRP wouldn't get used the way it needs to to be worth it. Maybe I should have my sister go in with me and we should get him one.

[Seanz0rz]

honestly if its for light house duty, a 12v or 14.4v drill/driver should be fine. as for brand, i dont think he, or you, would be disappointed by anything available at any of the major retailers from a brand that is recognizable.

[RunnerUp]

if its all screws the craftsman will be just fine, thin guage metal is a breeze as well... but like sean says, anything with a decent name will be a nice gift that will be sure to last a few years

[4x4mike]

Thanks. My stuff has drilled countless 1/2" holes in thick stuff. Maybe it's time to get my dad into some fab. I could see him making things for their Prius and Altima.

[Seanz0rz]

in addition to our big drills, we have a 9.6 volt craftsman driver (will drill too, only with speedlock bits) that is great for stuff like hanging curtain rod brackets, shelves, etc. its light weight, goes from a pistol grip to a straight driver, and still has enough power to sink a 3" deck screw into a hardwood. i like it for doing household stuff, it keeps my hand from hurting and its something i can stuff in a loose pocket for going up and down a ladder.

any fab work and i automatically go for our big craftsman half inch drill. thing will drill through anything, even with a dull bit.

[4x4mike]

My dewalts are 1/2" and I've got a corded and air powered 1/2". IMO they are the only way to go. My only 3/8" is my little right angle drill. I don't use it much but it's totally handy when I need it.

[CJM]

I currently have:
Porter Cable 9.6V, I used it alot and basically wore out the batteries. But it worked really well. Cant beat the sams club deal of 50 bucks for it.

Channel lock branded 24v. Big heavy and meh. I got it cause it was 35 bucks and I needed something I could beat up. Still works but im not to fond of the weight.

Makita corded hammer/VSR drill. I love this thing, super power and excellent all around drill. Came with a makita grinder for 70 bucks at home depot 2 xmas ago.

Makita 9.6V cordless (old pistol grip kind). Only bought 1 new battery in 10 years and I abuse this sucker. Has plenty of power and is light weight. I screwed my entire deck together with it (20x40!).

Makita power saw, was cheap and I like it.

Milwaukee 3/8 angled (small pistol grip kind). Very handy and at 3.5a is heavy enough to do most jobs.

At a job I once had we used ryobi, they wouldnt die. A friend of mine uses dewalt and hes a contractor-he wont buy anything else.

If it were me, I would buy ryobi. I seriously hate craftsman b/c the stuffs built cheaply. My boss has a craftsman cordless 18v, the dang thing is horrible and is only 3 years old and wont hold a charge anymore and wasnt even powerfull when he bought it he said. His makita 14.4 drill is what we used to put together all our trucks (alot of drilling thick metal) and it hasnt died!

[Crinale]

i dont know what company actually made it, but iv got the Kawasaki branded cordless set (drill, recip saw, circ saw, and work light) and iv been impressed... it works really quite well

altho, when im doing any fab work, i grab the 1/2" corded Black and Decker that hasnt let me down yet... i also have an old (i wanna say Porter Cable, but that doesnt sound right) 1/2" that has 2 handles for the really heavy duty stuff... things a beast