Cordless Drills
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 350
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From: Calgary Canada
Cordless Drills
Anyone have any experience with the new Black & Decker Firestorm drills? I am looking for a new cordless in the 12V-18V range. Right now I'm leaning towards the Firestorm 14.4V, I only use it for truck accesorries(mudflaps,running boards,etc.)We already have four 18V Dewalt 1/2"chuck drills in the shop, so this won't se any real abuse. What do you think any other suggestions?
Dustin
Dustin
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 3
Cordless Drills
Im a builder, so I use cordless drills "alot". I usually get the DeWalt, but I recently bought a Firestorm. I must say I am impressed! Very good so far. As for expected life, I cant yet say, but for the price, I say go for it!
Nathan
Nathan
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 691
Likes: 0
From: Eau Claire, WI
ours are on clearance...
farm&fleet's ditching the "firestorm" black and deckers... they suck
get dewalt for the love of God, it's so much better
~Nate
farm&fleet's ditching the "firestorm" black and deckers... they suck
get dewalt for the love of God, it's so much better
~Nate
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
I absolutely love my Bosch 14.4v 1/2" cordless. When I get into the heavy stuff or light masonry drilling my Porter Cable 19.2 cordless hammer drill is awesome. Don't get the black and decker. They are not that good considering that for a couple extra bucks you can get a good drill.
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Joe Kucinski
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,436
Likes: 2
From: Sunny SOCAL!
Thought maybe we needed a NON controversial thread or two on the boards. Seems that lately all of them desinigrate rather rapidly.
I figured cordless drills would be the thread to help right the ship so to speak..
I have had pretty good luck with my Ryobi drill although I do consider it a throw away so to speak. If I was gonna get a drill to last Dewalt would be my choice
I figured cordless drills would be the thread to help right the ship so to speak..
I have had pretty good luck with my Ryobi drill although I do consider it a throw away so to speak. If I was gonna get a drill to last Dewalt would be my choice
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: wichita kansas
Have had a Firestorm 14.4 drill for a couple of years now I guess and haven't been impressed with it. My old 12v skill top gun is a far better drill, but can't find batteries anymore. My firestorm lately is getting to where the batteries lose power fairly fast especially when using it to drive screws. Is maybe a decent cheap drill, but think for a business use would be marginal. If you have been happy with the Dewalts I would stay with them even if it does cost more. Sometimes over a period of time having to stop to change batteries more often will eat up the savings.
"Mifflin Clay"
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,177
Likes: 4
From: Mifflin, PA
Firestorms have one problem - the transformer in the charger is a piece of *hit.
If a battery goes bad, it burns out the transformer primary - boom - no more charging. Idiots didn't even fuse it, and the primary wire is like thread its so thin.
And the batteries don't seem to last much more than a year before they take the charger out. And good luck trying to get a new charger or new batteries after a year or so.
I think they change the style every year just so they don't have to stock replacements.
If a battery goes bad, it burns out the transformer primary - boom - no more charging. Idiots didn't even fuse it, and the primary wire is like thread its so thin.
And the batteries don't seem to last much more than a year before they take the charger out. And good luck trying to get a new charger or new batteries after a year or so.
I think they change the style every year just so they don't have to stock replacements.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 759
Likes: 0
From: Buckeye Country
Hmmmm. Black & Decker makes DeWalt.
I got a 24v FireStorm 1/2" hammer drill on sale at lowe's for 59 bucks and the thing is a beast. It simply is an older DeWalt in a red casing by the looks. Has a metal chuck and it'll break your wrist if you torque it too hard. Watch the sales bins!
I got a 24v FireStorm 1/2" hammer drill on sale at lowe's for 59 bucks and the thing is a beast. It simply is an older DeWalt in a red casing by the looks. Has a metal chuck and it'll break your wrist if you torque it too hard. Watch the sales bins!
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: On that nasty Ohio River.
Dewalt and Porter are the way to go if it's gonna get any abuse. I'm straight Dewalt anymore, due to the durability and power. Now if I could just talk my wife into letting my pay $800 for the new 36V combo at Home Depot. lol the size and weight of an 18V battery, but 3 times the power and run time. Sorry, I may have just gotten off thinking about it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,884
Likes: 180
From: Morgan Hill, CA
I bought a cheap 12v cordless drill on ebay that was missing the battery. I then soldered on a 12v lighter adapter and long wire I had laying around. It doesn't have a ton of torque but will drill 1/4" holes all day long. All together I invested about twenty bucks.
Just an option.
Just an option.