Drills Reviews

I purchased the belt based on the recommendations of the previous reviews in this section. I chose this one over the several others listed in the category.

It certainly looked and sounded appealing, specificaly, being able to quickly add or subtract the individual pouches. After opening the shiping box and seeing/feeling the flimsy belt and the small puches, I felt robbed. Nonetheless, I tried it out for three weeks. After the third week, I dumped it and went back to my old tool pouch.

This would be a nice product in the $40 price range, but at $100, it's way too expensive.

This is a average weekend-warrior belt. Serious users should stay away.

I first heard of the Task system last winter. In December I visited a collegue who works at Pratt & Whitney's jet engine assembly plant up north in Connecticut. The techs at P&W all use a varient of this system. What surprised me were the kind off efficiencies that could be realized when components could be shared between techs. I was also surprised at how little grumbling the P&W techs had about the use of a corporate mandated tool. As I am involved in an engineering concern with aerospace contracts, I thought that this system could be useful at my company. I bought a couple of belts and organizers and supplied them to one of my crews. They liked it so much the second shift asked to be similarily equipped. I have used my belt & organizer every workday since spring & I can't imagine going back to the old fixed belts & buckets our company used before.

I'm not a contractor, but I've seen them on TV, and I've dated a few. I have seen many a tool belt in my time, but none of them compare to the simplicity and functionality of the Task "Quick-Switch" Modular Tool Belt. The pouches snap on and off using clips like the ones that you used to see on purses. You can attach nail pouches, or driver drill pouches, or whatnot. It's so fun! I suddenly understand why I don't tend to wear my regular tool belt around the house--it's just not practical! It's laden down with all the tools I happen to not need at any given time! The Task Corporation Modular Quick-Switch Modular Tool Belt is the only tool belt for me. P.S. I forgot to mention that it is also really strong, and there is a "bucket buddy" version which you can hang on your wall when you need the bucket for something else like mixing gruel.

I have owned one of these for about 2.5 years and so far no serious complaints as this has been a consistently reliable tool. It has more than justified its high price with its solid performance--for most small masonry applications this drill has proven itself more than adequate. I have been in situations where I have had to really abuse this tool--drilling 1/2" holes in aged cement and while this tool couldn't keep up like a cordless it still hasn't died. Oh, and these 18v batteries will work in my 24v Bosch tools, but their 24v batteries will not work in this 18v drill.

The batteries leave something to be desired and the weight still feels excessive to me for 18v--I purchased the 18v instead of an 24v SDS because I don't have masonry applications that often and would like a full-size drill that could handle the infrequent times when I would have to drill brick or concrete, but still be light enough for general use. That said, I have the 24v jigsaw and circular saw from Bosch, and I'm not sure that it wouldn't have been a better idea for me to get the 24v hammerdrill for battery interchangeability. The 18v is still pretty heavy--the carabiner clip on the bottom of the drill's handle seems like a great idea until you actually try to use it and then find it pulling your pants down around your ankles. The drill feels solid and well-made--although on mine the clutch's inked on numbers as well as the BOSCH name painted in red on the side of the motor have basically scratched off entirely. The included side handle is nice and the case is surprisingly decent.

I'm generally happy with this purchase, but I'm not sure it is necessarily the best option out there. I have a Metabo 15.6v I like more for general use and for serious hammerdrills I wish I had probably went either with the 24v Bosch SDS or the comparable Hilti 24v, or even the 19.2v P/C's. If I was doing a lot of masonry drilling inevitably I would have to go with a corded anyway.

I am a dealer for Basement Systems, Inc of Seymour, CT. which means I spend the better part of the week in dirt crawlspaces, drilling into predominantly block walls, but occasionally, concrete footings. This tool gets dropped in the dirt, is used in high humidity areas, and generally worked hard. I had been using DeWalt 18V 1/2 inch hammer drills, but their triggers gave me problems. I also use a 24V Bosch, and so far, these drills have proven durable, powerful, and effective. A tool repairman in this area told me he rarely sees a Bosch tool, but fixes DeWalts often.

I purchased this drill in the Multitool kit when ALL my tools went up in a fire. My old 12 Bosch drill was light, balanced, a joy to use. My initial impression of this piece was that it was going to be too heavy for enjoyable use. Then on my first project (a 13x35 foot deck) my newly unpacked corded drill gave up the ghost after a mere dozen screws. I fell back on this and it punched 15 pounds of 3.5 inch #9's without a whimper. Decent run time. The trigger is very responsive with good speed control. Plenty of torque. Used it as a nutdriver while assembling my new tablesaw and had to stop because it kept stripping the threads off the 5/16th inch bolts. The majority of my handheld tools are Bosch and I believe in them fervently.

I have used this unit for over a year. It was purchased as an upgrade from the commonly available Multi-speed floor units. With those units, I found myself too lazy to continually change the belts to get the correct speed. I knew using the correct speed was important to hole quality and cutting tool life, but it made a bigger difference than I had expected. The vibration and quill runout is fine. I like the extra long quill length. The depth stop and quill lock are convenient and easy to use. So much so, that I use them. The base is larger than most units and provides stability. The table is larger than most, and the underside, once past the rim, provides adequate flat surfaces for clamping. There are some things I would add/change. It should come with a light. I purchased a Delta magnetic base unit. There is an optional light available. Either way, you end up with two power cords/plugs. All the handles could be of better quaility. As a direct user-interface, the handle plastic with sharp seams just does not do it for me. I replaced mine with 2" hardwood balls. Softer to the touch and I like the look. A chuck key holder should also be a standard feature. I have mine on a retractable key holder, attached with doublestick tape to the side of the machine. Finally, the feel of the on/off switch is less positive than I would expect. It is like the push buttons for the presets on an old American car radio. They worked, but thinking back, they just never did feel like the most well-engineered design. Bottom Line: I do like the machine and am happy with my buying decision.

It was too much trouble to move belts to adjust speed on my previous drill presses, but I knew the right speed did a better job and made the bit last longer.

Delta appears to own the market for reasonably priced variable-speed drill presses. The 17-925 has an incredibly long (6 inches) quill travel, plus a very wide speed range of 150-3200 RPM. Adjusting speed is very easy B first, select the speed range (low or high) with the rear handle; and then dial in the speed you want with the front handle. The machine must be running to change speeds, or internal parts could be damaged. In fact, it's so easy, and quick (a few seconds), you get used to setting a reasonable speed for each cut. I even change speeds while drilling/cutting, as necessary.

Run-out on my machine is practically nil, regardless of the quill location. There was minor belt-cover vibration, which was fixed with some stick-on felt. The quill depth stop is quick and easy to adjust, as is the spindle lock. At 74 inches tall, this is a large, top heavy, machine. Bolting it to the floor offers maximum stability, but mine is on a mobile base to conserve shop floor space.

I made several modifications to an HTC mobile base (HPJ-6) to accommodate the drill press: - Bolted a double layer of 11-ply 3/4" plywood onto the support shelves of the base to raise the press (I'm tall); bolted the drill press base to the plywood; bolted two 50 lb. weight-lifting plates to the drill press base to reduce any tendency of the press to tip over. - Installed a heavy-duty adjustable cabinet leveler at each corner of the base, to preclude tip overs. (Item number 937-023 from woodworker dot com.) Set each leveler to 1/16" off the floor.

The large cast iron metalworking table also works just fine for woodworking - It's easy to clamp work down since the table has many flat areas underneath. It can rotate 360 degrees, but has a large screw-handle to lock it in place. If you use lots of oil for metal cutting, there is a threaded drain-hole in the table for runoff.

The spindle handle knobs are hard and small for comfortable use, so I bought a can of liquid rubber and coated each handle. Although this was an improvement, Delta should really improve these knobs. Also, there was no obvious place to store the chuck. I fixed it to a small chain and connected one end to the lower column tightener, so it's handy.

The 110V motor is amply powered for everything I've thrown at it. For example, it will cut 3 3/16" rosettes in hardwood with ease, with no motor issues. Although more power is unnecessary, a simple motor wiring change to 220V does just that.
No lamp is included, but that is easily fixed with the addition of a Delta 25-858 Lamp bolted to the press's (left side) lamp lug. I installed two more lamps -- a 24 goose-neck magnetic lamp stuck to the top plate, and a 30 watt mini-flood mounted inside the hollow area behind the quill, aimed to below the chuck location. I wound up using smaller bulbs than each lamp could hold because otherwise, the light was blinding! All three lamps operate on a single switch. (Click on customer photos.)

Installing a 26 lb. cross-vice on the table significantly increased the effort required to crank the table upward. Worse, moving the table around the column made the raising-rack (that long column gear-piece) bind in its bottom channel B to the point damage might have occurred. To counteract that, I had to pull up hard on the table whenever raising or turning it. I probably should have rated the press at four stars because of this. (On the other hand, without a vise, this won't be a problem, and this is probably an issue on most drill presses.) My fix was a [Rube-Goldberg] counter-weight apparatus using three (garage door) springs (a 160 lb. & two 120 lb. rated), four pulleys, and 3/16" steel cable. This set-up exerts a constant upward pull on the table of about 50 lbs. It's now slightly easier to crank the table up, than it is to crank it down! It took a good deal of experimentation using varying spring strengths to get it just right; and while it looks a bit bizarre, it works wonderfully. Click on customer photos.

The principal features of this press are the terrific variable speed mechanism and the extra-long quill travel. Considering that comparable [variable speed] drill presses cost over twice as much (e.g., the Grizzly G9749 or the Palmgren 80202), the 17-925 is a good value. Everything works as advertised - I'd buy the same press again.

Jan '06 update: Installed an 82 lb. Palmgren CV80 cross vise on the drill press table. (Click on customer photos.) Could barely crank the table upward, even with the spring assist. Concerned that the plastic crank handle would break under the strain, I changed to three very strong (160 pound rated) garage door springs. All's well now. See my review of the CV80 for additional information.

I have wanted a variable speed drill press for some time, as I was tired of changing the belts every time I needed to adjust the speed. I was hesitant about buying the Delta, as most good variable speed drill presses are twice as expensive. Having given up on trying to locate a used commercial machine, I took the plunge and purchased the Delta.

As soon as I put it together the first thing I checked was run-out. I was pleasantly surprised when I found I had only .001. The run-out did not change even when I extended the quill. As you can imagine I was beaming at that point. Next test was vibration. Again, surprised, I had little vibration. I am sure with a heaver castings, I would have less; but I could not complain about what I had, it was nominal.

All in all, I was very pleased/surprised with my purchase as I think Delta in some cases has sacrificed quality to bring it's product in at a lower price point.

There was not enough of a description to say there was a battery charger included. As a result, I purchased a separate battery charger and ended up with 2 of them.
Love the drill however.

I was looking for a cordless with more power than my old one. This one has plenty of power for the around the house jobs that I'll be using it for. It fits comfortably in my hand and is well balanced. I can even set it down on its battery pack area and it doesn't fall down. I would recommend it to any home owner.

I have the earlier version of this drill and when the batteries went kaput, I found I could buy a new drill with two batteries and a charger for about the same price of just replacing the batteries(what a gimmick!) for my old drill. This DC727KA is lighter than the old one, gets into tighter places and the chuck works great! I have a Grizzly drill that's similar, also 12V, but I've had trouble with the chuck staying tight ever since it was new. I guess that's the difference between paying $69 and $119. I've used the drill quite a bit for both screwing and drilling and it can't be beat. I'm extremely satisfied with my purchase. I just can't figure out a good use for the heavy duty plastic case it came in. What ever happened to the great metal ones?

I bought this specifically for cutting holes in drywall for electrical boxes, but I have since found that it has many uses beyond that.

What I have found:

- As someone else has stated, the depth gauge is a little inaccurate. You will have to sight the depth for this (which is best anyway.)

- Made of quality materials. You've come across that cheap plastic before; this is not that stuff. This has taken a few drops, so far.

- The drywall bits seem to wear out quicker than I planned on. I have only cut 10 holes for electrical outlets and it seems to take longer to cut each time I use it. The first hole I cut went fast and smooth; whereas the last one that I just cut took three times as long, and twice as much pressure.

- The bit will tend to 'walk' if you don't have firm control over it. (I know, I know, this seems obvious, but maybe not to everyone.) Use of a guide or fence should help control the outcome of your results.

- Does NOT tear drywall. Smooth cuts on both sides -- smoother than my Greenlee drywall/keyhole saw.

- You'll need to use the mini-chuck with the guide. The bigger chuck won't allow the guide to screw down. (I think everyone got one with their main Dremel unit, but I'm not sure.)

- Holding a vacuum hose or air nozzle to one side of the guide will greatly increase your sight. This thing kicks up some serious dust, and unless the light is good, the line you're following may be difficult to see.

I highly recommend this product for those finish cuts on drywall where a saw just won't leave the edges smooth. If you plan on cutting more than 20 holes in drywall, I'd pick up another bit or two.

I recently began using this attachment with my Dremel to create prescise lines at uniform depths. Using this attachment, I was able to achieve the results I was looking for. The variable depth is very helpful, but a little inaccurate. Still, I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a simple, but very helpful attachment for their Dremel.

You can control the tool very easy with this attachment and better of all is compatible with the RTX of Black & Decker.

I bought this hammer from the big box chain, and now realize I did not get a top notch deal. However, the hammer does exactly what it is supposed to do, drive nails all day. The handle is comfortable and the head is such that nails don't automatically cave over. In short, it would be a pleasure to work with if it wasn't for the ring. Every whack it goes "poiiiing", and drives me batty. I just replaced the nice new shiny non marring non bending Estwing with my old trusty Stanley that bends nails all the time, just because I couldn't handle the tuning fork noise. I tried winding electrical tape on the handle, the stem or whatever and could not get rid of the noise. I know it is kind of "soft" to complain of noise of a hammer, but this is just too much.

If I was deaf however, or enjoyed wearing earplugs, this hammer would be impossible to beat.

What hammer should I get now?

F.

...after hauling around my 20-oz. Estwing, I bought this 16-oz. model as a spare. I was skeptical about this tool after previous reviewers complained of an annoying ringing sound, but I either cannot hear this or it just does not bother me. When I first picked it up, I appreciated the shock reduction grip. It is quite an improvement over Estwing models of just a few years ago.

My concerns about 16 ounces not being enough mass to drive large nails were alleviated the first time I used this hammer to demolish and re-frame parts of an exterior wall for window and door installation. I found it comfortable to swing and easy to aim given the decrease in mass. It is perfectly balanced.

The one-piece design inspires confidence that I won't see the head of this baby go flying by my head on the back swing. If my mind were to wander to thoughts of lunch, I know that a misplaced blow won't pulverize some wooden handle or worse, send slivers of fiberglass into my eye. All metal construction, sufficient mass, and quality craftsmanship combine in an exceptional all-purpose hammer.

I have used the 16 0z rip hammer for about 16 years--the same hammer that is, and it is still going strong. An awesome tool.
Building Alchemy

I received this drill in like new condition. Except for the R on the top I would not be able to tell it was reconditioned. I used it to build a deck and screwed everything that could be screwed and could not run down a battery before the other one was recharged and ready to go. I would recomend it to anyone in the market for a good tool at a good price.

I have just purchased this Dewalt dw953k drill from mazon.com.
I have not yet received it but would like to mention my experience with dewalt Recon tools. These tools are new from the factory and have not been in use in the field. Dewalt and other manufacturers test and inspect all there tools at the end of the manufacturing process. If by chance they find any abnormality in the operation or generaly missing parts they are rejected and sent back into assembly for correction of the fault.
At this point they mark them with the R and repackage them for sale. Very rarely are these tools ever known to have been used by anyone other than factory quality control personel.
I have two other Dewalt recon tools a DW974 12volt cordless drill 7 years old and a DW628 3-1/2 HP router 6years old. Both are still in great operating condition and used everyday.
Peter Legault

I use this drill extensively at work, and it's great. It has been dropped, rained on, buried in dust, used at full power through 3 batteries non-stop, and generally abused on a daily basis. It just keeps going with no problems. The drill I got from Amazon was in blemish-free, like-new condition with the exception of the 'R' branded on the top to denote a reconditioned tool. The keyless chuck seems to have been updated from the one I've used, since it 'clicks' when tightening, much like a torque wrench. You can find the same thing as this for 90 bucks more at Home Depot (and that's without the extra battery), so this is a good deal.

This unit works well for small branches. The light weight is appreciated, and the stainless blade is a useful upgrade as standard blades rust from the tree sap. But I used mine on some heavier branches, still within the recommended diameter range, and something slipped so that the blade no longer touches the anvil. The tool therefore is practically useless, as you do not get a clean cut. There is no way to adjust or fix this pruner when that happens. And the lifetime warranty is of dubious value, as you must send the tool back at your expense, plus keep and be able to find the original receipt. They should model their warranty after Craftsman.

Don't be fooled by the light weight of this item--it's cutting power is amazing. It's an anvil lopper, as opposed to the more popular bypass type of lopper, but the anvil is a much more efficient cutting method. Anvil cutting method (regardless of brand) tends to damage what it is cutting, so the best use of this tool is to cut dead branches, or live ones that you don't care if they survive of not. This is the perfect tool for cutting back rose bushes in the fall. If your arms ever get sore from wielding heavy tools, this is the ideal lopper/pruner for you. I believe this item is made in Finland--home of the infamous Fiskars orange handled scissors. This is the perfect gift for any gardener.

a wonderful product. i couldn't be more satisfied. buy it - you will love it!~

I have mixed feelings about this lopper. The light weight and smooth action are great, and it cut without requiring great effort. A minor complaint is that you have to open the handles very wide - almost 180 degrees - to get the sharply hooked blades open enough to reach around a branch. Thus the lopper can't be used to thin out interior stems in shrubs. My major complaint is that after a couple of years of use, the cutting blade snapped in half while cutting a small branch. Yes, there's a replacement warranty. But you have to have your proof of purchase, and enough time had gone by that I had misplaced mine. Admittedly I was careless with it, mostly because I had never had a quality tool break before. I plan to replace with a Felco lopper - the blade isn't as sharply hooked; I've never had a problem with my No.2 pruner; and I know I can get replacement parts if I need to.

I bought my Fiskars 96276935 lopper from Amazon in December 2004, a little over a year ago and have used it extensively. I really like that it will cut relatively large branches. However, while cutting a small 1" or so diameter tree recently the blade snapped off as reported by E.Chang. I bought a different model Fiskars lopper locally, one without the power gear, as I had a lot of trimming to do. I noted on a label on the new trimmer that it has a lifetime guarantee. I don't recall if the broken one had a lifetime guarantee, but will try to get Fiskars to send a replacement or replacement blade.

I had the same problem that another reviewer mentioned in that you can not buy the spare blade for this lopper at the retail outlets. Its not on the Fiskars website, either, so I e-mailed them and got a very helpful response. You have to call them at 800-500-4849 and you can buy any of the parts for any of the Fiskars products. They sent me a couple of pages out of their parts catalogue which detailed all the parts they sell. I'm planning on buying 2 spare blades --- even though they last a long time (mine lasted about a year of heavy use), when they go you can't sharpen them, so you'll want another one near by. If you do sharpen the blade, you will find that if you take off enough steel to get the sharp edge on the blade, the lopper blade no longer bypasses the stationary part and it renders the lopper useless. Still, this is the best garden tool I have, so I'm going to invest in the parts --- it beats buying a new one every year.

If these clamps are used as their design is intended (gluing up cabinet, drawer, etc joints), they perform adequately. The thumbscrew works just fine for applying the desired pressure. The adjustable head moves freely and effortlessly IF the bar is clean. Be sure to immediately remove any glue drippings that finds its way to the bar or the next time you go to move the head it will hang up. I used these clamps in gluing up a 2x4 laminated workbench top. This operation stretched them (and then some) to the maximum of their capability. Multiple clamps spaced closely together were required to press the bow out of some of my pieces. In retrospect, a heavier duty �" Pony clamp would have been better fitted for this particular job. But if you use these within their limits, they will perform for a long time.

I have four of these clamps and I need about eight more. When it comes to achieving a strong solid glue joint, good clamping is absolutely essential. These clamps are easy to use with the sliding clamp head and can apply a strong pressure to the piece you're gluing. You can put a wood shim under the jaws to avoid marring the wood surface. The bar will rust if not oiled or waxed but a little steel wool will clean it up. The 36" will handle most clamping needs and the price is low enough to allow buying enough for uniform clamping.

I am buying some clamps for my husband for Father's Day and thought the Quick-Grip clamps would be good. My husband said they are convenient, but if you really need to squeeze something tight go with a good old fashioned clamp. He likes these (24" and 34").