[konut]

I've got a Hot Rod kit coming to upgrade an AV123 UFW-12 subwoofer, and it requires a drill to mount the transformer to the cross brace. Not looking for something uber heavy duty, just something utilitarian to get the job done. As the kit should arrive on the 28th, Lowes, Home Depot, Big Lots would be preferable to mail order or internet. Brand and model # would be helpful.

[gary]

I had a cheap Black & Decker drill, it lasted for years and was perfect for what I needed. You can get a 12V model for under $40 at Target, and for the money I think that's a great way to go (I've now got a Bosch, which is an awesome drill that I would definitely recommend but at almost $200 I think it's overkill for what you need).

Gary

[timind]

Check the local pawn shop for a Milwaukee. Last forever and man do they have torque.

[S Clark]

My Porter Cable 12v is 10 years old and going strong.  Had to replace batteries a couple of years ago. It's light and plenty powerful.  All the major brands will last a decade or more. 

If you are looking for a one time use, get a cheap Black & Decker and spend the extra $ on a decent bit set with a magnetic holder.   That is the place to spend an extra $10 to make the job easier.

[mcgsxr]

I had a corded Black and Decker for 10 years.

I recently got a DeWalt 18v cordless.  Dear god it has POWER!

[funkmonkey]

If you've never needed one before now, you probably won't need one after the project is done.  Go to any of the stores you mentioned and buy the cheapest corded model you see.  It will get the job done (any brand) for the least amount of money.  If you want to get a cordless to have around for other projects... the very compact Makita DF330DW can be had for just over $100.  I use it's bigger brother daily and have used this model on occasion.  small, lightweight, and durable. 

Cheers,
Greg

edit:  I'm on my fourth "screw-gun" now.  First was a Porter Cable (mid 90's) plastic gears stripped out after a couple of years use.  Second up was a 12v Makita impact driver/standard drill motor combo kit.  Both of those still work, but I went through six batteries in four years or so, and I retired the kit and the last battery to home use (now that one is dead too).  At around $60 each (for that model) buying batteries gets pretty old, so I bought a newer combo kit.  Basically the same thing, Makita again but this time 14.4v.  again six batteries later (five years this time) and I just retired that one to replace the 12v while the last battery will still take a charge.  New batteries cost about $70 ea. for the 14.4v so for $50 more than the cost of two I got the new, lighter more compact 18v Makita (two gun kit) with compact Lithium Ion batteries.  So far it's been great, batteries take about 15 minutes to charge (opposed to the 45min+ of the last one) and last about the same...  My job requires me to use these things every day, and it gets more of a workout than any other tool in my bags.  The impact driver rules for driving screws, and the keyless chuck motor gets much less use, but is essential also.  So it makes a lot of sense for me to keep them updated.  If I have a lot of holes to drill, or have to run a hole saw I will grab my (corded) Milwaukee Hole Hog every time.  That and the side handle for it, because that sucker will break your wrists if it grabs and you don't have a solid grip on it.

Just thought I would add a little bit of my experience.  But seriously if you only need it for the one job a plug-in model will be cheaper, and that tech is so old that even the no name cheapos will get 'er done!

[Pez]

I have a 15volt makita and I wouldn't trade it for anything. That said I have to agree with funkmonkey, it doesn't sound like you'd use it much afterwards. The 15 volt makita is a professional cordless drill that I used for very big jobs. A smaller sub $100 drill will work or your purposes.

[JimJ]

My everyday use drill is a cordless Milwaukee with a metal keyless chuck, I love that thing.

If I need more persuasion, the heavy artillery is a corded 1/2" chuck Hitachi, side handle and all...inherited it from my dad, it's older than me and works great.

[JoshK]

I have an 18V cordless Ryobi.  Most people laugh at Ryobi, but I have to say it is better than a couple other drills I have including a Milwaukee and I have used it a LOT.  (my Dewalt Hammer drill blows it away for power/torque, but that is to be expected). 

If you want a versatile cordless drill for odd jobs, get a drill that has adjustable strength and a clutch.  This keeps you from stripping the screw heads when doing more delicate work while still having power available for drilling. 

I have had three drills that were POSs.  The first is a Mitsubishi cordless that my dad bought for me at costco.  I use it now to pre drill, its set up for this and does nothing else.  The second is a grizzly I bought for $30.  Actually, to be fair, it worked well for a while until my wife used it to mix cement and then it gave up the ghost.  The third was a $150 Milwaukee hammer drill.  This drill is a POS for the money.  I ended up replacing it with a Dewalt for $175 that kills it in every way.  The Milwaukee immediately started overheating as soon as you make it do any real work.  The Dewalt can turn a cement mixer without breaking a sweat, which is a demanding job on any drill.

[mcgsxr]

my Dewalt Hammer drill blows it away for power/torque

Sounds like the one I have too Josh - that thing just BITES in, and drives.  The hammer is an option, you can shut it off and just have pure drive.

Agree though, for what is described, that baby is WAY overkill.

[konut]

Wow! Thanks guys, I did not expect the plethora of responses and detail. The idea of the pawn shops seems good, so I will check that out. I used to have a cheap corded drill when I lived in Hawaii, but left it there when I moved. I don't do much work with a drill so a cheap unit will definitely suffice. I will keep in mind your experiences with the respective brands when I go shopping. Thanks again guys!!

[BobM]

I had a Ryobi for a few years and it was wonderful, for a while - powerful and felt balanced in the hand. But then the batteries wouldn't take a charge anymore and replacements were almost as much as a new drill itself.

So my father in law got me a Craftsman for Christmas to replace the Ryobi, and it was and is still good too. However the biggest problem with all these cordless drills is that the batteries always power down and are drained when you want to use them. You can't leave them charging for weeks on end just for the off chance you will need it. I always have to plan ahead and charge up a battery the day before I need it. If I forget I'm out of luck and relying on my dad's 50+ year old corded Craftsman drill, which has never, never let me down.

So my vote it to get a corded drill and not worry about all the issues with batteries and charging. They won't let you down, ever - you just need a nice extension cord to go with them.

Enjoy,
Bob

[mca]

[Mike B.]

cheap corded power drill, 3/8" Harbor Freight for about $19. Or 3/8"  Black and Decker for around $29. Sounds like a battery pack drill would be overkill.

[turkey]

I have a Sears Craftsman 3/8" corded drill. It's nothing fancy, but it works well for things around the house.

If I needed a cordless drill, I think I'd look at Bosch, Makita, and Hitachi. I've used these brands in the past and they seem to be very well-made and durable.

We've had a few Ryobi cordless drills at work and they work ok too, although they seem to wear out more quickly than I'd expect.

One thing to keep in mind is that battery packs only have a finite lifespan. If you don't use your drill much, a cordless drill may not make good economic sense.

If you don't keep the batteries charged, they won't be ready when you need the drill. They also can go into reverse charge and destroy themselves. If you do keep the batteries always on charge, they'll wear out within a couple of years (based on my past experience). You will also be using electricity to keep them charged and sitting there idle.

I'd say a cordless drill is a good bet if you use the drill at least dozens of times a year and/or if you use the drill in a lot of different places.

If you're not going to use the drill more than a few times a year, and it's going to be mostly inside your house and garage, I think you'll be happier with a corded drill. You plug it in and it goes, with no worrying about batteries.

[turkey]

mca,

I wouldn't actually call that a drill. It's a brace and bit.

A hand drill looks like this:

[bregez]

If you go to a pawn shop I would stay away from any drill made in Asia (except for japan "Makita").  These drills are probably nearing their last hole.  Drills made in the USA (old Dewalt), Germany (old Milwaukee), and Switzerland (old Bosch) are generally good.  However, a lot of these brands have shipped their production to China and the quality of the newer drills is found wanting.   

A good bet is old "vintage" drills with metal cases.  They can be had for cheap and will run forever. 

[mcgsxr]

My Dad has a Sears Teco metal case drill, that I already have dibs on - not cause I will use it, but because it is a really cool art piece in my estimation.  From 1960.  Still works fine too!

[konut]

bregez jogged my memory. I have the manual Yankee Handyman Drill made by Stanley. Its the one with the red cap in the picture. I'm going to give it a go with that, but if it doesn't work, will pick up an electric.