Tool Talk
Classic Power Tools => Classic Power Tools => Topic started by: ron darner on January 08, 2012, 04:53:43 PM
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From Mechanix Illustrated May 1952 (And I used to work for Mosler Safe, in Hamilton, Ohio, from 1970 - 1976 . . . where - among other things - I drilled into safes to test them).
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I resisted cordless for years, until someone gave me a B&D cordless screwdriver that I put on the bench at my motorcycle shop fpr 6 weeks or so. Then one day I had a set of carbs off a Honda CB750 to overhaul. This is a bank of forur carbs with innumerable screws to remove. I did a couple, then grabbed that B&D and went to town! I still have it and another like it, but seldom use them. I have had several cordless drills in the past years, but batteries don't last, and never seem to be charged when you need them, so I use an eggbeater mostly when possible.
(http://www.proxibid.com/AuctionImages/2299/30078/Detail/20.JPG)
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Hehe..at least he has a cordless safe.
I was in the basement of an old bank doing some work once. The manager showed me a tiny little mark on the vault. It was a circle about 1/2 inch wide and perhaps 1/32 of an inch deep. Some fool had broken into the bank and spent 3 hours trying to drill the lock. The vault door was made from 14 inch thick armor plate steel.....
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I have a couple of cordless drills. I use them. They are never dependable though. Even though I get the best batteries, and rebuild the packs myself, they are still just batteries. Unreliable when the chips are on the table.
I keep several ac drills and keep extension cords of many different lengths and wire sizes.
I am happy I learned to handle cords before batteries became popular.
Know whats weird?
Everyone rolls up cords just a bit different.
If its my cord and I have rolled it up 100 times, I can unroll and use it and put it back just fine. No sweat at all.
But wire has a memory.
So if I try to use your cord, that you use all the time, there will be nothing but misery.
And vise versa.
yours Scott
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Ron all I'll say is RELSOM becomes oatmeal when it's attacked with impact carbide sharpened correctly and a medium speed hammerdrill such as an AEG.
Mosler DOD approved file cabinets and Post Office safes bought one of my pickup trucks back in the 70s
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I got dragged, kicking and screaming, into cordless drills back in '86. I use them all the time. When I worked building theater sets, I learned very quickly to have at least one extra battery. I usually have two extra. That solves the problem of batteries getting drained -- put the drained battery in the charger, slap in the fresh battery and get back to work. I have a big half inch that takes three hours to fill. I hate the fill time. The rest of my cordless drivers fill in an hour, less if you use one of the quick fill chargers.
That said, I still have my egg beaters, and braces that go back to the 1830s and 1840s, and I use them. I have a selection of center bits, quill bits, nose augur bits and spoon bits for the old ones, which I also use. I recently bought a used Bosch 3/8 corded drill for those times I have to drill a bunch of holes in hard or green wood, and for the heavy work, my old Thor 1/2 inch hole hog never fails.
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I used to do HVAC installation in new construction homes. Cordless was essential. There was always an extra battery in a charger for each person. If you use a tool a lot or if you have multiple tools that use the same battery, they're handy. The batteries are quite costly if they have to be replaced or rebuilt.
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I still use my yankees to the max. I have several with different bits laying around. Lets see if some youngsters might chime in here????
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So you an old school cordless screwdriver.
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So you an old school cordless screwdriver.
u got the "old" right!!!
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What I see now in the building trades are the new-ish small impact drivers. I use cordless drills a lot, but it's always good to have a corded back-up.
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I used cordless a lot when I was working in building maintenance. Loved em. Since I have retired I have none left and will not buy another. Having no heated shop to store them in and using them only once in a while they just are not practical. Besides corded ones are $ 5.00 each at the auctions unless its Makita then its $10.00. For the difference in price I can get boxes of toys (I mean tools) at most auctions.
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I finally broke down last year and got a bunch of Craftsman 19.2 C-3 cordless tools.I had 3 years of Christmas sears gift cards to use up.I usually get 3 cards every year.I can't complain about them.They do their job.They are pretty handy to take in the woods to build a tree stand.I have a 3/8 drill , a small impact driver , AM/FM radio,4 different lights,a power plane,chemical sprayer, and a tire inflater.
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I love my Milwaukee cordless tools but hate the batteries, no matter how I use or store them they go bad after 3 years.
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My two favorite cordless drills-
Miller's Falls #77A
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4147/5058271885_2e3bb1d122.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhankamer/5058271885/)
Miller's Falls No77A Drill (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhankamer/5058271885/) by Noel C. Hankamer (http://www.flickr.com/people/nhankamer/), on Flickr
Forsberg Mfg Co Hand Drill model W-790 with a Whale logo. This looks a lot like the Millers Falls Model 77 but with a heavier frame. It has a 3 jaw chuck, a chef's hat top handle with space for bits (none included) and a solid wheel with no remnants of the label present. An excellent example of a less common tool maker from the early-mid 20th Century.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6391799903_2a3160ff72.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhankamer/6391799903/)
Forsberg Whale Drill (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhankamer/6391799903/) by Noel C. Hankamer (http://www.flickr.com/people/nhankamer/), on Flickr
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I started using them 12+ yrs ago when I was doing trim work with my father in law (new construction). Got a cheap mastercraft from true value, but when I went into the RV business got a Makita 12v- ran good till batteries died, got 14v till drive stripped, batteries gone, B&D Firestorm 14v great balance batteries gone. Hooked on cordless. On advice from my small engine mechanic, he is factory repair for Ridgid, I bought an 18v 1/2 chuck with 2 ion batteries and charger. The batteries and charger are guaranteed for life (he has ample supply in stock), and the drill is for 3 yrs. Price was good, but the kicker was the weight and balance were exceptional- my arms can't hold a lot of weight for a long period of time. Big difference in old ncad 18v drills and in the balance in the hand. But I still use a corded 1/2 inch metal low speed wrist wrenching 2 speed drill. Really sinks 12" screws into 4x4s.