Corded drill with adjustable clutch
![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0f265e7c3b8cf8d0a859b59b597790d7?s=52&d=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.finewoodworking.com%2Fapp%2Favatars%2F200x200%2Fk.png&r=g)
Does anybody know of a good quality (like Milwaukee, Bosch, DeWalt class) corded 3/8 drill with an adjustable clutch? The vast majority of cordless drills come with adjustable clutches, but I’ve never seen a quality corded drill with one. A couple of “toy” drills (in the 1 to 2 amp range)are available with clutches, but I’m looking for something I can use for years, not throw away in a few months. Another acceptable approach, which I’ve never seen, would be a plug-in power supply to feed a cordless drill. When I’ve got a lot of screws to drive and 110 electricity is available, it would be nice not to have to keep swapping batteries. Sure, going to a 19 volt drill would extend battery life, but then I’d have to put up with the weight and size of the monster. Drywall drivers are based on sensing depth of the screw, not the torque.
Replies
I had the same idea as you about the adapter for a battery pack to 110volt. I imagine that battery packs are to drills as inkjet cartriges are to printers, thats where the profit is.
I did buy a 3/8" Ryobi, with a clutch, from the orange borg for installing a bunch of decking. The drill was about $40 while a new 18v battery was $40.
Dear Wood,
I understand your plight, but I would like to suggest an alternative. The Makita 18v Compact drill/driver is a wonderful little gun. I am a contractor and have little patience for things that don't work, and let me tell you, this thing is dynamite. The run time is good and it is very light. Nothing like the weight of a Nicad. I have had mine for a year now and I can tell you that it is the most borrowed tool that I own. I haven't had a tool disappear like this one since the original "Magnequench" 12V PC came out.
http://redcaptools.com/index.php?p=product&id=984&parent=4
Best,
John
Home depot is currently selling this drill with Makita's 18 volt impact drill as a kit for $269.00. A really good deal for the best drills currently on the market. The last time I saw a corded drill with a clutch was the one Ryobi made. Not sure if it's still available though.
Edited 10/1/2007 12:44 am ET by brownman
John,
Do you know much about recaptools? Are they good to deal with? Is the Makita they sell new and USA warranty?
Thanks,
Alan
Dear Plane,
I can't vouch for them as I haven't done any business with them. Amazon is my supplier of choice, but I couldn't find it listed. I should of posted this link for Tools Plus:http://www.tools-plus.com/makita-bdf452hw.htmlI have bought a couple of thousand dollars worth of stuff over the years from them and they are very reliable.Best,John
i had a12v impact driver for 2 days. drove in screws and lags very well. but we only got about 120 2" screws before it needed recharging. 2 batteries could not keep up. granted it was ni-cad now they are LI. also i work indoors so you need ear protection. i did not like that at all. i have the V28 LI cordless. if your not doing tons of overhead work i found i got use to the weight quickly and i can drive 350+ 3" screw before a recharge. it has a clutch and one of the nicest features of a cordless is when you take your finger off the trigger, it stops. because of this i never use the clutch as wood density changes every few inches. electrics can take a few seconds to slow down to a stop. so that variable speed on an electric to snug it a touch is reaaaaaaally tricky.
happy tool shopping:)
Tmaxxx
Urban Workshop Ltd
Vancouver B.C.
cheers. Ill buy.
I also purchase the makita impact driver within the past 2 weeks. I drove 13 pounds of 3/4ths inch square drive screws to unsqueek my subfloor prior to new hardwood and tile being laid. It took 2 battery charges. I am not kidding. I got rid of my rigid cordless 18 volt... (gave them to my dad) and purchased the entire set (well the 7 peice set) I traded in the radio and got the white model instead of the blue one. The white has an aux input for a iPod to plug into it... the blue one is just a radio. This thing ran for 48 hours on one charge. I was stunned.
Drew
The Makita looks like a real powerhouse, but I can't see trying to handle a 13.5 pound behemoth inside cabinets when I'm installing drawer slide, often reaching deep into the cabinet and at times driving screws upwards with my arm nearly fully extended. This is why I stuck with my 9.6 volt DeWalts for so long before switching to 12 volt Panasonics when the clutch on one of the yellow units gave out. The ideal drill for what I'm after would have the weight and size of my 7.2 volt Makita, a clutch, and power delivered through a cord from either a 110 volt outlet or a DC Power supply (or perhaps a car battery).
Allow me to second those who recommend the Makita 18V LIon drill/driver. The thing weighs about the same as my old Milwaukee 14.4 but runs circles around i8V NiCad or NimH tools. It also features three speeds and hammer mode for drilling.
The impact driver weighs even less and will drive really long screws without straining. For overhead work, it is simply wonderful
Both tools feature a good light to help find drywall screws in low light and a convenient belt hook.
If carrying only one tool is important, you might opt for Makita's hybrid drill/driver/impact, but the price is more than the price of the drill and impact combo kit.
I bought the Makita 18v Lithium Ion Impact driver. I love it. It seems as though it could drive screws all day long. It's also very light and compact and fits into tight spaces. BUT, it doesn't have a clutch and will break small screws if you're not careful. If I'm driving a lot of big screws, I use a corded drywall screwgun. Here's one from DeWalt that also appears to have an adjustable clutch.
PS, I can't say enough good stuff about Coastal Tool. They seem to have been able to provide customer service while still having low prices. I have no vested interest in them other than trying to keep a place in business that manages to provide some customer service.
http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/dewalt/dw268.htm?L+coastest+xsxg0145ffcdcecd+1191467611
You are looking for the wrong thing! A corded drill with a clutch is called a screwdriver or screwshooter (NOT a drill). The reason that cordless drills have clutches is that they are commonly used as combo drill/driver units. Milwaukee makes several models that are all good, I prefer their variable speed models. I have worn out several Porter Cable models that were also nice but I mostly prefer the Milwaukee's nowdays. Only a few dealers will have them in stock but most everyone can order them for you. Here's one link: http://www.constructiontoolz.com/search.php?categoryID=131
Actually they aren't' quite the same animal. The ones you reference are drywall screw drivers. The clutch is depth actuated, and not torque actuated. I did a lot of research on it a few years back, and there are some really nice dedicated power screwdrivers that have torque clutches. They are also made for factory use, and cost as much as a good table saw.
I didn't want to go to a cordless, as I was, (and still am) opposed to battery tools from an environmental stand point. There is a lot of extra pollution involved in the mining, processing and disposal of the batteries. Which coupled with the base inefficiency of using line voltage to power a transformer, to charge a battery, to then run a tool, makes them a less than ideal choice in my mind.
The only corded drill with a torque clutch I have seen in recent years, is the Ryobi that Home Desperate sells. I bought one about four or five years ago, when they first came out to do face frames with. I have run a bunch of screws in with it, and it is holding up quite well.
I also looked high and low for a corded impact driver, and though at that time several manufacturers, (Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee), cataloged them, they were unobtainable and not actually being distributed or manufactured. I did find, and buy, a corded Makita last year, sitting on the shelf of an old hardware store, where it had been in stock for about eight years.
Edited 10/2/2007 11:32 pm ET by Jigs-n-fixtures
Having owned and used several of them I will asssure you that the clutches are useful as torque activated systems. They are also designed to be triggered by depth/adjustable mechanisms as that is more accurate for drywall applications. For driving into metals it is more accurate to tighten the screws by adjusting the pressure that you put on the gun with your hand. I have driven hundreds of pounds of screws in this way and it is a very sensitive and accurate way to get the job done. The Porter cable clutches are slip- lug designs that allow you to use them similarly to an impact wrench when desired (for heavy-duty driving). The Milwaukees operate a little differently, but they all are sensitive to the pressure that you produce by pushing the gun forward into the screws direction. The very expensive models that you refer to are not needed for normal operations. You should rent one of these drywall drivers and try it out as I can see that you don't really understand how they work . I should point out that I never use the drywall depth systems on my guns. I have worn out about five of these things over my career so I am thoroughly familiar with them. The lower speed range units produce higher torque and are better for heavy duty driving, but the higher speed range guns are a LOT faster when you are driving smaller screws and lots of them.
Ryobi. It is cheap,but I have one that is over 4 years old and one that might be 6. I bought both, and was back from the store before my batteries got recharged on my cordless.
I don't use cordless any more. The best ones made don't last, replacement batteries cost more than the initial price, and you cannot work them as hard as air or electric
hack,
Then you would need an extension cord for your cordless drill !
dusty
I bought a ryobi 3/8th 6amp corded drill from home depot for circa $50 and that seems to match the spec you detailed. The impscy driver route seems to me to work well in construction roles where you want speed and force but I preferred the control and finesse of the adjustable torque settings - it helps me not strip off the heads.
jock
http://www.milwaukeeconnect.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_27_40028_-1_192215_192137bigfootnampa was partially correct about the screw shooters that Milwaukee make. At one time they did sell a screw gun specifically for woodworking but it looks like they have dropped it. I have a 6583-1 model that was made for driving sheet metal and bought it a couple dozen years ago not realizing they had a wood version at the time that would have been better. Mine works well for driving larger screws and will bust a #14 screw if the clutch is set too high or keep driving until the threads come out the other side. (4.5 amp motor @1000 rpm.) It is a heavy tool and for small screws it's a bit much but will with care drive them too. Set a few in scrap to get the torque right. The link at the top is for their newer models which at 6.5 amps are a third more powerful than mine and have the clutch control you're looking for. Poked around and found other options.http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail_listing.asp?categoryID=48Look at the versa clutch models 267,8,9 & 281,4 at the bottom of the page. The user manual describe the versa clutch as being adjustable and by applying more pressure will increase the torque to overcome a hard spot or knot. They are also a little more than half the weight of the screw shooters from MilwaukeeYou can get an idea of prices but I have no experience with Tool Barn and am not endorsing them over anyone else.http://www.toolbarn.com/category/electricscrewdriver/
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled