Hey Folks I have an old Makita 12v drill, about 20 years old bought by the previous shop teacher. It takes the 1220 style batteries( the red-orange ones), they still hold a charge but not for very long. I can find generic replacement batteries for around $30-$40. Real ones are at least $60 apiece, which is not worth buying for this old drill when a new Dewalt 12v with 2 batteries is $99.
Are those generic batteries going to be any good or do I just dump this thing?
I like it on my teacher bench for installing hinges and hardware because its small, light with limited speed. Also the kids never take it because its old.
Have tons of new Dewalt 20v drills in the shop so don’t worry about recommending another new drill.
Thanks for your insights. Only 10 school days and I get kids back to school.
Replies
The Makita 12V drills I have take the old style batteries, being a similar age to yours. I too balked at buying replacement Makita batteries because of the cost (even the Ni-Cad ones were expensive) but managed to find Ni-Mh versions for £20 each, with near twice the amp-hours of the original Makita batteries.
The reviews were many and positive - although there were plenty of other similar batteries that were even cheaper but had bad reviews. I've had a pair of these 12V Ni-Mh now for nearly 5 years and they've held their charge, worked well and have been a good buy.
The label names them "Powergiant" model 1233 36Wh. They're slightly deeper and heavier than the original Makita batteries. They can be charged with the Makita charger that came with the drill. Inevitable, they are made in China.
Lataxe
I had some Bosch batteries rebuilt by MTO (mtobattery.com) with the upgraded cells 5-6 years ago and was impressed. I went that route because the drill and circular saw were both made in Switzerland and I liked them.
If you don't have multiple tools on the same batteries it may not make sense.
My new Makita drills are awesome. Either way is a good option.
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