FAQ's

faq faq

Question: How do I know which cordless drill is right for me?

Answer: It all depends on what you plan on using the cordless drill for. Start by asking yourself some questions: Is it for home use or industrial application? Is it going to be used every day or just once in a while. Will I be using it for drilling through metal and concrete or wood and plastic? By asking yourself these questions and having these answers before you, it will help you narrow down the choices quite a bit. Do some research also. Read our customer reviews and tech specs to see what cordless drills will get the jobs that you have now and in the future done. Ask experienced tradesman what they prefer to use. Someone who is going to use a cordless drill around the house once and a while to build a few things or make a few home repairs isn't going to have the same needs as a tradesman who hangs drywall every day for a living. Typically, like most everything else, you get what you pay for. I would rather spend the money once up front and have a quality cordless drill for years to come than buy one that will only last a short while. My own personal preference is to stick with the 18 volt cordless drills or better.

Question: Is something wrong when a brand new cordless drill battery doesn't last very long?

Answer: Most cordless tools on the market today have NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) batteries. NiCd batteries need to be "cycled" before they can deliver their best performance. This means that the battery has to be fully charged and fully 'drained' several times (typically 4 to 5 times) before it reaches its maximum charge capacity. This process is inherent to all NiCd batteries regardless of the brand. Once you have cycled your battery, you should obtain the battery capacity expected.

Question: Do I have to deplete the battery charge totally on my cordless drill once the battery has been cycled several times to get the maximum charge back on my battery when I am recharging?

Answer: I went to a Dewalt demonstration and asked the factory representative this very question. He told me that it is not necessary to deplete the charge totally before recharging your cordless drilll battery. He said to charge your battery after each use and leave it in the charger until you are going to use it again. The factory representative told me that a cordless drill battery will lose 25% of its charge in the first hour when left off the charger.

Question: What are some of the difference betwen Lithium-ion cordless drill batteries and Ni-cadcordless drill batteries?

Answer: The most significant is a reduction in weight. A tool utilizing lithium-ion batteries will typically weigh 25 percent less than the same tool using NiCad or NiMH batteries. Another advance of lithium-ion is more capacity which delivers more run time per charge. The highest capacity lithium-ion battery currently is 3.0 Ah. This represents a 25 percent increase versus the highest capacity NiCad available at 2.4 Ah. However, NiMH batteries offer a 3.5Ah capacity which means lithium-ion batteries will not necessarily deliver more run time than the highest capacity NiMH battery. Lithium-ion batteries have a more stable power delivery curve over the life of the charge than current battery chemistries, too. This means the power delivery will not deteriorate as the battery runs down, which is what typically happens with other batteries. And, Li-ion batteries will deliver more total performance over the life of the battery pack than current batteries. Nickel-cadmium batteries develop a "memory effect" or internal short circuits due to dendrite growth, severely limiting the life of the battery.

Question: What is a cordless hammer drill?

Answer: The cordless hammer drill is similar to a rotary cordless drill, with the exception that it is provided with a hammer action for drilling masonry. The hammer action may be engaged or disengaged as required.

Question: What is a variable speed cordless drill?

Answer: A variable speed cordless drill rotates at different speeds allow the user to use it in more applications. Many cordless drills will have a selector switch which will allow you to switch from low, medium, or high speed. Drilling different metals requires a variable speed drill. Drilling stainless steel requires a different speed and drill bit than say drilling into a softer metal like aluminum.