18v Cordless Drills

Staff Member Said:

Masonry bits are the correct bit. Buying a good carbide bit will work better than the cheap ones and last longer.

Use a slower speed on the drill. You don't want the drill bit getting too hot, that will ruin the bit.

Problem with drilling into cement is that it is full of gravel and the masonry bits don't go through gravel all that well. That's why they made hammer drills.

Buy, borrow or rent a hammer drill, use a masonry bit designed for hammer drills and use a slow speed.

If you are going for a large hole, it can help to start with a smaller bit and work up to the hole size you ultimately need.

Staff Member Said:

I doubt that you'll be able to hold it steady enough and exert enough pressure. It's difficult enough with a Forstner bit. When I have used a morticer, I've had to exert considerable pressure on the handle and that has significant mechanical advantage because of the leverage. Even with a Forstner bit, you'll have difficulty getting a neat finish with a cordless unless the wood is very soft or you have very steady hands.

Also, what would the back of the chisel part be reacting against when you press it in to the wood? The jaws of the drill, which are rotating? How would you stop the chisel rotating as well?

What you can do is consider using a router instead of a drill and leaving the ends of the mortice round. There's no real need for a mortice and tenon joint to have square edges. You'll just have to round off the tenon itself by hand to fit. If you really want a square edge, then use a router and then either square off by hand with a normal chisel or invest in a corner chisel punch.

Staff Member Said:

All the above is TRUE about CORDLESS TOOLs though I have had contractors in my home that carry I couldn't even count how many DEWALT 18 volt battery packs that had constantly recharging but the crew of 4 must have had at least 8 to 10.

I owned a BLACK & DECKER 14.4volt Drill & Flashlight & 2 battery set myself that I might use occasionally but a WORD TO THE WISE, don't recharge batteries continuously bec these RECHARGEABLE will give you less life. I actually use the FLASHLIGHT more to walk the dog at night, Halloween and on long road trips. Needless to say I wasn't happy when both rechargeable batteries failed & would no longer keep charge. Finally I broke down and bought a geuine B&D replacement at the OUTLET MALL in Maine and just one battery was like $25.

Also my Dad was a Jack of all Trades and I still use his high ampered SKILL DRILL (has plenty of torque that is not always true of a cordless drill) stored in my double tier CRAFTSMAN TOOL CHEST full of nice quality tools...but I was talking to my Brother in Law who is equally good like my Dad with Table Saw & whole bunch of woodworking equipment and was surprised to hear him say that his son/my nephew who graduated from US Naval Academy Annapolis w/BS Mechanical Engineering degree has a garage full of tools & equipment bec he likes to build his own furniture and at one time swore how great cordless tools use to be <= he doesn't any more...

Hope the Above Info Helps!