# Dewalt 18v Cordless Drill



## jrepp (Aug 20, 2007)

I must have missed this information in the owners manual. When I let off the trigger the drill makes a very loud noise and stops the bit quickly. I suppose this is some type of breaking mechanism? However, it's the loud noise that has me worried, is this normal? PS: This is a factory rebuilt drill.


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## Joining_Heads (May 27, 2007)

jrepp said:


> I must have missed this information in the owners manual. When I let off the trigger the drill makes a very loud noise and stops the bit quickly. I suppose this is some type of breaking mechanism? However, it's the loud noise that has me worried, is this normal? PS: This is a factory rebuilt drill.


Is it a semi-loud CLICK?

I dont know why but all dewalt drivers make this noise. When it breaks, get a panasonic.:jester:


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

Joining_Heads said:


> Is it a semi-loud CLICK?
> 
> When it breaks, get a panasonic.:jester:


Boy, do I second that. Once you own a Panasonic you will never even look at another brand, promise.

"when it breaks"...that should not be too far down the road. It seems that Dewalt is quickly going down the same "cut quality for a cheaper price and more consumer sales" that did in the old Black and Decker name, which had some quality tools until they began to degrade everything for the consumer market.

I still like the Dewalt compound miter saws (not sliders), but their drills are junk.


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## joasis (May 28, 2006)

We tried a Panasonic....and we still have Dewalts. The noise is the brake. Panasonics I suppose are great medium or light duty, but when you used one hard, like we do in steel erection, you will find out quickly how they hold up. My personal choice is the Milwaukee V28's.


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## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

I have a Panasonic 1/2" 15.6v with NiMH's and it's a beast. Mind you, I'm not erecting steel as does *joasis*, but I drill into everything from concrete to stucco to wood to timber to iron and also steel. Also, I use it to drive the real long screws.

What's very surprising to find out is that except for a wee bit on the battery depth, the Panasonic drill itself is actually just as compact as the Milwaukee 18v Li-on compact drill and Makita 18v Lithium Ion compact drill.

I find it to be a really rugged and reliable workhorse.


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## Joining_Heads (May 27, 2007)

At my old place of work I had a coworker who bought is own Dewalt drills because he bought everything Dewalt. My Boss had an entire fleet of Panny 15.6 drills (one for each employee). 5 years later, my coworker was on his second drill and countless sets of batteries (could be due to that Damn radio eating them up) while the Panasonics were all original and still had there two original batteries. I should had that the Pannys had been there for years before I started. At the moment, I don't even look at other cordless options.


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## joasis (May 28, 2006)

I would have to say that Dewalt does have it's share of battery issues...never concerned us due to the battery life is based on cycles, or number of times discharged and recharged. My Milwaukee is a real horse of a drill, ...can break your wrist type of torque, but the batteries are really a problem. I have had 5, yes 5 batteries replaced under warranty from Milwaukee....I have had a bunch of the Dewalts under warranty also....especially after the yellowtop batteries came out. 

If I was only using a drill, I might give others a chance, but since we use all the cordless tools, it doesn't pay to mix and match.


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## Joining_Heads (May 27, 2007)

I will second that the v28 could snap a wrist. At a demo a while back the Milwaulkee rep had a few loaded with with 1" forstners buried into a 6x6. The torque caught me off gaurd when I backed them out. Nearly hurt myself. 
I bought the Bosch 36 volt instead but sold it afterward... I just don't need the power-those things could toss me off a ladder (I'm 6'1 225).


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## Richo (Dec 6, 2007)

I own a DeWalt 14.4 drill that I bought as a refurb over 10 years ago. I'm still on the original batteries. That impressed me enough to buy a DeWalt at work several months ago. Only time will tell if this one holds up as well but I'm hoping.


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## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

Richo said:


> I own a DeWalt 14.4 drill that I bought as a refurb over 10 years ago. I'm still on the original batteries. That impressed me enough to buy a DeWalt at work several months ago. Only time will tell if this one holds up as well but I'm hoping.


Just afew comments here based upon my experience with and knowledge of DeWalt.

Five years ago, I bought a DeWalt 14.4V drill/driver that was already in really well-used condition. It served me well for two more years before I sold it! The new owner loved it and I believe he's still using it. Yes, battery life was excellent and not a peep was ever heard out of the drill. Had an 18V 1/2" drill that I bought new but sold it after only a few months. Did not like it or its performance. Too noisy and too rough. IMO, it sounded like it was grinding itself up. Maybe I got a clunker but the buyer wanted it anyway.

I don't think today's DeWalt drills and drivers are built as well as those 14.4V models. And, DeWalt is already well behind parent company B&D, Makita, Milwaukee, Panasonic, Ridgid, Ryobi and even Skil in that it has not yet released a Lithium-Ion line.

One look at the DeWalt nicad 18V XRP heavy duty battery and a comparison of weight against the lithium ion models tells me no thanks, it's a bit too big for a battery and too bottom heavy for comfort, despite run time. Lithium-Ions can be recharged in as little time as 20 minutes. And that 18V XRP battery is their flagship of the line!

Also, I think whoever is running DeWalt is creating too many 18V cordless kits and too many variations and reiterations for people to look at and consider buying. A few years back, you could buy any one of a number of DeWalt cordless tools by themselves, with or without the batteries and chargers. It helped a lot of small contractors - like myself - to slowly build up a good cordless tool inventory without breaking the bank and without having to collect up batteries and chargers and plastic cases.

I'm not rapping DeWalt, just critiquing it here. There are enough DeWalt cordless products out there to prove that they must be doing more than a few things right. I have their 12" miter saw as well as a cut-out tool and in the past had both a 10" saw and a few other products, all of which performed excellently.

Again, just 2 cents from the peanut gallery here. :wink:


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## Kingfisher (Nov 19, 2007)

I agree those old 14.4v are way better lasting then the 18v they make now. I try to buy the kits on sale at lowes. Just got two impact driver kits with 2 xrps batt each for $114 that almost the cost of just the batts and the drivers are unbeleivable for their size and power. I wish there drills were as nice as the driver are. Also evryone reading needs to know that a dewalt is not the same as an XRP dewalt, the XRP's are much better built.


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## Cow (Jan 5, 2008)

End Grain:

Dewalt does have a Lithium Ion battery that is compatible with their existing 18v tools.

http://www.dewalt.com/nano/index.html


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

*In Defense of Dewalt*

We have numerous dewalt tools. We especially like our cordless Dewalts. 

Are there better manufacturers out there, probably. Is Dewalt the best? - I am not saying that.

However, I will say this, our 6 cordless Dewalts (12V -18V) all work fine, and have been working fine for about 8 years now. They have been dropped off ladders & abused, and keep on running fine....


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## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

Cow said:


> End Grain:
> 
> Dewalt does have a Lithium Ion battery that is compatible with their existing 18v tools.
> 
> http://www.dewalt.com/nano/index.html


Yep! Finally saw it today for the first time in a Home Depot. It's a pretty big battery, almost the same size as their XRP. The drill/driver itself it also quite large. And, with a $369 discount price for it at HD, I think they may have missed the mark. Next to it on display was Milwaukee's V18 18V lithium-ion hammer drill, i.e. not their $199 compact version, for $299. The Milwaukee battery is substantially smaller than the DeWalt.

For my money, I'll simply stick with my Panasonic 15.6V drill/driver.


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## jte1130 (Jan 8, 2008)

Glad to hear they make a Lithium Ion. I have a drill/circular saw/jigsaw/sawzall/light kit and I need a new battery. Haven't used it in awhile but now that I bought a new home I'll be using it quite frequently. Now I can get the Lithion.


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## mgarfield (Jan 27, 2008)

I have an 18 xbr dewalt at work, I think the batteries last a good amount of time under normal use, its only about a year old though. I have dropped it off a ladder 20ft up, it bounced off the ladder, house, ladder, house (just missed a window), off the electrical meter and onto the driveway, the battery slid to a stop in the street. Put the battery back in an went about my business!!


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## mgarfield (Jan 27, 2008)

^ forgot to add, its a heavy mother though!!


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