Popular Woodworking 2003-02 № 132, страница 64

speed triggers, and came up with an average rating for each drill. We then averaged all the individual scores and came up with an ergonomic rating for each drill.

We also decided to divide the drills into consumer and professional categories to fairly compare apples to apples, but our testing also lets you see how the consumer models compare to the pros.

Initial Reactions

Overall we reinforced our opinion that 12 volts is more than enough power for every task in a wood shop. We also determined that single-speed drills aren't as versatile or useful as multi-speed drills, and if the price is nearly the same, opt for multiple speeds.

Whenever possible, a "smart" charger is preferable. Smart chargers offer a maintenance or trickle-charge after completely charging the battery, allowing you to leave the battery in the charger without causing any reduction in battery performance.

Our preference is for single-sleeve chucks with a "locking clutch." Single-sleeve chucks

have a locking motor shaft and a single chuck sleeve to tighten the chuck, while two-sleeve models have a free-spinning shaft and require two hands to tighten the chuck. A locking clutch makes a clicking noise as it tightens completely against the bit (sort of like locking the gas cap on your car).

Another preference is for a lighter and well-balanced drill, but only when in tandem with adequate power and performance.

We've included stated torque statistics from the manufacturer in the chart below, but we found during our testing that those torque ratings tend to be a maximum torque, not continuous torque. The maximum torque will help you break loose a stuck bolt, but when sinking a bolt in 1¹/2"-thick wood, the drill can't exert continuous maximum torque.

Features, Pro & Con

It's important to mention a couple features here that may or may not be important in your purchasing decision. Many of the consumer models offer some type of level built in to the drill. This

may be a useful feature if you're a first-time, or very occasional cordless drill user, and as such this feature belongs on the consumer drills. Once you get comfortable with a cordless drill, this feature becomes superfluous.

All the drills tested include two batteries. This is less a feature these days than a requirement. While recharge times have gotten shorter and run times longer, it's still comforting to have a second battery. And if you've checked into the price of replacement batteries, you know it's also a valuable feature.

Final Results

Again, we were impressed with almost all the drills' performances, especially with a couple of the consumer drills that could have competed nicely with the professionals. In particular we were impressed with the performance of the Craftsman consumer model (Craftsman is redesigning its professional 12-volt model and it was unavailable for testing at this time), and the Hitachi continues to be a great buy for performance, and

includes a flashlight and a decent bit set.

In the professional category we were impressed and disappointed with some of the performers. We were expecting the Panasonic to do well in the test, but we were surprised how strong a performer it was, earning top marks. Makita, Metabo and Festool all deserve recognition for good performances (though we're still not sold on the very high price of the Festool unit). A little disappointing was the performance of the usual favorites, Porter-Cable and DeWalt. While not knocking our socks off, they did OK. Porter-Cable, however, does get good marks for being significantly less expensive while still providing a quality tool.

So, if you're looking for an inexpensive, reliable, quality drill for your home shop, look to the Craftsman. And if you're looking for a tool to put in your daily-use home shop, or pro shop, look to Panasonic for extraordinary results, or save a few bucks and buy a perfectly capable Porter-Cable at a $55 savings. PW

64 Popular Woodworking February 2003