12 Volt Drill for Women?

Hmm...

...Boomer knows proper drilling/screwing techniques
....Osso knows that studs are set on 16'' centers
....LittleK knows the value of pre-drilling

Is this heaven?

He he

Yeh, we know this stuff...
I've set beams, and so on. Not to mention drawing thousands of details.

But I'm still askairt of electricity. And I need to learn about it quickly since I can't keep hiring people to change fixtures. I know I am dealing with my simple cold fear (plus I'm clumsy, but my knowledge usually beats out the clumsy, but maybe not with electricity.) Let me tell you about my kitchen gfi's....

Osso, you can get a tester at home depot to make sure that there is no current going through the wires after you turn off the breaker and then there is no risk whatsoever when working on the fixture, outlet, etc.



I use one like this almost everyday and is very simple to use, if the end lights up the wire is live, if not it is safe to work on.

Miller, The Ryobi is a pretty good drill for around the house stuff. Corded drills are good because you don't have to worry about whether the battery is charged or not but is usually a bit heavier and more powerful than you need for the applications that you are going to use it for.

Sublime, I suppose I should, to over ride my fear. I watched the Lowe's guy put in a fan by just making sure the switch was off...
I could save a lot of money by conquering this one fear.

My electric box was gathered by fools on an errand to get out of here.
Surly grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Out of curiosity, how did Redbook decide that the Ryobi was the best drill for a woman? Did they simply try one and say it was good or did they compare it to a few others and decide it was the best of the lot? What did they like about it? I've seen articles where someone tried one item, thought it was cool and therefore recommended it without considering any other alternatives.

You can buy a cheaper corded drill that will do the job. I picked up a lightweight Black & Decker drill from WalMart for about $20. It weighs less than my cordless DeWalt. A corded drill won't run out of power in the middle of a project and will likely have more power to begin with, but most only have a 6' cord. Beyond that (like up on a ladder or stool), you'll need to drag out an extension cord, too. On the other hand, a battery adds weight.

Some things to consider:

You won't likely need anything larger than 3/8". That's the largest diameter drill bit you can use (well, sort of).

You don't need a hammer drill even if you find one in your price range.

A keyless chuck is handy. You can change bits by hand without using a special tool (a chuck key) to tighten the drill chuck (the part that holds the bit into the drill). If you're like me, you'll misplace the chuck key anyway. Something that lets you quickly change from a drill bit to a screwdriver bit (like timber landko is suggesting) will make your life even easier.

Variable speed (or at least a few different fixed speeds) and reversibility (to remove screws) are good features to have.

Don't buy a drill that uses less than about 12 volts of power. Drilling takes power. If the package says anything about mAH, buy the highest number you can afford. mAH (milliamp hours) refers to the amount of 12 volt power the battery will hold and how long the battery will last between charges. More is better.

If you go with a cordless drill, be sure it comes with a spare battery (or buy one) so you can charge one while you use the other.

Avoid odd gimmicks like swivels heads, built-in extra tools and onboard accessory storage. They'll either break, won't do a very job, or get in your way. Look at some more expensive drills. They just drill. That's what you want, in your price range.

For what you're doing, high speed (above 1,000 or 1,200 rpm, even 500 or 600 rpm) isn't important.

Also (and don't laugh), for what you're doing, a holster is a good idea. It gives you a place to stash the drill when you're up on a ladder. Find one that fits the drill, though.

Check out a few web sites like Lowes, Home Depot or Sears to see what else you can buy for around that price or less. From what I've seen, $60 for a heard-of-brand cordless drill with a spare battery and a few bits is a pretty good deal.

Good luck.

Ray

Out of curiosity, how did Redbook decide that the Ryobi was the best drill for a woman? Did they simply try one and say it was good or did they compare it to a few others and decide it was the best of the lot? What did they like about it? I've seen articles where someone tried one item, thought it was cool and therefore recommended it without considering any other alternatives.

You can buy a cheaper corded drill that will do the job. I picked up a lightweight Black & Decker drill from WalMart for about $20. It weighs less than my cordless DeWalt. A corded drill won't run out of power in the middle of a project and will likely have more power to begin with, but most only have a 6' cord. Beyond that (like up on a ladder or stool), you'll need to drag out an extension cord, too. On the other hand, a battery adds weight.

Some things to consider:

You won't likely need anything larger than 3/8". That's the largest diameter drill bit you can use (well, sort of).

You don't need a hammer drill even if you find one in your price range.

A keyless chuck is handy. You can change bits by hand without using a special tool (a chuck key) to tighten the drill chuck (the part that holds the bit into the drill). If you're like me, you'll misplace the chuck key anyway. Something that lets you quickly change from a drill bit to a screwdriver bit (like timber landko is suggesting) will make your life even easier.

Variable speed (or at least a few different fixed speeds) and reversibility (to remove screws) are good features to have.

Don't buy a drill that uses less than about 12 volts of power. Drilling takes power. If the package says anything about mAH, buy the highest number you can afford. mAH (milliamp hours) refers to the amount of 12 volt power the battery will hold and how long the battery will last between charges. More is better.

If you go with a cordless drill, be sure it comes with a spare battery (or buy one) so you can charge one while you use the other.

Avoid odd gimmicks like swivels heads, built-in extra tools and onboard accessory storage. They'll either break, won't do a very job, or get in your way. Look at some more expensive drills. They just drill. That's what you want, in your price range.

For what you're doing, high speed (above 1,000 or 1,200 rpm, even 500 or 600 rpm) isn't important.

Also (and don't laugh), for what you're doing, a holster is a good idea. It gives you a place to stash the drill when you're up on a ladder. Find one that fits the drill, though.

Check out a few web sites like Lowes, Home Depot or Sears to see what else you can buy for around that price or less. From what I've seen, $60 for a heard-of-brand cordless drill with a spare battery and a few bits is a pretty good deal.

Good luck.

Ray

Yes, I'll do that, sublime, and to others, check out my post re the stud/ac detector. Keeps ya from nailing the wires...

Yes, I'll do that, sublime, and to others, check out my post re the stud/ac detector. Keeps ya from nailing the wires...


I have two stud/ac/finders, if anyone here wants one, I'll mail it to you.

If you send me some nice chocolates.

Out of curiosity, how did Redbook decide that the Ryobi was the best drill for a woman? Did they simply try one and say it was good or did they compare it to a few others and decide it was the best of the lot? What did they like about it? I've seen articles where someone tried one item, thought it was cool and therefore recommended it without considering any other alternatives.

You can buy a cheaper corded drill that will do the job. I picked up a lightweight Black & Decker drill from WalMart for about $20. It weighs less than my cordless DeWalt. A corded drill won't run out of power in the middle of a project and will likely have more power to begin with, but most only have a 6' cord. Beyond that (like up on a ladder or stool), you'll need to drag out an extension cord, too. On the other hand, a battery adds weight.

Some things to consider:

You won't likely need anything larger than 3/8". That's the largest diameter drill bit you can use (well, sort of).

You don't need a hammer drill even if you find one in your price range.

A keyless chuck is handy. You can change bits by hand without using a special tool (a chuck key) to tighten the drill chuck (the part that holds the bit into the drill). If you're like me, you'll misplace the chuck key anyway. Something that lets you quickly change from a drill bit to a screwdriver bit (like timber landko is suggesting) will make your life even easier.

Variable speed (or at least a few different fixed speeds) and reversibility (to remove screws) are good features to have.

Don't buy a drill that uses less than about 12 volts of power. Drilling takes power. If the package says anything about mAH, buy the highest number you can afford. mAH (milliamp hours) refers to the amount of 12 volt power the battery will hold and how long the battery will last between charges. More is better.

If you go with a cordless drill, be sure it comes with a spare battery (or buy one) so you can charge one while you use the other.

Avoid odd gimmicks like swivels heads, built-in extra tools and onboard accessory storage. They'll either break, won't do a very job, or get in your way. Look at some more expensive drills. They just drill. That's what you want, in your price range.

For what you're doing, high speed (above 1,000 or 1,200 rpm, even 500 or 600 rpm) isn't important.

Also (and don't laugh), for what you're doing, a holster is a good idea. It gives you a place to stash the drill when you're up on a ladder. Find one that fits the drill, though.

Check out a few web sites like Lowes, Home Depot or Sears to see what else you can buy for around that price or less. From what I've seen, $60 for a heard-of-brand cordless drill with a spare battery and a few bits is a pretty good deal.

Good luck.

Ray

*tch* Don't you people use wall anchors?

Corded drills definitely have more power and, as timber said, you don't have to worry about recharging them. Corded drills are also lighter than battery ones. Ryobi is a good brand. I've also had a Makita and ... um ... whatever Sears' brand is. No problems.

But last winter I bought this little Black & Decker 6V cordless rechargeable with a pivoting head, and I haven't used anything else since. (Haven't done any heavy projects either.) It's very lightweight, the pivoting head, which also has a tiny flashlight, is really good in tight spaces. Drywall, MDF board, and 20 ga. steel are no problem. Separately I bought an attachment that sleeves over the bit and helps guide the screw in straight (my own personal challenge on wood).

I put together 4 full size wall units with drawers with this little puppy, and it didn't run out of juice.

And it was only $25 Canuck dollars.

speaking of electricity
The first time I ever installed a new switch in a circuit.......two wires, two screws, pretty simple, right? Went through two boxes of fuses (back in the day) trying to figure out why the darn things kept blowing every time I tried to turn the light on.

Ray

Carpenters I know use Makitas, not that I have any knowledgeable opinion re using the tools.

When I redid the garage, I used only my muscles and that wonky drill thing.
Plus my bro in law helped me drill into the concrete for plates.
And another friend helped with the wiring.
Time for me to post a photo, but not sans scanner right now.

I love my Makita drills. Won both of them playing golf. One cordless baby with an accessory kit so big I have to carry it by itself, and the big contractor grade corded one. It's the one for big outdoor work. Love those things.

Not sure why women would use different drills than men. Shouldn't everyone just get the best one they can afford?

My cordless came (from Home Depot) with an extra battery, 2 driver atachments, but no drill bits. Of course, I didn't bring the driver attachments or the screws I wanted to pop into the walls with me when I bought the rill bits, so I just got 2 different sizes and hoped for the best. It turned out ok, but could have been better.

Beth, I think the smaller-lighter drills are marketed to women. They're just easier for us dainties to handle.

Tampax and Decker, baby.

How is that post hole digger/finger nail dryer holding up?

Or, the tester bulb is burned out.

Agree as is sort of usual with ehBeth.

I am multiply challenged and older, but still redid a garage, etc.
I can agree that one needs to get used to these things, and then move along to an appropriate purchase.


I don't buy Makita because I already have an adequate, if packed, drill, for me.

The big news is, this isn't all so hard.

The sad news is, sometimes we get a grip on this when we are fairly old.