Depends on the job but smarter to me generally means no cord

I decided this holiday season to get a set of Dewalt 20 volt cordless tools, including a 20v hammer drill/drill/driver (the most useful tool), 6.5 inch 20v circular saw, 20v. worklight and 20v reciprocating saw (least used). I then bought a separate 20v jigsaw.

The reason for the additional cordless tools beyond the Dewalt 14.4 volt drill/driver I have had for about 6 years was that a couple of weeks before Christmas I nearly tripped over the power cord using my circular saw and similarly the next day using my jig saw. I also do not like using extension cords.

Yes, for some big jobs I use the corded jig saw and corded circular saw. But the drill I use exclusively are the two Dewalt drills (the corded drill has been put on the shelf many years ago and not touched since), and I glue and screw my bench work together. I just used the cordless jig saw to cut a 4 x 8 sheet of Masonite type hardboard into roughly 2 foot x 4 foot sections for underlayment under some upper deck foam.

The trick here is to get a higher voltage tool with at least 3 mH hour lithium ion battery. I have yet to run out of power after several evenings and weekends using the new tools. If a battery runs down I just use the spare 20v battery and the discharged 20v battery is recharged in 1 hour with the new Dewalt systems. 

If you look closely at construction workers, at least here in my suburb of Chicago, you will not see a corded tool (other than a table saw) anywhere, and those guys are doing big jobs. Cordless drills and circular saws are being used along with air tools like nailers but even cordless battery operated air hammers/nailers are becoming more common.

To each his own but at least, as I get older, I will not be tripping over the cord.

John

Right Tool Right Job...

I am just handy enough I can make a real mess of things...

I have both a cord drill and battery, I also have a cord and battery powered saws. I bought a Dewalt drill with cord that I use in the workshop for drilling holes and doing the fast work. I like the control and the flexibility of my battery drill for drilling holes for feeder wires, screwing things together, and anything where a cord would get in the way.

I do need to buy a new battery powered drill as the drive is worn out. I also want to move to something small and that uses Lithium batteries.

Corded VS Cordless

I have corded duplicates of some tools, mainly because some jobs require the higher power and larger capacity the corded tool provides.

I find my Ryobi 2 speed, variable speed 18 Volt cordless drills (yes I have two of them) suitable for most drilling and screwing tasks.  I have three batteries but have two more on my wish list.  If these are not enough drill for me, I bring out my 1/2" Dewalt and a cord.

The Ryobi 18 volt circular saw I have, is handy for quick cuts in smaller dimensioned soft woods.  It beats hauling out my Makita 7-1/4" circular and a cord, unless the job is heavy enough to call for it.

I really like the 18 Volt work light.  It's large and bright and takes the same batteries as my other cordless tools.

I used to use a Makita 9.6 Volt drill and I would agree, that one was slow and fairly weak, when compared to the 18 Volt drills.

I do like my cordless tools but at the same time, I would not give up my table saw, drill press, mitre saw, mig welder and other corded tools.

I have to agree with pervious comments.  Unless the job really demands the extra power, I hate dealing with cords.  Also buying commercial grade 18 Volt or higher tools often yields better performance over less expensive options.

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I have learned that the cord is the only way to go for general use 95% of the time.  That little 5%...well, maybe.

I bought two batteries in 2005 in a kit, for about $100 for a huge kit - the batteries were sold separately for about $20.00.  Today, those batteries are worth perhaps $2 for the amount of work they will do.  My corded drill, meanwhile, was $30 when I bought it and the cord on it is perhaps worth $1 as scrap copper when I bought it, and is today still worth $1 as scrap.  And it still gives me good solid reliable power.

Maybe the cordless drill is nice for easy jobs, but there's nothing better for tough jobs than a cord.  Truth be told, when you run into the hardest jobs, that is when your batteries run down the fastest.  No way around this!!

Reverse Running?

I should have written an article for "Reverse Running" on this subject and submitted it - I think this could be a winner! 

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Do It!!!

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