What type of drill is best for electrician work?

[Lukeewilkinsonn]

Hi, I was just wondering what drill is best for electrician work? (combi drill, impact driver or drill driver?)

Also what's the difference between all three of them? I'm a newbie starting an apprenticeship in September.

What brands would everyone recommend with a price range from 75 - 150?

Cheers Luke

 

[Pete999]

Depends what type of work you are doing, our guys get issued with the Hitachi 5 piece set 10.8v drill driver, impact driver radio small circ saw and a torch good for small jobs

 

[Lukeewilkinsonn]

They do mainly domestic work. New builds, extensions and that kind of stuff. Thanks for the response.

Cheers Luke

 

[shanky887614]

Combi drill and impact driver.

Impact drivers are great for screwing because they don't slip as often as a drill


CombI drills generally have more power so are better when drilling joists/ holesaws in steel etc.

 

[Lukeewilkinsonn]

Can you explain like what they do and stuff? I have very basic knowledge sorry!

 

[shanky887614]

Can you explain like what they do and stuff? I have very basic knowledge sorry!

Impact driver - only takes hex bits (bassically giant screwdriver bit holder)

Drill driver - drill

Combi drill - has hammer when drilling and are generally more powerful

 

[Pete999]

You need to remember there are loads of differing types of drills, lots of applications, an 18 v combi drill for day to day but for drilling joists, holes in walls etc you need something a bit more meatier. An SDS drill would be OK I imagine, check out the drill manufacturers web sites, see what you think.

 

[shanky887614]

You need to remember there are loads of differing types of drills, lots of applications, an 18 v combi drill for day to day but for drilling joists, holes in walls etc you need something a bit more meatier. An SDS drill would be OK I imagine, check out the drill manufacturers web sites, see what you think.

Sorry but you cant get an sds in to drill a joist plus it would take all day.

Ive tried it before with a 110 sds and there useless

 

[Lukeewilkinsonn]

Ok I will do that cheers.

 

[Pete999]

Like I said to the OP check the web sites, see what's available

 

[Lukeewilkinsonn]

Can you recommend any brands? I know of DeWalt, Bosch, Makita ect.

 

[jackhammerJIM]

if you only have enough money to buy one drill at the moment buy a combi drill .

you will be able to screw , drill wood/metal/plastic and embed red plugs into softer materials .

for £150 you will be able to get something decent such as dewalt/makita .

go for 18 volt , get saving some money and build a collection , you can buy batteries and bodies as separates when funds allow .

 

[Swcfisher]

Bosch GSB 18V-LI 18V 4Ah Li-Ion Cordless Combi Drill Coolpack Battery | All Power Tool Deals | NoLinkingToThis

Thatll get you started, hammer mode for masonry take the hammer of for drilling metal/wood or using as a screwdriver. This is a nice compact drill and it comes with a 4ah battery

 

[shanky887614]

No matter the brand make sure its either corded or two batteries.

2 1.5 batteries is better than 1 4amp battery.

This way you aways have one charged in box and can swap them and put one on charge so are not waiting all the time for batteries to charge.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I know you haven't mentioned an SDS drill in your post Luke, but if you do have enough money to buy one then I would definitely do it. You'll be drilling lots of holes for your red rawl plugs and its going to take a long time even with a good quality combi drill, whereas an SDS will be much, much quicker. However, a good quality cordless one with a charger and 2 batteries is expensive.

I'm not saying buy this instead of a combi. Buy a combi and if you can afford it an SDS as well.

 

[tazz]

Every drill has a purpose.....on industrial sites, we may need to drill 20mm hole through walls ....so may use a drill such as Bosh GBH with sds bit, heavy drill, but does the business.....putting up a db or control panel, then may use Makita smaller hand drill.....fixing equipment to ceilings/walls by screw, makita impact driver, saves sore hands using pozi drive.

 

[uksparks]

Personally I like Bosch, what I would say is, buy cheap buy twice, buy the best you can justify and afford.

 

[uksparks]

Also, I never used to have an impact driver until 3 months ago and was reluctant to buy one, but I tell you what it's now the most used thing in my tool bag.

 

[Eddiesparks]

Also, I never used to have an impact driver until 3 months ago and was reluctant to buy one, but I tell you what it's now the most used thing in my tool bag.

I went 6 months without one but impacts are excellent and not just for doing up screws. Just dont use to do up backbox screws like i saw a decorator do once. Smashed the #%€! out of it!!

 

[shanky887614]

I went 6 months without one but impacts are excellent and not just for doing up screws. Just dont use to do up backbox screws like i saw a decorator do once. Smashed the #%€! out of it!!

? Why not you only crack box if you overtighten it the same as by hand.

You can buy surfice patricies with 20mm knockout's on them and there softer so dont crack as soon as you touch them

 

[tazz]

When your putting up a few thousand smoke detectors......I wonder how I did without one...!!!

 

[Eddiesparks]

But as u are starting out get lithium ion. 18v combi and use other peoples if they will let you and work out what you need as your wage rises!!!!!. Hand tools are def worth investing in.

 

[Eddiesparks]

He cracked faceplate doing up the m3.5s!!

 

[shanky887614]

He cracked faceplate doing up the m3.5s!!

3.5mm pins with impact driver?

you have a driver in hand from tightening terminals might as well just use that.

 

[Eddiesparks]

He was a decorator, it was grid switch he said leave faceplate off i'll paint etc and screw back on. I came back to job and he brought me a broken faceplate and a guilty look!!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Also, I never used to have an impact driver until 3 months ago and was reluctant to buy one, but I tell you what it's now the most used thing in my tool bag.

I've never used one UKsparks, but I've heard a few people say the same as you. What is it that makes them so much better than a drill for screwing?

 

[Eddiesparks]

Hippydad. Buy one and see!!

 

[snoopydo]

tbh its pointless discussing what drill is best without knowing what its going to be used for, so i suggest thats the first question the OP needs to answer. Next would be budget and additional future tools that may be needed.

 

[shanky887614]

I've never used one UKsparks, but I've heard a few people say the same as you. What is it that makes them so much better than a drill for screwing?

Same reason why an sds is better for drilling brick walls/concrete floors than a normal drill.

 

[john25]

Bosch GSB 18V-LI 18V 4Ah Li-Ion Cordless Combi Drill Coolpack Battery | All Power Tool Deals | NoLinkingToThis

Thatll get you started, hammer mode for masonry take the hammer of for drilling metal/wood or using as a screwdriver. This is a nice compact drill and it comes with a 4ah battery

for only 15 quid extra you can get This Makita 458 which has a better spec apart from the Battery but it has a 22min Charger

MAKITA BHP458 RFE 18V COMBI DRILL 1 X BL1830 BATTERY, CHARGER + CASE BRAND NEW | eBay

 

[nienkamp]

I rough in commercial and residential electric daily day in and day out sds are fine for what there designed for that is concrete I use a dewalt impact driver and standard drill for most everything I do except for boring large amounts of holes in wooden studs then I use Milwaukee hole hog as boring a bunch of holes with a cordless drill is to hard on it. I recommend a Dewalt 20v cordless impact driver and drill they will cost you a decent price at start up but taken care of will pay for themselves quickly the reason why I recommend the 20v is the lithium batteries,they are light and compact and they also have a belt hook so your not chasing your drill all the time. Steer clear of the 18v Dewalt as they are heavy and cumbersome and the life of the batteries is substandard

 

[Delboybully]

Go for Hitachi, excellent drills, very competive prices and great customer service. If you get a problem, they will pick the item up, fix it and return it

 

[2na]

This is the best site for battery drills;

Cordless Power Tools, Combi Hammer Drills

You can even buy the bare drills, so you can build up a collection without having to spend loads on extra batteries.

 

[2na]

I've just bought a Bosch 18V robust combi drill, and its an absolute beast.

Avoid the 18V Dewalt XR combi drill, the chuck has a tendency to undo itself when your half way through a joist.

 

[shanky887614]

I've just bought a Bosch 18V robust combi drill, and its an absolute beast.

Avoid the 18V Dewalt XR combi drill, the chuck has a tendency to undo itself when your half way through a joist.

if you think thats a beast try the makita 458 it has 88nm torque.

the makita bhp451 that they replaced with the 458 has the same spec as the bosch

458 is £275inc vat and 2 x 4amp batteries

bosch is £200 just for the drill

drill+2 batteries is £378 (bosch L box)

 

[nienkamp]

Don't know if u guys have gave the new Dewalt 20v brushless impact and drill drivers yet but they are great plenty of torque,battery life is amazing and there fairly light plus the handy belt clip I use mine 40 hrs a week roughing in commercial and industrial buildings. The Dewalt 18v I don't have much good to say about them they were heavy, 18v batteries sucked and the power was girlish but Dewalt finally pulled there head out of there *** with the brushless 20v there about 275.00 USD Give them a try guys! I have used them all this set is 4 the pro.

 

[shanky887614]

Don't know if u guys have gave the new Dewalt 20v brushless impact and drill drivers yet but they are great plenty of torque,battery life is amazing and there fairly light plus the handy belt clip I use mine 40 hrs a week roughing in commercial and industrial buildings. The Dewalt 18v I don't have much good to say about them they were heavy, 18v batteries sucked and the power was girlish but Dewalt finally pulled there head out of there *** with the brushless 20v there about 275.00 USD Give them a try guys! I have used them all this set is 4 the pro.

like usual with dewalt there specs are behind the other brands models.

there a couple generations behind some of the others

 

[andybenw]

We used to have dewalt 14v 2.4ah at work. I bought a cheap AEG 18V 3ah lion from B and Q for DIY and have been very impressed with it.

 

[Holty1983]

Luke I have just started out in the electrical trade and I personally think the best drills to get are Makita. The reason being they are excellent quality, if your low on a battery there is always someone that has one to lend until yours is charged, also charge vs performance is very good. 22 minutes to charge 18v, for hours of performance. A bit pricey but they last years. Get the battery drill 18v and 18v impact driver combi. Its all you need.....

 

[john25]

Luke I have just started out in the electrical trade and I personally think the best drills to get are Makita. The reason being they are excellent quality, if your low on a battery there is always someone that has one to lend until yours is charged, also charge vs performance is very good. 22 minutes to charge 18v, for hours of performance. A bit pricey but they last years. Get the battery drill 18v and 18v impact driver combi. Its all you need.....

Yep picked up the Makita 458 a few weeks back & I am more than happy with it & for only 165 quid delivered it was a great bargain especially as it produces 88nm of Torque!!

 

[DomCallear]

Do you even need a drill if you're just starting out? Can't imagine you'll be doing to much of any work for a while.

 

[Jackc]

What ever you get pal try get all your kit with the same battery's it's so much more practical