compressed-air drills

SWMBO wants me to build a small deck. Of course, every new project requires a new tool, right? And my trusty Bosch cordless drill is showing its age a bit, or to be more precise, the batteries are showing their age -- building a deck, I'll definitely drain the batteries in much less time than it takes to recharge them.

So I'm looking at other options, including compressed air drills (e.g. saw one at the Borg this evening for $45 or so). But I got to wondering... almost every cordless drill has a multi-position clutch to prevent overtightening, or sinking screws too deep. Does anybody make an air drill with such a clutch?

Reply to
Doug Miller
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You cannot build a deck with a battery powered drill.

Air drills do not have the torque. (in my experience).

I do have some compressed air screwdrivers, however. (all name brands, used)

If it was up to me, I would use a decent variable speed electric drill, but I would love to sell you a pneumatic screwdriver (straight or gun shaped).

i
Reply to
Ignoramus16466

That's one of the reasons pressure regulators exist.

Buy the time you buy a regulator, lubricator, filter package, 100 ft of 1/2" hose and quick connect couplings, the cost of a couple of batteries starts looking pretty good.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I just finished building a deck this weekend. My cordless batteries did poop out, without available charge, a couple of times but no big deal. However, during those periods I had to dig out my old faithful Bosch corded drill. It did fine but awfully torquey and I had to be careful not to bury the screws. The biggest problem was dragging that ^%&%# cord around. The cordless tools have spoiled me and dragging an air hose around is worse. As I was completing the project, I jumped on Amazon and ordered a couple more cordless batteries. In my opinion, updating your cordless capability is a better solution.

BTW, I have a couple of air powered drills and both have fairly good speed control but no clutch. They too have a lot of torque with the trigger at full speed. Also keep in mind your compressor capacity. Once I got underway installing screws, I had the drills running quite a bit.

RonB

Reply to
RonB

Given that most Auto shops use air tools, and they have torque settings on the air wrenches, I would say that it is common, and you should look for that feature on when looking for tools. I am sure if you checked their web site out you would get the details on the specific tools get your answers first hand.

Reply to
Matt

Go to HF and buy two of the 18v battery drills . Batteries cost almost as much as the drill so ... that'll give you more battery capacity , might be able to eke thru with those and what you already have .

Reply to
Snag

Well, you can, but a battery powered impact driver works a lot better.

Reply to
Pete C.

It's a small deck, only about 140 square feet.

Thanks, that's useful to know.

Yeah, that's Plan B -- I have a good one already (Makita 1/2" VSR corded), but it doesn't have a clutch...

Reply to
Doug Miller

Why? I've done it (well, I used a hammer too). A decent cordless drill will easily sink any screw you're likely to use in a deck. An Impactor will do it without stripping the heads. ;-) An extra set of batteries makes things easier, but I did it with two sets of two, with my older 9.6V Makita as the drill and a 14.4V PC to sink the screws.

Reply to
krw

Have all of that already...

Reply to
Doug Miller

The 700 sq-ft deck that I couldn't build with a cordless drill* is still looking just fine after 9 years now. Art

  • 14.4V PC
Reply to
Artemus

Here is the perfect tool for what you are doing. I have used these for 22 years in carpentry and cabinetmaking:

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{keyword}&gclid=COC8reW856ECFWI65wodJ0XQIw&keyword=dewaltdw268&sissr=1 woodstuff

Reply to
woodstuff

  1. - nonsense RE torque of pneumatic drills - there are more than one type, some are geared, some are not - the high speed ones don't have a lot of torque (and at 30,000 RPM, aren't too good as screwdrivers either), but the ones that are suitably geared down have plenty of torque for drilling in any wood I've encountered..
  2. with a simple T, you can have a pneumatic drill and a pneumatic screwdriver
  3. pneumatic tools don't get hot when they run, that's a real plus if you are using them a lot
Reply to
Bill Noble

For that you'd need a pneumatic screw driver, not a drill. Used in production, mostly. Probably not going to find one on the peg at HF. I have seen hex chucks with clutches for driving screws using a drill, might be one of those would do you. One of my favorite pneumatic drills would probably work pretty well with such a rig, it's a right angle jobbie and a whole lot smaller than any battery drill. Geared down, so should have enough torque. If you go that route, get one of the throttle swivels, good as a variable speed trigger. One of my favorite tools for working around gas tanks, no sparks.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

Two cordless drills with two chargers and two batteries each. I had a delay in play so my wood needed pre-drilling. I tried it with corded drills but I ended up with extension cord braids.

The Ryobi One 18v drill isn't all that bad for the price at Home Depot.

Wes

-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

Reply to
Wes

I agree on all of Iggys points about tools, though some of the newest cordless drills come pretty close to being suitable.

Gunner

Reply to
Gunner Asch

Reply to
Steve Lusardi

I have built many decks with battery operated drills. Two units comes in handy with several fast charge batteries for each.

Oh yeah! Those were the drills with the old ni-cad batteries that were 9V units then.

Torque clutches do **NOT*** set screw depth. Torque sets the torque. When you hit hard wood spots you will be adjusting the torque setting. When you hit soft wood spots you will over sink them. Just get used to the sound of the right screw depth or use a dimpler attachment.

Air drills do not have the torque. (in my experience).

I do have some compressed air screwdrivers, however. (all name brands, used)

If it was up to me, I would use a decent variable speed electric drill, but I would love to sell you a pneumatic screwdriver (straight or gun shaped).

i
Reply to
Josepi

Air pressure regulation will still give you high speed but low torque capabilities. This will tend to make deck screwing uncontrollable and you will need to follow up the heads with a battry drill afterwards (tripping on a few) to set the head depths.

Buy the time you buy a regulator, lubricator, filter package, 100 ft of 1/2" hose and quick connect couplings, the cost of a couple of batteries starts looking pretty good.

Lew

"Doug Miller" wrote:

Reply to
Josepi

...

I built these with an old 9.6V Makita:

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It will barely drive a #10 x 3" screw without predrilling, but it drills up to 3/8" holes in dry oak nicely, for the lag screws or Timberlocks. I needed a corded Milwaukee only for the 1/2" lags that fasten the cross beams onto the oak log posts.

Last year I helped a contractor with a volunteer deck project. He used an 18V DeWalt to drive the Timberlocks.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

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