4 ms·

I like that it's extensive, but a bit too extensive to answer the original question: what is the replacement for an electric drill? The standard crank drill is

by Gunax 4y ago

I like that it's extensive, but a bit too extensive to answer the original question: what is the replacement for an electric drill? The standard crank drill is clearly the alternative [1]. Most home users should not purchase an electric drill IMO. They dont need it. It will likely never drill more than a few dozen holes. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Frylr-Speedy-Powerful-Manual-1-5MM-10MM/dp/B078SQTLMM https://www.amazon.com/Frylr-Speedy-Powerful-Manual-1-5MM-10...

thehappypm 4y ago
That’s as expensive as an extremely low end electric drill.
- mauvehaus 4y ago
  As a bonus, it's much slower, which leads to fewer fuckups at the ends of projects. They are really only good up to about 1/4" holes though. If you get one with multiple speeds, you can go to 3/8", but you're really much better off with a brace and some auger bits at that point. Auger bits are conveniently sized by the 1/16" down to 1/4" in the US, and have been for over a century. In all seriousness though, an eggbeater drill will last forever. Mine are probably 70 years old or older. Ditto my brace. Good luck finding batteries for any electric cordless drill in 20 years, never mind a cheap one.
  - jamiek88 4y ago
    Just going through this now. Everything is lithium now and can’t find reasonably priced OEM batteries for my drill I bought in 2007.
    - evan_ 4y ago
      Depending on your battery platform you might be able to find an adapter. DeWalt for instance sells an adapter to use their newer 20v lithium batteries on tools built for their older 18v platform: https://a.co/d/73x4MGy https://a.co/d/73x4MGy You can also find third-party adapters to convert between basically any two battery platforms.
      - jamiek88 4y ago
        Ah! It is the dewalt 18v!! Never thought to look for an adapter!
  - eropple 4y ago
    > Good luck finding batteries for any electric cordless drill in 20 years, never mind a cheap one. Even if the existing 18V/20V-max format doesn't survive another 20 years--an assertion I don't really expect to be true, see for example DeWalt's in-progress switch to stacked cells without any tool deprecation--the world will not be without 18650 cells in twenty years. And you can buy a corded drill if you really want to. I own a bit and brace and to me it's useful for exactly one thing: compound angles during chairmaking. Literally everything else, from low-and-slow picture-framing tasks to boring out Euro hinge holes, is faster, more accurate, and (for me) more enjoyably done with a tool fit for purpose and with modern affordances--a cordless hand drill and drill press, respectively.
avar 4y ago
Most home owners with any DIY interest should purchase an electric drill, because what they'll be purchasing is almost certainly a cordless model with a torque limiter. Those are useful for everything from assembling IKEA furniture to taking apart a car. The drilling function is secondary or tertiary. But sure, if you mean a giant corded impact drill used to drill into concrete almost nobody needs that.
- Animats 4y ago
  "a giant corded impact drill used to drill into concrete, almost nobody needs that" I had to rent one once to put a conduit through a concrete block wall reinforced with concrete fill and rebar. Not fun.
- ars 4y ago
  > giant corded impact drill used to drill into concrete Tons of people need that - how else do you hang pictures on stone walls? And they are not so giant - they are the same size as regular drills.
  - eropple 4y ago
    I think he's referring to an SDS, which no, home users absolutely don't need. And most homes are wood stud and drywall, where you don't even really need a hammer drill or the impact bit of an impact driver.
    - evan_ 4y ago
      Most homes in the US are drywall and wood studs but that’s not the norm in a lot of places.
      - eropple 4y ago
        I think it's probably a safe take to note that plaster and wood studs are going to be the norm for most people on HN in a spot to be putting holes in walls, but yeah, fair.
  - 4y ago
mturmon 4y ago
You could also go directly to this pretty number: https://bridgecitytools.com/products/pb-2-palm-brace https://bridgecitytools.com/products/pb-2-palm-brace
eropple 4y ago
Attempting to keep an eggbeater drill square to the drilled surface is a considerable ask for someone who isn't practiced, particularly somebody on the smaller side. It's ergonomically working against you the entire time due to its length. I can buy a Black and Decker (budget brand, but it's fine for light home use) corded drill at $25 that's plenty for home use and won't be frustrating the novice user every time they want to set a point. And that one in particular hates its user specifically; keyless chucks are way better, too, for novices because of the likelihood that that chuck key is going to get lost in a move or the like. They also aren't that expensive--the aforementioned Black and Decker corded drill has one.

by Gunax 4y ago

thehappypm 4y ago

That’s as expensive as an extremely low end electric drill.

mauvehaus 4y ago
As a bonus, it's much slower, which leads to fewer fuckups at the ends of projects. They are really only good up to about 1/4" holes though. If you get one with multiple speeds, you can go to 3/8", but you're really much better off with a brace and some auger bits at that point. Auger bits are conveniently sized by the 1/16" down to 1/4" in the US, and have been for over a century. In all seriousness though, an eggbeater drill will last forever. Mine are probably 70 years old or older. Ditto my brace. Good luck finding batteries for any electric cordless drill in 20 years, never mind a cheap one.
- jamiek88 4y ago
  Just going through this now. Everything is lithium now and can’t find reasonably priced OEM batteries for my drill I bought in 2007.
  - evan_ 4y ago
    Depending on your battery platform you might be able to find an adapter. DeWalt for instance sells an adapter to use their newer 20v lithium batteries on tools built for their older 18v platform: https://a.co/d/73x4MGy https://a.co/d/73x4MGy You can also find third-party adapters to convert between basically any two battery platforms.
    - jamiek88 4y ago
      Ah! It is the dewalt 18v!! Never thought to look for an adapter!
- eropple 4y ago
  > Good luck finding batteries for any electric cordless drill in 20 years, never mind a cheap one. Even if the existing 18V/20V-max format doesn't survive another 20 years--an assertion I don't really expect to be true, see for example DeWalt's in-progress switch to stacked cells without any tool deprecation--the world will not be without 18650 cells in twenty years. And you can buy a corded drill if you really want to. I own a bit and brace and to me it's useful for exactly one thing: compound angles during chairmaking. Literally everything else, from low-and-slow picture-framing tasks to boring out Euro hinge holes, is faster, more accurate, and (for me) more enjoyably done with a tool fit for purpose and with modern affordances--a cordless hand drill and drill press, respectively.

avar 4y ago

Most home owners with any DIY interest should purchase an electric drill, because what they'll be purchasing is almost certainly a cordless model with a torque limiter. Those are useful for everything from assembling IKEA furniture to taking apart a car. The drilling function is secondary or tertiary. But sure, if you mean a giant corded impact drill used to drill into concrete almost nobody needs that.

Animats 4y ago
"a giant corded impact drill used to drill into concrete, almost nobody needs that" I had to rent one once to put a conduit through a concrete block wall reinforced with concrete fill and rebar. Not fun.
ars 4y ago
> giant corded impact drill used to drill into concrete Tons of people need that - how else do you hang pictures on stone walls? And they are not so giant - they are the same size as regular drills.
- eropple 4y ago
  I think he's referring to an SDS, which no, home users absolutely don't need. And most homes are wood stud and drywall, where you don't even really need a hammer drill or the impact bit of an impact driver.
  - evan_ 4y ago
    Most homes in the US are drywall and wood studs but that’s not the norm in a lot of places.
    - eropple 4y ago
      I think it's probably a safe take to note that plaster and wood studs are going to be the norm for most people on HN in a spot to be putting holes in walls, but yeah, fair.
- 4y ago

mturmon 4y ago

You could also go directly to this pretty number: https://bridgecitytools.com/products/pb-2-palm-brace https://bridgecitytools.com/products/pb-2-palm-brace

eropple 4y ago

Attempting to keep an eggbeater drill square to the drilled surface is a considerable ask for someone who isn't practiced, particularly somebody on the smaller side. It's ergonomically working against you the entire time due to its length. I can buy a Black and Decker (budget brand, but it's fine for light home use) corded drill at $25 that's plenty for home use and won't be frustrating the novice user every time they want to set a point. And that one in particular hates its user specifically; keyless chucks are way better, too, for novices because of the likelihood that that chuck key is going to get lost in a move or the like. They also aren't that expensive--the aforementioned Black and Decker corded drill has one.