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Black & Decker EPC128BK
by blissman70
I enjoy a bit of DIY, putting up a few shelves, maybe a flat pack or two, or maybe even making something out of nothing, although I draw the line at making a bed, so when it comes to having the right tool for the right job I always try to do my best. Maybe that's why I have amassed so many tools over my time, with some tools doing the ... same sort of job but with a little difference, such as power or ability.
One particular type of tool that I like to always have at hand is an electric drill as they always come in handy one way or another. The only thing that most electric drills have, which restrict them in a way, is the old fashioned mains cable, which tends to get snagged or is always a few feet short of where you actually need them, no matter how many extension leads you have connected together.
That is why I tend to buy what is called cordless drills which, as the name suggests, are power drills that don't need an electric supply as they have their own power supply which comes in the form of a battery pack. These sort of drills really do come in handy as they are not only very useful things they are also very mobile indeed, getting you to jobs that a mains power drill won't even get near.
But when it comes to choosing a battery powered drill you have ot ask yourself a few questions, such as what brand? How much power you need? How much you want to pay? And more. So, if you're anything like me, you'll answer all those questions in such a way that you end up with more than one cordless drill, maybe even a dozen or so, (yes, I have several of these cordless drills, some good, some bad and some ugly...).
One particular battery operated drill that I have had for a while is from a well known brand called Black and Decker, with this tool being the Black & Decker EPC128BK 12volt drill.
Firstly though, I have to say that this 12volt drill has a few cousins, so to speak. Some with more power, like the 14.4volt and the 18volt, whilst others have a slightly less power such as the 7 volt, which is more a screw driver than a drill.
But it is this 12volt drill that I am going to tell you about today, even though I own two of it's more powerful cousins, (the 14.4 volt and the 18volt... I did say I have a few power tools..)
* Let me tell you what this 12volt drill looks like...
The drill is the usual colour for Black and Decker, that being orange with a few splashes of black. It is a good size, about the size that a 12volt drill should be, being 355mm by 300mm by 110mm, weighing in at about 3.5kg.
Right at the front there is the keyless chuck, which is loosened and tightened by holding the front part with one hand, grabbing the rear section with the other hand, then twisting your hands in different directions. This loosened or tightens the chuck, depending on which way you turn it.
Then, behind the chuck, there are the 24 torque settings which are controlled with a twist of the plastic ring that is encircled by the numbers 1 - 24 and a little image of a drill bit.
The chuck and torque setting section is connected to the rest of the drill by what looks like a flimsy rod of metal, but this rod is as strong as an ox really and can take some stick. It is the way that the chuck is connected to the rest of the drill that allows for the hammer action as the chuck can 'bounce' back and forth, giving a bit of a kick when you're drilling away.
On the top there is a slider switch which, when pulled back, revealing the number '1', gives you the 'normal' drill motion, which doubles as a screwdriver and can be used together with the torque settings. Then, when slide forwards, revealing the number '2' logo, is for the hammer which is used for thumping through harder surfaces such as concrete, rock and rubble.
It has a black trigger on the top/front section of the orange handle, with a black directional button just above this trigger section. The handle itself has a few sections of semi-rubberise panels which gives a better gripping sensation, these panels are placed in exactly the right place, no matter how big or small a persons hand is.
At the bottom, below the handle, there is the battery section, which is where the battery is clicked into. On the top of this section there is a little clip that holds a screwdriver bit, which does come with this drill.
* Is there anything special about this drill..?
This depends on what you mean by special. This drill is like most other cordless drills, having torque settings, 24 in all for this one, with a 10mm chuckless key... no, that's not right, it's keyless chuck.
It gives a kick of 0 - 1400rpm unload speed, which lessens depending on what you're drilling through.
One thing that is a little special about this drill, and the others of the same name, is that inside drills casing there is a fan device that keeps the motor nice and cool whilst it's spinning about doing its stuff, giving the motor more of a chance of lasting longer than other drills.
* What about the power then..?
It's pretty powerful considering that it is a mere 12 volt model. For example , it can bust through up to 10mm of masonry or steel and can handle 25mm of wood without snagging at all, (this does depend on the quality of the drill bit that you're using as well as a blunt bit will just heat up and break before it gets through that wad of lurpak).
The power for this comes from the power pack, or battery, which in this case is from the 12 volt battery that slots into the bottom of this drill underneath the handle.
This battery, or batteries in this case, do weigh a bit, almost as much as the drill itself, and, due to the way that it is designed, it slides easily into the bottom of the drill and locks into place.
To take it off you simply press the orange button on the back and slide the entire battery forwards, releasing it from its housing.
It does come with a second battery which comes in handy as you can have one on charge whilst using the other, then charging them over when you need to, thus extending the time you spend screwing and drilling.
The battery charges in 3 hours, giving you enough power for simple screwing and drilling jobs, but it you intend to use it for longer periods or tougher jobs then you may have to give it a good 6 hour charge.
The torque settings give you more control over this drill when in 'screwdriver' mode as it stops you piercing to far through what ever you're working on.
This torque works in such a way as to stop the chuck from spinning when it reaches the pressure set by the torque settings, all you hear then is a constant clicking noise.
If you're screw needs to go in further then just knock up the torque setting by another number and press the trigger again. If it clicks again and your screw is where you want it you then know your torque setting for the rest of your screws, thus, eliminating the hassles of splitting your work.
If the screw-head still sticks out just turn the torque settings another number up and press the trigger... just repeat this until the screw is sat where you want it.
* Does anything else come with this drill..?
Yes, it comes with a spare battery, which means that you have two batteries in total, a two headed screwdriver bit, cross head with the other end being a flat head. There's also a charger that looks like a plastic box with a wire sticking out of it. All this comes in a plastic case that has a few sections inside it for each component to sit in.
My opinion...
I seem to collect drills these days and seem to have a few of these Black and Decker models. Fortunately they are of different powers. But they are all as reliable as each other.
This one has the power I need when it comes to such jobs as Ikea construction, (other flat pack specialist shops are available), drilling into brick work when putting up shelves, slicing through concrete and even more delicate work such as carefully breaking through tiles without breaking the tile itself, (which is not as easy as it looks). And this drill does the lot without too much effort at all.
As for actual use. Well, this is quite a comfortable experience and as it doesn't weigh that much it is easy to handle what ever position you've got it in. the grip is made in such a way so that it feels solid in the hand, which it does, with the semi soft material and the trigger position being just in the right place.
There there's the reverse/forwards, button which can either be flicked with your trigger hands thumb or trigger finger, or with your other hand, depending on if your other hands isn't holding a small screw in an awkward place.
It works excellent as a power driver, with the torque settings giving a lot of options which help protect the things you may be working on, so you don't drill to hard into a soft piece of work. In fact, the torque setting really do help when it comes to those jobs that need hundreds of screws being pushed into something at just the right pressure. Torque is good.
The hammer drill mode works a treat as well, helping 'hammer' the masonry drill bit into the hardness of the brick in order to get that shelf put up. It does vibrate a bit when in hammer mode but that's to be expected really as all hammer drills are the same. However, it's not a horrid vibration, not enough to make you want to throw down the drill and give up all hope of getting the job done.
To give the motor as much ventilation as possible there are a few little 'slices' on the back end, either side of the motor housing above the trigger handle. Which work well enough doing there job but I have found that they can get clogged up if you place this in such things as a muddy surface, as I have done a few times when working in the garden. But the 'slices' are easy to clean out, especially when the mud has dried as it just blows out when the drill is used again.
I do have to say that it does tend to use the power a lot more when drilling through denser material, bricks, concrete and the like, so the battery does drain quicker than I hope it would, but it can still get the job done. Plus, as there's a spare battery that comes in this package, I can have one on charge and one in use, giving me almost double the drilling time, in a manner of speaking.
There are a couple of downsides, which surrounds the battery. This is the fact that there is absolutely no way of telling how much power there is in the battery at any time. There is no battery level indicator on the drill itself and when the battery is in the charger there is no light or anything to let you know when the battery is full.
This leaves you with the good old trial and error method when it comes to battery charging, guessing the time that it is left on charge for and, with the power of the chuck spinning, how much power if left in the battery.
* So how much would a person have to pay for this Black and Decker cordless drill..?
This drill sells for between £60 and £80 and can be found in most DIY shops, both online and on the high street.
For that price you get the drill, a second battery, a charger, a single driver bit and a nice, lightweight yet strong plastic case to keep it all in.
* Is it worth the money..?
I'd have to say yes here as I have had absolutely no trouble with this drill at all, and I have used it many times since a got it.
It offers a good amount of power in the right place without any bells and whistles that aren't really needed.
© Blissman70 2013
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Bosch PSR 7 2LI Screwdriver
by blissman70
I have a thing for power tools. No, not that sort of thing? I've never thought about marriage or anything like that. What I mean is that I like to have the right power tool when it comes to getting the right job done, be it when I'm doing a large scale DIY job or just putting up a shelf in the hope.
So over my many years of DIY, ... with only a few minor injuries, I have amassed quite a few tools, with many of them already reviewed on here as a matter of fact.
One tool that I have, which is like several others that I own and have already written about, it a screw driver.
Before you start thinking that a screwdriver can't be that exciting, but this is not a normal screwdriver, it is in fact a sonic screwdriver, one that I received as a gift from a rather dashing gentleman who wore a very long scarf....
Only kidding, it was more a bow tie...
Seriously though, it wasn't a sonic screwdriver, as they don't really exist do they? It was in fact a power driver, the sort that is used to drive screws into something then, with the flick of a switch, take out the same screw, or maybe other screws, the choice is yours.
This sonic screwdriver, I mean, power screwdriver I am talking about is in fact from a well known company that can be recognised by the dark green and black colouring, together with the name, Bosch, in big red letters, scratched on the unit.
The full name of this Bosch power driver is in fact the Bosch PSR 7.2Li screwdriver, which, from the '7.2' mention in the name gives us a bit of a clue as to what sort of power this one offers
Yes, this is a 7.2 volt power driver, which may not sound to powerful but as it is only supposed to be used to drive screws into something or unscrew them out again then it's not that bad at all really. I mean, I've used worse.
* Firstly, let me give you a brief description of this driver...
It looks like a small drill really, I a gun shaped fashion, like all good 'man tools' should be so that us men can pretend we're gun slingers when we're using these sort of tools in and around the house. Being about 290mm long by 255mm wide and 100mm at its thickest part, weighing in at about 1.5kg, including the battery.
As for this ones looks, well, let's start at the front where there is the chuck, where the driver bits slot into. This is housed inside a plastic casing which is actually the torque selector ring. Then, as we take a look along the top, working from the chuck area to the back, we are presented with a rather handy pair of directional indicators, forward and backward, represented by a couple of chunky arrows to show which direction the driver is set to go in.
These arrows are on either side of the power indicator which show you roughly how much power is left in the battery.
So that's the top, with the indicator lights so that you know what and how this driver is doing.
Now we move downwards, along the handle which is vertical to the top, making the driver look like the gun shape that all men want to see when it comes to power tools of this kind, (You know I'm right lads don't you? Don't try and deny it).
On the front of the handle there is the trigger, with the directional slider being situated right above this trigger. Below the trigger, in fact, below the black handle grip, there is a little light which illuminates the area that the driver bits are pointing at, showing up the work that you're screwing into or taking something out of.
The entire driver weighs a little less than 500 grams so that there's no real trouble in using this for a while and feeling like you have to put it down every so often in order to rest you muscles.
So that's the driver itself. But wait, there's more. There's the charging system which isn't just a piece of wire with a plug slapped on one end, it is in fact more a cradle as the driver actually sits inside the charging unit in an upright position, connecting both together using the slot on the bottom of the drivers handle with the connector inside the cradle.
* What about the power...
This has a rechargeable lithium battery with something called ECP technology, or Electronic Cell Protection, which is designed to help the life of the battery last a lot longer than a standard rechargeable battery. However, this is yet to be proven on my part.
It also has the good old fashion 'no self discharge' which means that it keeps the charge inside the battery no matter how long you go between uses.
So the battery should last a good while without having to be replaced after a few months.
Plus, to let you keep and eye on the power left inside the battery, there's a lovely set of lights that illuminate to show you the power remaining.
As for the actual charging time. To get a fully charged battery takes about 3 hours, but on a full charge you can get a good 2 hours of constant 'normal' work time.
* Is there anything else to mention..?
Let's see. It has a un-loaded speed of up to 240rpm, which means that it spins at 240 revolutions per minute when it's not driving a screw into anything. But once you start driving these rpms drop depending on how tough the job in hand is.
It can take all 'hex end' type bits up to 6mm in diameter.
This one has something that some of my other power drivers don't have. This one has what is called torque settings, which means that the pressure of the driver can be 'softened' or 'hardened' so that you don't drive the screw into the work too far or too hard, damaging the delicate work that you've spent months carving out with that butter knife as it was the only knife you are allowed to use.
*Do you get anything extra..?
Yes you do.
Apart from the driver you also get a few other things, such as 10 screwdriver bits and a rather fetching black blow moulded carrying case.
* My opinion...
This is one of my favourite power drivers, mainly due to the fact that is has the power to do the job and manages to do it for quite some time.
It has everything that a good driver of its type should have, without having anything that isn't really necessary.
The 10 pre set torque settings do come in handy when it comes to driving a screw into something without the fear of smashing through the other side of it. They are so easily set too with a simple turn of the black plastic section at the front of the driver, the section that is behind the bit holder. Just turn this section and it clicks as it rotates, making the torque 'soften' or 'harden' until you get the desired pressure.
Then there's the reverse/forwards action so that if you get a screw stuck you just press the switch and driver out the screw, so to speak. And to help you know what direction it is set in there is a rather useful light setting to let you know, which saves you accidentally over tightening anything if you have if set in the wrong direction.
The spindle locks in position, which comes in handy if you lose power and only have a few turns left on the screw to finish the job off. In other words you can use this as you would a normal screwdriver, driving the screw in by hand.
As for actually using it. Well, it's quite nice really, offering both strength and precision without any hassles at all.
The handle is very comfortable, having what Bosch call, an insulated grip, which really means that it has a rubbery texture to it so that it feels nice and soft like when you have tight hold of it.
There's the fact that the bit holder is magnetised so that the bits that slot into it don't fall out onto the floor, or behind something in your house that can't be moved, thus losing not only the driver bit but also losing you rag as you get so annoyed with losing a bit every time you blink.
Plus, there's a lovely light which aims towards the front which is activated by the press of the trigger. This light is bright enough to illuminate the area that you are working at, such as those darkened cupboards or under the stairs.
The state of the battery power is simple to understand using a three green light system. Basically, when you press the trigger a little bit the battery strength lights show up, one light meaning low power up, maybe think about charging the battery up for a while, to three lights meaning fully charged.
Simple to understand really, which makes life a little easier.
* What more can I say about this driver..?
It is small one handed tool yet it is very capable of handling a wide range of small DIY jobs. It isn't a drill so don't expect it to bore holes through a piece of wood, but it will put a screw through the wood with no really trouble at all.
* So how much does this Bosch driver cost then..?
This driver sells on the open market for about £50.00, which sounds a lot for what is technically a screw driver with a small engine, but as it is good at what it is supposed to do and it makes doing DIY a lot easier it is money well spent at the end of the day
* Is it worth the money..?
Yes, I think it is really, considering what you get and the fact that, as it's from Bosch, you can be assured that it should last more than a few months.
There are cheaper ones on the market, some a lot cheaper, but those ones have either less power or they are designed to fail you when you need them the most, leaving you with more screws hanging out than those you managed to get into the softest piece of wood the world has ever seen.
© Blissman70 2013
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