Do I need a corded drill?

My trusty 1/2" corded hammer drill is sadly down for the count. The chuck is no longer working, and the little screw that holds it in place is not budging, so replacement is not an option. I was going to start shopping for a replacement, but I had to wonder if I really need one? I use cordless drills and impact drivers for most of what I need these days, the corded drill is only used a few times. Specifically, I use it for drilling into concrete. So is there an argument to be made to replace it with a true SDS rotary hammer drill? 

No. 

We no longer carry any 120v powered tools on the trucks. All of our tools have gone to batteries. If you want an SDS hammer drill, buy the one that matches your batteries of choice. 

Yes. Cordless drills can do the job 90% of the time. But, for that last 10%, when you need it, you NEED it.

When my 1/2"corded Hammer drill finally died after a service life longer than I've been alive, I replaced it with a corded 1/2"Hammer drill. 

I've used it exactly twice in the last 4 years. It's a wrist breaker, but it sure is nice to have. 

But without fail, my cordless 1/2"Hammer drill will die just before I finish a hole, every time. 

I think for the price, it's worth keeping on hand for when you need it. I wouldn't take it to work, but I like knowing it's in my toolbox. 

SDS or SDS Plus would be a nice upgrade, except that means buying all new bits too, at least for me, and those get expensive quick. 

SDS cordless does the job fine, but you might want to invest in some higher mAh batteries if you don't already have them.  Mine will do several holes before needing a battery swap, but I wouldn't rely on it for something like drilling a whole foundation for sill ties.

I have a blue Milwaulkee (10 years or so?) that will out-perform my cordless by a metric ton, but it's not worth getting a cord out for a few holes.

New garage foundation with 20 holes, or using a masonry hole saw?  Corded. 
4 holes to mount a TV on a concrete wall?  Cordless.

But, yes.... do an SDS.  VERY versatile.  Heavy drilling, hammer drilling, and mini jackhammer.

I am a contractor and my business(es) punch a lot of holes in concrete. Most of the holes we use are 1/2"-3/4" with depths between 4"-18". 

All of my SDS+ drills are cordless DeWalts. They work great. I would not even consider a corded drill.

Keep in mind that battery tools can actually be much more powerful than corded tools. It is no longer true that corded tools are more powerful.

Batteries never run out on a corded drill.

In reply to stuart in mn :

I've also never had to drag an extension cord up a ladder for my cordless tools, trip over cords on a job site, pulled the cord out of the tool while moving, or struggled to find a receptacle within 100 feet of the project just to find that the breaker is off and I don't know where the panel is (or if it is even accessible). Eff all that. I'll show up to the job with a few fully-charged batteries and get it done and not have to worry about running 120. 

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Keep in mind that new battery tools ARE much more powerful than corded tools. 

FTFY. There aren't any development dollars going in to corded tools and there hasn't been for 10 years now.  The highest performing power tools have been cordless (and Red) for the last 5 years.

We can install an entire impact door system in a concrete opening without killing a battery using either a Ridgid or Milwaukee battery SDS drill. 

We are using one of these two with 4 ah batteries.

That's 25-30 1/4-1/2" holes.

For a handful of holes, the guys use the hammer function on their regular drills. They will drill 10-20 1/4 holes on a charge as well, they are just slower. That does require buying a quality concrete bit. They make some multi-material bits that work very well. 

brandonsmash said:

In reply to stuart in mn :

I've also never had to drag an extension cord up a ladder for my cordless tools, trip over cords on a job site, pulled the cord out of the tool while moving, or struggled to find a receptacle within 100 feet of the project just to find that the breaker is off and I don't know where the panel is (or if it is even accessible). Eff all that. I'll show up to the job with a few fully-charged batteries and get it done and not have to worry about running 120. 

 

 

This. We used to have to carry generators on the truck because construction power is frequently 200+ feet away from the front door of a building. Now the trucks have inverters to keep batteries charged. It saves a bunch of time and aggravation on a job site. 

I can mix a bucket of thinset with a $50 corded drill.  I think the battery-op unitasker paddle mixer is around two bills without batteries.  And I'll never need to do that sort of thing where I don't have ready access to power.

The only time I've used my corded drill in the last 5 years was for running 3.5 inch hole saws through the 3/4" plywood on my trailer floor (to mount tie-down rings).  The Milwaukee M18 fuel just didn't have the torque to do that.

brandonsmash said:

In reply to stuart in mn :

I've also never had to drag an extension cord up a ladder for my cordless tools, trip over cords on a job site, pulled the cord out of the tool while moving, or struggled to find a receptacle within 100 feet of the project just to find that the breaker is off and I don't know where the panel is (or if it is even accessible). Eff all that. I'll show up to the job with a few fully-charged batteries and get it done and not have to worry about running 120. 

Depends on your needs.  I'm a homeowner and not a contractor, and to be honest I don't use a drill all that often anymore.  For my purposes, I'd most likely find a cordless drill had been sitting so long that it has a dead battery when I take it off the shelf to be used, and I can't recall a time where I needed to drill a hole and I couldn't reach a receptacle.

My Milwaukee hole shooter is 40+ years old and works just as well as the day I bought it.  Sure, a battery drill may be convenient but I don't see the need to spend money on one.

I purchased a corded hammer drill from harbor freight to use the auger for planting flower bulbs last fall. Even though I had enough batteries to power my cordless hammer drill I was able to overheat the drill and kill it. Planted 600 bulbs last year and now I don't fear ordering more for this falls planting season. 

I inherited a 3/4 inch corded drill from a friend. One of his employees used it to drill a hole inside a pipe, and it caught, continue to rotate and whipped around and busted his jaw so it was moved on to me. He was probably lucky just to get away with a broken jaw. That thing was terrifying. I used it with a directional drill I had for drilling 4-in holes under driveways. I would put a 3-ft pipe on each handle and even then it would lift me off the ground. I was so nervous about using it that I finally got rid of it. Anyway my point being that there are some drills out there that a battery will not yet replaced.

I have a 1930's Black and Decker 1/2" drill with an 18" long pipe handle. 

It turns at 360 RPM.  

The only thing to keep in mind while using that drill is that the bit is turning at 360 RPM.  If it jams, YOU will be turning at 360 RPM and if somehow you got jammed, I suspect the world will start turning at 360 RPM.

There are a few jobs I have done I know no other tool I have would have worked.

I say yes you do. You may not use it much but they are good to have around.

When I am doing metal work in the shop I run 3 4" grinders, 2 corded 1 battery. One has a cutting wheel, one a flapper, one a cup wire brush. A drill can be similar or better to burn out a cheap corded drill rather than a good cordless.

How often do you need to drill into concrete as a homeowner? Once every few years? Just rent from Home Depot. Cordless will do the rest if the time. My corded 3/8 burned up years ago and I haven't missed it.

Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) said:

How often do you need to drill into concrete as a homeowner? Once every few years? Just rent from Home Depot. Cordless will do the rest if the time. My corded 3/8 burned up years ago and I haven't missed it.

 

Even better, wait until they're selling one of their SDS former rental units.  As a former HD rental department person, they are rented infrequently, flawlessly maintained, and you can negotiate them down.  Mine is one I purchased from HD rental, and it cost less than two rentals and came with a set of bits.

Since I have big ol' powerful corded units in the truck I still pull them out for monster jobs ( to see if my 75 year old wrists can still avoid the hospital).  That said, I do a lot with my red battery units.   I have an antique WW2 era 6" side grinder in the back of the shop that must weigh 20 pounds, and seemingly will not stop for anything.  I have new respect for that whole generation.  Its a corded evil machine that years ago I would use daily.  OSHA not.

Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) said:

How often do you need to drill into concrete as a homeowner? Once every few years? Just rent from Home Depot. 

Good point.  A regular 3/8" or 1/2" drill motor is one thing, but a big hammer drill is something most people use very infrequently.  I'd rather rent one than spend a lot of money for something that will just sit around collecting dust 98% of the time.

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

My trusty 1/2" corded hammer drill is sadly down for the count. The chuck is no longer working, and the little screw that holds it in place is not budging,

 Little screw is Left Hand.....