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An integrated level would also have been a nice addition. Borrowed a buddies old and abused DC759KA after my Craftsman died, and I was hooked, so I ordered the 925 figuring I would use the hammerdrill feature from time to time as well. My only gripe: no screwdriver bits were included, so it's a good thing that I hung onto my Craftsman bits. I haven't actually used my new Dewalt DC925KA, but after comparing it to my old Sears Craftsman 15.6V Industrial drill that it replaced, there is very little comparison. You won't be disappointed, however. The batteries appeared to have some charge from the factory, and she's powerful enough to darn near twist your wrist if you're not ready for it. It is a work of art and very well built. Most reviews were great, and I have no doubt that this will be an outstanding drill for a couple of decades or so.
Oh yeah, in a pinch (no power nearby) it has even mixed two to three gallons of drywall mud or thinset mortar. I acquired this tool by accident: I was buying an 18V reciprocating saw and the drill came with it. Still works like new. Not bad for cordless.As for durability, it has fallen ten feet onto concrete a number of times, and has generally been treated roughly as if it were not made of plastic. But this tool easily took over most of my drilling needs, even some of what I used to do with a corded tool.Most eye-opening experience with the DC925: I needed to drill some vent-stack holes in stud wall fireblocking and top plates. This tool was able to drive a 2-1/2" Milwaukee Self-Feed bit through doubled 2x4s in half a dozen locations -- and that's with a dull bit and a two year old battery (fully charged, but old ones aren't as strong).Among the other high-torque jobs this drill has accomplished, it regularly runs an 18" x 5/8" ship-auger bit through 8 to 12 inches of framing lumber many times per hour, can handle multiple deep holes with a 3/4" auger, hammerdrills pilot holes for Tapcon anchors and for tri-nailing wood onto concrete, and often runs abrasive flap wheels and discs for metal finishing.
I don't use the hammer feature often so I can't speak on that.Con's - A bulldog (heavy). I have lighter drills if I need them but they don't drive or drill nearly as well.Overview: I have several different brand 18V drills, some are very good but I dedicated myself to Dewalt 18V tools. Pro's - Unbelievable torque. Not the best for working overhead or arms out horizontal for long periods of time. I currently have 11 different Dewalt tools (and I don't have them all) that operate off the same battery platform.no other manufacture offers that. Make sure your work is secure and that you have a good grip; if a bit locks into your work (especially steel), you're in for a ride. Good adjustments for different work.
If you're out there driving a single size screw or drilling through just about anything, it will do a good job. First, it is heavy.not a big thing if you're drilling or screwing straight down.
The other gripe I have is that I have to make sure I have all three adjustments correct if I switch from a 3" screw to a 3/8" drill bit. My job, as a garage cabinet installer, calls for veried angles, however, and it can be cumbersome.
I bought this drill to replace my 15 year old trusty Makita 12volt cordless. However, that's where my praises end.
Personally, I'd buy the Makita again if I had it to do all over again. For outright raw power I think it's great.
With adjustments for clutch, speed, and (confusing) a feature for screwing or drilling or hamerdrilling, it is versatile, no doubt.
The water episode, in and of itself, isn't enough to rate 5 stars; it is all the use, abuse, and neglect that the drill endures that really impresses me. What I can say is that I never feel regret at buying this Dewalt, or look at another company's 18 volt drill and wish that I had bought that brand instead. One day at the job site, a coworker informed me that he owed me a new drill. He told me that he had accidentally dropped my Dewalt drill/driver into a water filled catch basin and it was still in there.I ran over to where the catch basin was, saw my drill down in the murky depths, and went in head first to retrieve it. There are several companies that make a great hammer drill/driver, and I can't say which is really the best. After taking a moment to remind myself to always have an exit strategy in any future power tool rescue attempts (lest there be no around to yank on my ankles) I took my waterlogged drill and ran over to my car. Well, as you may have guessed from my 5-star rating, the Dewalt worked perfectly after that episode, and still works perfectly today, three years later.
I would say that Dewalt hit the nail on the head when they designed this product, but that doesn't seem a fitting metaphor for a drill, does it. It typically lives on the job site floor several days out of the week.
Fortunately for me, the fellow who dropped the drill in the catch basin in the first place, Big John, happened to be a 6'6" giant and was able to pull me out by my ankles. I have mixed drywall mud with it, drilled lots of holes in concrete (again with larger bits than what it is rated for), drilled holes in steel and stainless steel, and driven lag bolts.
Curious, I asked "Why". I use larger spade and auger bits than it is rated for when there are no corded drills around.
I am completely satisfied with this product. Retrieving the drill was easy enough, but extracting myself from the deep and narrow catch basin, with one hand on my drill, my feet in the air and my head pointing towards China, was proving to be a bit more difficult.
I disconnected the battery from the drill, put both pieces on top of the defrost vents on my dash board, and cranked the defrost on full blast for about half an hour (I had the temperature set on low so that the battery wouldn't explode).
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