Cordless drill for building tin

Larry · November 20, 2020, 09:32:40 PM

I'm ready to put tin on a small 200 square foot building. Need a new cordless drill to drive the screws. Want the lightest one that will do the job. What do you recommend? I may pre-drill some of the panels but I will use a corded drill for that part.

I have three quality cordless drills but the batteries are near the end of there life and they are older models. Still work fine, but I'm sure the batteries won't last driving lots of screws.

mike_belben · November 20, 2020, 09:35:20 PM

Milwaukee fuel is pretty much top dog these days. No need to predrill. The screws will shoot right thru.

Southside · November 20, 2020, 09:38:35 PM

Absolutely agree. If you can only get one, get the 1/4" driver instead of the drill, it is a mini impact driver and works awesome. I got the combo kit - 1/4" driver and 1/2" drill. The drill is used as a drill and the driver for setting fence, roofing, framing screws. The torque and speed exceeds what a drill will do and you don't strip out screws with it.

Don P · November 20, 2020, 09:50:58 PM

But as often as tools seem to leap to their death, I'd start with the old ones up there. I like to layout and predrill groups of sheets on the ground. The lines across the roof are straight and it's easier to put a screw through a hole when stretched out up there, my arms are getting shorter and lower horsepower or something :D. Somebody just needed a couple of mine more than me, not sure where I got hit, I'm buying budget next week.

btulloh · November 20, 2020, 10:10:25 PM

I'm a big fan of the M18 line now, but there's good to be had in the other brands as well. Lots of people report well on Ryobi stuff now and it's very reasonably priced. Good reports on the two upper end lines that HF is selling now too. For the long haul, I still believe in Milwaukee though. If worried about pilferage and dropping stuff off the roof, go with the value brands. Speed is the key for self drilling, so keep that in mind or pre drill.

I find you do have to be careful with the impact drivers or you can strip out by over torquing. Excellent tool for roofing if you just get the feel tuned in.

The good thing is these days there are a lot of workable choices.

Good luck with the roof and post some pictures to keep us all happy.

Ljohnsaw · November 20, 2020, 10:17:49 PM

If you want a good drill/driver, get a 20v DeWalt set. With the default/suppied 1.5 or 2 ahr batteries, they are pretty light. The impact is lighter than the drill. Do your intended screws have a self-drilling point? Then you wouldn't have to pre-drill.

btulloh · November 20, 2020, 10:29:04 PM

Good point about the smaller batteries. The 1/4" impact drivers work well on roofing screws and run a pretty long time on a 2ah battery. They're light and easy to handle on the roof. A couple 2ah batteries would keep you working.

Larry · November 20, 2020, 10:33:29 PM

The only reason I've ever pre drilled is for appearance...keep the lines perfect across the panels, just so it looks nice.

What brand of 1/4" impact driver btulloh?

Dave Shepard · November 20, 2020, 10:41:30 PM

My M18 Fuel 1/4" driver has a metal screw setting feature. Starts slow for drilling, then speeds up, and shuts off after it starts to impact. I'd show you my M18 collection, but it might be grounds for some sort of intervention. As it is, every time I buy anything Milwaukee, I have to send a text to a friend that starts with "Hi, my name is Dave...."

btulloh · November 20, 2020, 10:50:37 PM

Quote from: Larry on November 20, 2020, 10:33:29 PM
The only reason I've ever pre drilled is for appearance...keep the lines perfect across the panels, just so it looks nice.

What brand of 1/4" impact driver btulloh?

I'd say any brand that suits you, especially if you want to stay with the same battery brand. (I think having all the tools and batteries work together makes life much simpler.)
The Milwaukee screw setter setting is really a good feature. I'm not aware of that being available on another brand although I bet it will be in the future.

btulloh · November 20, 2020, 10:56:39 PM

Quote from: Dave Shepard on November 20, 2020, 10:41:30 PM
My M18 Fuel 1/4" driver has a metal screw setting feature. Starts slow for drilling, then speeds up, and shuts off after it starts to impact. I'd show you my M18 collection, but it might be grounds for some sort of intervention. As it is, every time I buy anything Milwaukee, I have to send a text to a friend that starts with "Hi, my name is Dave...."

I think Dave put a picture of just his battery and charger collection recently. It's obvious just from that picture that he needs an intervention. Or a subsidy. :D

Southside · November 20, 2020, 11:35:16 PM

How do you get into that mode on the impact?

Sedgehammer · November 21, 2020, 04:07:44 AM

Quote from: Don P on November 20, 2020, 09:50:58 PM
But as often as tools seem to leap to their death, I'd start with the old ones up there. I like to layout and predrill groups of sheets on the ground. The lines across the roof are straight and it's easier to put a screw through a hole when stretched out up there, my arms are getting shorter and lower horsepower or something :D. Somebody just needed a couple of mine more than me, not sure where I got hit, I'm buying budget next week.

I do this exact same thing. Too often I've had a screw go sideways on me and that's not preferred.

Corley5 · November 21, 2020, 08:34:50 AM

Milwaukee's M12 lineup is good. Much lighter than the M18 and powerful. We've driven a lot of GRK framing screws with them. They do just as well for that job as the 18 and they're a lot lighter.

mike_belben · November 21, 2020, 08:37:19 AM

For roofing tin id just use the m12 screwdriver with a good magnet bit. I dont want to hear any impacting on a metal roof.

I use my m18 screwdriver for 4" torx bit deck screws in 1st gear. It is faster and much quieter than the m18 impact driver.

Don P · November 21, 2020, 08:57:20 AM

There are also some really nice roofing screws that have a mushroom type washer around the neoprene gasket that helps prevent overdriving.
They got a Kobalt drill and Makita impact. I've been fairly impressed with most of the Kobalt cordless stuff but not the drills, that one was a week old, the first the chuck siezed, (a friend says if it isn't a Jacobs it isn't a chuck), the second something in its brain fried. The impacts both 1/4 and 1/2 have been flawless and strong and the batteries are cheap. Not sure which way to jump this time, I wish batteries were standardized.

47sawdust · November 21, 2020, 09:09:29 AM

Larry,
I've got all M18 tools.For roof work I would like to own the M12, just that much nicer to use on the roof.
I used to pre-drill for appearance sake but now I measure and mark with a sharpie as I go along.

Dave Shepard · November 21, 2020, 09:12:33 AM

Quote from: Southside on November 20, 2020, 11:35:16 PM
How do you get into that mode on the impact?

Mine is the First gen Fuel. Model 2753. Three power levels plus self tapping screw mode.

Sedgehammer · November 21, 2020, 09:22:37 AM

The bauer line at harbor cheap freight is the same company that makes milwaukee or if not the same, they build them what appears to be the same.

hedgerow · November 21, 2020, 10:59:43 AM

Have buddy that really loves the M18 line up. I have been running 18 volt Dewalt for 15 plus years and the last set of tools is from 2011 and all the batteries are still going. Have put a ton of steel on buildings with the 1/4 driver.

mudfarmer · November 21, 2020, 12:07:09 PM

If you have a helper give them a drill driver with the clutch turned wayyyy down and you use the impact. Yes there is a story behind this :D

gspren · November 21, 2020, 04:09:26 PM

I think this constantly upping the voltage on hand tools is/was more for advertising than actual performance, I put in lots of roofing screws with a 9.6V Makita. Since Milwaukee seems to be staying with the 18V lineup I wouldn't mind moving in that direction.

Tacotodd · November 21, 2020, 04:25:45 PM

I got the M18 drill kit as a B-day present from the wife; tell ME she isn't sweet and we will step outside. I also picked out an M18 grease gun because I have an oddball project that holds about 8 tubes of grease. (Please don't ask, I will just agree that if all is correct, you shouldn't use lubricant like that in this application.) It'll dump a new tube in about 90 seconds, it sure beats doing it buy hand, and now I don't have ANY reason for making sure that anything with a fitting isn't greased!

She might even get the ALWAYS starting M18 chainsaw to ride with her for those strange times that she needs one, she is a rural route postal worker, (rain, sleet, snow or night, the mail MUST go through. And rarely a tree or large branch!). She has expressed interest of a saw of her own, but I'm reluctant because I can't even get her to listen to me about PPE; or technique!

SawyerTed · November 21, 2020, 06:59:10 PM

The M18 tools are quality tools. I have an M18 drill and impact driver that I received as a gift.

I also have a about 7 or 8 Dewalt 20V Max tools. I got started with the Dewalt tools and batteries years ago. It's hard to switch lines once you get hooked into the batteries which is where the cost is. Right now Home Depot has a two battery kit with charger for $199 and you get a "free" tool of your choice. The batteries are 4ah and 6ah and there are 6 or 7 tools to pick from.

Southside · November 21, 2020, 09:26:29 PM

Quote from: Tacotodd on November 21, 2020, 04:25:45 PMI also picked out an M18 grease gun because I have an oddball project that holds about 8 tubes of grease.

Do you have a "Lock-N-Lube" on the end of that? Makes it twice the tool it is to begin with.