All of our drills had been either Milwaukee or Makita models but as we got more into using lithium-ion batteries we had problems with these other manufacturers drills and batteries. Found out that the lithium-ion have a safety protection to keep them from overheating and catching fire and the result is less torque in high load situations. The drill shuts down and the safety protection cuts all the power to the drill so the motor stops and the light goes off.
Two ways to minimize the drawbacks are to get the biggest battery you can find and get a drill with as many speeds as possible so you can match the torque load to the battery and not overload it. The DeWalt DCD940 and the DCD970 hammer drill version combine both features with the largest battery (and heaviest) and a 3-speed gearbox. Add the two together and this drill keeps on going and going through any kind of material that stops our other drills cold.
We regularly grab the DeWalt when there is any doubt about how tough the drilling will be. Used to be we would get an extension cord and one of the cord drills out of the truck but so far we have been able to do very well with the DCD940. We cut through stucco walls and the plywood sheet and thick plaster ceilings and make 8" holes in cement board siding, and 6" holes in subflooring and all with this drill and the battery life is excellent.
Charging is very fast but does not seem to overheat the batteries the way the Makita charger does and that bodes well for longer battery life. May be why the warranty on the DeWalt batteries is twice as long as for the Makita lithium-ion batteries.
Surprises me that people will buy drill A instead of drill B because it is lighter or fits better into a small hand but then expect it to drill just as well as the bigger and heavier drill. The extra weight is from more speeds, a heavier duty gear box and a larger capacity battery. Most of the weight difference with the 8 models we have in use is from the battery.
Always wise to avoid using bi-metal hole saws or selfeed drill bits with any cordless drill. Use big gullet hole saws like the Blue Boar TCT or the Milwaukee Big Hawg or the Bosch TCHS hole cutters and your drill will cut a lot faster and your batteries will last a lot longer.
BLUE BOAR TSF12 12 Piece High Performance Tungsten Carbide Hole Saw kit - 2-1/4" Cut Depth. Cut 10x as fast and using 1/40th the battery power. Cordless Drills cut holes 3x as large versus bi-metal hole saws. Deep side gullets for fast plug removal
Side handle mounts in any position which I like. Not as smooth to tighten as the Makita side handle but it works just as well. Clutch is amazingly good at holding onto even the smallest bit or a large shank on a core boring bit in masonry. Every other drill we use will loosen up on masonry, but the DeWalts never do. Their self-tightening chuck works as well as advertised.
Case is better than past DeWalt cases and at least it is included with the kit but it is nothing to write home about. Prefer the masons bag types of pouches that have pockets for bit sets and the like but that is a cheap item to buy later.
At first the drill seems heavy and off in its balance but after it is used a couple times on tough drilling jobs it starts to feel like a pro level tool that will not break down in the middle of a job.
There are lots of cheaper drills and lots of lighter drills but when the going gets tough this is the drill we grab without hesitation.
(4 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=5.0 / 5.0
More Detail For DEWALT DCD940KX 18 Volt 1 2 Inch XRP Drill Driver
- XRP? extended run-time batteries provide long run-time & battery life
- Patented 3-speed all-metal transmission matches the tool to task for fastest application speed and improved run time
- Heavy-duty 1/2" ratcheting chuck helps prevent bits from slipping and falling out
- LED Worklight provides increased visibility in confined spaces
- High power, high efficiency motor delivers 450 unit watts out of max power for superior performance in all drilling and fastening applications
