2022 New Drills: New Drills Electricians Need

Those of us in the trades use our tools to make money. And who doesn’t love to see all the new cordless power tools available? In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin explains the differences between Milwaukee’s M12 & M18 drill platforms and goes thru some of the features.

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Milwaukee has been making power tools for a very long time and is considered the top tier of both corded and cordless power tools. Through extensive R&D, field testing, and the test of time, their products just keep getting better and better! They offer two different platforms of cordless tools and drills: the M12 and the M18. The biggest difference between the two is the voltage of the tools. The M12 operates via a 12-volt power battery while the M18 uses an 18 volt. This generally results in a stronger drill and longer battery life with the M18, but the tool will be considerably larger and heavier. The M12 platform is designed more for smaller tasks, single tasks where maximum power/longevity isn’t really needed, or tasks where weight/size would hinder the user.
Within each drill platform, there are also several different types of drills. The most common type is the screw-gun. This is in essence a powered screwdriver. There are not a lot of frills and options on this drill it simply either installs screws or removes them. This type of drill is perfect for installing switches, plugs, or any devices as it is small, lightweight, and perfectly suited for the task. The M12 version of this type of drill is small enough and light enough that you would probably not even know it was in your tool pouch!
Another type of drill, that is becoming increasingly more popular, is the impact drill. Unlike a screw-gun type drill, the impact has a slight hammering action when it turns. This results in being able to apply more torque to the work you are performing. There are drill bit sets and bit tip sets that are sold as impact rated, so this type of drill is honestly the first one most of us grab these days. The impact drill will also have speed settings on it as well. 1 moves slower with less impact, while 3 is very fast with more impact. So, make sure to set your speed to the work you are attempting to perform.
A drill/driver is the most common of the types. It is similar to the screw-gun but has many more settings to control speed, depth, and torque. Some types of this drill also have a hammer option on it used to drill through masonry surfaces like concrete, block, tile, etc. It vibrates when it spins which is much more conducive to masonry surface drilling. However, for a cordless drill, it does have limits! So, if you are drilling something large, say a ¾” anchor or super deep, you may want to consider using a rotary hammer drill. The rotary hammer drill is much larger and only drills/hammers in masonry. It doesn’t have options like a drill driver, uses specific bits that only fit in it, and is pretty heavy.
There are several accessories that come with most tools ranging from additional side mounted handles (these are for safety- USE THEM!!), to multi volt battery chargers that will charge both the M12 & M18 batteries, straps, etc. These accessories should be used as they are generally for safety or comfort/ease of use!
We hope this has been helpful in exploring some of the drill options for construction use. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed? Leave a comment in the comment section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to help our viewers be the best electricians they can be!