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Angle Drill / Makita Drill (Merged)

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Jul 26, 2015
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Hot Springs, AR
The amount of turning I do a cordless drill lasted days, took it back to the store, and got store credit. Plus the batteries could not keep up with my pace, they would not recharge fast enough. Maybe someday a battery will last hours not minutes and charge back up in 10 minutes...
simple solution: My dewalt batteires recharge in about 30 minutes.... but I have three of them! so I'm never out
 

Chuck Lobaito

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Well, the strange noises and sparks would indicate to me, bearings and brushes. It would run $80 or so for a rebuild. I did try some fancy sealed bearings and didn't seem to get much more life out of them. Found out there are sealed and shielded bearings. I think the main thing that causes the drills to fail is that we are using them for grinders, and they are drills. To get maximum life out of them, I do use 3 inch discs almost all the time, and I run the drill at half speed max. This extended the life span from 300+ bowls per bearing set to maybe double that. The funny thing about sanding is that slower speeds cut faster than high speeds. Best guess is that it is about traction. If you are spinning at high speeds, the abrasive grit doesn't get a chance to dig in and cut. Think of a dragster burning out their tires, lots of heat and smoke but they are going no where.

I have been pondering on how I can make a flex shaft system that would run off of a mini lathe. It would mount in that articulated arm I made for when I sand. With a 1 hp motor, it could easily handle 5 or 6 inch discs. The Foredom drill set up just doesn't have the power for doing that other than on occasion...

robo hippy
what about the Guivere?
 

Emiliano Achaval

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I'm so impressed by my new Makita drill. I wish I bought it years ago! I have been woodturning for about 25 years, always had angle drills. The Sioux was my first one of many. The handle on the drill made my job of sanding a large Koa natural edge bowl today super easy. Cut the sanding time by almost a third. Total control without getting tired. I now have 3 angled drills and the Makita. It's also built super solid. Exudes quality. OK I better stop, sounds like I'm in love. Aloha.
 
Joined
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Gainesville, VA
I'm so impressed by my new Makita drill. I wish I bought it years ago! I have been woodturning for about 25 years, always had angle drills. The Sioux was my first one of many. The handle on the drill made my job of sanding a large Koa natural edge bowl today super easy. Cut the sanding time by almost a third. Total control without getting tired. I now have 3 angled drills and the Makita. It's also built super solid. Exudes quality. OK I better stop, sounds like I'm in love. Aloha.
Great news. I'll look into getting one when my current set looks like they are about to give up the ghost. Small thing but...for $200+ I would think that they would at least give us a keyless chuck.
 

Dennis J Gooding

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Congratulations Emiliano. Richard Raffin recommended one to me about 20 years ago. He said that it was the first drill he had found that would stand up to the rigors and dust of sanding. Mine is still going strong.
 

Dennis J Gooding

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Great news. I'll look into getting one when my current set looks like they are about to give up the ghost. Small thing but...for $200+ I would think that they would at least give us a keyless chuck.

A keyless chuck comes at the price of a larger diameter, which can be a problem sometimes.
 
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A keyless chuck comes at the price of a larger diameter, which can be a problem sometimes.
Let's just say that we agree to disagree. I have a 3/8 angle without and a 3/8 keyless angle...and I just looked and I see no difference whatsoever. I'd convert it to a keyless but the center screw in the chuck is tight to the point that I'd have to take a blow torch to it to melt the screw out or maybe put in a little taste of dynamite. I might try both methods.
 
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Let's just say that we agree to disagree. I have a 3/8 angle without and a 3/8 keyless angle...and I just looked and I see no difference whatsoever. I'd convert it to a keyless but the center screw in the chuck is tight to the point that I'd have to take a blow torch to it to melt the screw out or maybe put in a little taste of dynamite. I might try both methods.
That screw in the center of the chuck may be a left hand thread. If the reason you want the keyless chuck is for quick change get a twist lock mandrel and multiple foam pads then mark the grit on the side of each pad, that is much quicker.
 

Dennis J Gooding

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Let's just say that we agree to disagree. I have a 3/8 angle without and a 3/8 keyless angle...and I just looked and I see no difference whatsoever. I'd convert it to a keyless but the center screw in the chuck is tight to the point that I'd have to take a blow torch to it to melt the screw out or maybe put in a little taste of dynamite. I might try both methods.

Maybe I spoke too generally, but I noticed that the keyed chuck on my Makita right-angle unit is much smaller than the keyless chuck of my Makita pistol grip drill/driver.
 

Emiliano Achaval

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I just bought the Milwaukee angle drill and if I remember correctly you have one of those. How do they compare?
I also have the Milwaukee angle drill. I just took it to town, it´s getting fixed. It is a great drill. I would give it an 8 and the Makita gets a 10.
 
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That screw in the center of the chuck may be a left hand thread. If the reason you want the keyless chuck is for quick change get a twist lock mandrel and multiple foam pads then mark the grit on the side of each pad, that is much quicker.
Left handed thread...man, I hope you are correct. While we are on "hope"...I wish I was smart enough to have thought to have tried this is the first place. Thanks.
 

Emiliano Achaval

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I merged the Makita Drill thread into the Angle Drill Thread since it is a continuation of the same topic.
I should have known that I was too emotionally excited about the drill, I could not think straight. LOL
 
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Emiliano, and every one else, I posted this a while back. This took took over half of the 'work' out of sanding bowls for me. Ideal configuration will be hooking up a mandril on the end of it, and/or on the joint, and run a flex shaft that is hooked up to a mini lathe or a 3/4 to 1 hp variable speed motor. As I say in the video, I don't know how I survived sanding all of my bowls without it... The Fordam flex shaft system just doesn't have the power to run 3 inch discs for any length of time. Not sure if the Makita you show would have the power to run the Fordom flex shaft or not. I thought about the Milwaukee Hole Hog, but it didn't seem to have variable speed or a lock on the speed control, and having used one in my days in construction, I understand why....

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnhdZh2Ens8


robo hippy
 

Emiliano Achaval

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Emiliano, and every one else, I posted this a while back. This took took over half of the 'work' out of sanding bowls for me. Ideal configuration will be hooking up a mandril on the end of it, and/or on the joint, and run a flex shaft that is hooked up to a mini lathe or a 3/4 to 1 hp variable speed motor. As I say in the video, I don't know how I survived sanding all of my bowls without it... The Fordam flex shaft system just doesn't have the power to run 3 inch discs for any length of time. Not sure if the Makita you show would have the power to run the Fordom flex shaft or not. I thought about the Milwaukee Hole Hog, but it didn't seem to have variable speed or a lock on the speed control, and having used one in my days in construction, I understand why....

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnhdZh2Ens8


robo hippy
What a great contraption Robo!
 

hockenbery

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@hockenbery mentioned that he has speed control with the Makita drill by placing his finger under the paddle. I forgot to mention that the new model has a speed control knob. Another great feature.
Mine has a screw knob in paddle too I just find that sliding a finger under the paddle is a lot faster
 
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