• It's time to cast your vote in the January 2025 Turning Challenge. (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Alan Weinberg for "Elm Burl Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 27, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

KJR 55 Degree Angle Drill/Sander

Mark Corkern

Mark Corkern

Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
46
Likes
4
Location
Franklinton, LA
I just saw this advertised in the Craft Supply online advertisement, and was wondering if anyone knew anything about the quality of this drill? It may be just another made in China knock off of the Milwaukee/Sioux drill. I have been wanting to get something like this to do sanding on bowls. Any advise? Mark
 
Mark - I have had this drill for about a year. Overall fairly impressed with it and prefer the low rpm that it turns at. The one negative I would give it is that the chuck key does not fit the chuck as well as it should. It will still tighten but does not fit like other drills.
 
I've had the drill for about six months, and like it. Used it for drilling and sanding with nothing bad to say about it. A big step up from the 18V cordless drill I'd been using. The chuck key on mine fits well in contrast to Jim's drill.
 
Doing a quick search looks like this is the Ken Rizza drill. Not sure but looks like he's now selling it thru the Woodturners Catalogue. For that price, you can't go wrong. I'd be happy if it last 2 years. For the weekend turner should last years... I tried to have my second Sioux repaired and the place in town told me they could not find the brushes... Bought the Milwaukee.
 
If you look at the photo in their online store it says right on the drill Woodturners Wonders. KJR = Woodturners Wonders
 
Emiliano Achaval said:
Doing a quick search looks like this is the Ken Rizza drill. Not sure but looks like he's now selling it thru the Woodturners Catalogue. For that price, you can't go wrong. I'd be happy if it last 2 years. For the weekend turner should last years... I tried to have my second Sioux repaired and the place in town told me they could not find the brushes... Bought the Milwaukee.
Click to expand...
Your repair people not creative enough to cut new brushes from an oversize set? The stuff is soft and easily trimmed with a file or even a pocket knife!
 
Sioux used to make the Milwaukee drills. Then, Milwaukee decided to make their own. I have had my drills for maybe 15 years. They have been rebuilt many times. I still think there needs to be a flex shaft sander that hooks up to a mini lathe. The Foredom just isn't heavy duty enough....

robo hippy
 
I went ahead and ordered one. Craft Supply is careful to sell quality products. As comparison the Neiko has plastic gears, so not the same quality as this one. My Harbor Freight is 2+ years old now and still going strong, but I keep thinking any day now.
 
My Woodturners Wonders sanding drill recently burned through its brushes and when I contacted Ken to buy a new set he sent me brushes at no cost! The unit is really easy to service, I blew out all the trash and sawdust and relubed the gears and when the brushes arrived it took me10 minutes to put them in and reassemble it. Kens business is well worth supporting and I like the line of sanding disks he has.
 
My angle drill malfunctioned again, it started stuttering and running slow... indications of a short in the rotor windings. I let Ken Rizzo know about it and thanked him for helping bring it back to life, and he sent me a new one. I want to publicly thank him for being so generous. The new one seems to have a slightly beefier chuck on it, the old key was to small to fit it. Now lets see if the new one will outlast the first one.
 
Gary Beasley said:
My angle drill malfunctioned again, it started stuttering and running slow... indications of a short in the rotor windings. I let Ken Rizzo know about it and thanked him for helping bring it back to life, and he sent me a new one. I want to publicly thank him for being so generous. The new one seems to have a slightly beefier chuck on it, the old key was to small to fit it. Now lets see if the new one will outlast the first one.
Click to expand...
I got to see the drills in Raleigh. I was impressed, they look good, especially for the price he sells them for. When my Milwaukee goes out, I will buy 2 of Ken's. A student was using my Milwaukee and he claims he got shocked by it. Since he's still alive and I didn't see him jump too high, I have paid no attention to this new development. I'm hoping to get a few more years out of it.
 
William Rogers said:
I went ahead and ordered one. Craft Supply is careful to sell quality products. As comparison the Neiko has plastic gears, so not the same quality as this one. My Harbor Freight is 2+ years old now and still going strong, but I keep thinking any day now.
Click to expand...

I believe Craft Supplies USA has changed some since the old days. It's run more as a business, than what's the best for woodturners in general. Can't blame them for that, but what sells and makes a profit has more emphasis than what the more experienced woodturners want.

After using a Sioux for many years, I purchased a Neiko, and ended up selling it. It's not an industrial grade drill/sander. These days, I will not have anything but the old style Sioux and Milwaukee drills. They are easily found in good used condition for not much more than the cheap knock-offs that are currently available.

Check, and monitor this search:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=milwaukee+0375-1+drill

These older Milwaukee 0375-1 drills are available regularly........I have purchased several of these, and I should be good for the rest of my days on this earth!

Check this one in particular.....probably set is someone's toolbox for years, unused.....and appears to be in brand new condition:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Milwaukee-...776301?hash=item1cd764906d:g:O-UAAOSwf8RdUdaQ

-----odie-----
 
Last edited:
odie said:
I believe Craft Supplies USA has changed some since the old days. It's run more as a business, than what's the best for woodturners in general. Can't blame them for that, but what sells and makes a profit has more emphasis than what the more experienced woodturners want.

After using a Sioux for many years, I purchased a Neiko, and ended up selling it. It's not an industrial grade drill/sander. These days, I will not have anything but the old style Sioux and Milwaukee drills. They are easily found in good used condition for not much more than the cheap knock-offs that are currently available.

Check, and monitor this search:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=milwaukee+0375-1+drill

These older Milwaukee 0375-1 drills are available regularly........I have purchased several of these, and I should be good for the rest of my days on this earth!

Check this one in particular.....probably set is someone's toolbox for years, unused.....and appears to be in brand new condition:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Milwaukee-...776301?hash=item1cd764906d:g:O-UAAOSwf8RdUdaQ

-----odie-----
Click to expand...
Thanks Odie
 
I burned up 2 Neiko drills in less than a year each. Took them apart to try and Frankenstein a “third one” but they were just a bit different inside. The price was good, even for just a year’s use, but the inconvenience of loosing it at a random time wasn’t worth it to me.

I’m currently using a Milwaukee angle drill which seems better made. If it makes it 3 years then it’s a bargain. Time will tell.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top