advice needed on best drill driver to go for ?

[Holmz]

[member=45057]aas[/member]  Centrotec is part of a System.

 

[AlexThePalex]

the 'awkward' point is not Centrotec - but that lack of a beautifully engineered solution to use 'Universal' 1/4" hex bits...

aas, centrotec comes with 3 different bit holders for universal 1/4 hex bits.

Like I said, people don't find the one bit holder they want and then discredit the entire system.

 

[JeromeM]

'. They could have been smart and released an additional chuck uniquely for hex bits in addition to the Centrotec chuck (like Mafell with the A10M), heck I even wouldn't mind paying extra for it - but instead what we have are a couple of lame (overpriced) bit adapters that don't really cut it! Festool make some beautifully engineered tools and attachments - the 'awkward' point is not Centrotec - but that lack of a beautifully engineered solution to use 'Universal' 1/4" hex bits...

So far I have only seen one brand, Wera, that has a 1/4" locking hex chuck (there could be others) and it is not universal, there are many, maybe most, 1/4" hex bits that don't lock.

Virtually every quick change 1/4" hex bit holder works the same way as the Festool attachments do. So why do you think that there could be some magic way to improve on bit holders.

Centrotec is an advance over the 1/4" hex bit  system and if you don't want to use it you probably have a 1/4" hex bit holder supplied with the drill, mine did.

I don't have many Centrotec attachments yet, and may never have many, but it's a superb system.
1/4” hex-attached countersink  bits is not at all good, but a Centrotec countersink great.

Simple answer for close work is don't use any chuck, the 1/4" bit fits directly into the drive shaft, so nothing to pay.

 

[aas]

the 'awkward' point is not Centrotec - but that lack of a beautifully engineered solution to use 'Universal' 1/4" hex bits...

aas, centrotec comes with 3 different bit holders for universal 1/4 hex bits.

Like I said, people don't find the one bit holder they want and then discredit the entire system.

... like I said, the bit holders are not the beautifully engineered accessories we would expect from Festool. I have all 3 of the adapters from Festool.

I certainly don't discredit the entire system, as is clear from my posts... I think it has many advantages... but think what you want. It is however 'awkward' unless you want to invest in the whole Centrotec system, which is entirely my point. I may at some point decide to invest in Centrotec as I see the quality in the bits and see the advantages of this system - but it does not change the fact that there is no beautifully engineered hex bit holders from Festool - an oversight on their part.

For someone looking to buy a new drill of whatever brand, it is a consideration to take into account. Given the OPs original request, my advice was not too bad!

 

[sucker 4 tools]

i wont be moving away from universal hex bits as i have loads and i will drive all my screws with the impact as there's nothing better, any recommends on 240v mains drill which is super light and compact ?

 

[Holmz]

i wont be moving away from universal hex bits as i have loads and i will drive all my screws with the impact as there's nothing better, any recommends on 240v mains drill which is super light and compact ?

That makes sense to me... Your Panasonic still should work great for screw driving, and a separate drill can be used for drilling.

Do you need something to guide it for making holes normal to the work surface?
Or just putting general holes in?

I have 2 cordless.
One of the cordless drills is like you fathers one, which I use often. The other is an older Bosch

A hammer drill needs no introduction, it has its place. Mine is an older Bosch, which gets used.

I am thinking of picking up a small faster corded drill myself.
They too range from cheap to costly.
It gets more challenging if you want something that guides normal to a surface, and a drill press often makes a lot of sense too.

 

[neeleman]

i wont be moving away from universal hex bits as i have loads and i will drive all my screws with the impact as there's nothing better, any recommends on 240v mains drill which is super light and compact ?

You might have a look at the Festool DR 18/4 Quadrill.
Weighs only 1.7 kg and is relative short compared to traditional drills.
Has a 4 speed transmission with 4,000 rpm, which is ideal for drilling.
Also works with Centrotec and has a 43 mm shaft for putting it in a drill press and 7.5 m power cable.
The Plus version is only £253 at N&B.

 

[sucker 4 tools]

the metabo BE6 looks good but i was really hoping to go cordless

 

[six-point socket]

Can someone explain to me what the problem that some seem to have with Centrotec is all about?

My CXS came including the Centrotec chuck + bit holder, drill chuck and the angled attachment. Additionally I bough a small bit kit that came with another centrotec bit holder (quick change).

Both bit holder and the angle attachment will securely hold every common 1/4";6,4mm Hex Bit, no matter if it's a small one or a large one.

Additionally the CXS will hold every common 1/4";6,4mm Hex Bit directly. Maybe not as tight/secure as drill/drivers that are especially designed for this, but it will hold it.

So to me that means I can either use specifically designed centrotec bits directly by means of the centrotec chuck - or I can use any 1/4";6,4mm bit by means of the centrotec bit holder supplied with the machine.

And even if I need more than one centrotec bit holder on a regular basis, I can buy an additional one at roughly the same cost a "common" high quality bit holder would run for.

Also I can use virtually any bit holder and put it in the drill chuck.

So I really can't see the often mentioned disadvantage here?

Except maybe for drill bits, because those would have to be centrotec if one would want to use them in the centrotec chuck - which is favorable over using them in a bit holder for obvious reasons (wobble, preciseness...) Then again, one could simply use cylindrical drill bits with the drill chuck...

Did I miss something? Please educate me

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[sucker 4 tools]

wow i really opened a can of centro worms

 

[aas]

Can someone explain to me what the problem that some seem to have with Centrotec is all about?

My CXS came including the Centrotec chuck + bit holder, drill chuck and the angled attachment. Additionally I bough a small bit kit that came with another centrotec bit holder (quick change).

Both bit holder and the angle attachment will securely hold every common 1/4";6,4mm Hex Bit, no matter if it's a small one or a large one.

Additionally the CXS will hold every common 1/4";6,4mm Hex Bit directly. Maybe not as tight/secure as drill/drivers that are especially designed for this, but it will hold it.

So to me that means I can either use specifically designed centrotec bits directly by means of the centrotec chuck - or I can use any 1/4";6,4mm bit by means of the centrotec bit holder supplied with the machine.

And even if I need more than one centrotec bit holder on a regular basis, I can buy an additional one at roughly the same cost a "common" high quality bit holder would run for.

Also I can use virtually any bit holder and put it in the drill chuck.

So I really can't see the often mentioned disadvantage here?

Except maybe for drill bits, because those would have to be centrotec if one would want to use them in the centrotec chuck - which is favorable over using them in a bit holder for obvious reasons (wobble, preciseness...) Then again, one could simply use cylindrical drill bits with the drill chuck...

Did I miss something? Please educate me

Kind regards,
Oliver

There is no problem with Centrotec, it's just to get the very best from the Festool range of Drills and Drivers, you really need to invest into the whole System. What many have wanted from Festool, and this has been mentioned many times, is a complete remplacement Hex chuck, i.e. the Centrotec chuck is removed and replaced with a high quality locking hex chuck (much as Mafell have done with the A10M).
Switching out hex bits (that most of us already have) not just screwdriver bits, but countersink, centering bits etc., would be easier and more secure with a decent hex chuck.
I have the CXS and is in my top 3 tools, I love it - in no way am I knocking Centrotec as a system, but as far as compatibility with Hex goes, Festools options are lacking. Even with the locking Centrotec to Hex adaptor, there is too much play.
Ironically, if Festool did provide a high quality Hex chuck as an accessory (not an adaptor) it would convince me to get the C18 and invest in the Centrotec system, as the Centrotec bits would really be for 'best'!

 

[six-point socket]

Okay, I do understand that if you already have invested in a complete set of hex bits, and by bits the whole line-up of drivers, drills, countersinks, ... is meant you might no like what Festool did in regards to centrotec.

As I already said, this is the "problem" I can see and understand (and I wouldn't place any drill bits/... in a regular bit holder either) Now, I guess I'm lucky that my countersinks, drill bits and stuff are all cylindrical.

I was just under the impression that there is more to it, than just that

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[aas]

No nothing more than that!.. you see if Festool made this Hex chuck, they could earn some more money, because I'm sure a huge number of people would buy one!!!

 

[Timtool]

I don't really get the problem still, Festool offers a drill with basically the most advanced quick switch system. Okay it's also for proprietary bits and chucks/accessories but nothing stops you from just using the jacobs chuck on it like any other drill to use your non centrotec bits.
It's weird how people complain about that and then go buy a drill that only has a fixed jacobs chuck anyway, Festool also has that so i don't see how that could be an argument against festool.

I had a Bosch angle drill and 10.8V driver that only had hex chucks, to me that was very inferior to centrotec. They could only hold on to long bits when not using a bit holder, so i had to invest in that and also in hex drill bits which would wobble anyway. The long bits would actually make them both, including the angle driver longer than my T15 with angle chuck... it was just pointless to keep all these inferior drills which could be replaced by one proper drill/system.

 

[neeleman]

No nothing more than that!.. you see if Festool made this Hex chuck, they could earn some more money, because I'm sure a huge number of people would buy one!!!

Hi aas, do you mean anything like in the pictures from Fein and Metabo/Mafell?
How about the Festool BHS 65 CE?
Indeed it's strange that Festool offers this kind of chuck lately in the CE Drive bitholder but not for the drills.

 

[aas]

Hi neeleman - exactly that, the chucks like it is possible to get for Fein, Metabo, Mafell.
I have the locking adaptor - it is just that - an adaptor. It is a proper Hex chuck like a lot of the competitors do that is missing from the Festool line up...

 

[Holmz]

I got the centrotec before I got concerned about all my existing 1/4" bits.
But now I can use all the Centrotec gear as well as the 1/4" stuff.  [wink]

 

[aas]

Holmz, I think you have the best small drill/driver on the market there!.. it's great that the Festool chucks fit on the Mafell, shame it doesn't work the other way around!

 

[Darren1972]

Festool bit holder does take hex bits any hex bits

 

[Holmz]

Festool bit holder does take hex bits any hex bits

I wished I believed you... But I just tried, and all my 1/4" bits are bigger than 6-mm. [embarassed]
None of the 1/4" bits... fit into the green sleeved price that is displayed on my A10M picture above.
None of the 1/4" bits... fit into the screw driver type Festool handle in the Centrotec box.

If there is a part... it must be to put a 1/4" tool onto a Festool drill ??
If there is a part... that makes them fit then the number of that part would be helpful.

All I could find was words that it was "a great system".
So it all sounded good when I got it, but I am still unsure how it is a great system.
At this point I am not sure I want to have to buy a drill to find out.

I got a small drill so I could run it without an adapter and with the small battery to get into t'oight spots. So having extensions on the drill/driver seems non-optimal.

The brad point drills are good, and the counter sink is nice.
The systainer's internal tray is a bot of a mongrel. I may use some zip-lock baggies in there as I had a spill of the gear which avalanched across the floor immediately preceding a Tourettes affliction.
...But I was swearing at myself more than the internal tray. [embarassed]