Pdc18

[Celticfc]

I’m looking for  some help deciding if the PDC18 is worth the investment. I currently have the CSX and TSX, love them! I’m currently running multiple platforms Festool, DeWalt and Makita. I have DeWalt 20v drills.  Would like to drop the DeWalt platform. My question is as the Festool’s been out for a few years now, Is the  Pdc still far better than the top of the line Makita 18v drill?

 

[Stone Message]

I have both the CXS and TXS and keep one with the Centrotec chuck on and the other with the Jacobs chuck. I would not be without my PDC 18/4 as it is perfect for the tougher jobs, it fits in my portable drill holder for getting near vertical accuracy and it has the percussion setting for the odd bit of masonry work.

This may help...

The Festool Drill/Driver lineup:


and the PDC 18/4 video:


I used the PDC 18 to screw the many hundreds of screws when doing a new roof for a friend's stable. I mention how well it did somewhere in this video:


Peter

 

[Celticfc]

Peter, thank you for your reply and very helpful Videos. I enjoyed watching them, very informative.  I’m sold on the PDC18/4

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

The PDC is good but only as a drill. For drilling concrete or block it heats up fast and when that happens it doesn’t work right.  I sent it in and had it repaired under warranty.  The problems still exist if I use it in percussion mode and now it’s out of warranty and I know it’s days are limited.

 

[tony_sheehan]

It might be worth noting that some people don't really get on with the electronic clutch. If there's any way you can try before you buy it might be a shrewd move.
As for the above mentioned overheating problem- this is not a something that I have experienced, but having said that, if I was doing a lot of heavy duty masonry drilling I'd use my sds drill.

 

[Cypren]

As much as I like my PDC18, I do feel compelled to point out that the drill has historically done fairly poorly in competitive reviews for heavy-duty usage, frequently being bested by large margins in both performance and durability by drills half its cost or less.

If you're already heavily invested in Festool's cordless system and have money to burn, it's an elegant machine that simply feels great in your hand and is a pleasure to use. If you're viewing it as an investment and using it to earn money, though, it's probably not one of Festool's better offerings.

 

[xedos]

It might be worth noting that some people don't really get on with the electronic clutch. If there's any way you can try before you buy it might be a shrewd move.
As for the above mentioned overheating problem- this is not a something that I have experienced, but having said that, if I was doing a lot of heavy duty masonry drilling I'd use my sds drill.

Tony , that's what the 15 day ( 30 days in USA) no hassle return policy is for. 

Use it, and if it's not up to snuff you can take it back to your dealer.  But I agree with some others about this not being Festool's best effort.  I kinda feel that way about all their drills these days though, and have sold all of mine except the CXS.  But only because it's so stinkin cute.

 

[mrboult]

If you use Centrotec, then it's worth it in my opinion as I love centrotec and the light and compact form it brings. But if not so much then I'd go with the Makita as you already have that battery platform.

Since the PDC switched to festool colours it looks like a lot of the competition is finally releasing smaller, lighter brushless drills. The PDC is a great drill, and for what it's worth would probably be my only drill if I could only have one drill. It is a jack of all trades master of none type tool, but in a very good way. It can be delicate, it can be powerful, it can hammer, screw and drill, it has a wider range of speed options a great light, and an auxiliary handle and depth stop.

But I love Centrotec and live where Festool doesn't cost a lot more than the competition's top tier tools. But I assume the top line brushless Makita's are also lovely drills these days, and if I lived where they cost half of the festool, I already had makita batteries and I didn't want to use centrotec, then Makita all the way.

But use the free returns window as other have suggested. That's why Festool do it.

 

[yetihunter]

A great drill that has been out torqued by the big brands.  Precision as always.
Noticeably more powerful than the T18/C18...but also not much more powerful than the T18/C18.  Just like the Fein that came afterward, the 4 gear settings creates some less than desirable torque+speed combinations.  Top speed has very little torque.  Be mindful that the electronic clutch also lowers the speed.  That said, you can still zip screws fast and have it stop on the dime.  A wonderful experience.  I’ve owned some other cordless drills that go to 3,800 and over RPM (Metabo, Fein) and while they are more powerful, the Festool was much classier.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I've had he PDC drill now for quite a few years. It's comfortable to use.
I've the 4.2 amp 5.2 amp batteries for it and that makes well balanced but rather large weighty. The small compact batteries when I'm just doing a just a few lighter jobs greatly improves the handling.

The 4 gears with enormous speed range makes it somewhat complicated and difficult to use at first. With time though I'm zeroed in on what settings to use for what jobs.

The problem with changing the gears especially when it comes to getting into 3rd gear has gradually disappeared. So with time I actually can choose any gear I want to use. Generally though I use 1, 2 for large screws and drilling in metal and  4th gear for fast bradpoint bit Forstner drilling in softwood.

I use a lot of centrotech drill bits I have sets for wood metal and stone. They all work great and I enjoy the convenience.

The quick change chucks are great I have the depth stop, regular keyless chuck, the 3/8 square for sockets and centrotec chucks all are high quality and ergonomic to use and switch between them.

The side handles is useful when using high torque generating screws and bits. It's also a great aid in depth control with the depth gauge rod works really well.

I'm happy with it, the percussion function works fine but is loud, so I prefer the Festool SDS machine BHC if I'm doing serious work drilling in brick or concrete.

 

[waho6o9]

It's over rated and too complicated for what it needs to do.

I have one and used it several times, not impressed. 

 

[yetihunter]

I’m looking for  some help deciding if the PDC18 is worth the investment. I currently have the CSX and TSX, love them! I’m currently running multiple platforms Festool, DeWalt and Makita. I have DeWalt 20v drills.  Would like to drop the DeWalt platform. My question is as the Festool’s been out for a few years now, Is the  Pdc still far better than the top of the line Makita 18v drill?

I’m not sure why I didn’t answer the last sentence.  I owned the PDC for years and currently have the Makita XFD07.  The Makita is MUCH more powerful than the PDC 18.  Easily Twofold. 
They are not competitors.  The PDC is definitely built a lot better.  It would have lasted a lifetime with me.  The Makita?  The chuck + gearbox have been coming loose since day one.  Bang for your buck.  I’m not faulting it because it gets the job done and it was cheap.  I’ve owned the Metabo 3-speed drill since it came out and while I don’t like Metabo’s handles, it is probably the worthiest successor.  It has more torque than the Makita and it has the high speed and digital clutch of the PDC (although nothing comes close to Festool’s clutch electronics...except maybe Bosch).  I’ve been running the Bosch Flexiclick and non-flexiclick drills and they’re clearly in the same torque range as the PDC and I do possibly prefer them.  The T18 is still my desert island drill.

 

[Cypren]

My guess is that the OP has long since made a decision by now, but just to add my two bits:

The PDC 18 is, like most Festools, a beautifully-engineered, precision piece of machinery. It's both the smoothest-feeling and the highest-speed full-size drill I own, and its ability to blaze through lightweight materials is a real sight to behold. That speed also makes its percussive action blast through masonry: it's like a tiny handheld jackhammer. The wide range of available FastFix attachments also make it exceptionally versatile for a tool in its class.

Where it suffers, though, is torque. It is at best classified as a medium-duty drill/driver, and is going to struggle with tasks like driving half-inch lag bolts. It will be able to do it, but you'll probably have to gear all the way down, and it won't be nearly as quick as one of the heavyweight drills from many other manufacturers that can provide the necessary torque while keeping a higher average speed.

If you're looking for a premium drill and money is no object, in my opinion you'll be hard-pressed to find a better do-everything drill/driver for wood shop work. For framing, construction and metal work, though, I'd probably suggest looking at the Hilti SF 6H-A22 (percussion drill) and SF 10W-A (heavy-duty drill), which have fine engineering and attention to detail like the Festool but are geared to deliver much higher torque under load.

 

[sancho57]

"Where it suffers, though, is torque. It is at best classified as a medium-duty drill/driver, and is going to struggle with tasks like driving half-inch lag bolts. It will be able to do it, but you'll probably have to gear all the way down, and it won't be nearly as quick as one of the heavyweight drills from many other manufacturers that can provide the necessary torque while keeping a higher average speed."

That could be why they started selling a kit of the impact (which can drive lag bolts) and the PDC which can drill through the material. I have a corded old (but hardly used Milwaukie hammer drill) so Im not sure whether to buy the kit (impact w PDC) or just the impact.

I wonder if the C18 can drill through the material the same as the new T 18 E (which comes in a kit with the impact to). I would use it with auger bits, drinning pilot hole for lag bolts , drill holes in 2x framing material for running eletrical cables etc. and other timber frame uses.

 

[Cypren]

I wonder if the C18 can drill through the material the same as the new T 18 E (which comes in a kit with the impact to). I would use it with auger bits, drinning pilot hole for lag bolts , drill holes in 2x framing material for running eletrical cables etc. and other timber frame uses.

The C 18 can definitely do these tasks, but it has the weakest motor of the three 18V general-purpose drills. While manufacturer-issued torque ratings are kind of meaningless in absolute terms, they're reasonable for relative comparisons within a single product line: Festool's given max torque ratings for wood put the C 18 at 27 Nm, the T 18/T 18 E at 35 Nm, and the PDC 18 at 40 Nm.

Opinions are going to vary, and I know there are a number of people on this forum who swear by the T 18 who can probably offer more context. Personally, I have the CXS, C 18 and the PDC 18 and didn't really see a need for the T 18. The PDC 18 is my go-to drill for most tasks: it's comfortable to use, has incredible speed and more than enough power to do almost anything I regularly do around the shop. The CXS is my go-to screwdriver, because it's very lightweight and comfortable.

The C 18 occupies a weird middle ground between the two -- noticeably weaker than the PDC, but noticeably heavier than the CXS -- and doesn't see as much use. The main reason I have it is that it's one of only two Festool drills that can use the eccentric chuck for drilling and driving in tight quarters, and for that purpose, the compact nature of the C 18 is a better fit than the longer and larger T 18. (Also, I got it on a deep discount and it was more of an impulse buy than a considered purchase.)

 

[Oaklandust]

When it works, it’s a very good tool.

Mine just failed again (lots of play in the shaft), last time, it was some digital error.

Even though it’s need a pain in the ass, I’d have another.

 

[DzordanoBruno]

Good drill, but for that price - Not worth it.