T15 3 Up for Auger Bits?

[MrToolJunkie]

Hi everyone,

I need to drill several 1/2 inch and 3/4 in holes in 4 inch thick maple (workbench top).  Does the T15 hold up to auger-bit use? My current Makita 18V smokes and cannot even spin the bit to get a hole started.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Scot 

 

[justinmcf]

hi scot, i recently burnt out a makita cordless drilling a spade bit through 35mm pine.

i regularly use my cordless protool 18v drill with 25mm augers drilling through 50mm pine joists.

i would not recommend using a festool cordless drill or any cordless drill for what you want to do.
is there a good reason why you cant use an electric drill?

regards, justin.

 

[James Watriss]

I'm with the dude.

There are times when a corded drill is the way to go. This is one of them.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I've used my T15 to drill holes in both new and old growth construction lumber. It worked fairly well for a few the dozen or so holes I drilled. Four inch thick maple is a tall order but give it a try the drill should prevent you from doing permanent damage the drill itself or the batteries, assuming you already a T15, I wouldn't specifically buy one for this application.  

 

[Holzhacker]

When we were in Lebanon, Festool had a 1" x 12" auger bit in a T15 to show it could handle heavy drilling. I drilled a lot of holes into soft and hardwood torqueing the crap out of the drill. I wasn't looking to be kind to the drill. If it was going to cry or die from brute field use, I wanted to know before I bought one. I can tell you the t15 drilled 1" auger bit holes without crying or dying. No overheating, funny smell or any other problems. Others there also drilled and were happy with performance of the t15. My recommendation, drill baby drill. 

 

[KorDes]

When the t15 first came out here in NZ, the festool dealers had a 1" self feeding auger bit on about 150-200mm long and they were drilling it into a 4" thick jarrah sleeper off cut.

And if the jobs too tough for the drill it just stops and beeps at you, so no chance of it burning out or breaking on you.

 

[James Watriss]

I can just hear my grand-dad's voice now...

"Just because you can do it with that tool, doesn't mean you should do it with that tool..."

Using a T15 to do this job is like hiring a stripper to rotate your tires. Sure, it's sexy, and your friends will all be jealous. And she could technically get the job done. So, for that, it's probably worth it for some. I'd rather just use my regular mechanic, though. I know he'll do a better job, and for less money.

I'm sure the T15 can handle drilling those holes. But the long and short of it is that some tasks, like drilling big holes through thick, dense wood, require a lot of force, and the juice to do those tasks has to come from somewhere. Batteries do get tired. AND they get hot enough that you can't charge them right away. Maybe not on the first hole, or the tenth. But it happens.

Corded drills are made for this kind of work. There's no battery to die, and there's no need for the mfr to use a motor that's built for economical use of battery power.

It's jobs like these that will actually remind you of just how powerful corded drills really are, and what they're really good for. No beeping, not hot batteries, no indicators that the battery is too hot to safely charge right now... just go, go, go.

Is the T15 up for it? Sure. Is it the optimal tool? No, not really. Come on... you know you have a corded drill kicking around somewhere. No, it's not sexy. But not every job is sexy.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Good post James, I couldn't agree more.

 

[Mac]

My car mechanic, Dave 'Spanners' McNab, combines the best of both.  He's an excellent mechanic and does a great job, and also likes to wear lingerie when he's in the workshop.  I'm just saying.

Cheers
Rick

 

[James Watriss]

Well Done Mac.

Well done, indeed.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

It is interesting to note that Festool show a T15+3 being used to drill with a large diameter auger bit in the Drilling and Screwdriving section of the 2010-2011 UK catalogue which is now available on-line:

Forrest

 

[AlexThePalex]

I don't see what all the fuzz is about. I have a 20mm auger bit and spade bits up to 32mm and I use them all the time with my 12 year old semi-professional DeWalt 12v. Never had any problems. If that drill, which isn't a strong drill by far, can handle it, a T15 surely should.

 

[jvsteenb]

My T15+3 will handle a 1-1/4" spade bit in spruce, poplar or pine easily.
A self feeding 1" auger bit in oak might just be a bit more of a challenge.... let alone jarrah, that I know to be a beautiful species , that's quite capable of killing your tools while the smile on your face (it can really be a stunning wood) still lingers.....

Bottom line: it's not just the diameter, but the type of bit and the species of wood as well.
I did a couple of 3" holesaw cutouts in construction plywood, and in MDF as well ( carbide teeth holesaw ). The T15+3 performed admirably.
I wouldn't want to repeat that same test in 1" Ipe boards though......

Regards,

Job

 

[kev carpenter]

Hi i use the t15 for augering doors for latches on a dailey basis up to 8 door on one charge alot better than 18v dewalt and quick change is good to worth every penny (cent) dont go by looks and remember its a totaly diffrent technolgy (no brushes)