Rant: My go-to drill died mid-job on a fence repair in Ohio last month

I was out in the sticks near Columbus fixing a neighbor's fence line after a storm knocked down like 40 feet of it. About 15 minutes in, my old 18V DeWalt just stopped spinning with a burned smell. No warning, no slow fade. I tried swapping batteries and nothing. Had to borrow his grandfather's corded Craftsman from the 80s just to finish the last 30 screws. That thing weighed a ton but it got the job done. Now I'm sitting on a dead tool and wondering if I should drop $150 on a new one or go brushless this time around. Anyone else have a reliable tool just give up suddenly with no sign of trouble?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowanellis6d ago

Old corded Craftsman from the 80s" sounds like it actually won that round, so maybe just ditch the batteries for good.

the_holly6d ago

Found an old corded Black & Decker at my dad's house last week, thing still smells like sawdust from 1992.

charlienelson6d ago

Man that's exactly what happened to me last spring, same deal with a DeWalt that just quit mid-screw with that awful electrical smell. I was ready to chuck it in the trash right there. But @rowanellis is right about the old corded stuff being the real workhorse. I actually went out and found an old corded Milwaukee at a garage sale for ten bucks after my 20V brushed motor gave out. That thing is heavy as sin but it just keeps going no matter what I put it through. Funny how the fancy new battery tools crap out but a thirty year old corded drill will outlive us all. I still keep a modern brushless around for lighter work but that old Milwaukee is in my truck for the heavy stuff now.