Specification
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #4538 in Home Improvement
- Brand: PORTER-CABLE
- Model: PC218IDC-2
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 11.50" h x
8.25" w x
12.25" l,
11.50 pounds
Features
- Drill/Driver has 2-speed gearbox for tough jobs: High gear provides faster rpm for fast drilling, while low gear offers high torque for heavy duty screwdriving applications
- The drill/driver's high performance motor and gearbox delivers up to 440 in-lbs of torque
- Drill/driver's 1/2-inch single sleeve chuck offers excellent bit retention and durability
- Impact driver delivers 1600 in-lbs high-torque output without kickback
- Two PORTER-CABLE 18-volt niCad batteries provide extended run time for larger projects
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
92 of 95 people found the following review helpful.
By Method2Madness "Alex"
To start off, I'd like to note that I don't mess around when it comes to power tools. I use the crap out of 'em and and either they work, or they don't. I really put these through their paces. And this is my review.My brother-in-law is a private contractor and is building his house from scratch and I usually go over to lend a hand a couple of days a week. I usually take my DeWalt tools over, but this time I took the Porter Cable set and to be honest these did very well. Especially the impact driver. I have included a few pictures of the actual tools in the "customer images" section, should you be so inclined.BUILD QUALITY: With the notable exception of the charger, both of these tools are quite stout and feel like they'll last quite a while. This doesn't mean you can drop it off a 10 story building, or run it over with a backhoe and expect them to come up unscathed. It simply means these should stand up well with day-to-day use. The tools are made with heavy plastic and have rubber overmoulds and grips in the necessary places. However, the charger is quite light and feels somewhat cheap. But then again, the charger doesn't really see much abuse.INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: The kit comes in a grey and black square "contractors bag" that's more than ample to hold all the tools, the battery and the charger. Along with the instructions, Porter Cable (Black & Decker) saw fit to include 2 bits. One double ended (phillips #2 on one side and flat head on the other) bit for the drill, and the other a hex bit for the impact driver. They also included 2 plastic battery covers for when the batteries aren't attached to the tools and sitting openly in the bag. I really don't see them as necessary, but there you go. Also included is a belt clip. You can put it either on the drill or the impact driver.PERFORMANCE/FEATURESI tested each tool thoroughly and will give a rundown of my experience:CHARGER & BATTERIES. This is where I ran into a bit of trouble. But first let me talk about the batteries. The batteries are NiCad (Not Li Ion) and are quite bulky and heavy. However, they seem to have more capacity than competing Nicad tools and feel as tho they can take some abuse without completely falling apart. However, I ran into a problem with the initial charge. Both batteries took about an hour to charge, but right before the charge ended, the charger started indicating a high temp and wouldn't allow any more charge. Weird. When I pulled the batteries off, they did feel hot (obviously), but they didn't feel as though they would burn my hands. So I let the batteries sit for about 5 minutes and relocated the charger where it would get more airflow. After that, I put 'em back on the charger and it took about 1 minute before the charger indicated a full charge and all was well. It may have been a slight lack of airflow around the charger, but I really don't think it was all that hot. The second charge went off without a hitch, however. Something to keep an eye on.Also worth noting. As stated, this kit uses NiCad batteries that can suffer from the memory effect. However, as long as you take care of your tools and properly charge and discharge them (Dont put them on the charger until they are near empty) these should last you quite a while. However, Porter Cable sells Lithium Ion batteries that are compatible with these tools, however you'll have to buy the "dual chemistry" charger to go along with them, as the included one wont charge Li Ions. The dual chemistry charger will charge both, however.DRILL/DRIVER-Specs list this as having 400 in/lbs of torque and I believe it. I used this with both a 1" hole saw, various paddle, regular and auger bits, and a sanding disc. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. This thing actually has enough torque (adjustable via the 2 speed transmission and the adjustable torque ring) to really twist your wrist should you get hung up. I drilled through soft and hard wood without a hitch. This is not a hammer-drill, so I did not try to drill into concrete, although I have a strong suspicion it would probably do ok with small, shallow holes. It has an adjustable clutch that will aid in keeping you from stripping the heads off screws. A single LED light is present above the trigger and like most tools with single LED lights, doesn't really do much to illuminate the subject. Only around it. But with a spinning chuck, there's really no way to add lights to the business end. The drill gave off a "burning" smell upon first run, but this is normal and subsided after a few minutes of use. I also noticed very little runout or chuck wobble. Even with a tiny bit in the chuck.IMPACT DRIVER- Whooboy. This thing is a beast with 1600 in/lbs of torque. I have a top-of-the-line 20v Max Dewalt and an 18 volt Makita and this Porter Cable is every bit as powerful! Possibly even moreso. I was able to drive 2-3" lag bolts, 3-4" sheetrock screws and a variety of other screws just like they were going into butter. The impact driver never choked, or complained once. Unlike some of the more recent tools with "overload protection" that cut off if the tool thinks you're putting too much pressure on it, this one just keeps chugging along. One negative is, it has only one LED which is located above the trigger. This is not ideal and tends to cast a shadow on the work area. DeWalt has a "light ring" with 3 super bright Cree LED's right on the tip of the tool. Definitely not a deal breaker, but worth mentioning nonetheless. If you buy only one power tool this year, make sure it's an impact driver. Seriously. You'll wonder how you went this long without one.Even with the little quirks of the initial charge, I am quite pleased with these 2 tools. I now have a very capable set of power tools that I can keep in the tough box in my truck and not have to worry about lagging the DeWalt bag everywhere. Although Black & Decker now owns Porter Cable (Along with DeWalt), this kit is far above the Black & Decker tools in terms of quality and sheer power. I knocked a star off due to the "weirdness" of the initial charge and the single LED light on the Impact Driver (this can't be helped on the drill, however). I will, however, be using these guys several times a week and will report back if I have any further trouble with the charger and/or batteries.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
By J916
3/4/13: Check out some of the recent reviews from late 2012 and 2013. Something must have changed along the way. Either Porter Cable changed the kit or Amazon has gotten a hold of the wrong batch. Not sure what non-Amazon sellers are sending. After I placed the order for this kit, I started reading some of the recent reviews and noticed a few were complaining about receiving the wrong drill.Sure enough when my package arrived a few days later I too received a different kit. The drill they are sending is #1801, not #1800 as advertised. #1801 has no LED light and a terrible plastic clutch that feels like it will break after a few uses. The kit comes as a complete box and the box clearly states the drill is #1801. This is why I think Porter Cable changed something and Amazon failed to notice. The impact driver is the correct version and looks to be of great quality.I even went to my local Lowe's store to see this kit in person. They too are selling the exact same kit for almost the same price with the cheaper #1801 drill.As soon as I notified Amazon they removed this item from their inventory and posted a note saying it's 'Under Review'. If you recently bought this kit CHECK YOUR DRILL!!! If you have #1801, get in touch with Customer Service. Amazon customer service is top notch as usual and will work with you to make it right. They are shipping me item # PC180DK-2 that comes with the correct PC1800D drill and will let me return it with the wrong PC1801 version.Don't get stuck with the cheaper version!
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful.
By David
Best power tools I have owned, very pleased.I use these for light duty automotive work, though they are NOT light duty tools. The impact is of course not a substitute for a 1/2" impact air wrench.Pros:-These are beasts.-The drill clutch works well, so you can zip in bolts without over-torquing them. Then go back over by hand with ratchet or torque wrench. Easy to chuck bits and remove them, saves hassle.-The impact driver is an animal. Spins VERY fast, very capable (I use it to remove 10mm bolts from car parts). Like using a cannon to kill a mosquito.-Charges quickly.-Drill, impact driver and batteries all feel very solid.-Price! Worth it.-Carrying bag is something I will actually use. Has 4 partitions to hold all of it, with extra room.Cons:-None that make me have any doubt about this drill/driver combo for my application.-The batteries are hefty relative to the actual drill and driver, but that is expected and in my opinion a worthy sacrifice since you want as much juice as possible.I would highly recommend this to friends and family (the real recommendation test).
No comments:
Post a Comment