I’ve a couple of old but hardly used Bosch 12v cordless drills, PSR-1200 & PSB 12VE-2. I’ve not used them since migrating to Ryobi’s 18v One+ system, and with the NiCd batteries having quietly died meanwhile, I’m at the point of chucking them. One is fairly small, which can mean easier access for some jobs. NiCd of course is a pain in the Lithium age (as often flat if infrequently used) and so as well as sourcing Lithium equivalents, the supplied NiCd charger will probably need replacing too. New Bosch batteries & chargers aren’t cheap, especially against a new drill deal, and even unbranded soon add up. Am I missing a trick here, or are these basic tools just junk when the batteries die?
Not worth buying new batteries in my opinion, got a old Bosch 18v combi, that needs a new nicad, which will cost around £64, add another £30 & I can get a get a new drill with two Li-ion batteries & a 3 year warrenty.
And normally more power / performance as well. When I sold off my old DeWalt kit and got the new high end versions there was a huge difference in capability.
Forgot to add that, the difference is very noticeable, especially torque & running time of batteries. Needed a small light combi drill, so I bought a Bosch GSB 18-2-Li, like going from a biplane to a jet in performance.
I just fitted an outside socket using a DCD995 with a normal masonry bit, no problem going through the stone of the wall. Rarely need to get an SDS drill out - although sometime fit the SDS bit into the twist chuck
Usually use Bosch multipurpose bits in cordless, nothing seems to defeat them. Yesterday I bought a couple of Heller 4 flute design masonry cordless bits to try from TS. Haven't used either of my sds mains drills in months, this morning, drill some 10mm holes in masonry for some thunderbolts, cordless can handle most jobs now.
Just looked up those Heller bits, they look quite good with spirals going a long way down the shank and the prices look good as well, even the largest size 16mm at £3+ is quite cheap
They are worth a try, 6mm bit @ £1:10p, a bargain. Got some large Heller 4 flute sds bits, & they are very good, so thought I try smaller ones. Heller ProXtreme masonry bits are the ones I would like to try, but difficult to source here.
Sharp bits a requirement to put in things like Thunderbolts , unless they are precise they don't hold so be worth me getting some new ones at that price.
Use Heller Trijet bits from TS, but Heller ProXtreme bits are highly rated in Germany. http://www.hellertools.com/node/145825
Thanks for the various replies in favour of scrapping them. I hadn't factored in the loss of performance in 10+ year old kit versus new, that's another nail in the old ones' coffins. It's nice to have a smaller drill/driver for smaller work, the Ryobi drills are fine but always seems at the heavier/hammer end of the spectrum, odd they haven't carried their 18v battery system to something smaller as they virtually have an electric toothbrush in their One+ range, it's grown so large. Love the Bosch kit, and will think about something from the lighter end of that range. Could do with interchangeable batteries, or an adaptor which fits between them to widen the usability once you've committed to one particular maker's battery range.
Got a Bosch GSB 18-2-Li, batteries fit their whole 18v range, gradually replacing all my cordless kit to Bosch Li-lon, circular saw, rotary hammer, impact driver & a 5Ah battery to give longer running for the saw, so far bought.Sabre saw, & an angled drill on the list to get.
One website I found compared the purveyors of such cordless kit to Crack Dealers. They get you hooked on something small and innocuous looking, then you spend years moulding your (Tool) life around that innocent decision.....
Li-lon cordless tools today, makes mains tools redundant. I want an Bosch 18v angled drill, the Bosch's ADS181-101,cost £115.26p comes with a L-Boxx2 ,it's NOT available here, only in the states.
I've got the angled version by Ryobi, and seen the Makita one around. Odd that Bosch would not release that world-wide, the chargers generally are multi-voltage anyway.
What's annoying you can buy the Bosch 10.8v angled drill here,but not the 18v version. I contacted Bosch & they have no plans to make the 18v available here.
I wasn't really comparing it against serious trade stuff, like Makita or Bosch (Blue) range. The latter are better, but far costlier too. For occasional DIY use, I've been happy enough with Ryobi, but if I was earning my living with tools, I'd have a different opinion.