Shoutout to the guy at the Rockford ReStore who showed me how to test a used drill before buying | DIY Home Projects - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
Shoutout to the guy at the Rockford ReStore who showed me how to test a used drill before buying
I used to just spin the chuck by hand and hope for the best, which is how I ended up with two dead cordless drills from garage sales last summer. He plugged it in, pulled the trigger for a full 10 seconds, and listened for the bearing whine, and that $15 DeWalt has run every shelf and fence board I've thrown at it since March. Anyone else got a quick test for used tools before you hand over cash?
Just a small thing to add, spinning the chuck by hand is not really useless though, you just have to know what you are feeling for. If the chuck wobbles or the bearings grind when you turn it by hand, that is a sign the tool was dropped or run hard, and no trigger test will show you that. The run test is great for the motor and switch, but the hand spin catches bent shafts and sloppy gears before you even plug it in. Best bet is to do both, spin it first, then run it for a bit and smell for burnt brushes too.