So you put in the 18V battery to the drill/driver. Four green bars light on the fuel gauge.
That means that it’s charged up and ready to go. No need to sit around waiting for a slow charge.
Testing Performance and Capabilities
Then it’s time for torque settings. There are 22 settings on the collar ranging from one through twenty-two. That gives you control over everything from heavy fastening needs down to more delicate work. And then there’s that special drill mode setting indicated with a drill symbol.
You also check the dedicated drill mode setting, which is marked by a drill symbol.
Use this for drilling holes through wood, metal and other materials.
Behind the chuck, you’ll see a two-speed selector switch on top. Depending on what you’re working with you can select either high torque or high speed. Forward and reverse controls is easy to use.
What you’ll notice as well is the Reactive Force Control system. When it senses your bit has stalled it powers down. That prevents any kind of sudden kickback which can cause damage to the workpiece and even hurt your wrists.
It serves as a nice safety net.
The first test involve placing a screwdriver bit in the chuck. Firmly tightening the chuck by twisting it clockwise locks it down on the bit. Before turning the tool on, you need to make sure that your bit is secure.
Then you flip the switch to forward and drive a screw into an electronic component.
You set the switch to forward and drive a screw into a small electronic component.
The tool handles the task without stripping the head.
This thing doesn’t strip the head of the screw either. Getting the screw back out is also a breeze. Just turn it around, and it pulls right out again.
Low-torque keeps you from overtightening when putting it in or taking it out. It’s a precise and responsive feeling tool.
The tool feels responsive and precise.
Accuracy
This also helps the accuracy.
Next we try it on some wood. You put the collar in drill mode and choose your standard drill bit. Against a chunk of hardwood, you don’t have to apply excessive downward pressure.
And the brushless motor rips into the wood fast and cleanly. As the bit bites deep, chips do not fly off easy. There’s no need to push too hard down on the drill. It has no trouble with the hardwood’s density.
Leave cleanly.
Drilling into concrete is the last test. For this you need a masonry bit. There’s no hammer feature with the DS18DEX, just rotational power.
Press the bit down onto the concrete and turn it on in drill mode. Will it drill through? Yes, it will (but more slowlier than with a hammer drill).
The vibration is minimal, but the progress is gradual.
It’s not a lot of vibration, but it seems to come gradually
Make several holes and keep on drilling. The bit starts cutting through the concrete. But it’s taking longer than you thought.
This project would of gone so much quicker if you had a real hammer drill. That rotating motion isn’t enough when dealing with such hard masonry. It is not great for working with heavy concrete.
It takes time. After filling in the holes in the concrete, you finished the test run.
For screw driving and wood, the Metabo HPT DS18DEX holds its own. This covers the bases nicely as a general purpose tool.
It’s not something you’re going to want for heavy masonry applications.
