Customer Reviews

Porter-Cable 9977 14.4-Volt Ni-Cad 1/2-Inch Cordless Hammer Drill/Driver Kit

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this hammer drill after the death of my Black & Decker 18v Firestorm. Initially, I had considered similar products from Matika and DeWalt, wanting the additional capability of the hammer action, with the smaller bulk of the 14.4v battery. The Porter Cable GTF comes in fairly robust case, complete with a diagnostic charger, stabilizing handle, 2 batteries, driver bit and different size (S,M,L) adjustable hand grip inserts. I found the drill some what hefty, with it's balance just forward of the hand grip; which is the only reason I did not give it 5 stars.

Power
Offering 420 in-lbs of torque (50 in-lbs more than the Matika and 20 in-lbs more than the Dewalt 14.4v hammer drills) it has plenty of power and will easily snap the head off a 4" deck screw driven into a railway sleeper. The high/low settings will give you 450-1400rpm, and in hammer action 18500bpm. Battery life was excellent, allowing me to do several hours of deck work before swapping batteries. The charging unit can recharge your dead battery in approx. 1hr, it will also analyze the condition of your battery for optimal performance.

Handling
As mentioned before, I felt this was heavy drill. It does not balance as well as the Dewalt or Matika, which is probably why it feels heavier, though it certainly not unmanageable; much smaller than the enormous 18v Craftsman drill, that thing is a whopper. However, because of it's forward weight, using the hammer action vertically is really easy. There is also the option of swapping out the hand grip inserts, which helped reduce fatuige on the hands and wrists. Ergonomically speaking, fine. The stabilizer handle screws into either the left or right side of the drill which is a tremendous help when using the hammer action. Either way you are still going to develop your biceps - just make sure you use both hands.

Controls
The forward/reverse button is directly above the trigger control, as per usual. The motor has the high/low switch located on top of the motor housing. It would have been nice to have an extra third gear, like the DeWalt - but not essential. The clutch collar has variable torque setting's (22) with the drill and hammer action located next to each other. The battery is removed by way of a red button on the bottom flange of the grip. Depressing this button, the battery easily slides off. The battery is securely held in place buy this same locking button.

Chuck
All steel 1/2" ratcheting chuck lock and spindle lock. The one thing I like over the Dewalt, is the fact the jaws will easily grip a small 1/16" or 3/32" drill bit. The DeWalts chuck jaws cannot clamp on small bits such as these, because of the gap where the jaws meet.

Quality/Overall
The drill is well built and solid feeling. Fit and finish are excellent, there are one or two tiny (hair width) gaps where the metal gear housing meets the plastic body, otherwise fine. It feels like it was built twice as strong as in needs to be. I did forget to mention it has two metal clips to store your driver bits. Costing...$...less than the DeWalt or Matika, it's worth every penny. For home owners just wanting to drive screws and occasional home maintenance, there are much better less costly alternatives. However, if you are looking for a true, solid work horse for frequent heavy usage and occasional defense against bumps-in-the-night, I highly recommend it.

I am a full-time carpenter.

This is a professional quality drill/driver, with metal gears, heavy-duty trigger switch, ratcheting chuck with carbide teeth. It has heft and although some might complain about its weight, anything that generates over 400 in. lbs. of torque and doesn't fall apart after 40 hrs. of hard use HAS to weigh something, right?

I read an April 2005 review on 'premium' vs. 'homeowner' grade cordless drills and was interested to see that in nearly every photo of a disemboweled premium drill, said premium drill was the Porter-Cable. It's built to last.

Here's what to watch out for:

1) If you charge the batteries, then don't use them for a few days, your amp hours will be far lower than if you charge the batteries and use them the same day. I don't get quite as much run time out of the batteries as I would like, but I am doing mean things to my drill, like running a 3/4" x 16" masonry bit in hammer/drill mode and leaning into the poor little drill, driving 1/2" x 12" lag screws into pressure-treated wood, drilling holes through 20 oz. copper and tin in -5˚ weather....and so on. When used for what I imagine is a more appropriate application, like driving sheetrock screws into sheetrock, the batteries last long enough for me to wonder when they'll die so I can take five.

2) The HIGH/LOW switch. Works great, but one day I somehow left it in between settings: i.e., in the middle, not on HIGH or LOW, and the drill made a horrendous racket and would not drive anything to save its life. Convinced the drill was completely shot, I began hunting for the case so I could take it back to Home Depot and give them puppy dog eyes. At some point I noticed that the switch was not engaged in either range, flicked it to LOW and all was right with my world again.

3) Despite the all-metal chuck with carbide jaws, things still fall out of it ocassionally. This and the less-than-an-18v battery time warrants fours stars instead of five. Yes, I really crank on the chuck when tightening a bit. For a 14.4 volt drill that I bought new at Home Depot for $100, I'd give it five stars with no caveats. (Home Depot was discontinuing the line and I got lucky).

A few +s you might not know about:
The drill has an automatic brake, so when you take your finger off the switch the chuck comes to a complete stop. The onboard bit storage is not a gimmick and gets constant use (I usually have a #3 Phillips and square drive bits onboard and a #2 Phillips in the chuck, covering 95% of all driving applications). The charger is a diagnostic, 'smart-charger,' which means it knows to NOT charge when the battery is too cold, too hot, or just plain worn out (haven't seen that yet). And, unlike cheaper drills, there is more heavy-weight copper in this tool than a jug of pennies.

Note: Treat yourself to a DeWalt, Ryobi, Sears--whatever-- quick-release 1/4" bit chuck. You chuck it in the drill and leave it in. Then, use the drill bits, Phillips drivers, etc. that have the notched speed shank and changing bits is lightning-fast--much faster than ratcheting the drill's chuck. I have the DeWalt (because it's bright yellow and I can find it if I drop it, not because it's a DeWalt) and it's been great.

That's about it. This drill has enough torque to sprain your wrist, snap heads off stainless steel deck screws, drive 1.5" spade bits through mahogany, and push big masonry bits into concrete (although using said bits in hammer mode really drained the power, and fast). It won't replace my 1/2" Milwaukee corded drill completely but the Porter Cable is what I reach for 90% of the time. If $ is no object, get the Milwaukee Lok-Tor 18v; it has received top reviews from several trade magazines and will drill more holes on a charge than the Porter-Cable, being 18 volts vs. 14.4. If its chuck is the same as on my corded Milwaukee it holds like a pit bull on a mailman.

UPDATE: I have used the drill a few times and I could not be happier. I like this drill so much that when it came time to by a reciprocating saw I went with a PC (See my other reviews). OK...I have not even used the drill yet but opening reaction is great. I ordered mine off of amazon.com because I couldn't find a better price, only one hardware store in the Twin Cities area had the drill in stock and wanted $25 more than amazon.com. So saving $25 off of cost, do not have to drive 25 miles to store, do not have to pay tax and get free shipping, only down fall is the 10 day wait.

Case

Case seems sturdy with metal case latches, not cheap molded plastic. Storage for extra bits and manual slot is a definate plus. All batteries, side handle, charger and of course drill fit very well. Problem with the case is the extra "grip to fit" (GTF) plates do not fit in the bit storage compartment.

Ergonomics

My drill came with the large GTF insert, that was changed quickly. I have small hands so the small insert is very nice for myself. GTF is great because a friend of mine with pretty large hands found the large insert to be helpful so this drill is not a one size fits one its a many sizes fits many. Switching from forward to reverse is a snap, a bit clip on either side of the drill along with the side bar that secures tightly to either side too. Balance is a little forward moving but that is good for drilling and with the hammer drill option what do you really expect. The battery removal is not as easy for this drill compared to many other brands. The battery slides horizontally into position with a smaller release button. This is good for the fact if you do hit the release button the battery will not fall directly to the floor and you will have a chance to catch it as it slides back.

Construction

Seems sturdy, chuck is well constructed. Not made of cheap metal and plastic. Compared to other brands on the same caliber like bosch the PC seems like a tank, not weight but construction. Feels more solid.

Rep

Reputation of great PC tools for about 100 years. I almost purchased the Bosch 14.4 but my brother-in-law owns a 12v PC and loves it, swears by it so I went wih PC. Also, Bosch 14.4 doesn't have Hammer drill option or sidebar, you would have to go up to the 18v tank and shell out more money.

Power

I have wrenched on a couple bolts to much and snapped the head clear off. I recently have been building a deck and my drill has performed great. I feel the battery holds up pretty well.

You can't go wrong with Porter-Cable tools. Always reliable, and great value for an honest price. You can pay more for "Ultra-Power DesignerPro" brands, and they work well too. But not "better". Buy ***American Made*** Porter-Cable, and you will have money left for more tools, and the pride of supporting USA!

I've used many cordless drills in my time and Porter Cable has been my favorite brand of all. This drill is replacing my old 12 volt Porter Cable drill that has given me many years of great service.

This drill features a "Hammer Drill" feature that is great for masonry work. It is also a regular drill and bit driver. There is torque to spare and a handle brace that screws into the side for extra support when the torque gets overwhelming or just for extra steadiness.

The grip comes with different size inserts for different size hands. A very nice extra!

You won't be sorry with this drill. The trigger is very smooth and it's easy to control the speed of the drill. I think it also looks better than the other bizzare coloring and designs some of the other manufacturers use. This looks, feels, and acts like a professional tool.

This is the first cordless drill that I purchased and I am quite amazed at the power this drill has for its size. Just select the torque and this drill just goes through anything you put in front of it. Additionally, this drill has a hammer drill mode, select this mode and drilling a hole in concrete, brick or stone is just an after thought. This is a sturdy drill, it stood up to drops and continual use at the jobsite. It handles auger bits and goes through a 4x4 post like a hot knife through butter. This drill comes with a carrying case with a compartment to store drill and driver bits. Comes with a battery charger and extra battery to keep you drilling til you get tired. The chargers takes about an hour to fully charge a battery. If you need a drill that can handle the biggest to the smallest jobs this drill is the one for you.

I purchased a 12V porter cable drill 8 years ago, and only last year did the brake and batteries go bad. I bought this one and I am glad I did. The construction is solid with the front half metal, a much stronger metal chuck, and I feel a great deal more torque in this model. My old drill could not bore large holes, but this one can easily. I had and still chose to buy the product with 2 amp-hour batteries. The battery release is also much improved from the old model and some current dewalt drills.

Baught my first 14.4 about 10-12 yrs ago and still going.Bought my 2nd about 5 yrs ago w/hammerdrill used and love it.I have done everything and made everything with these two drills and have satisfied every time.Used them in the rain to New England summers in august outside.The batteries last longer w/fresh charge than w/a pre-charge as needed but are ready in an hour or by the time you need one.I am buying a third over an impact cause you need a third drill for more uses than you need a impact for all of your driving needs.Hey whats wrong with a pilot hole to help drive long screws easier.I have always put the driver in low gear and have not had many problems.As far as lags go i have recently tried drivind 3" lags and the driver put them in up till 1"left wich i had to use a hand ratchet.Oh well nothing is perfect,but the 14.4 holds its own.I am a very satisfied customer and buying a third one i think says something.Very dependable,takes a beating/rough use,great price.
Patrick Kyees R.I.

I received the drill kit today but haven't had a chance to put it through its paces. I will update this review later with my impressions. The drill seems solidly built, and comes packed in a nice blow-molded plastic case with metal latches. The case is black and has Porter-Cable in bright white "Steal me, I'm expensive!" lettering.

The drill body weighs approx 4.2lbs. With battery pack installed, approx 5.8lbs. The drill measures approx 10-3/4" from the tip of the chuck to the back of the motor shell, and 9-1/2" from the top of the housing to bottom of the battery pack. The pack is the widest part of the assembly and is about 3" wide. The drill is labeled "Assembled in Taiwan." The main label on my drill was a bit scuffed. The included screwdriver bit had come loose during shipping and probably caused the scuffing.

The torque selection ring and gear shift are very stiff but seem to engage positively. When set to hammer mode, the hammer action occurs only when downward pressure is put on the bit. I was expecting a mini jackhammer, but the effect is much more subtle, as if the spindle was riding on detents. There is a separate Drill setting on the ring which bypasses the slip clutch. The ratcheting chuck is made by Rohm and has a very solid metal feel.

The battery release button is somewhat awkward to use. I think it's designed to be released with the pinky finger, but the position and motion are somewhat awkward. The button is flush with the housing to prevent accidental release. The battery slides back to release. The forward/reverse selector can also be placed in the center position to lock the trigger. I suggest doing so before fumbling with the battery or holstering the drill.

I have medium-small hands and found the difference between the 3 GTF inserts to be minor. I selected the medium insert. The inserts are secured by a phillips screw. I think it would be nicer to have inserts with different softness and texture instead. All of the inserts are hard rubber. A sticky gel-like insert might be nice, especially when using the hammer.

The kit includes a threaded side handle which can be installed perpendicularly on either side of the drill just in front of the trigger. The handle is hollow plastic and the threaded portion is zinc-plated metal. The plastic seems a little thin and I would not put my full weight on it during use.

The drill emits a noticeable high pitched noise at low speeds. The manual says that this sound is normal. One feature that my corded drill has is a knob that lets me select the maximum allowable speed. I find it useful and wish that this drill had that feature. The brake works well and stops the chuck as soon as I release the trigger.

The carry case holds the charger, extra battery pack, and side handle. It holds the drill with the pack installed. There is also a compartment for the manual and the GTF inserts. On the lid above the charger, there is a compartment for holding a bit set. The bit compartment has a hinged plastic lid. It is not very deep, but would probably hold one small bit set in its case.

The charger can also charge Porter-Cable 12V batteries. It has keyholes on the back for wall mounting, and a 2-prong power cord. It gets a little warm during charging, but will charge a pack in about an hour. It also has diagnostic features to warn you if the battery is too hot, too cold, or needs replacement. On first use, the charger emitted a strong, plastic odor.

The packs appear to be rebuildable. The top is secured by a set of torx screws, and is available as a spare part. It is a 2 Amp hour NiCd pack. There are 3rd party services that can rebuild it with higher capacity NiMH cells. People also seem to be buying these kits for the packs and chargers and selling the drills as new.

UPDATE: I've been using it to drive Phillips wood screws into aged pine and it is more than powerful enough. In fact, I need to get ACR bits to lessen the stripping of the screw heads. It is a big heavy drill though. I opted for a small tool tote that has a built in drill holster and shoulder strap. It does not have a lanyard loop or anything else that I can easily attach a tether to, and it is too heavy for hanging off the belt and pants.

I have had this product for a long time now and it is as good as the day I bought it! I have no regrets on this purchase whatsoever. It has never failed to perform flawlessly on any project I have undertaken.