Reviewing the Cheapest Magnetic Drill on Amazon - Is It Any Good?
Reviewing the cheapest mag drill on Amazon, also know as a magnetic drill or a portable magnetic drill press. Also put to the test are a set of annular cutters.
Mophorn 980W Mag Drill - amzn.to/34l62Dh
Annular Cutters Small Set - amzn.to/38qkXh1
Annular Cutters Large Set - amzn.to/3h61JBf
Cutting and Grinding Fluid - amzn.to/3r3Ju3P
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Let me know what you think about this drill in the comments. Thanks for watching!
Link to the annular cutter tools?
i guess it is pretty off topic but does anybody know of a good site to stream new series online?
@Zechariah Kenneth Lately I have been using Flixzone. You can find it by googling =)
@Archie Louis yup, I have been using flixzone for since march myself =)
@Archie Louis thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :D I really appreciate it!
I think the rope is for horizontal drilling and is used as a safety line if there is a 120v interruption. If you had it horizontally mounted above your head and the power was cut, it would fall on you and possibly be harmful. It looks like a great tool to me.
I have used these type of drill many times. Even upside down on the ceiling. Always used chained up .Especially on the ceiling. You never can tell if the power will be cut off .Great tools to use. In difficult situations we clamped a strong piece of steel to a suitable surface then attached the mag base.
Excellent review. Straight to the point with no annoying background music.
The rope is for instances when you need to mount the drill horizontally in the air so you tie the rope to something and then to the drill so if for some reason the magnet slips or let go the rope prevents you from finding out if the drill bounces or not
Bob, thanks for doing this review. I have actually been looking at it and now that you've reviewed it I thi k I'm gonna go ahead and purchase it!
You tie off the drill while using in case of a power outage, we use the hundreds of feet in the air and like to keep them up there
You beat me to the punch 😉, are you an Ironworker [I'm retired] ? And like this gentleman said, we tied them off, especially for vertical & overhead. We also taped the cord to the rope (with a loop in the cord)
Damn straight. Always tie them off when you at height. I usually attach a piece of line with a back spliced loop right onto the handle. Keep hanging and banging.
When I used to use these, they didn't fall if you lost power. The base stayed magnetized enough to support its weight. It had a demag switch to release it. You could yank it loose after it lost power so the rope is probably still recommended.
@@michaellowe3665 then your not an Ironworker
@@hollywoodhand9012 no. Didn't say I was. Im just saying that the one I used stayed put until you demaged it. I don't know if the cheap Amazon version has this feature.
I love my Mag Drill. And those annular cutters are a dream to use as well.
Yeah I've been using them every chance I get. Thanks for watching!
Great video, this was a great find. Thank you for the video and review.
Thanks for watching!
Great video! Appreciate the honesty as you experimented with it.
Thanks for watching!
Bought the different brand, same machine, and have used it allot for automotive and construction. Surprised myself how often I've used it. I'm finding myself using instead of the drill press on a regular basis. Magnet is barely strong enough on 3/16" steel on a horizontal cut (so use a backer plate), and have to use a ratchet strap to hold drill while cutting. Can't beat the price and a definite win without breaking the bank. Like any tool, don't try use in production work since you'll get hurt, but for the low cost occasional need it tool, it's perfect.
Great review. All the pertinent information with none of the nonsense. Subscribed.
Much appreciated!
The reason for the rope is to use it as a lanyard to safe off while using it to drill horizontally and vertically in case you lose power to drill.
Good video. No BS, no loud, can do, finger pointing, smart arse , in yer face, self promotion. Well done!
Thanks!
Thanks for this awesome video!
I know hougen makes a twist drill bit adapter kit. Used it in the field to drill countless 3/8" holes in 1/2 plate. Its pricey but worth it if you need to drill lots of smaller holes than what annular cutters offer
Large drill bits are easy to find when you go to places like: MSC, Fastenal, McMaster-Carr.... Try looking for Union Butterfield.
I've been thinking about this drill from Amazon, and now, thanks to 'Making Stuff' now I know! Thanks for this.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent video!!! i have wondered how good a cheap amazon mag drill is and now i know!!!
I am with others that a speed control would be a good plus if you are to use the drill on a regular base. We had to countersink holes on tear plates quite often. As the thickness is only 6 to 8 mm, the drill will not attach on the tears enough to drill, we put a 15 mm thick steel plate under the tear plate (just about the size of the magnet) and secured the drill with a clamp. So if you have to drill in thin material, use additional kinds of ways to keep the drill from moving. (To check try to move the drill by hand when the magnet is activated) In daily use we did not use the oil reservoir, but used simple plastic oil bottles to spray the drill now and then (if I had to cut thick material I let the drill cut a very flat ring - just a few revolutions - and put some oil inside, spraying a little additional oil from the outside too.)
Thanks so much for the review!!!
Any time!
Well, I made the purchase,the bits as well! Thanks
I wound up buying 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 solid weldon shank drills because the smallest anular cutter seems to be 7/16. Amazon is not the cheapest place to get these drills. Mine has been fine with moderate use over the last 6 or so months,really handy. Like any tool the the extras can sdd up fast [ longer cutters, bigger cutters, drills]. Because it uses a brushed univesral motor reversing should be as easy as a 3 position double pole double throw switch[think tapping] and speed control also easy.
I've been looking at mag drills for about 6 months .... Your review sold me .... Thanks a bunch.....
Glad I could help!
Same price will buy a 1500w one from eBay though
@@janeblogs324 Thanks... Can you lead me in a direction which drill you are noting ??? The headlines don't show mag wattage... I'd have to open them all and search... Thanks.... Dave
@@Dmenbiker I'm on a smart TV so super awkward to search and link. I bought 2 mags from the baumer-ag brand on aus eBay. $280 and $340 and, so $220usd? Both 1500watt but 1 is for concrete drilling is no mag but 800mm travel
Thanks for your video! It helped me a ton
Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!
Great video! I sold mine awhile ago but after seeing your video, now I wanna get one !
Go for it! I use it all the time in the shop now. Love you channel, Can't wait to see more!
Thank u for the vid I've bein waiting for an affordable magnetic drill review 👍👍👍
No problem 👍 Thanks for watching!
Informative and useful. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
@@MakingStuff I am interested in how well this drill works in a couple of months or so.
I set up a X Y table that I can use at my vise or on the wel table,, also rotated to horizontal position or any angle works great for notching tube or tube thru flat stock
Brilliant video thank u
For drilling out ot position a paste cutting compound works grrat and saves the expensive annular citters.
Iron Worker tie off everything ! Mag Drilling up side down always needs to be secure for safty reasons.
Screw-machine (also called stub length) drill bits should fit in the chuck. Overall length of a typical stub length 1/2" bit is around 3-3/4", and length decreases with size.
Rope keeps the drill from falling on your head if you loose power and the magnet. Another maker found a drill press with a broken motor that he modified to accept a mag drill. 2 machines / 1 motor and saved space too. Just a thought. Thanx for sharing. Big Mike
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And interesting projects, of course!
Same to you!
Great review
Me again would be great for making the clamp holes for your DIY welding table!
well, added to cart for the 6 holes I'll need a mag drill press for! Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Great video! I hope it works well for you!Mag drill was one of my best investments but I wouldn’t rent that if I was paid me. Be cause of the slop in everything and the lack of speed control on the cheap drills I went through more cutters in a month than my new mag drill cost me. Edit.. I use half as many cutters with my brand name drill.
Super clear explanations
Glad it was helpful!
I have seen warranty service men come into our factory with a mag drill and a plate of steel with a hole in it and clamp the plate to a wooden work bench to provide themselves with a drill press for fabricating different parts and fixtures that they needed to do the warranty work on our equipment. If the material being drilled isn't too heavy you don't need the clamps. Some union shops have conditions negotiated with the company that don't allow outside contractors to use the equipment the factory union workers use, so they have to bring their own. To provide for longer twist drills they use a plate that has been bent on a break or welded into a stair step shape to over hang the edge of the bench 6 " or so. You could make the step whatever distance you want and if it was too much for some drills because of the limited stroke of the Mag Drill, you just put your workpiece on wooden blocks to get it nearer the chuck. I thought it was a pretty innovative way to make the Mag Drill more versatile and thought you might as well.
Thanks for the info!
I’m sold! Thank you!
Any time! Thanks for watching!
Very nice drill I’m glad you’re showing the people that we can get stuff that really works and don’t have to pay a fortune
Thanks 👍
Awesome review!
Thanks!
Very helpful and straight forward demo
I bought the vevor 1680 magnetic drill, it work very well. Thank's to you I bought the Annular cutters, it's indispensable to that tool.
Great to hear! Thanks for watching!
A useful bit of kit. It's nice and compact. The short stroke isn't really an issue because your mounting surface IS the work you are drilling, and the thickness of the work not likely anywhere near the limit of the business portion of the available stroke. Those annular cutters are also a great addition to the shop.
Thanks for watching!
If I was still in the steel business I might pick one up just to see how well it holds up over time......Plus having a smaller less expensive unit to take out on the job could be handy.
A less expensive one is also good for when your friends ask to borrow it, LOL. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for sharing. About the annular cutter, does the pin fit loosely or tightly in the bit? I bought a larger set on Amazon but the both pins fit loosely in the bits. I don't know this is the way they designed or a faulty product.
I've been in the structural steel industry for over 20 years, and have drilled literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions of holes with the same style drill/cutters. 2 tips- 1. You don't want to peck with annular cutters. Each time you lift and go back you introduce friction. Additionally the teeth can hang up on an unbroken chip at the bottom and you wind up with a cracked cutter. You only need to lift if you are drilling deep like 3/4"+ and the chip nest is getting out of control or your cutter is overheating. I have used every type of goof coolant feed system there is and nothing has ever really beaten the simplicity and versatility of a water bottle with a small hole punched in top. I use a water based coolant and a few cubes of ice added to eliminate as much heat as possible. 2. Wire wheel or grind off rust before you drill and the same goes for things like cutting with carbide/cermet tipped saws. You honestly may not notice as a home gamer and probably not drilling 100's of holes, but rust is a serious abrasive and will substantially reduce the life of your cutters. Having bought a few I know you know they aren't cheap. What can I say; I'm a sperg and couldn't watch without saying something. Best of luck.
Thanks for the info!
The rope is for supporting the drill when drilling on vertical surfaces.
It's like a safety line.
Or horizontal surface if you need to be drilling from the underside for some reason. My evolution comes with a tie down strap, with an easy to use buckle, might be a worth while upgrade for a couple of dollars, if you plan on inverted or vertical drilling much.
On my evolution, I can use big twist dril bits, as the carriage can move up in two ways, locked it will just move the head up and down but unlocked it with move the track, that the head runs on up, then I can relock it in the higher position, to then be able to to move the head back up and down on the track, rather than moving the track and head, in relation to the base. You may be able to do similar on yours with the ways by loosening them, shifting it up, then tightening again.
Yep, we had a "former" employee forget/too lazy to put the safety line on and it popped off about 60 feet in the air and came tumbling down through the structure. The one we have no has to be attached or the drill won't start.
Nothing beats making things yr self you get the satisfaction of doing things by yr self when you can
Surprised no one mentioned the drill's electrical specs. 130V @50hz? For US and Canada, it should be 60hz. If it's designed for 50hz feeding it 60hz will make it spin faster and potentially overheat the windings.
So the cheaper one without the drill chuck is what you'd recommend?
Just an update from my comments a few days ago. I received my Hougen twist drill adapter kit (#03845) and it does allow you to use there short proprietary twist drill bits in your mag drill by using the weldon adapter (3/4" shank) included in the kit. Eliminates the need for a drill chuck. The adapter, when installed, only hangs down 1/2" below the weldon insert. Also, the twist drill slide up into the adapter and are held in place with an allen screw in the adapter. The bits have a large flat spot on the shank. Bit sizes in the kit are 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16 and 1/2. THEY WILL FIT UNDER A MAG DRILL!!!! Yeah!!! I am not sponsored nor do I get any benefits from Hougen. There may be other brands out there that do the same thing, but not only are they hard to find, this kit only cost $125.00 plus tax. I was just hoping to help anyone looking for a solution and save them the expense of buying a Jacob's chuck that is basically unusable on a mag drill. (Like I did) Hope the helps someone.
Make a vid and show us how it’s going.
I bought this drill and had the same wobble problem. However, my magnet is not strong. I can easily pull it away and it will definitely not hold sideways. Still happy with this drill and got a lot done that would have been very difficult otherwise.
They gave you the rope because it’s used for when you are drilling holes overhead the Milwaukee mag drill I have at work came with a chain
The Jacobs chuck was off-center because it wasn't fully inserted into the Weldon holder. I have the same drill and the Weldon holder is a tight fit.
Nice review!
Glad you enjoyed it
downside to annular cutters is that they start from size 9. If you have to drill for example loads of 6mm holes through square tubing precisely, you will need that twist chuck.
A tool I learned about just yesterday that I will own tomorrow.
Same
US line frequency is 60Hz, not 50Hz. It's not a non-issue because the power ratings and speed are not applicable when you change the frequency. There would be significant detriment if it was 60Hz and you wanted to run it at 50Hz (increased current and heating) but in this case the impedance increases so what is lost is the power while the RPMs are increased. In other words, if you're not running it at 50Hz, then the other specs are not correct.
You can buy larger then 1/2" twist drill Lowes, Home depot, but not recommended in any hand held drill bc it will twist your arm, larger twist drills intended to use in drill presses and lathes etc.
Used a Hougen drill like this when I worked at a steel fabricator drilling holes in beams just like you did. I was amazed by how well it worked and couldn't imagine putting holes in steel any other way. I would say this tool combination ranks right up there with when I had a pair of Mickey Mouse boots when I was in the service. When you find something that works so much better than anything you've used before you wonder why you'd use anything else.
Thanks for sharing!
Lol my ex wife made your drill that company makes some great cutting tools
VB Bunny boots some of the warmest.
Probably because its too big to fit in a lot of places and requires the base to be pretty much flush and flat or it can struggle. For example drilling a hole off center through the web of an I beam - not flat, use something else.
If you go to Lawson Products you will find stubby twist drill bits.
The rope is for drilling horizontal holes into heavy plate, if for some reason the mag drill doesn't stick it's going to fall right off (power outages?)
Harbor Freight sells a cheap motor speed controller that works great on brush type motors. They call it a router speed control and keep them around their power tools.
Thanks for the info!
Muchas gracias por la expricacion del video maravilloso..
.
Did you ever try a different chuck? I’m looking to buy one and would like the versatility of being able to use twist drills from time to time.
3 years later I bought the cheapest mag drill on amazon (vevor - $135). Has the same twist drill Z axis problem, fixed with a 1/2" steel plate adapter. HUGE deflection with any sort of downward quill pressure.
On several mag drills, the rack and pinion base plate which strokes about six inches, has a slot which allows the motor to be adjusted up and down on the base plate. This allows for the longer jobber drills bits to be used.
Unfortunately this one doesn't have that feature. Thanks for watching!
The rope is to tie it off if you need to . It can be used to haul it up when you are in a tight spot . It also helps to keep the knuckle heads from carrying it by the chord.
PS I appreciate your review of the drill chuck adapter and how to use it/buy it. I will get one of these instead of a normal drill press as it seems that it can kick out loads of power.
For larger holes, I think this is better than a drill press. Thanks for watching!
As I watch him use it on the I beam I begin to start waiting for a few things to happen. 1. He loses fingers on the hand that is manually feeding the cutting fluid in since no protective gear is being worn and the fast spinning steel can be very sharp 2. Power cuts out and the drill falls over causing unknown levels of damage to the bit, and likely taking a finger or 2 as it slows down swinging past the unprotected hand feeding the lubricant 3. The extension lead wound up on the coil still overheats resulting in an electrical fire or similar (pretty unlikely if it's only being used for a few minutes) Safety concerns aside, great video, very informative
The alignment is fine that chuck is clearly for cutting slots.
What is the height of the magnet + frame? I have essentially a box that I want to set the drill inside and drill through one side, so this dimension is important for me.
Installing deck cable railing system. Posts are 4x4 red iron, metal is 1/8" thick. Holes need to be 3/8" diameter. Is this the right tool for drill the holes? Can I get annular cutters 3/8", or will I need a regular metal drill bit? Thanks!
Thank you for video.
You bet
Отличная мастерская!!! фрезы мечта! Магнитную стойку то же планирую сделать.
Good video 👍
Thank you for this much useful video. I learned a lot. I bought a very similar product with few specs differences, sold under brand name Vevor. Same useless user's manual, so poorly translated from Chinese I guess, probably with a cheap translation software, cause most sentences simply don't make any sense at all. The included ROPE is actually a safety device. When you use the drill on a vertical surface, to keep the drill from falling and have it remaining hanging at height, provided you first attached this rope one end to the drill and the other end to some safe high attachment point on a sturdy structure.
Looks like a good drill. A couple of things. When using an annular cutter don't "peck" just push on thru. If you want to run twist drills look up "screw machine" drills which are stubby length.
Thanks for the info!
those angular cutters are a blessing if you have to drill thick metal. I believe the rope is to tie the drill to a fixture if it is side mounted in case the power fails. One work of caution: although the magnet is strong it can be over ridden if you press down too hard on the drill bit while running. The results are not fun! It will cut the time way down compared to hand drilling but use with caution.
You might use a thicker block of steal - say 3" to 4" square under the magnetic base to increase the space for regular drill bits
Haha, that’s such a good idea, It’s crazy that nobody thought of it. I felt like an idiot when I read your comment and realized how simple the solution is. Thank you.
The rope is a safety tether if you invert the drill on a steel I beam or box section for a shop roof of engine crane setup so if you accidentally switch off the magnet it doesn't drop on your head or smash on the ground
When you get a chuck that will run true, get yourself a set of screw machine length drills , preferably of the cobalt variety . They are ultra short and rigid . After that , get a speed controller made for brush type motors because the largest cutters want to run at slower speeds.
That little thing rocks, I think I'll pick one up!
Thanks for watching!
Try adjusting the out of line chuck with the set screws. you may have one tighter that the other. Just play with the set screws.
Our power standards in the US are 120 volts and 60 Hertz the 110 is just something people say however the 50 Hertz I am not comfortable with in a high current tool.
if there is a speed adjustment for the spindle. slow the spindle down the cutter will last longer, feeds and speeds
We call them broach bits in Australia and the rope is to tie the drill off with when you are drilling horizontally, on a steel column for instance. Just in case the power is cut. I've never used a magdrill with a chuck, I have only used it with broach cutters. They cut better if you keep a constant pressure too.
Thanks for the info!
Excellent video. Just wondered if the mag drill would attach to the side box section of a gate 30mm to 50mm? Would it be enough steel for the drill to magnetize to?
Not sure if that's enough metal for the magnet to stick to.
Hello try to snug ur set screws up 1/4 turn keeping chuck inline. My opinion
What size annular cuter will it go up to in size will it use a 21/2" thank you'll.
To keep your annular cutters sharper longer, clean the rust off the metal before drilling/cutter. The drill chuck will need to be shimmed.
Thanks for the tip.
I have recently bought a low cost drill from Evolution. I didn’t need it but still had to have it. My biggest fault with this is the run a bit fast for some of the cutters. I would buy one with a low speed box next time. Great video always enjoy your content. Ps stop by my channel say hi as I do a bit of metal bashing
you can use that chuck w an extra step. peck drill with your handheld, then start the mag in the peckhole
I would like to understand if the magnetic drill makes holes that it wouldn't do with the drill press and therefore it would be better to have the 2 things thanks a lot
Nice review
Thanks!
The problem with annular cutters is breakage. If you push hard enough to break the magnetic bond on the drill, the cutter will angle and break the teeth off. We use them to drill heavy truck frames when mounting tanks, tool boxes etc. Etc.
Thanks for the info!
@@MakingStuff the upside is that they cut a very precise hole and much faster than a drill bit. Just be carefull about pushing into the cut hard enough to break the magnetic bond of the press. Getting the feel of where it does break the bond helps a lot. You can test the strenght of the magnet by pushing it offwithout the bit turning. Just learn how much pressure you can apply before the magnet pops off the base metal. And it helps a lot to clean any dirty base metal before sticking the magnet to it