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Electric drill flexible extension


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Just looking at getting a flexible extension for the electric drill so I can access the more difficult bits under the car to wire brush them. So far I have come across one by Toolzone but the reviews are less than encouraging. It seems this one is for "hobby" use rather than serious use. There is another by Silverline (part number 633973). Both are approx a metre long with a drill chuck at the end.

Does anyone have any views on what is a good one and which to avoid in their experience? Obviously it needs to be robust enough to last more than a day....

Keith

 

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I have the small 90 degr. (angle) flexible. It requires special drills with a hex adapter, but works ok for small diameter and not to deep holes.

Like this:

9200000073087450.jpg

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1 hour ago, keith1948 said:

Just looking at getting a flexible extension for the electric drill so I can access the more difficult bits under the car to wire brush them. So far I have come across one by Toolzone but the reviews are less than encouraging. It seems this one is for "hobby" use rather than serious use. There is another by Silverline (part number 633973). Both are approx a metre long with a drill chuck at the end.

Does anyone have any views on what is a good one and which to avoid in their experience? Obviously it needs to be robust enough to last more than a day....

Keith

 

Hi Keith
I have one you can happily borrow to try out, when do you want it? I can bring it tomorrow if you are going to Rob's funeral?
Regards
Ian

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Keith,

I can’t give you any recommendations, but I’ll give you a bit health and safety advice.

What ever you get make sure that the drill you are using is anchored down well, (No problem if you are using it with a fixed bench drill).

Many years ago I used one and simply held the hand drill in my right hand and held the chuck end of the flexible part in my left hand. It was a fairly powerful mains drill, I might add.

I was drilling a hole somewhere deep inside the engine compartment and the drill bit snagged as it broke through. Instead of the drill bit turning, the entire drill started to turn. And it kept trying to turn. I had the trigger lock on and my hand ended up being trapped somehow, and with the torque from the motor it tried to unscrew my arm at the elbow. It eventually wound the flexible part of the drive around itself enough to stall the motor and I was able to drop it and pull the plug. This all happened in about five seconds.

No lasting damage done to me but my arm and wrist were painful for a week or so.

The flexible drive was ruined because of all the twisting that happed to the flexible part.

It’s the sort of thing you only ever do once.

Charlie

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1 hour ago, Charlie D said:

Keith,

I can’t give you any recommendations, but I’ll give you a bit health and safety advice.

What ever you get make sure that the drill you are using is anchored down well, (No problem if you are using it with a fixed bench drill).

Many years ago I used one and simply held the hand drill in my right hand and held the chuck end of the flexible part in my left hand. It was a fairly powerful mains drill, I might add.

I was drilling a hole somewhere deep inside the engine compartment and the drill bit snagged as it broke through. Instead of the drill bit turning, the entire drill started to turn. And it kept trying to turn. I had the trigger lock on and my hand ended up being trapped somehow, and with the torque from the motor it tried to unscrew my arm at the elbow. It eventually wound the flexible part of the drive around itself enough to stall the motor and I was able to drop it and pull the plug. This all happened in about five seconds.

No lasting damage done to me but my arm and wrist were painful for a week or so.

The flexible drive was ruined because of all the twisting that happed to the flexible part.

It’s the sort of thing you only ever do once.

Charlie

...and that is why I was taught to not tighten drill bits tightly in the chuck - so they slip if the drill binds in the hole.

Peter W

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This is a photo of the Toolzone one and the Silverline one. Both look very similar but are they strong enough?  I don't think the right angle drive one will be suitable for what I want to do. The warnings about fixing down the drill was something I was wondering about. I am always careful about trigger locks on power tools. Never use them if I can help it. Too easy for them to get out of control. Not intending to use them for drilling but for wire brushes and small grinders to remove rust and smooth welds.

Hello Ian - I'll send you an email.

Keith

image.png.e47656072c1803e77b22f1e998a228a3.pngimage.png.4b7b6e8a40b3f88f5159551eea132625.png

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I've used these a bit to do some match porting in the past driven from a powerful mains drill but to be honest there is not that much torque at the chuck end which is also quite poor at gripping anything that well as its hand tightened. If you have a decent compressor you might be better off and safer with a dye grinder and rotary brush

As said you need the mains drill well secured. Had mine in a vice or workmate or it will bite!

Andy

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Why not invest in  small compressor,  air tools are really cheap, safer, faster, lighter   and have good torque 

Talking about getting tangled I was using a mop on paint work  had the lock on, it picked the elelectric cable up,  pulled the socket of the wall and the cable 

Of the wall, finally the plug came out of the socket, made me shake a bit.

Pink 

 

 

 

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