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However, there are 3 other bits in the set and I switched to one of the 3 remaining and things are fine. The number of times I've had to start my pilot hole and then set the screw goes on and on. I've owned my set for over 6 years and have gotten more than my money's worth from the set. The only negative that I've had with this is that it extends the length of the drill out about another 2 to 3 inches. With this, it's so simple to start my hole, flip the bit and set the screw. After 6 years, one of the bits stopped snapping back into place cleanly. When I'm doing tight work in cabinets, it gets a bit challenging to use. Other than that, it's the only bit I always keep with my drill.
Makita is always a good choice for a do it yourself guy who doesn't like "one day tools."
You don't have to change from a more typical drill/countersink bit to a separate crewdriver bit. Like any other tool it needs to be handled with a certain amount of care and as other reviews note, the stud that mounts in the drill chuck is aluminum, not steel. I've been using this set in my workshop, mostly for drilling & sinking screws for drawer slides, hinges, etc. Just twist the collar on the stud that mounts in your drill chuck, and reverse the drill bit, and you have the right screwdriver bit for the size screw you've drilled for. I can imagine that some of the less happy reviewers were using it at a job site rather than in a workshop. It's very convenient when you want to drill and countersink in one motion, and then sink the screw. It's most useful when you want to sink the screw right after you've drilled and then go on to drill the next hole, etc. It wouldn't add that much efficiency if you're drilling a lot of holes one after the other, and then going back to set all the screws.
I've been using this driver set since about 1997. That way, I never have to switch the driver tip on the job unless I break one, or it wears out (it happens, and it's a normal wear item, won't last forever), I just grab a different holder and it's ready to go.If you're serious about drilling and driving, you need both in one holder. I'm on my third set, which I just got a few weeks ago. When my second set wore out, I tried every other brand I could find, and finally went back to this one, even though it's not easy to find in stores and has several drawbacks.The best: drill and screw with one bit, narrowest lock band for close drilling, positive locking, allen wrench in back end (might be the best feature).The worst: the main shaft is a bit undersized and can get out of true if dropped more easily than others, allen screws wear out, hard to find new kits.In practice, I have different bits (square, flat, phillips #'s 1,2 and 3) already installed in different holders with the most likely drill size (mostly #'s 6 and 8). Other brands wear out quicker (I test them working 8 hour days, 5 days a week in a Milwaukee 18v lithium drill: I use it for kitchen and bath remodels and concrete counter mold making; I'm using this kit as much as anyone could, and using it HARD).The allen screws that hold the bits do wear out, prepare for it. When one breaks, I steal one from an underused size holder and pick up a new one next time I go to the hardware store.I've tried them all, nothing compares in functionality, and the others require even more careful maintenance to keep them working.
This kit was purchased to replace an older Makita bit that I had been using frequently for almost 10 years before I lost it. This new one broke where the screw tip inserts into the bit the very first time I used it. Very cheap, very poor quality.
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