Black & Decker 9078 reviews
Good tool for what it's designed to do
I've had this for about 2 1/2 years and think it's great for what it is. It is not a drill, as some people have complained - this should be obvious. It is a screwdriver. You shouldn't be trying to put screws directly into wood without pilot holes made by a DRILL anyways.
The torque adjuster on mine works great - those who have had problems either got a bad unit or don't understand what the function is supposed to be.
The folding handle is a nice touch - it makes it short enough to get into spaces where a full-length one can't.
I don't use this that often - maybe once a month on average - but have used it through two moves and been able to put up everything I needed to. It holds charge impressively well, even after a couple months without any use.
12/15/2007
Pro handyman loves it!
I love this little screwdriver. I own three so that I can always have a backup in my truck and one at home charging. (Don't leave it plugged in until you need it though -- you will gradually fry the battery -- read the instructions!)
What I like:
1) the folding handle makes it comfortable to use and easier to get into small spaces.
2) Also, unlike those that don't fold, this one drops into the pockets on my tool aprons and doesn't try to fall out as I climb ladders or crawl around.
3) Contrary to comments in other reviews to the contrary, the ratcheting clutch does work and is sensitive to the adjustment level 0-20. Those who have one that doesn't, should return it for a replacement drill.
4) I first bought a more expensive, smaller Black &Decker drill but gave it away to a customer cause it was pretty much useless. (The cute little one that looks like a tiny hand drill.)
I use mine mostly on electrical jobs where high torque is not a requirement. Also good for other light jobs like installing door hardware etc. If the drill can't quite drive the screw home, I have found that with the clutch set fairly high, I can hand tighten the last bit without pulling the trigger and just using the tool like a manual screwdriver.
On the other hand, I you want to drive lots of screws without pilot holes or do similar heavy work, buy yourself a varialble speed drill with a clutch. Different tool -- higher price but much more versatile.
11/30/2007
Environmentally hostile
Well, it's an average cordless screwdriver, but what bugs me is that, like other B&D products, it's impossible to replace the battery, so you have to buy a new one and toss a perfectly good product into a landfill (after recycling the dead battery, of course). Maybe I'm cynical, but it looks like this is a deliberate marketing strategy on the part of B&D to help their sales figures. It's the last B&D product I'll buy.
4/13/2009
Handiest tool in the box
I ordered this for my brother. My husband has one and says that with a garage full of tools, he uses this one most! My brother was struggling to remove a door so some furniture could be moved out of the house. Many screws had to be removed from hinges and screen door closer. It took a long time and his forearms were getting sore. Then he had to put them all back. Now he can do a job like that easily and quickly. My husband likes the way that it converts to a pistol grip when a hi-torque situation arises but can still fit into a small cabinet space when used as a straight screw driver. I'm sure my brother will find it both handy and useful as my husband does.
9/12/2009
Tiny torque; battery drain; can't use while plugged in
Forget about this product. Because the battery drains when not in use, it won't be ready for you to use. And it won't work while plugged into the charger. So, if you need it in your toolbox, you better plan about 4hrs ahead of time before you need it. And even then, the torque is so weak you'll end up screwing things in by hand anyway. A poor execution of a good idea.
4/6/2008
Can't replace battery
I bought this just over two years ago. I really liked the unit but like a lot of other users have said, the battery doesn't stay charged for over a couple of weeks. But you can't use it while it is plugged in and it takes too long to wait for it to charge up when you need it.
Anyway, the battery is completely dead now and I cannot find a replacement anywhere. The sad thing is that you can take the battery pack out of it very easily.
I really HATE to throw away anything because the battery dies! So much for Earth Day. All the landfills are full of good working equipment.
4/22/2008
Poor design, torque and battery life
Don't buy this power driver. The adjustable handle is good, the torque is poor and the battery life is very short. The battery died on this after only a few months. Wasn't worth replacing. Get the driver with the versa pak if you need a reliable unit. If you need power, go for soemthing large with a 14.4V or 18V battery.
8/11/2009
Rugged, compact, and dependable
I have used this screwdriver almost daily for 5 years in my line of work. I carry it in my tool bag and it travels well. Its light, compact, and does everything I ask of it. What did wear out was the power supply to charge the screwdriver. The cord started breaking right at the transformer. I got a generic replacement from Radio Shack and over the course of about three months it fried the battery in the screwdriver. I've got a Milwaukee screwdriver but for me this B&D is a better tool. I've been looking in the stores for a replacement but was not successful. I finally checked B&D's website and found this model is still available.
If you need a power screwdriver that will work consistently well, has multiple torque settings, is rugged, and compact you will find the B&D 9078 exactly what you need.
8/9/2009
GREAT DRIVER
I AM A HVAC TECK AND DURING MY SERVICE CALLS DURING MY DAY I MUST TAKE OUT AND PUT BACK AT LEAST 26 SCREWS A DAY ...THIS SCREW DRIVER BATT.LASTS ME JUST ABOUT A MONTH ITS GREAT...AND IT HAVE PLENTY OF TALK I HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR NOW AND STILL TICKING IT COME WITH ME ON EVERY JOB... CANT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT IT BUT WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL WOTHE THE MONEY
8/5/2009
GREAT TOOL FOR MOST ANYTHING!
Have used this screwdriver for many things. Bought it after a neighbor brought his over while building a metal storage shed. What a lifesaver! After using a regular screwdriver and driving what seemed to be a gazillion small screws and bolts, I actually had a callous and bruise in the middle of my palm. Started using the Black&Decker Cordless and it went by twice as fast. Plenty of torque, easy to change out bits. Very easy to use in ackward angles,(stretched out over top of shed on ladder) especially with the power button on top. Plus being able to adjust angle of handle is nice also. Gret little "tool" to have. Especially for do-it-yourselfers".
4/16/2009
The Best at what it does and a great value
Excellent design, excellent power for a 3.6 volt.
I do a lot of woodworking, and I use this almost exclusively to drive screws, both on furniture projects and around the house. The clutch works well. At the 1 setting, I can drive screws for switch plate covers without cracking the plastic. I have occaisionally used the higher settings to remove stubborn screws and they have surprising torque. Probabaly enough to twist off a screw head if you set the clutch too high.
The folding design lets it get into very tight spaces, and the combination power/direction switch is very handy, allowing you to do pretty much anything one-handed.
All that said, it is a screwdriver, not a drill. If you want a drill/driver, this is not a good bet. It's also not what you want if you're planning to drive screws into wood (including wall studs) without drilling pilot holes first. For what it's worth, that's a pretty bad idea anyway. Use a drill to create the pilot hole and this little gem to drive the screw.
12/11/2007
Great tool for working on computers
I take apart and rebuild computers all day. So I have plenty of electric screw drivers to handle desktops. However, I needed one to take apart notebooks, which I do far more often, and have a whole lot more screws. This 3.6-volt BD 9078 screwdriver works great for this use, primarily thanks to it's adjustable torque setting. Anymore voltage is over-kill for working with electronics.
With the torque setting, it's able to handle everything from standard size screws on a workstation to the tiny screws hidden in tight spots on a laptop. I've found that a torque setting of 3-4 will handle all but the smallest of screws. In which case, going down to 1-2 gets the job done.
The clutch works as it should. So if you have one that's not working, exchange it. When working normally, you'll hear a clicking noise to let you know that it's reached it's torqe limit, based on the current setting. On the lowest settings it may simply stop so you can release the trigger.
Since I need to be rather mobile, constantly charging the battery also wasn't going to work. But after a full overnight charge it has no problem lasting the entire work week on a charge with fairly frequent use. Then I just charge it up over the weekend, and it's good to go next week. It may last longer, but I haven't tried to see when it will die.
I've been using this tool for a few months now and have found it to be rather comfortable for extended use. It's also small and light enough to fit in a notebook bag so it goes everywhere I go. Just about every tech I let use it has immediatly gone out and bought one for themselves. We do agree that it could use more of a rubber grip and a less slippery trigger. The bits also have a tendency to get stuck on some of the more tight spots and will fall out. There really isn't much holding the bit in place. They also don't give you any place to store the 5 bits that are in the package.
Honestly, these issues aren't a big deal. You get used to the minor annoyances and they are easy enough to work around. And for the price, it really can't be beat. And here are the pros and cons to sum everything up.
Pros:
* Cheap Price
* Adjustable clutch/torque setting
* Small and precise bits
* Rechargeable
* Compact and lightweight
Cons:
* Could use more rubberized grip
* Bits not held in very good
* More bits, such as an extension, would be nice.
As long as you use this screw driver for what it was meant for, it should work great. Just keep in mind that it's a 3.6v driver, not an 18v drill. If it can't handle what you are trying to do, it's clearly not meant for that task. Otherwise, this one is definately recommended.
1/15/2008
good driver
I've had one for 3 years and it's the best rechargable, cordless driver I've used. I bought it based on using the same model. I did ruin the battery (I thought) by using the wrong charger. I was able to order a replacement battery from B&D's site. $15 Installed it and working great again.
I do a lot of projects; dropped it, kicked it, etc. Holds up. Also perfect size for computer hardware work. Clutch is a big asset.
Very powerful, but it's not really for driving long screws into hard wood. It will though...
1/11/2008
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