I swore by my old cordless drill for years, but a stripped screw head changed everything

I was putting up a new shelf in my garage last Tuesday, just a simple job with some 2x4s and lag bolts. My trusty drill, the one I've had since 2018, started to struggle on the third screw. The bit slipped, and before I knew it, the Phillips head was completely rounded out... stuck about halfway in. I tried everything I could think of: rubber bands, a different bit, even pliers. Nothing worked. I ended up having to drill the head off completely, which took another 20 minutes and left a mess. It finally clicked that the drill's clutch was worn out and the battery just didn't have the consistent torque anymore. I guess after five years of constant use, things just give up. Has anyone else had a tool fail at the worst possible moment, and what did you replace it with?

2 comments

2 Comments

diana3028h ago

Totally feel that, my old impact driver died mid-deck build.

mark_nguyen9538m ago

Come on, is a broken tool really that big of a deal? @diana302, you could probably finish the deck with a regular drill and a bit of extra elbow grease. In my experience, people make too big a deal about having the perfect gear. It's a hassle for sure, but it's not the end of the world. Just seems like a minor bump in the road, not a real crisis.