Black and Decker 9078 3.6-Volt Ni-Cad Cordless Screwdriver

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...