>I'm going to be buying either a Milwaukee or Sioux brand of an angle drill. I'm curious though if the size really matters - they come in 1/2 and 3/8". I would mainly be using this for sanding, though it would be nice to use for drilling if I ever needed it. The 1/2" is a slower speed (700 rpms). It also has a slightly longer head (by .2".) Suggestions? Secondly, is there really any difference in the Sioux and Milwaukee? I understand they're made by the same manufacturer, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are exactly the same. Thanks for any insights!
>I can see no reason to consider the 1/2" if it is being used as a sander where all of the attachments are only 1/4".
It may not seem like much, but that larger head and longer length will get in the way for sanding the inside of a bowl. I selected the angle drill with the keyed chuck because it is almost 1/2" shorter than the "keyless" version. I am willing to put up with using the key for being able to power sand inside of smaller bowls.
They may be the same except for the color, but there are several obvious differences. The last time I looked, the Milwaukee is available only at the slower 1200 (?) RPM speed with a keyed chuck, while the Sioux is also available at the faster 2400 RPM, and with a "keyless" chuck.
I have never owned a Sioux, so I can't make any claim to one being more reliable than the other. I bought the Milwaukee because it was the only one available from the dealer at the time. I am an advocate of sanding at slower speeds, so I have never had a need for a faster drill. I have had the Milwaukee for 5 years, and it has never had any maintenance other than an occasional blast with an air hose to clear the dust out of the motor.
>I don't think it matters whether you go with Sioux or Milwaukee but I would go for the slowest rpm and the most amps. As far as the keyless vs the keyed chuck I really like the keyless because I have a separate pad for each grit and I just switch pads when I go to the next grit; a real time-saver. However, I am sanding less and less with power sanding, having switched to the Norton 3X sandpaper and sanding with Watco Oil at low rpm. No-dust sanding is fantastic. TD
>Greg, I agree that the 3/8 size is fine. I owned a Sioux drill that the rear bearing completely disentegrated after two years of use. To fix the bearing was an $80 repair. I passed on the repair and bought a new Milwaukee on ebay for the same price. The Milwaukee is going strong after 3 years. I didn't pay much attention, but the only difference I noticed was the reversing switch on the Sioux was a push-in/pull-out tab on the bottom, while the Milwaukee has a slide button on the side. (Milwaukee's is easier in my opinion.)
I saw a demonstrator that taped a wooden wedge to the inside of the paddle switch so that he could squeeze the paddle all the way down and the wedge would prevent a complete closure, thus keeping the speed of the drill slow. I haven't been bothered enough yet to make the change.
>I have both the Souix and the Milwaukee. Both are fine but both need an occasional blowing out. I put a filter material on the input holes of both and stop a considerable amount of dust. The Souix seems to run a bit quieter if that makes a difference. You can get a Milwaukee on ebay for about $63.00 new in the box. Shipping about $10 or less depending on the seller and his (her) interest in making a buck or two.
I rarely use the fastest speed of the Souix so if I bought one again I would opt for the less expensive unit.
Both are made by the same manufactuer according to many posts...
>A fairly new sandpaper by Norton is now available that cuts really fast. It is available at Home Depot in sheets and is just now available in 5" sanding pads with velcro backing. Pricecutter.com has the 5" pads. If you like it please let Norton know and tell them you want it in 3" pads also.