I just bought this off fleabay, it was around $US200 delivered, it runs 2 MT bits and included an adapter for a regular drill chuck that takes up to 5/8" drill bits, I've bought a 2 MT holder for annular cutters to go with it for another $20.

I had been watching it for the past couple of years on fleabay when the price was over $US300 and they had sold a lot of them, but now I have a job to do drilling new holes in Cat 30 track frames to mount early D4 bottom rollers, so I really needed to get a magnetic base drill, luckily for me the seller dropped the price so I grabbed one.

The only negative I can see is it is a set speed unit, running at 500 rpm, but for the little work I'll be doing with it, drilling 16 holes 5/8" in size, it will be fine I'm sure, I've drilled 5/8" holes before with my hand drill and even small drills can grab hard when they bite.

I have to replace bottom rollers in my D4 7J soon and I already know their mounting bolts are rusted in tight, so I won't be surprised if a couple break off, if they do, then this new drill will pay for itself drilling out those broken bolt threads, I'm aiming to remove the track frames so I can work on the rollers more easily.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/1200W-MB-23-Magnetic...7:g:ccgAAOSwffReTPEx
Mike

Looks like a piece of Chinese junk to me. Good luck not letting the smoke out!!!!

i don't know squat about magnetic drills....but if we stick to basics...

-proper bit or cutter......good material in cutting tool and sharpness...proper speed...proper cutting fluid or oil etc....taking your time and not forcing things...

?won't that get the job done?

Pete, I'm the first one to be critical of Chinese stuff, but sometimes they get it right, Cat Inc wouldn't be building new machines and parts there if it was all rubbish.

Look at the Ebay link, this Ebay seller has sold over 200 of these drills the past couple of years here in Australia and have a outstanding Ebay rating, almost 99% satisfaction rating after selling almost 14,000 items over the past 7 years, including 227 of these drills, if they were crap you would see all the complaints in their feedback section, and their Ebay rating would be in the low 90's.

I'm saving these old Cats with money I've earned, not inherited, so I'm always looking at value for money with everything I buy, I have 16 holes I have to drill in those Cat 30 track frames, holes only 5/8" in diameter, I'm confident it will do the job much better than my little Bosch 1/2" cord drill.

If I had just won the contract to re-rivet the Golden Gate Bridge I'd be buying something more appropriate, but the $800-$1,000 I just saved will buy me another basket case dead Cat to save, and that means more to me, trying to save Australia's antique Cat history from going to China as scrap, than impressing my buddies with the rarely used fancy brand name tools in my old workshop.

At least Mike owns a mag drill! I sent mine back yesterday at the tune of over 200 USD. Murphy's law then sets in place again, UPS delivered the cutters without the chuck... Now I wait patiently (again) for my refunds.
I have owned a lot of name brand yellow colored angle grinders here, American made and name brand; they sell them in twin packs. I know why now. Because after an hour of so of total use, I have to toss one and use the extra one...
My favorite trailer builder buys brand X from the lord knows where, same thing almost. His comparison of imported angle grinders outlast the name brands and WAY less expensive. The thought with me is you get what you pay for, but that isn't always the case!
Everyone please have a nice Friday and even better weekend please!!! JM

Just the fact alone of being a single speed 500 rpm makes it useless to me. I believe in matching cutting speeds.

500rpm is too fast for a twist drill thats about right for half inch. annular cutters are different though check what the cutter specs are. and use cutter lube i can recommend sutton tools venom liquid cutting fluid magic stuff you only need a little drop occasionally.

An update: Waiting for the correct 2 speed, swivel base unit to get here. Talk about a three ring circus. Add to that, I am waiting on the drill chuck and waiting for a reply on getting my $215.00 in freight monies refunded as well. I have purchased plenty of stuff via Amazon, and in all of my years, never dealt with such a bunch of buffoons. The only winner on the deal so far is the freight company! Had I anticipated this, I surely would have just gone to any of our local welding supply stores to buy one.
If anyone wants to know who to avoid (at least in my case), PM me and I will tell you. I wish this not on anyone else! JM