Comparison Craft CAS 18SL vs Stanley SCD12S2

Torque is the maximum force with which this model is capable of turning the working nozzle.

Higher torque gives more options, it allows you to cope with complex tasks such as drilling in hard materials, unscrewing stuck screws and nuts, etc. On the other hand, a lot of force requires corresponding power — and this, in turn, affects the dimensions , weight and cost of the tool itself, and also puts forward increased power requirements (mains power, battery capacity or pressure / compressor performance). And for some tasks, excessive torque is basically unacceptable, so for maximum versatility, it is desirable to have torque control — and this affects the cost even more. And the more steps, the more optimally you can configure the tool to perform a particular type of work. So the general rule is this: when choosing, it is worth considering the specifics of the planned work, and not chasing the greatest working effort.

Detailed recommendations on choosing the optimal torque for different types of tools (see "Device") can be found in special sources. Here we note that it is of key importance primarily for screwdrivers, although it is also given for other types of tools. At the same time, in the “weakest” models, the maximum working force does not exceed 15 Nm, in the most powerful ones it is more than 150 Nm.

The total weight of the tool is usually the device itself, without attachments. For battery models (see "Power Source"), usually, the weight is indicated with a standard battery installed; for battery-powered models, the weight can be given both with and without batteries, but in this case this point is not particularly important.

Other things being equal, less weight simplifies work, increases accuracy of movement and allows you to use the tool for longer without tiring. However, note that high power and productivity inevitably increase the mass of the tool; and various tricks to reduce weight increase the price and can reduce reliability. In addition, in some cases, a massive design is more preferable. First of all, this applies to work with a large load — for example, drilling holes of large diameter, or making recesses with impact: a heavy tool is more stable, it is less prone to jerks and shifts due to uneven material, vibration of mechanisms, etc.

It is also worth noting that specific weight values are directly related to the type of tool (see "Device"). Screwdrivers are the lightest — in most of them this figure does not exceed 500 g. Screwdrivers and drill drivers are more "heavy": their average weight is 1.1 – 1.5 kg, although there are many lighter ( 0.6 – 1 kg) and heavier ( 1.6 – 2 kg or more ) models. And clas...sic drills and wrenches have the greatest weight: such a tool must be quite powerful, so for them 1.6 – 2 kg is an average, 2.1 – 2.5 kg is above average, and many units weigh more than 2, 5 kg.

Rated battery voltage for which the cordless tool is designed (see "Power Source").

Manufacturers select the battery voltage taking into account the performance characteristics of the tool and the power supply required to achieve these characteristics. In fact, this means that most often this parameter can be ignored at all when choosing. The only exceptions are some specific situations — for example, if the "household" already has a battery of the same company and you want to evaluate its compatibility with the selected model, if the selected tool is supplied without a battery and you want to immediately order a power source for it, or for accurate comparison of batteries by capacity (see below for more details). But after the purchase, the voltage data can also be useful for finding chargers in addition to or to replace the "native" charger.

As for specific values, in many models the voltage does not exceed 10 V — this is often quite enough. However, much more popular options are 11 to 15 V and 16 to 20 V. There are also higher voltages, but much less frequently.

The capacity of the battery supplied with the respective tool (see "Power Source"). The most modest capacity values in modern power tools do not even reach 1 Ah, such batteries are found mainly among electric screwdrivers(see "Device"). And in powerful professional models there are batteries for 3 – 4 Ah and even more.

Theoretically, the higher the capacity, the longer the tool will be able to work on a single battery charge. However, in fact, things are far from being so clear cut. First, the ampere-hour is a fairly specific unit; its features are such that only batteries with the same voltage can be directly compared by the number of ampere-hours. With a difference in voltage, you need to convert the capacitance to watt-hours and use them for comparison. Secondly, the actual battery life of the tool depends not only on the properties of the battery, but also on the power consumption and other performance characteristics. Thus, it is possible to compare different models in terms of battery capacity only with the same supply voltage and similar capabilities.

Battery models compatible with the tool.

When choosing a tool, this information is relevant mainly for models without a battery in the kit (see "Complete battery"). For tools that come with batteries, the battery model is more of a reference—it's mostly "for the future" if a spare or replacement battery is needed. However, this data can also be useful in the selection process — for example, to assess compatibility with an existing battery on the farm, or to find detailed data on compatible batteries and determine how they meet your requirements (in particular, there are formulas that allow you to determine the time of continuous operation from a specific battery; these formulas can be found in special sources).

The time to fully charge the battery that the tool is equipped with from a standard charger (when using other batteries or a “non-native” charger, this time may vary both in one direction and in the other).

For cordless tools in general, see "Power Source". And charging time data gives you an idea of how you'll need to organize your workflow and how long breaks you'll need to charge your batteries. The specific duration of the process will depend both on the capacity of the battery (ceteris paribus, a more capacious model takes longer to charge), and on the technologies used by the manufacturer that increase charging efficiency. However, in general, it is customary to refer to tools with a good charging speed as models where this procedure takes no more than 45 minutes.

We also note that the specific meaning of this parameter also depends on the number of batteries in the kit. Recall that there are often several of them at once (see "Complete battery"), and while one battery is working, the rest can be charged. This allows you to reduce interruptions to a minimum, and even completely do without them. But if there is only one battery, charging breaks will inevitably be required in full. This is especially true for tools with a built-in power source (in models with replaceable batteries, the situation can be corrected by purchasing additional batteries).