Need Advice on Light Screwgun

[chopper]

Due to a case of very inflamed tennis elbow I am now unable to hold a screw gun up and hang pic, fix things etc. Several home projects this weekend beckon. There's no way I can hold onto my 5 year old Makita screwgun.

My teenage son says that there is a new breed of screwguns out there powered by lighter batteries that have even more steam than my old gun. Is this true? Anyone know more on this subject and perhaps have a brand/model recommendation?

[michaelb]

I don't know if the lithium powered drills are lighter per se, but there are a wide range of models of powered drills available. Some are much lighter than others, but you might as well go to Lowes or HD or somewhere and pick them up and see. If you aren't driving screws into pressure treated wood, I would think the lightest model you can find and hold would be up to most limited duty tasks (anything it can't handle you shouldn't be doing probably).

[lafinfil]

The new breed of Lithium-Ion powered tools are amazingly lightweight and powerful.
Personally I like the Makita or the Bosch but there are less expensive ones too.

[OWC Jamie]

I wish Makita still made the ones from 15 years ago with the tubular batteries. Made for nice ergonomics compared to some of these new ones. They had decent chucks, too.

Bit extenders can help a bit, too.

[Black]

If your tennis elbow is inflamed you should be doing =nothing= (but resting and icing); when you're better you can look into Lithium-Ion powered power tools-- not exactly what you're referring to with "screw-gun" though-- a cordless compact drill-driver presumably?

[cbelt3]

Everyone has excellent recommendations. I'll note that after my accident I don't have much strength in my rebuilt right arm, and my 18V NiMh powered Ryobi got too much after a while. My 12V LiOn powered Ryobi is freaking awesome, and I can use it until the battery dies.

[Z]

I picked up one of these a month or two ago for my wife after her complaints regarding the stupidly heavy 19.2v Craftsman portadrill I use most of the time. Generally been happy with it, though there was a fault with the first one and I had to get it replaced.

It was something like $30 at Lowes - http://www.amazon.com/Skil-2346-05-3-6-V..._1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1280511904&sr=8-1

[pqrst]

I've been partial to a low end Black and Decker which has replacable AA batteries because I don't want to search for a charger. http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-AS600..._5?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1280511902&sr=8-5 The unit is relatively cheap ($12-20) and has pretty good torque for picture hangers, taking apart computer cases, etc. Most Targets have it in their hardware section.

[Mr Downtown]

If you have a teenage son, why do you care what it weighs?

[modelamac]

Sounds like a job for the two you, you and the teenager. You pick the spot, he drives in the screw. He learns a bit of maintenance, and you both learn new cuss words.