So I have bought a shiny new Makita DHR165 drill, which is a very L-shaped drill - it doesn't quite fit in a Pelicase 1400 with the battery in, for instance, because the handle bit is too long.

What's the best way of making a protective drill condom for it i.e. a pouch for it while it is being used? I have heard various suggestions such as cutting a hole in an Ortlieb drybag (what weight?), using a Warmbac neoprene hood (but I don't think it will be long enough?) or just karrimat and duct tape.

That drill has 'XPT' weatherproofing anyway (water is guided through internal channels and out of the drill) so should be fairly robust.

andrewmc said:

So I have bought a shiny new Makita DHR165 drill, which is a very L-shaped drill - it doesn't quite fit in a Pelicase 1400 with the battery in, for instance, because the handle bit is too long.

What's the best way of making a protective drill condom for it i.e. a pouch for it while it is being used? I have heard various suggestions such as cutting a hole in an Ortlieb drybag (what weight?), using a Warmbac neoprene hood (but I don't think it will be long enough?) or just karrimat and duct tape.

That drill has 'XPT' weatherproofing anyway (water is guided through internal channels and out of the drill) so should be fairly robust.

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Do you mean something to carry it in or by "being used" do you mean whilst you are drilling with it? I'll tell you what I do in both cases.

Because I don't drill shot-holes my drill is only used (drilling) for short periods of time so I have all the vent holes taped up with duct tape all of the time. It sometimes gets slightly warm but I don't think that will harm it anywhere near as much as mud and dust would if it could get in.

To carry it I have a padded pouch made out of the shoulder of an old 6mm wetsuit which fit beautifully all round the drill. The two batteries also have neoprene pouches. Those pouches all then go in a 7l Ortlieb bag then 10l Ortlieb bag then a tackle bag with no hardwear in it. It has been dragged through many quite arduous and very wet caves like that.

I think 'neoprene - Ortlieb - neoprene' might be better. Ortlieb bags get holed very easily.

If needed I have an old wetsuit I need to cut up; could save you a shoulder!

MJenkinson said:

If needed I have an old wetsuit I need to cut up; could save you a shoulder!

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Could I have the other shoulder please! (I posted on the peak digging thread about this incidentally).

Maybe some leg too, though the crotch is yours to keep.

Of course if you are digging and drilling big holes nearer to the surface in a dry place you would probably want to take a very different approach. You would not want to cover the vent holes and a box might be OK but for taking drills a long way into caves boxes are rubbish.

I use an old walking (long/thick) sock. Keeps the worst of the crap off it. Cut the toe end to fit snugly round the chuck end and sealed it with glue.