Black & Decker PD600 Pivot Plus 6-Volt Nicad Cordless Screwdriver with Articulating Head

why did I buy this thing?? Been in the process of phasing out my old B&D versa-pak cordless tools in favor of 14.4 and 18v tools, and just wanted a light-duty screwdriver that didn't use the versa-pak batteries, would mount behind a door in the kitchen, and was convenient when I didn't need a drill/driver. This unit turned out to be a monster, and if you have a 14.4 or 18v drill/driver (as I do), you really don't need this heavy screwdriver - it's redundant.

Ok, it's powerful and does what it's made to do, but I have some other issues with it besides weight and size. It's advertised with a built-in measuring tape, which it didn't have. That's not a big deal for me, but I do like to get what's promised when I open the package. Second, the torque ring was so tight that it was impossible to adjust by hand - actually had to turn it with pliers! Now that it's set to the highest torque setting it won't be changed back, but why was it so hard to adjust in the first place??

In order to plug the charger into it, the driver has to be in the fully straightened position. Makes it almost impossible to hang anywhere. I had assumed that it came with some kind of wall mount - nope. All you can do is lay it on the workbench or table where it's in the way.

I finally gave this unit to my son and bought the B&D 3.6V screwdriver with the retractable screw holder. Comes with a stand that mounts on the wall or sits on a table, smaller and lighter, and just the thing for light duty. Go for that one rather than the big 6V.

very happy with this item, it holds charge, is easy to use, I have tried others, this is the best.

I wanted a battery powered screwdriver/drill for light duty use on my boat. The variety of torque adjustments, two speeds, and flexibility of the head have provided me with the ability to safely drill, and remove and tighten screws in confined spaces, with excellent control over the force being applied to the bit. If you are looking for a light duty screwdriver/drill this is well worth purchasing. I have been using it frequently for over a month and have absolutely no complaints. It simply works as designed. I do not believe that it could hold up to any strenuous use, but neither is it designed for such use. If you use it for small jobs, I believe that it will hold up very well, and it will prevent problems caused by using a too powerful drill for smaller jobs.

When it was working this was a fantastically handy tool for light to medium jobs. It functioned very well as a screwdriver and drill, perfect for when it was not worth the bother of getting out the big guns. This is exactly what I wanted and expected.

The bad news is that after very few months the batteries would no longer hold a charge. Even after providng a full charge it would work for only a very short time. If not used at all after charging would not work at all the follwing day.

Hoping to salvage this useful tool I searched in vain for replacement batteries. Too bad. Now I am searching for a suitable replacement. It will most certainly not be another of these. The idea was/is near perfect. The implementation ruined it.

I consider this a waste of money and could not recommend it to anyone for any purpose. Too bad.

I use it many times a day. I have 2 in my box, when 1 stops I put it on a charger an use the other. In 6 years the 1st 2 died (from my carelessness) and I will continue using them until I can't find them anymore.

I needed a good lite drill/screwdriver for hom improvements and electronic projects like putting in stereo, speakers & amp. It is perfect for those kind of things because my Dewalt was to big and cumbersome for those kind of things. Great for smaller projects.

drill is great, But hte freight U charge to Ak. Is outrageous, I'll think twice be fore order again.

This cordless screwdriver works great and has excellent battery life, but I wish it used normal bits and had a normal chuck. That way I could share drill bits/screw bits with my normal drill. The light is pretty weak too, but not a big deal. All in all a great cordless screwdriver.

When one considers the power this tool has for the price, 80 in./lbs. is economically made just like the big boys. One might quip over design or size, yet the torque is the bottom line. This also means better interaction with the motor and battery at this level, or just go to the high end. Hex bits are sold with just about every company, and most retail stores. For this purchase price this tool is unheard of.

I bought this screwdriver for $30 in 2004. It has been a champ since then. The battery lasts pretty well for jobs around the house. I use it at work occasionally when we are moving a data center. There are nothing but screws for these jobs. I put it on the drill setting and I can moves screws in and out very fast. I like the adjustable torque chuck for this as it is easy to strip a screw. Also, the self locking chuck is nice also. I will put the chuck on a medium torque setting, drill in the screw fast until it ratchets and then turn the whole screwdriver to torque down the screw to the proper setting. I will use the light inside of dark computer racks to see what I am doing. My older version does not bend as much as this one does. It only goes to 60 degrees. I don't think that the extra flex positions are a big deal.

I've put 2.5" screws into 2x4s and it powers through the job pretty fast. I put up peg board all around my garage and this guy could do the work, but it doesn't have a second battery, so it wasn't going to make it to the end of the job. I used my old corded adjustable speed drill to do the 100+ screws needed to complete the job.

For $30, this is a lot of value and a nice addition to your regular adjustable speed drill that you use for the really big jobs.

I needed an easy to use electric screwdriver with sufficient power to do household repairs and decorating. This B&D model fits the bill quite well. The pivoting head makes getting into awkward spaces easy and it's not too heavy for a woman to manipulate for long periods of time. Frankly, it's made for a woman but is strong enough for a man. Isn't that a commercial for deoderant? Well...it applies here, too. Good item.

Very nice powerful tool. The light comes in handy, as well as the hi speed for a quick hole drilling.

Not so good, it won't fold to 90 degrees, and it is so big, can't get into some spaces.

Overall, a very good tool.

I used this to put up curtain rods and such. I'm building a chinchilla cage out of pine and I've been using it the whole time. So, for softwood at least, I can say it works fantastic. Holds a charge very well, also.

NOTE: mine did NOT come with a tape measure, but I already had one so I don't know if they'll send you one if you make a fuss about it.

I absolutely am in love with this Drill/Driver. I can zip in and out, screws from TVs and Computer Desktops with 2 pulls of trigger, and torque adjust on head alllows me to set how tight I want to make screws.

This product does the job it was purchased for, well. It fits nicely in the hand, is lightweight, well made and fairly priced. With the dual speeds, it doubles as a drill for smaller jobs, which comes in handy, and the reverse option is an added plus! After an overnight charge it seems to hold its power. A little more torque would be nice, but isn't that always the case! And, once again, Amazon.com made this a very smooth transaction. Would definitely recommend.Black & Decker PD600 Pivot Plus 6-Volt Nicad Cordless Screwdriver with Articulating Head

I got this at Christmas and like the way it works. The thing I don't like about it is that I also got the 71-966 drill set that they advertise that goes with this screwdriver/drill. Don't believe them, the drill bits do not fit this item the other things that come with the set does. After complaining to Black & Decker I did get the correct drill bits, but they should change their advertisement online to fit the product.

I ordered this for my husband and he really likes it ...............I don't use it .......

I bought this driver/drill to get into tight spots.

When it arrived I did not realize it has no chuck therefore I had to buy seperate!

The discription was vauge as to the lack of a chuck. So I was disappointed in this

machine from the start. I purchased the chuck seperate.

This tool has poor power to do the jobs necessary around the house.

There is no backup battery and the hole for the charger is in the joint of the

piviot so when you get it you cant fnd the hole to charge it.

How stupid of an Idea is that.

Dont make the mistake I made. It lasted two screws and the clutch broke.. I

returned it for full credit..

I was looking for something that could be stored in a kitchen drawer to use when I only needed to install a couple of screws or drill a couple of holes, in lieu of pulling out one of my impact drivers or a drill. This self proclaimed "power tool" is a complete joke, regardless of the price. If all your doing is installing a few electrical cover plates on switches or receptacles, this screwdriver should fit your needs just fine. But if you need to drill a few holes and install some wood screws, such as for curtain rods or an electrical outlet box, fagetaboutit. This tool couldn't twist itself out of a hula-hoop. And for the large size of this thing, you might as well pull out your tried & true DeWalt drill and/or impact driver. And if you need a screw driving tool that has a 90° angled head, such as when hanging cabinets, I would recommend the Ridgid R82233 right angle impact driver. It EASILY drives and removes wood screws up to 2&1/2" with NO stripping of the screw heads.

Great torque and I find myself using it every day. This kind of product is becoming unavailable as the battery packs are taking over.
This is a good gift idea for any handyman.

This is the second PD600 pivot screwdriver I have owned the first one just got worn out.I just hope this one lasts as long as the first one and can hold up to the everyday abuse I put the first one through.

I've used this screwdiver to put together Ikea-type furniture, pre-drill holes in heavy oak trim and then driving in screws for hanging curtain rods. Was impressed with the punch this little screwdriver packed.

This tool does what it says it will do. However, the slot for extra bits does not hold them in place well, and they will drop out - especially the drill bit.
The instruction manual refers to a tape measure stored within the base of the handle. The handle shows where the push-button for access would be if there was one. There is none in mine, and a review of the accompanying web page does not show or suggest that there might be one.
This is truth is advertising I guess, but I'd like to have the tape also.

This is a replacement for the same model I got many years ago. Battery would not hold a charge -replacement battery cost $20 so I just bought a new one. Could not find any other model with as good of power, features or value.

Great battery life (between charges, could go a long time without being charged, and had lots of juice when it was needed), but this is now dead, it won't take a charge, and it's only about 2 years old. It did some great stuff while it worked. I was never happy with the bit storage: the bits are hard to secure in the holders, and fall out easily. the Philips head bit seemed to be the wrong size (too small) for a lot of things; I wish there had been a couple sizes of them.

This is a great multi purpose screwdriver. It has the power needed to do small to medium sized jobs. For around $6.00 you can purchase a accessory package which includes extra bits, drill bits, and assorted screw heads that are useful in hundreds of different projects.

I've had bought one of the screw drivers from a local store about 3 years ago and wanted to buy another The store no longer carried them so I went to Amazon and happen to find another. One of the best battery drivers I've ever own. I have bought me another and two more for gifts. You will not go wrong buying this drill/driver.

I like the features of this screwdriver (except the quick-release collet), but the one I got was poorly constructed...it even "felt" that way compared to the craftsman 3.6v it was replacing. On the B&D, the task light would turn off intermittently during use, and the speed-selection switch wouldn't always engage properly. I got the craftsman 7.2v instead, and it's great - solid construction, comes with a case and some screwdriver tips, and only a few bucks more.

I have not used this tool enough to be able to rate it. However, this is the only place I know to voice my frustration, and rate the B&D customer service. The packaging is most user unfriendly I've encountered (minor irritation). Written instructions for charging have the port in the wrong location, (say it's at the bottom of the handle - actually at the top, which is covered with the handle in the "as shipped" position (irritation building). Went to register on-line... filled in form... received message that the time had run out, close browser and try again. That's all I can get after a number of hours over several days and months of trying, (irritation at boiling point). Tried to contact them by e-mail... struck out again. Black and Decker customer support receives a "0" rating from me.

This was really frustrating. At first it was great. It has lots of great features. But there is one thing that ruins it all. That is the fact that it is rechargeable. This seems like a good feature, but it is terrible because: a) you can only use it from the battery. If the battery is dead, you can't use it at all. b) It takes hours to charge. c) It doesn't hold a charge for very long. It will konk out on you in the middle of a project. And to top it off, d) Even when it is fully charged, it has very little power. It is not strong enough to do tough jobs. It has nowhere near the power of a corded drill.

If you are like most people, you won't use this everyday. Just from time to time, when you have a job to do around the house. It could be weeks since the last time you used it. You will always find the battery dead. Eventually, it won't even accept a charge at all. Now it is useless, because the battery is not replaceable.

To be fair, the problem isn't Black & Decker, it is the battery technology. But do yourself a favor. Don't buy any cordless tools.

I love this drill for all my household projects. It is much easier to handle than a full sized drill in tight spaces.

I work on computers for a living, and this tool is the handiest ever. Battery lasts for days, remarkable torque, very functional clutch. I get these for all the techs that work for me.

The B&D cordless screwdriver is perfect. It does everything that is advertised. The battery life is long, and the drill has many different speed settings for different screws. There is a light on the drill for night visabilty but it is not the best. I would recommend this product to others.

This is second one of these I've had, was good enough the first time, so had to get another one to replace. Handy in many ways. Have had others very similar to this, even B&D's but none seem to be the same or as handy as this is.

Instructions for Cordless Screwdriver indicated there was a tape measure in the handle. None found.

I liked this screwdriver at first. But I've had it for a few months, used it a handful of times, and now I see how much it sucks.

1) Battery doesn't keep a charge. And you HAVE to use the battery. You can't run it directly off of the plug in.

2) Poor quality. It's really terrible -- I pulled this out of my drawer today and it only works in reverse. For real -- reverse! No indication of damage or anything -- it just stopped working.

Black & Decker -- improve the quality next time.

the b & d PD600 is a step up from my old 3 volt rechargeable screw driver. for only about ten dollars more you get a lot of bang for that ten bucks. light but strong, great torque and great ease. the added bonus of a drill tip is really convenient.

I bought this screwdriver for my husband, but I think that it would be great for ANYONE! Its a great all around household tool. And it has more power than I could have imagined.

Got it for Christmas and so far so good. Works like it is suppose too. I will update if it does not.

I'm a part-time handiman. This Screwdriver is nice and easy to use; it fits well into my tool box; my spouse uses it, and the torque control is handy. Also, I thank Amazon for a good deal.
RGG in Texas

This is the next generation of this type of tool but with a 6 volt battery that gets the job done.

This product is all well and good if used primarily as a screwdriver.
However, I decided to buy this as it said it could be used as a drill.
This is very misleading.
The drill bits that you get in accessory packs are not hex, and they will require an extra attachment to work. I have spoken to Black abd Decker, and they were unable to tell me if such an attachment exists.
Therefore, any drill bits that you buy with round ends WILL NOT WORK in this product.
I even bought a drill bit kit from B&D which sppeared to have a hex attachment. However, this also does not fit into the PD600.
Very very misleading product.

Seems to be a good quality for the money. It does what I need it to do and the battery seems to last a good while on each charge. So far I am very happy with it.

This is my second PD600 B&D drill it is very versital. I use it for lots of different projects. I would recomend it Highly. Ted

This is my second Battery Screwdriver of this type...(I broke my first one and I had it for 3 or 4 yrs..) I loved it and could not find one available in any local store..I went on line and found it at Amazon.com..Its the 6 volt type and is great.. My only problem was the charger was bad and I had to order a new one.. but they're very in expensive..I have several black and decker battery operated tools and have never had a problem with any of them..I just got the handsaw battery operated tool and have yet to use it..but have a lot of plans for it..ron

This cordless screw driver worked for me for a year. I used it scarcely. After one year it stopped working. Looks like the batery is not being charged. There is no option to put a new battery. Now I have to buy another one, and I will buy where the battery can be replaced.

This is my 2nd one. I love this screwdriver. A lot of power (6V vs 3V or 3.5V in others). This newer one does not have the measuring tape as the other one did although the manual and directions state that it does.
Great item.

The charger is not intelligent. Leaving it plugged in will cook the battery pack, which, while not expensive (about half the cost of the tool), is not trivial to replace. The users complaining of batteries that don't hold a charge have probably suffered from this problem. To preserve battery life, run the batteries dead before recharging, and after the initial 9-hour charge, do not allow the tool to charge for more than 6 hours.

This is a Good ,strong ,lightweight drill with a light at the front shining on the work-area ,the battery holds a charge very well and this little Guy has some power ,actually plenty for around the house / light-job usage. Well built,sturdy - Good Purchase !!!

Although a bit large, this screwdriver is capable of a multitude of tasks. It has good torque, and with the right attachments, it also works well as a nut driver or a light duty drill. It does come with one drill bit, along with a flat head and phillips head bits. The ability to adjust the angle of the head and the small light are pluses. Mine didn't have the built-in tape measure as advertised, but I don't think it would be very useful anyway.