# Drill pump � the solution to high gas prices?



## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

​Well I know this title might conjure pictures of a big drill rig that would bore into the ground and pump out oil from your back yard… and you could spend the rest of your life touring the US in your camper, but I’m sorry my drill pump will not do this.

However, if you turn on the TV early on Sunday morning you might find an infomercial for one as the solution to a medical problem that affects millions of Americans – back pain. “… and for two payments of $14.99 plus shipping we will send you not just one but TWO drill pumps.”

“Ruide, What on earth are you talking about?”

Well let me back up. You should know that I’m a power tool person – Yes Tim the Tool man is my idol. And my favorite tool is my DeWalt 18 VOLT DC920KA Drill- with a high power, high efficiency motor which delivers 480 unit watts out of max power. Now I don’t just use mine to drill holes and am constantly searching for new applications. So I use my drill it to raise my trailer roof, lower the stabilizers, level the camper, lower the tongue jack, change tires, and when my wife is not looking I scramble her eggs while we are camping.

You should also know that while I’ve been blessed in many ways, I’m not built like a foot ball player. So holding up 5 gallons (40 pounds) of water at chest height while filling up my water tank is not my idea of fun. Plus I always worry that on some camping trip I would strain my back and trust me - recovery means - seven days of laying on your back and that is not fun.

So a year ago I found a pump that you could attach to a drill (hence the name drill pump) and thought this would be the solution to my lifting problem. Truth of the matter it was a good idea but bad tool. It took 2 to 3 minutes to pump out 5 gallons and typically I would need at least two if not three Jerry cans of water. Plus muscle fatigue from holding down the drill switch for 10 minutes was just a bad as holding the can in the air… OK where is Popeye and his can of spinach when I need him? 

However, a month or so I saw a larger drill pump as I was flipping through a Northern Tool catalog… yes I know I’m going to sound like an idiot when someone sitting beside me on a plane asks: 

“So what is the most recent book you’re read?” 
My answer “Northern Tool”
“Hummm… I’ve not heard of that book. Who wrote it?”

Anyway this was a much larger bright orange pump… and so it was off to the store and with my heart pumping with excitement I got a new drill pump and took it home for testing.

I was really pleasantly surprised when I put it to the test and found that I could pump eight gallons of water in less than a minute compared to 3.5 minutes with the older drill pump. In fact it took longer to fill up the container with a garden hose than it took to pump it out. 

Yes Success

Now my next project will be to find a drill attachment that will allow me to grind up ice so I can make a frozen margarita.

Ruide.

PS For those looking for a solution to the water tank filling solution, there are 12 volt and manual bilge pumps as well as 12 volt utility pumps. One day I’ll do a comparison of all three and see how they measure up to the drill pump.


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