FWIW: I totally agree with you Marv, I've scored, amended and used a handful of discarded, previously cordless 12 V drills/ tools for home use thru the last decades.
Also having a regular supply of SLAs thru the IT guys at work changing those every other year in their UPS:s has made me positively self-sufficient.
1st benefit was realizing that the drill with a 6' AWG 12 speaker cord to the SLA was much less heavy in use, letting me reach the ceiling anyhow.
2nd benefit was the incredible oomph the drill got from the high amps the SLA would crank out if needed, the coarse cable providing minimum voltage drop.
3rd benefit was when I converted my work power tools with a bigger SLA and hand tools in a shopping cart:
No one at work could/ would "borrow" my worn and dirty, seemingly cumbersome drills any more (where my colleagues are still out searching for theirs).
My stunned workmates looked at mine and asked me what the hell I'd done - I merely replied that their "cordlessness had been cured".
Li-Ion tools at 17,4 VDC has not yet been offered, as their batteries haven't flattened out yet for my picky, modern brand-washed workmates.
Providing that voltage thru a single SLA would be a challenge though, and 28 V from two series-wired SLAs might be enough for a decent fire - but time will tell...
Matter of fact - only yesterday I was given a rarely used small Bosch 12 V SDS drill hammer (sans flat battery/ charger),
which I've started to butcher up to fit the appropriate cable.
Guess that'll be covered in a following post.
Cheers
Johan
Some experiences from a cheapo drill a few years ago in quite another forum:
Previously "Cordless" drill fixed! - Meccano Gallery
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