cordless tools

[rockriver]

I tried some cheap cordless screwdrivers etc... years ago...
they cost cheap and were cheap...
--
zoom to present... over the last couple of years I've been working with a guy who's a
Milwaukee cordless fan... his set is 28v I think, which I can't find for sale anywhere..
3 inch screws in two 2x boards in a couple of seconds...

wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I got a set of 18 volt Milwaukee tools...
3 inch screws in two 2x boards in 3-4 seconds! (actually, I think it is faster than 4 seconds)

I know that there are many brands out there... I can't/unable to rate them..
But,
if you haven't made an investment into these cordless tools may I suggest it...
if there is no ac current... being able to charge up your batteries in an hour? or less
and go do a LOT of work is huge benefit...

[Rmplstlskn]

Tradesmen tell me the Milwaukee... Wish I would have known before I invested in Makita 18v... The batteries have been less then stellar, with one large 18v Makita battery with an error on the charger and will not charge, after less than a year of mild use...

You did well with Milwaukee...

Rmpl

[WiseOwl]

At the shop we have have some snap on cordless impacts. They hold a great charge and can pull lug nuts off. I used one on full charge to take apart my sons swingset (about 40-50 carriage bolts and nuts) and them put it back together. Took it back to work and a tech used it for another day and a half before he had to replace the battery. Lithium Ion batteries in it.
I also have some dewalt 24V cordless impacts that are great. When I build furniture, I use my Ryobi for the pilot holes and the Dewalt for the the screws and it cuts through butter.

I really want to get some of the Plus1 in Lithium Ion with a small solar charger, then I have tools anytime, anyplace.


My coworker has the milwaukee cordless impact and its half the price of the snap on and does the same job.

[610Alpha]

I have been using cordless Dewalt and Makita (not as impressed with them) since '98...I got my first DeWalt in '08 18v. I had seen the compact impact drivers being used by Mike Holmes and I stumbled upon one in'12 on my way to work literally. I was driving in to work, it was 0 dark 30 and I was making a turn and as I turned my headlights flashed on something yellow...I knew it was a DeWalt tool. I pulled over and ran back and to my surprise it was a Compact Impact Driver with a battery. It must have fallen off a truck, I couldn't find a name or anything on it so I kept it. I used it on building the kids swing set and it died. It would have cost as much as a new one to repair it.

Blain's Farm and Fleet and Lowe's sell the tools by themselves (no battery) which is a lot cheaper. Fortunately the battery from the one I found worked plus I had the battery from the one that I got for Christmas. The compact Impact drivers are the way to go!!

[Rmplstlskn]

Yeah, those compact impact drivers have amazed me! They are a very versatile tool for all kinds of tasks (less drilling). I could not imagine building anything of any size without one now... For those who do not own one, do yourself a favor and get one, and be amazed at the driving power in a small package...

Rmpl

[Lowdown3]

Have had decent luck with the Dewalt stuff. Not daily users but fairly regularly. Lowes usually runs deals like $199. for a pack that has the reciprocating saw, drill, impact driver, the little light deal, 2 batteries and a duffel bag. I thought the little light was stupid at first, till we were butchering deer at night and stringing cords all over the place and the wife grabbed for the boy to hold for more light.

The smaller circular saw is about $99. on sale also. Got the smaller angle grinder for around that price as well. The angle grinder and saw zall were used heavily cutting the vents in containers and the batteries were almost too hot to touch by the time they ran out. Yet were recharged in an hour.

We used the Senco strip screw guns heavily for another business years ago and the batteries were always crapping out on us. Have not had a failure yet with the Dewalt stuff. My brother is a carpenter and his trailer is pretty much all decorated with yellow.

[rockriver]

I recently went to a business that was closing and picked up several items...
(sad to see the business close.... they'd been open for decades... installing and selling metal doors and windows, security glass, etc... primarily to businesses and banks.

they were dewalt users... they had a stack of dewalt drills, etc.. with chargers and batteries... they looked like the equipment had been through a war...
real scarred up and abused looking, having come off of service trucks. the owner gave dewalt a good review.

I'd just committed to millmaukee, so I passed.. a buddy bought most of the dewalt and is still using it, batteries are about shot he reports.


milmaukee is one of the higher priced lines I've noticed.
there is a sale going on now.. if you buy one of several packages, you get one of the "big" $100 batteries for free.
but the prices even with the free battery appear to be higher than dewalt.

[justanothergunnut]

I gotta vote DeWalt here. I use them daily. They take serious abuse and have never let me down

[protus]

Used dewalt for a long while but honestly I've abused some ryobi stuff hard. I just got a 18 v kit year back to replace my beat up 14.4. If I had extra $$$ at the time I woulds went compact lithum. They are twice as small as the older stuff and just as strong. IMHO a 12 v could do what the old 14-18 volts could .
My buddies a Milwaukee junkie ....great stuff IMHO...but pricey.

[610Alpha]

I just made a score at the Grand Re-Opening of a Blain's Farm and Fleet in my AO. They built a new store and have some great deals. Dewalt bare tool for 50% off, $99 cordless circular saw (no battery) for $49.50. Christmas came early, store was packed to the gills with people and deals.