need advice--cordless tools [Archive]

megaladon6

11-12-2009, 03:32 PM

i'm looking to buy a kit with a STRONG drill (not a glorified screwgun), sawzall, and circular saw. i want the circ saw to be able to cut 2/4's at a 45* angle in one pas so i think it needs to be a 6.5in minimum. who's a good company for quality without paying a fortune? i've looked at hitachi, dewalt (heard the quality has come down?), makita, bosch, ridgid (i like the lifetime warranty), milwaukee, and for an el-cheapo- porter cable.
i'm sure that i will be drilling and cutting steel up to 1/4 thick at some point.
i'm not a pro-carpenter or anything but my tools will get used and abused and need to hold up. actually i figure that amateurs abuse tools worse than pros!
thanks
oh and if you know, which kit. since everyone makes different levels.

amx2334

11-12-2009, 03:54 PM

I have zero experience with these but was looking at them at Menards the other day and they look well built.I was interested in the Lithium tech line mostly. The free batteries for life sounds like an excellent deal.I hate buying batteries that cost more than the tools themself. Maybe someone here has some experience with them?
http://rockwelltools.com/products.htm

Chevrolaine

11-12-2009, 04:14 PM

DeWalt 18v No experience with the others but my 3 piece kit is going on 11 years with use every weekend. No issues at all.

I'm sure there are other ones better but not 3-400 bucks better.

mjoc1

11-12-2009, 04:14 PM

Dewalt is a good tool but there cordless tools need some work. THe Milwaukee is a very good tool, If you buy the new top of the line. Make sure that you get the 19.6 or higher voltage.

Mike

Andrew McBride

11-12-2009, 05:08 PM

All we have is Dewalt. My brother has Dewalt and Ryobi in his motorcycle shop. He has a Ryobi hammer drill that is bad to the bone. We used Makita stuff when setting up out in vegas this year and I was not impressed with some of their drills and I like makita stuff. All in all DeWalt is good.
Hitachi drills aren't bad either and are a decent price, we used to have an 18V to use around our apartment place.

absintheisfun

11-12-2009, 05:15 PM

I have had dewalt, craftsman and kawasaki. If you want one that will last forevever, get the makita--I love mine. I have two lithium batteries that I rotate constantly to feed my grinder, sawzall and drills. I get about 3-4 hours of use (horrible, horrible abuse) and it takes 30 minutes to recharge.

My craftsman made it about a year and half, Dewalt a little less. Kawasaki is still running (19.2v), but the batteries only last about an hour or so before needing a 4 hour recharge.

megaladon6

11-12-2009, 05:26 PM

normally i'd jump at the dewalts (my family has been beating on them since they came out with the cordless drill), but i've been hearing complaints about them the last few years. but i've found the drills to be virtually unstoppable torque-wise.
honestly i don't know that i can afford anything over 18v. those kits are around $500 which is my limit.
thanks for the help, please keep it coming!

megaladon6

11-12-2009, 05:31 PM

also, do i actually need a hammer drill? i usually look for it because they're tougher and stronger, but are the "drill/drivers" actually enough?
i don't expect to have to go through rock, concrete's a very slight possibility, but i doubt it.
thanks

mikester

11-12-2009, 05:46 PM

Ive had a 12V Dewalt drill for years. Both batteries started to go after 4 or 5 years. I went to Home Dumpo, looked at buying batteries and after seeing they were $110 for two bought the 18V Ryobi drill/trim saw combo for $10 more. Now that combo is even cheaper. For the money it made sense to buy all new. So far I cant complain. I kept the Dewalt as a backup out in the garage but its pretty much shot so Im probably going to buy the Ryobi 18V drill/light combo to replace it. I also bought the sawsall so at this point Im pretty much locked into Ryobi. Honestly its not bad for the money and Ive heard the new line is even better.

Samsdad2

11-12-2009, 05:46 PM

I make my living with Ridgid and Bosch. Tried most of the rest like these the best.
Regards
Mark

moreHP

11-12-2009, 06:01 PM

I have had great results with my dewalt drill. I dont treat it all that well either and it holds up just fine.

megaladon6

11-12-2009, 06:03 PM

any experience with the ridgid lifetime warranty? supposedly it even covers the batteries! but we all know that some companies always squirm out of their liability.

absintheisfun

11-12-2009, 06:07 PM

BonzoHansen

11-12-2009, 08:24 PM

any experience with the ridgid lifetime warranty? supposedly it even covers the batteries! but we all know that some companies always squirm out of their liability.

I'm still trying to get them to cover it. I did everything they said I had to do when I got it. Argh. #1 is you can't take it back to home depot, it ain't like sears. you have to go to a authorized service center.

I got the 24v lith set that they discontinued not long after I got it (bad sign). 1st battery **** out <1 year. the other is tired but still going for over 3. drill had a lot of balls but something is going wrong in the gears, (2 speed), it no longer works in high speed. homeowner & car use, def not an every day tool for me. I have to go try yet again to get this POS warrantied. Trim saw & sawzall are ok - my old B&D electric sawzall has more balls. I actually love the small circ saw. Very handy.

Not happy w/rigid.

shmoov69

11-12-2009, 08:52 PM

Dewalt. For work we use the corded HD screw guns putting in #15 roofing screws......like thousands a day and up to 22" long!! Those drills seem to last the longest. Cordless, I can't tell you much other than the ONE that we have there is a Dewalt and it is like 8 years old with no problems, but we just use it for repairs and stuff.
At home I got a 19.2 volt Craftsman kit from 2000 that is working great (even the same batteries!) and there is a TON of different tools available now with the same battery.

MonzaRacer

11-12-2009, 09:52 PM

I for one cannot brag enough about Dewalt, some of the battery technology the companies are using has been banned so some performance loss is in the works.
You will see Milwaukee, in limited areas as they are all sold by the commercial jobbers.
Bosch I will tell you is NOT all its cracked up to be, and Ridged well the warranty is sucky at best.
Your going to see battery issues with all of them
Lithium Ion is going to operate like this, go like gang busters ,then die, recharge do over, more charge cycles over the long haul but less able to be rebuilt.
Nicad, will sort of taper off and needs recharged as soon as you see/hear/feel a power drop off, they can be rebuilt for around $50 and give great life, sometimes even better than original as the milliamp/ hour rating on replacement cells are usually higher ,and can be recycled easier.
Now SOME chargers will let you have Nicads rebuilt with Nickle/metal /Hydride (NMiH) and get better performance, but SOME chargers cannot handle charging them, so be aware.
Dewalt 18v XRP is probably best bang for the buck, you can interchange their Lithium Ion batteries into them with no adapters, but you need the Lithium Ion charger too.
For your information, the Lithium Ion charger/single battery combo goes for about $225 from Fastenall.
Nickle /Metal/Hydride (NMiH) is a go between for the difference of Nicad and Lithium Ion.
Makita would be my second choice.
Only reason I include Milwaukee is because of the evidence I see from a lot contractors, the supply houses they frequent sell them and I have even seen the new camera scope, very cool and about half the cost of Snap On.
another palce for Dewalt batteries is Ebay.
Unless its very light I would stick with 18 volt. regardless of the brand.

budweasel

11-13-2009, 04:04 AM

In my experience Hilti exceeded expectations of what a cordless drill should be able to do. Very expensive though. I'm sure overkill for hobbyist.

In my own garage I have a Hitachi 18v that rated high on Consumer Reports and fit the price range I was willing to spend. It works fine, there will always be a "better" drill out there. Just make sure to get at least two batteries. And alway have a corded drill available.

72nova

11-13-2009, 05:31 AM

I am an electrician and all we use is Bosch and Dewalt. I really like the Bosch, they seem better able to take the abuse. The Bosch impact driver that comes with some kits is awesome. I am not a big fan of Dewalt drills. I pesonally have a Rigid, I bought because of the lifetime warranty. I had a battery go bad and still cannot get it replaced. They told me they dont make that battery anymore. I did buy it 10 years ago so maybe they dont. All in all iits been a good drill.

shortrack

11-13-2009, 07:16 AM

For work I use my drill off and on all day every day and I couldn't be happier with the Lith/Ion 18v Makita......this coming from a lifelong (20yr) Milwaukee man......lightweight is VERY important to me however as I have to lug my 30lb tool pouch everywhere.....the only other brands I even considered were Milwaukee, Dewalt and Bosch and of those I found the Mil and Dewalt to be significantly more bulky than the Makita.....Bosch too pricey......for me for work the Lith/Ion is the only way to go...the power and 15 min charge time is off the hook.

but for around the house/shop (where charge time and ultimate power doesn't matter so much) I bought a Hitatchi NiCad combo pack on sale at Lowes for like dirt cheap and its fine.....I find that hand held spotlight it came with is super handy!...I love it for working on the cars.....with the NiCad especially charge the battery if you notice any slowdown in performance and when your done with any use no matter how small

Brandon Miller

11-13-2009, 07:47 AM

It's not listed but I have a Craftsman 19.2V drill, sawzall, worklight, and skill saw combo set. I've put them through I don't know what and they work just as strong as the day I got them over 5 years ago.

Roger M

11-13-2009, 08:17 AM

I made my living with dewalt cordless stuff for about a dozen years. I burned up 4 drills/hamerdrills using them everyday and went through many batteries.

I used Dewalt mostly because the people I worked around used the same. I will most likely buy Hilti or Bosch when I upgrade.

Verboten

11-13-2009, 07:27 PM

I personally own a 19.2 Craftsman and it works fine for me and my around the house stuff. I have worked professionally and used the over-rated Black & Decker DeWalts..... GOOD tool, but over-rated. I have used Makitas..... GOOD tool but over-priced even at box stores. I have used Rigids..... GREAT tool, GREAT warranty & lots of Home Depots around the country. I have used Ryobis.... yep had a boss that wanted to go cheap and believe it or not.... probably the best tool dollar for dollar, BUT not for constant abuse.

The drill I always wanted to use was the old 24V Bosch, I heard of a local guy actually broke his wrist with one and he was a contractor!!! I guess thay are beasts, but now they have a 36V!!!

So until my Craftsman dies I can only dream.

megaladon6

11-14-2009, 05:31 PM

bl1tzw1ng

11-14-2009, 08:08 PM

I have used Porter and always had good experiences. I did notice that they seemed to wear out a little quicker than my DeWalt stuff. I generally only use and buy DeWalt now because I use them daily for construction, have dropped the drills from 40 ft onto cement, dirt, bricks, etc and even dropped the cordless saw from about 20 ft, and I just can't kill the things. Lotsa duct tape keepin things together but they can take anything I throw at em. Just make sure you get a 1/2 inch drill, much more versatile. Corded tools are Milwaukee and have been going strong for decades. I'd suggest minimum of 18v.

If you aren't using them daily, I think you'd be fine spending a little less money on Porter maybe Craftsman or whatever else may be cheaper.

dipren443

11-14-2009, 09:14 PM

has anyone tried the porter-cables? i know they're owned by dewalt/B&D and used to be good. i'm leaning towards them as the circular saw is large enough and the kit is only $250 which is much easier for me to afford than the $500 of the other kits. plus i don't know that i need the massive power they have. 'though i may get the dewalt or the milwaukee, they seem to get more consistent reviews.
thanks

The new porter cable stuff feels like tinker toys. I had a porter cable 12V drill from back when their stuff was good and it never failed me. The batteries eventually gave up the ghost... I went to a Makita 18V and I really like it.

Not sure if the question about hammer drills was answered... If you ever intend on drilling concrete/masonry, the hammer drill will come in handy big time.

shortrack

11-14-2009, 09:25 PM

Not sure if the question about hammer drills was answered... If you ever intend on drilling concrete/masonry, the hammer drill will come in handy big time.

the hammer drills are heavy mofo's though......

dipren443

11-14-2009, 09:42 PM

the hammer drills are heavy mofo's though......

For sure. But the one time you go to drill a few holes in masonry, you will be very glad you have one.

megaladon6

11-15-2009, 04:46 AM

i really don't expect to drill rock or concrete, i lean towards the hammer drill just for the extra power and expected durability. but it looks like the regular drills are good enough for me.

shmoov69

11-15-2009, 01:59 PM

So, for professional it would be (from my experience)
cordless: DeWalt. Drills and the hammerdrills haven't failed me.
Corded: DeWalt, milwaulkee and the black & decker professional series has given me good luck. Remember LOTS and LOTS of #15 screws from 1.5"-22" long into wood, steel and predrilled concrete. Hammerdrills are the Mikita hands down. Before them were the (discontinued now) old Black & Decker professional series. I have drilled way over 100,000 1/4" holes without any problems from them. But they were too good, so they quit making them!

Home use, any of the above, but I have had great luck with the Craftsman 19.2v stuff for a ton cheaper.

megaladon6

11-19-2009, 04:21 PM

has anyone ever dealt with CPTools? they have some really good prices.

nvr2fst

11-20-2009, 08:45 AM

We field test tools on a monthly basis. We receive several prototypes from the manufactures prior to them being sold to the consumer. Our input has helped design tools for milwaukee, makita and panasonic, freud and bosch. Keep in mind all of our employees have preferences but there held to using the tools we get from the reps. As an example we approx use about 20 cordless drills and circular saws daily. Trust me they get abused! Advantage is it dont cost us a cent.

For cordless drills my money goes to the Panasonic and Makita products.
Most rigid tool inner mechanics are made by milwaukee. So keep in mind when weighing the two out, the rigid is milwaukee with a different housing and color. Panasonic by far has the best run time, battery life, durability and sizing than any other. (15.6V- 3.5amp) will out do the 18 volts day in and day out plus it fully charges in 15 min.
Best hammerdrills on the market electric are bosch, Dewalt has not changed there mechanics in over 5yrs, they upgraded there sizing and batteries but have not redone its inner components to adapt to the new batteries.
Milwaukee IMO still makes the best circular saws- magnesium plates, tilt lock adjustable heights, low gear armature for non binding cutting and priced reasonable.

joemac

11-21-2009, 02:19 PM

I have used nearly all of them. Rigid, Dewalt, Makita, Porter Cable, Craftsman, Hitachi and others.

I currently own a non lithium ion Milwaukee kit. It is a contractor grade tool. To me Dewalt is harry homeowner stuff. I would also consider Makita too. I used to own Porter Cable and it was really good stuff until they redesigned it and added the lithium ion battery, now it's junk.

megaladon6

11-21-2009, 03:16 PM

yeah, i think i'm going with the milwaukee L-ion kit. they have decent reviews, and are cheaper than the others. i'm going to wait one more week though, to see if i can save a little money.

joemac

11-21-2009, 03:21 PM

yeah, i think i'm going with the milwaukee L-ion kit. they have decent reviews, and are cheaper than the others. i'm going to wait one more week though, to see if i can save a little money.

A good choice that you won't be disappointed with.

megaladon6

11-21-2009, 03:36 PM

just in case here's the specific kit i'm looking at, it's not the strongest they make, but i think it'll be more than enough for a DIY'er http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Power-Tools-Combo-Kits/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgaZar5vZ1z140i3/R-100672229/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

joemac

11-21-2009, 05:42 PM

That's a good choice. As long as you keep them dry they will last a long time. Water kills batteries.

shortrack

11-24-2009, 12:49 PM

shmoov69

11-26-2009, 10:12 AM

Dave, you said that the Bosch hammers are the best. Are you talking corded or cordless? The SDS units (corded) I bought for work wer junk and lasted about 1/2-1/3 the time of the mikita ones and waaay less than the OLD B&D pro series.
Did I just get a junk batch or what?
Thanks

67CamNKC

12-02-2009, 11:07 AM

My family bought me the Power Storm Black & Decker stuff. It's actually worked out well for as hard as I use it. Its a lighter duty set.

I also have a Dewalt drill. The first one was awesome, but it burned up after 5 years. The new Dewalt I tried to replace it with is very chinsy and not near as well built as the old one was.

I am probably most impressed with my Hitachi cordless impact driver. Super stout and has good battery life.

megaladon6

12-05-2009, 12:14 PM

jpdeuce

12-06-2009, 06:29 PM

Miwaukee are the best I have used. Both corded and non-corded.

gkring

12-06-2009, 07:39 PM

now this is a little weird. when i go to contractors stores they say they can't buy the kit for the home depot price. but the online stores have it for the same as HD. how? is there any way to find out if there's a difference?

It's like tires at Discount Tire or Costco. You get as big as Home Depot you can start dictating pricing when you make your deals on what brands you want to carry. They sell the major components at cost and make it up on the accessories like bits, blades, etc. As far as your original question I like my craftsman 19 volt stuff for the money, makitas for impacts, flashlights, day to day auto tech tools, Dewalt for construction site. Cordless circular saws are good for small trim jobs, a few 2 x 4's, but they suck batteries down quick so usually the corded saw gets the nod.

megaladon6

12-07-2009, 01:56 PM

i understand home despot having a better price, but the online places having the same price threw me off. and since dewalt did make a lesser version for HD and didn't tell anyone... but i got an answer from milwaukee and figured i post it here. definitely encouraging.

Nicholas,
Thank you for your e-mail to Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.

Milwaukee has only one line of power tools. We do not have a 'lower-grade' tool line which we sell in our combo kits and a 'high quality' tool line which we sell in our stand alone tools. We also do not sell a "lower-grade" tool line to the "big box stores" and a "higher-grade" tool line to the small hardware stores.

As a manufacturer of Heavy Duty power tools and accessories, we sell our products through a network of authorized distributors. You can locate Milwaukee products at Contractor & Industrial Supply houses, Home Centers, Hardware Stores and Mail Order companies world-wide. Each of our distributors establishes their own prices, so you will need to check with the distributor from whom you intend to purchase to secure your prices. You can use our website to find a listing of our distributors in your area. Below is the list of steps to follow when using our website for this purpose.