Cordless/Power Tools
 

Ok, sooo...I could use a sliding miter saw and new cordless tools. I'm pretty sure I'd buy a DeWalt miter saw, but I'm not sure about cordless tools. I'd be replacing a 13-year-old Hitachi set that has performed flawlessly.

If money was no object, which cordless kit would you buy? I need reciprocating saw, impact driver, circular saw, and a hammer/standard drill. I'm a standard homeowner that doesn't use the tools all the time but appreciate quality.

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I have been extremely happy with the Milwaukee line of cordless tools. I have a few impact guns, drills, impact driver, grinder, cutoff wheel, sawzall, skill saw, sander, leaf blower, vacuums etc in both a mix of 18v and 12v.
They all work amazingly well and the FUEL line is particularly impressive. Some of these tools are used in a work shop environment, and others are just home use.

I had one issue with an impact gun that was several years old - the anvil sheared when I was doing some work on my dock. I dropped it off at JD Tool Repair in Conway (Milwaukee authorized service center) and they were able to fix it up no problem. I honestly have no idea how old the tool was at the time, but I do know I had no receipt and I had never personally taken the time to "register" the tool online. I fully expected to have to pay for the repair, but they were adamant that it was a warranty item and I was not charged a thing even though the tool was purchased elsewhere. One of my impact drivers has now ended up in the lake on two occasions while working on the dock; I simply blew it dry with my air compressor, let it sit for a few days and its still going strong.

If you can't find locale
 

This should help; https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...mageBasicHover

After building a 25'x 25' gazebo and a 5,000 square foot deck, using all treated deck screws, all USA brands worked well for me.

I've had the Dewalt 12" sliding compound mitre saw for maybe 3 years now and I'm very happy with it.

For battery I went with Makita 18V. The drill / driver set and the Sawsall and multitool are the first things packed every weekend. I have about 10 tools including some of the 2 battery tools like the chainsaw (yes chainsaw, it starts every time:) ) and weed wacker. They have worked great for me. When asked I say the obvious, pick one style so your batteries interchange.

I will say if your looking for a sander you can't beat Festool and their vacuum system., but it gets a lot of use with wooden boats.

Every battery operated tool for me is the 20 volt lithium battery Dewalt. There are often deals on kits that contain many of what you are looking for. I have the drill, impact driver, sawzall, and multi-tool. I also have the 12” Dewalt compound sliding mitre saw. (Corded)

BT

Kobalt
 

When I worked for Lowes, I bought a complete set of 24 volts tools. It's been 10 years of constant projects, large and small. I can't say enough about them!
I had Milwaukee before and KOBALT appears to be a step above.

Makita!
 

I have a decent size and growing collection of the Makita cordless 18v tools (driver, impact driver, multi-tool, saws-all, circular saw, sander, jigsaw, hedge trimmer with the power shaft, weedwacker, 14” chainsaw…I think that’s it ;-)

The batteries are excellent…particularly the 5AH ones - definitely get one or more of the kits that come with 2 batts. (Amazon has most if not all of these)

The tools are solid and feel very high quality.

Was strongly recommended to go Makita by my brother in law who is a contractor and I haven’t been disappointed at all!

I have pretty much stuck with Milwaukee M18s. With a good set of batteries, the bare tools are decently priced. I've also used some of the (much) less expensive aftermarket batteries with good success.

For miter saws, I love my Makita LS1019L.

I have been running RIDGID tools for the last few years. They have a lifetime warranty on the tools and the batteries if purchased in a kit at Home Depot. Be sure you jump through all the right hoops to register for the lifetime warranty. I have no complaints about the tools and have not had any failures yet.

I also have a milwaukee fuel drill, blower, and weed wacker. No complaints there either! Just no lifetime warranty on Milwaukee.

re: cordless tools
 

If money were no object, I'd go with festool for battery tools. Within a budget for mere mortals, I've been pretty satisfied with Dewalt products- though my experience has mostly been drills. My biggest recommendation with any brand is to get brushless tools whenever possible.

So I have a Hatachi set of around the same age, 18V..... The tools themselves are all still in good working order...The batteries on the other had don't hold a charge well.. After researching new cordless tools, I decided the best option was not to replace them.... Rather I ordered some be Li-ion Battery's and the charger to go with them:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bottom line, is for just over 100$ I will keep on using my existing cordless tools, with new battery technology.....

I have been using Dewalt and Ryobi for years with decent luck. Since last fall I have been selling off all of the old stuff and moving solely to Milwaukee.

My next miter saw will be a Milwaukee cordless. I'll be selling off my Dewalt and stand soon.

Hyper Tough battery and 110-volt corded tools are plenty good enough for home owner use. Bright red, low priced and easy to replace at the Walmart service counter if one turns out to be a dud. That Hyper Tough el cheapo $18.44 battery 3/8" capacity drill is very good enough. If you drop it in the lake or something, is easy to return for replacement and the service counter is happy to replace it.

For what you pay for a DeWalt you can buy three Hyper Toughs.

For a best-buy, check out the Hyper Tough 15-amp, 10" saw blade, stationary table saw with rip guide, mitre guide, and a steel stand for about $148 ..... if you can find one at this time ...... is probably out of stock.

I like either Milwaukee or Makita, both are high quality.

How old is the DeWalt? Message me if you like.

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I'm hearing DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Makita consistently, but the lifetime Ridgid warranty sounds appealing, especially if it covers batteries as, because I don't use the tools all the time, that's the weak point.

I'll also check out the Hitachi batteries posted above as I love my current tools but just need batteries.

Thanks, all!

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My son is an electrician and uses battery operated tools daily. He buys nothing but Milwaukee...............

Have you used those batteries? I've already got a Li-Ion charger, but 4 stars isn't super comforting.

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KOBALT has a lifetime warranty, not sure about the batteries.

So they will be going through there first big test this weekend.

But you need to look at some of the reviews... Several of the 1 star ratings are from people that didn't have the correct charger......

If you already have the LI-ion charger, you are looking a a 50$ investment for two batteries, or 26$-30$ for a single new battery....

compared to a 400-500$ to get all new tools, seems like an easy decision to me...especially if the old tools are still working just fine...... . but I do like to gamble more then some people.....

I can't remember which one I read it on, but a reviewer posted that his batteries went up in flames!

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my 2 cents
 

I have been using Dewalt cordless drills and have been happy with them. I have one that I bought in 2001 (Have replaced batteries) and it still works well. I have a new Dewalt as well. Much lighter and you can see the technology has improved. I agree with some of the posters that Milwaukee is one of the best out there, and also Makita. I have found Dewalt to be a good value for my needs (I am a hobby woodworker, not a pro).

As for Compound Sliding Miter Saw, after quite a bit of research I purchased a Delta several years ago. I'm very happy with it, only downside is that I have it connected to a dust collector, and it is not engineered well for dust collection. If you would like more info on that let me know .

I did my kitchen over a few years ago and I bought a 18V Ryobi set, impact and drill as a back up to my 10 year old Makita. My 10 year old 18V Makita was smaller, lighter, more powerful, and lasted longer than the Ryobi.
I should have returned it but I used it only when the Makita battery went dead. I will always grab for the Makita before I grab for the Ryobi.
The Ryobi drill will kill the battery real quick if you are forced to bare down on it.

Discovered today that neither my 18v DeWalt batteries for my camp kit nor my golf carts' batteries are holding good charges. Grrrrr...

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Ergonomics
Battery quality and amount

Probably the most important.

Black & Decker has bought up many of the name brands. Porter Cable, Craftsmen, and DeWalt - just a few.

If I were purchasing such now I would buy items that came with an extra battery - or purchase a 2nd battery now.

My first cordless drill was made in Germany. 1980's. That lasted over 20 years. That was before removable batteries. I did have the battery refurbished once. But by that time it was less expensive to purchase a complete new drill. And the batteries evolved into removable batteries. Many more brands entered the market.

In the early 2,000's - Home Depot had a Black Friday sale of Ryobi 12V cordless drills. $20.00 each. I purchased 4 - just for the extra batteries. I still have and use those cordless drills. I did have the batteries rebuilt one time for each.

I have since purchased Master Mechanic cordless drills - on deep discount/sale - when the hardware stores switched name or went out of business. Those work fine.

Ergonomics and batteries is the short answer.

For very close to $19.92 with no sales tax, the Gilford Walmart has either an 18-volt red Hyper Tough cordless drill, or a Mainstays black k-cup, one cup coffee maker, and both items work totally good.

Either item is like the best twenty dollar item ever made in total world history for last 3000-years ..... they are the AK-47 model for battery drills and one cup coffee ...... lo-price, but totally effective. With this cheap cup of coffee and this cheap drill, you can do anything! ... :eek:

KIMO Power tools
 

Been consulting on some job sites outside the Lakes Region area. I notice a new tool in the contractors' arsenal named KIMO. Ask about the performance and they love it, decent power, and battery life. Anyone here has experience?

Thoughts on cordless lblower
 

As i am opening up camp I realize how useful a few cordless tools wood be, particularly a leaf blower and sawzall. I have a cordless DeWalt drill and driver and like them. So, anyone have more insights on products from DeWalt? Sounds like people here like them. I would prefer to stay with one battery brand so I can easily interchange them. I might want to add components down the road, but don't see the need now to buy a whole set of tools as I have many, many corded options and am OK dragging around electric cords for now.

I have a backpack blower for big jobs, but for the roofs, decks, and general cleanup around camp it's overkill and a PIA to get out for a 5 minute project.

Thanks!

I bought a battery powered blower.
It is limited, good for blowing off the deck and the pontoon but not the whole yard. It has 2 speeds and the high speed, which is really the only speed that's useful, really sucks up the battery. I mainly bought it to blow off the pontoon because I don't have power down at the dock so for that alone it was worth it.

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I think for high-volume use, higher voltage systems work much better. My 60V Greenworks trimmer lasts long enough on one battery to do my whole ~2/3 acre yard on high power (low works fine for most areas, but high cuts through just a little better).

That being said, if you've got a new(er) 20V DeWalt and can keep all the same batteries, I'd do that.

My current problem is that I have two older 18V kits with drills/drivers/reciprocating saws/circular saws, and replacing both would be $800-$1k. Given that I now need to spring ~$600 for new golf cart batteries, I'm thinking I'll just give the replacement batteries suggested above a shot and see how it goes.

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Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking to use it on three roofs and decks couple times a season on the roofs and as needed on the decks. If the cordless gets poor reviews, I would lean toward electric plugin and drag cords as needed and use the backpack for the paths.

Keep in mind, not all batteries are created equal. In the case of Milwaukee be aware, all batteries are not interchangeable nor do they last as long on a full charge....

They have many... I have
M12 and M18 which are interchangeable and they also have a "MX Fuel" which I believe is not recommended for the "M" series tools. Within the "M" series I have M18 - CP2.0 and M18 - XC5.0.

My suggestion is simply this.... Look for fully interchangeable batteries for the tools you need AND make sure they have the "run time" between charges that you need.

The "free battery" offer is great as long as you have a number of batteries to complete an all day project.

Yes.

And as stated get extra batteries.

Brand by brand - the battery will change for different models and different years. It is much more expensive to wait and attempt to purchase an extra battery later on. The battery may not be available later on or there may be aftermarket inferior batteries later on.

Get the batteries when the initial purchase is made.

Agreed—most kits I looked at identified the AH of the batteries that came with them. Big difference between 1.5 and 4AH batteries in terms of runtime.

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So yes there was one singular review that said they had a smoky issue, I doubt very much that the unit went up in flames people like to exaggerate.....

This weekend I talked my dock project with one of the new batteries, with no issues what so ever..... 2-3 hours of drill and circular saw use off and on, and never need to pull out the second battery....

The Saw was running strong at at end even....

Awesome to hear. That was with the batteries you linked to above?

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Yes it was.... They are LI-ion, so as mentioned you just have to make sure you have the correct charger.... I didn't, so I had to order that as well....

Awesome, thanks. I have had the Li-ion batteries and charger since just after buying the original kit. In fact, all the Ni-Cad batteries have long been put out to pasture!

If money were no object, I would buy Festool. What’s interesting about Festool is how all the tools have been designed from the ground up to optimize dust extraction. Plus, I drool over the Systainer organization system!

But you can’t buy these tools locally (that I know of), and the cordless repertoire is modest. And more expensive. So, I have gone with Makita and been very happy.

The main benefit is the quality of the tools. They are sturdy, durable, solid, consistent, reliable. They’re thoughtfully designed and just work well. Looking at reviews and comparisons of individual tools, the Makitas almost always perform ably. Then, the selection. You can get just about any power tool. I have found the caulk gun surprisingly useful (yes, I admit, I’m a tool junkie.) Plus, it’s very convenient that I can use the same batteries in my leaf blower, shop vac, chainsaw, hedge trimmer, etc.

I own all the tools you mentioned, all Makita. I got the 10” sliding compound miter saw this year, and it’s awesome. I wasn’t sure it would be powerful enough- it is. Cut my new dock posts no problem. Plus, it’s so much quieter than the Craftsman it replaced. The recipro, circ saw, impact driver, hammer drill are all pretty standard, quality tools. The barrel handle jigsaw is a standout.

Before I moved to Makita, I had a Ryobi system. It was ok, but the tools were nothing special, and I got a couple bad batteries in a row, so I just felt I needed an upgrade. I strongly considered DeWalt because they (some anyway) are made in the USA, and the price is close to Makita, and they’re easy to get locally. But I wasn’t really impressed with the first few tools I got (which happened to be a circ saw and a palm sander), so ended up with Makita.

Now, I’m waiting for Makita to make a framing nailer so I can replace my crappy (by comparison) Metabo. And I’m waiting for a cordless belt sander...


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I've had them all too and I prefer Makita over all the others. Although I do have a Milwaukee corded skill saw and Sawzall which I've had for over 30 years that are still going strong.

Pretty sure that Middleton in Meredith has a good sampling of Festool products if you want to check them out... I drool over them, but it's one of those things you don't just buy one... they multiply in your workshop... and I just can't make that kind of commitment... yet!

I've been very happy with my DeWalt family of products (all cordless except for the palm sander), but use a variety of corded tools as well (Bosch router and jigsaw, PorterCable Sawzall, etc)

Enjoy the weekend all! -PIG

Most of the Festool products can be purchased on line. Gilford Home Center also sales a few. So does Sherwin Williams In Laconia. Big fan of the Vacuum system


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I prefer corded tools when ever possible but there are times when you just need the cordless, like at the lakefront if you don't have power there.

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As stated above. DeWalt is owned by Black & Decker.

Most, if not all are now made in China . . . and lately . . . some have moved to Vietnam . . . as labor is cheaper . . . and there may or may not be any environmental effective laws for production.

And B&D makes crap
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storing batteries
 

What do people do with batteries over the winter - leave them at the summer place where they are subject to cold or bring them home?

Bring them home and keep them in my basement, charging every month.

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Thanks. That's what i do with most of mine but there are some that have been on the island for years with seemingly no negative side effects.

Li-Ion batteries have lasted a lonnng time for me, even when treated poorly. NiMH and NiCads have been mostly horrible if not used/kept charged or let you discharge too far.

The key with cordless tool batteries is really usage—the old use-it-or-lose-it thing.

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I bring my batteries home in winter. But that’s mostly because I work on my other home then.

Letting these batteries freeze is hit or miss, so far as I can tell. I’ve had some freeze and be fine; others freeze and die. Or maybe like thinkxingu says it’s just not being used that kills them.

Anyway, they’re not that big, I have chargers both places & its easy enough to just grab all the batteries in the fall.


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So I was reading some of the posts here, about leaving batteries at the lake in the winter etc......

My input is don't have power tools that you leave at the lake, I use my cordless tools all the time, they live in my truck.... I don't worry about regular charging of batteries.... Use em and charge them.... as someone already said here.... if you aren't using them enough it is time for some more projects.....

If anyone is interested in 18V Hitachi or DeWalt tools, message me—I'll be selling what I have to replace with...something soon!

Hitachi: 2 Li-Ion batteries that still hold pretty good charge, charger, drill, hammer drill, impact driver, two reciprocating saws, circular saw, light.

DeWalt: 4 NiMH batteries that are just ok, three chargers, two drills, impact driver, angle drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw.

All are in great and perfectly functional shape.

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Hitachi pending pickup.
DeWalt still available at the moment.

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Tools sold!

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Scratch that, DeWalt kit still up for sale!

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