Best Battery Powered Tools - what say Mud?
- Thread starter Hugh Heifer
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- Thread starter
- #42
Okay, so I bought the 2601-22 Compact Milwaukee. Not too happy. Drilled a series of holes and it went dead fast! Seemed to actually over heat a bit and shut off. I think it lasted about 2-3 minutes of actual drilling time before the batteries were dead and needed a recharge. The charger was speedy. About 20 minutes to show a full charge - whatever full is. The drill itself had a ton of speed and power. Much more then I am used to from my battery powered I was really surprised at the lack of battery performance.
I am taking it back to Home Depot today and going to continue my search.
I don't know about Milwaukee, but many brands offer several different sized batteries, from 1 to 3 amp hours. I got one of the 1 amp hour batts with my Rigid stuff, and it stays in the flashlight- any other tool drains it quickly.
-Spike
-Spike
Yep another volt for Dewalt. Sure are value when they last as long as they do.
Sorry for the late reply to this post as I just read it.
I recently purchased a Makita 18v Li Ion cordless on the advise of KLF(a forum member and my big brother). After 4 months of using this drill ranging from a 3 day deck job using 2 1/2" squaredrive Deckmate screws to a 2 week idle stint in a 30 degree garage, I am very impressed with the performance of the entire package. Small size, lightweight and impressive torque are features that Dewalt IMHO lack. Additionally, the quick charge time of 15 mins. is great!
Great product at a reasonable price. $190
Teleguy
I recently purchased a Makita 18v Li Ion cordless on the advise of KLF(a forum member and my big brother). After 4 months of using this drill ranging from a 3 day deck job using 2 1/2" squaredrive Deckmate screws to a 2 week idle stint in a 30 degree garage, I am very impressed with the performance of the entire package. Small size, lightweight and impressive torque are features that Dewalt IMHO lack. Additionally, the quick charge time of 15 mins. is great!
Great product at a reasonable price. $190
Teleguy
fjwagon
SILVER Star
Remember batteries are like milk, they will go bad even if they just sit on the shelf. So when they go bad try to space them out so they don't all go out at once cause they ain't cheap. And try storing them in room temp if you have to store them.
I own one battery powered tool which is a Milwaukee drill since 2001. It has the hammer option. have been really happy with it. Has good torque but it get hot if you use it a lot. Dewalt I think is one of good buys out there for money you pay. I have replace 2 batteries since I owned it if that matters.
I own one battery powered tool which is a Milwaukee drill since 2001. It has the hammer option. have been really happy with it. Has good torque but it get hot if you use it a lot. Dewalt I think is one of good buys out there for money you pay. I have replace 2 batteries since I owned it if that matters.
My old 9.6 volt makita is still kicking. I just cannot justify the batteries. I bought a few a few years back before Lith-ion were on the amrket. They lasted 6 months and died. It has left a bad taste with me.
- Thread starter
- #49
Still haven't made a purchase. Still shopping.
Totally up to you but, I just scored a 4 piece 18 Volt Dewalt set for $250. It has two batteries, charger, Drill, Reciprocating Saw (Saws All) and light.
I really don't need it so if you want it for what I paid plus shipping, you can have it.
I really don't need it so if you want it for what I paid plus shipping, you can have it.
- Thread starter
- #51
What volt and model? I really don't need the saw but I will give it some thought.
What model what?
18 volt
18 volt
Sorry -- here's my treatise. Everyone loves or hates certain power tools and sometimes a tool from a good tool brand goes bad, sometimes a tool from a bad tool brand holds up. It mostly averages out.
I managed a power tool repair as part of a business I used to run. Saw lots of tools, saw which ones broke. The things that broke on certain tools which related to engineering were always the same, time and again. Bad switches on certain manufacturer's angle grinders, sliding mechanisms on certain reciprocating saws, bearing failures on certain routers, etc.
The things that broke which didn't meet the patterns were usually due to overuse or improper use. Recip saw cords would get cut off constantly. Dust built up inside sanders burns out armatures. Running too much extension cord with too small of gauge will kill any tool super fast. Batteries are always a crap shoot because they get damaged by certain types of use and often when you don't even realize it. Have to let them cool before recharging, don't run them down until the charge runs completely out, pushing a cordless drill really hard in any task will overheat the battery, etc. All of this will decrease a battery's life.
The guts of the batteries are ALL the same. The tool companies don't make batteries, they buy them from battery manufacturers, and battery technology is a hot topic (hybrid cars), but no one has built a much better mousetrap yet. Marketing BS is a HUGE part of selling tools -- no matter what they say about how tough their tool is, a 12v Li-Ion battery is a 12v Li-Ion battery.
Big box home stores dictate the model and the quality of the power tools they sell - the WalMart effect - "make it like this, we'll buy this many at this cost and we'll sell them for this price". I don't like to buy power tools at big boxes. Contractors' supply houses and honest-to-goodness lumber yards will have the right stuff. Oh, and Hilti doesn't make tools, they contract them out and that company is a marketing machine. For years the only way to buy their tools was from the marketing truck which visited the job sites and came back to sell the proprietary fasteners, bits, consumables and the same reps would take in tools for service. (like a Snap-on marketing model but without franchises) They make good corded hammer drills, that's the thing they do best.
Each power tool company has their niche category and in many cases their niche tool, like the aformentioned Skil wormdrive circular saw.
Porter Cable for routers and for sanders (unless you want to pay up for a Fein sander, which is the nuts)
Milwaukee for corded drills and "Sawzalls"
Makita's forte is cordless, especially drills. Their cordless impact drivers make me weep. If you don't have one, get one.
Makita also makes an awesome sliding compound miter saw.
Don't buy a large Makita breaker hammer, reciprocating saw or generator.
Bosch is the standard on corded hammer drills and breaker hammers. Cordless drills have been largely good but some specific models have been bad.
Skil Mag 77 worm drive circular saw. Period.
For an out-of-the ordinary brand, Metabo makes great angle grinders, very very good corded hammer drills and very good corded drills and cordless drills. If you find a good deal on a Metabo grinder, buy that thing. Their bigger breaker hammers are just okay.
For most of us, get a Makita 12v or 14.4v (at most) drill, get it on sale with a second battery, and the odds are it will last a very long time with care. If you think you need an 18v cordless drill, buy a 1/2" Milwaukee corded drill instead and get a good 12ga extension cord.
Dewalt is actually surprisingly cheaply built. A generation ago DeWalt was privately-owned maker of very good woodworking tools, especially routers. The Black & Decker people bought the DeWalt name, changed everything about the tool line and keep trying to convince us that they are still the tough tools our fathers knew. They are Black & Decker inside and I don't mean that as a compliment. B&D used to have a line of "contractor grade" power tools and they were EXACTLY the same inside and out as the DeWalts except for the color. They sold the DeWalts for more $$ but every single part was interchangable between the B&D's and the DeWalts.
They canned the matching B&D line after a couple of years.
Everyone has a story of how a certain tool of theirs held up. Any yellow tool which lasts at all under heavy use is that person's good luck. I wouldn't take a Ryobi if it was free.
Mileage ALWAYS varies; the odds favor Makita in cordless tools.
I managed a power tool repair as part of a business I used to run. Saw lots of tools, saw which ones broke. The things that broke on certain tools which related to engineering were always the same, time and again. Bad switches on certain manufacturer's angle grinders, sliding mechanisms on certain reciprocating saws, bearing failures on certain routers, etc.
The things that broke which didn't meet the patterns were usually due to overuse or improper use. Recip saw cords would get cut off constantly. Dust built up inside sanders burns out armatures. Running too much extension cord with too small of gauge will kill any tool super fast. Batteries are always a crap shoot because they get damaged by certain types of use and often when you don't even realize it. Have to let them cool before recharging, don't run them down until the charge runs completely out, pushing a cordless drill really hard in any task will overheat the battery, etc. All of this will decrease a battery's life.
The guts of the batteries are ALL the same. The tool companies don't make batteries, they buy them from battery manufacturers, and battery technology is a hot topic (hybrid cars), but no one has built a much better mousetrap yet. Marketing BS is a HUGE part of selling tools -- no matter what they say about how tough their tool is, a 12v Li-Ion battery is a 12v Li-Ion battery.
Big box home stores dictate the model and the quality of the power tools they sell - the WalMart effect - "make it like this, we'll buy this many at this cost and we'll sell them for this price". I don't like to buy power tools at big boxes. Contractors' supply houses and honest-to-goodness lumber yards will have the right stuff. Oh, and Hilti doesn't make tools, they contract them out and that company is a marketing machine. For years the only way to buy their tools was from the marketing truck which visited the job sites and came back to sell the proprietary fasteners, bits, consumables and the same reps would take in tools for service. (like a Snap-on marketing model but without franchises) They make good corded hammer drills, that's the thing they do best.
Each power tool company has their niche category and in many cases their niche tool, like the aformentioned Skil wormdrive circular saw.
Porter Cable for routers and for sanders (unless you want to pay up for a Fein sander, which is the nuts)
Milwaukee for corded drills and "Sawzalls"
Makita's forte is cordless, especially drills. Their cordless impact drivers make me weep. If you don't have one, get one.
Makita also makes an awesome sliding compound miter saw.
Don't buy a large Makita breaker hammer, reciprocating saw or generator.
Bosch is the standard on corded hammer drills and breaker hammers. Cordless drills have been largely good but some specific models have been bad.
Skil Mag 77 worm drive circular saw. Period.
For an out-of-the ordinary brand, Metabo makes great angle grinders, very very good corded hammer drills and very good corded drills and cordless drills. If you find a good deal on a Metabo grinder, buy that thing. Their bigger breaker hammers are just okay.
For most of us, get a Makita 12v or 14.4v (at most) drill, get it on sale with a second battery, and the odds are it will last a very long time with care. If you think you need an 18v cordless drill, buy a 1/2" Milwaukee corded drill instead and get a good 12ga extension cord.
Dewalt is actually surprisingly cheaply built. A generation ago DeWalt was privately-owned maker of very good woodworking tools, especially routers. The Black & Decker people bought the DeWalt name, changed everything about the tool line and keep trying to convince us that they are still the tough tools our fathers knew. They are Black & Decker inside and I don't mean that as a compliment. B&D used to have a line of "contractor grade" power tools and they were EXACTLY the same inside and out as the DeWalts except for the color. They sold the DeWalts for more $$ but every single part was interchangable between the B&D's and the DeWalts.
They canned the matching B&D line after a couple of years. Everyone has a story of how a certain tool of theirs held up. Any yellow tool which lasts at all under heavy use is that person's good luck. I wouldn't take a Ryobi if it was free.
Mileage ALWAYS varies; the odds favor Makita in cordless tools.
4XLT: Thank you for posting, I totally agree with everything you say, as it mimicks what several other tool repair shops told me the last time I was shopping for a cordless drill. Stuck with Makita, love it (and the impact driver too!). People don't believe me when I tell them that the tools in Home Depot & Lowes are "cheapened" to their specs, but it is true. Don't buy them there, go to the smaller shops.
Anyone have the battery powered skill saw. Are they worth a crap? I just dont think they would last very long considering the type of work they would be doing. Of course i have been wrong before.
I will be building a fence this year and will need to cut 4x4s and 2x6s off at remote locations. Would one these be worthwhile or should i just break out the chainsaw?
I will be building a fence this year and will need to cut 4x4s and 2x6s off at remote locations. Would one these be worthwhile or should i just break out the chainsaw?
Rob Faucett
GOLD Star
Mine is definitely worth a crap. It's great (Makita). But I wouldn't rely on it for the job you mention above. I would break out the generator as opposed to the chainsaw.
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I also have a Makita, the 18V LXT model. Love it, damned handy. I wouldn't try to frame a house with one, but it will last longer than you'd think. It all depends on the health of your batteries though, and how sharp is the blade.
My expirience :
Had a big Dewalt-kit once.. drill, sircular saw, tiger-saw and flashlight.. The tools are good, but 18V batteries are really too heavy.. ended up permanently injuring my elbows and shoulders (10 years as builder/joiner)
Blue Bosch stuff is also good..
But the best battery-drill I have used is one that isn't included in the poll. : PANASONIC 14,4 V It outperforrms the 18V dewalt "hands down" (same or higher amp, quicker charging and tougher plastic) and it's much lighter and ergonomically much nicer ! Dewalts have a tendencie to break in the handle or at the shafts of the batteries because of the bulky and heavy bat. (if you throw them around, wich you will)
As for the handheld sircular-saw from dewalt (I guess americans call it a skil-saw, we just call it a "hand-circular" ) It's great ! but only suitable for thin materials like chipboard and particleboard.. It would cut about 100ft of OSB on one battery. Nice for small jobs on the roof and stuff.
IMO all battery-powered tools are meaningless if you have power... real powertools are lighter, stronger and more durable, so in a garage or shop I would stay away from battery-stuff
Had a big Dewalt-kit once.. drill, sircular saw, tiger-saw and flashlight.. The tools are good, but 18V batteries are really too heavy.. ended up permanently injuring my elbows and shoulders (10 years as builder/joiner)
Blue Bosch stuff is also good..
But the best battery-drill I have used is one that isn't included in the poll. : PANASONIC 14,4 V It outperforrms the 18V dewalt "hands down" (same or higher amp, quicker charging and tougher plastic) and it's much lighter and ergonomically much nicer ! Dewalts have a tendencie to break in the handle or at the shafts of the batteries because of the bulky and heavy bat. (if you throw them around, wich you will)
As for the handheld sircular-saw from dewalt (I guess americans call it a skil-saw, we just call it a "hand-circular" ) It's great ! but only suitable for thin materials like chipboard and particleboard.. It would cut about 100ft of OSB on one battery. Nice for small jobs on the roof and stuff.
IMO all battery-powered tools are meaningless if you have power... real powertools are lighter, stronger and more durable, so in a garage or shop I would stay away from battery-stuff
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well i am a carpenter in oz and have been for 41 years,self employed for 30 years and i buy makita,there are lots of reasons to buy a tool,maybe you just want it to do a job for 6 weeks then toss it,maybe you are like me and want it to last for 3 years,by then you have written it off on tax 2 times over,you can buy parts for makita here at any hardware,mostly you need some brushes or a trigger,then there are ergonomics,if you are going to use a tool for 6 hours a day it must be comfortable and they make an unreal work radio that will run on any of their batteries,and try to buy a particular volt as you then have batteries from 3 or 4 tools that use the same battery,i done hundreds of hours with wire wheels etc restoring my shorty,14.4 volts in makita is their best performer,18 volt for tuff stuff,thats my thoughts,im on the bourbon so hope it makes sense,also love mud,see ya,Baz
