TTT -- The Tool Thread (1 Viewer)

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SST I haven't used in a while. It's the 1st gen chevy (both small block and big block) distributor removal tool by Craftsman.

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New toy and first victim.

Pawn shop find.

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Looking to get a compact impact driver and thought I'd access the knowledge of you folks. As posted on the last page, two Christmases ago, I got a DeWalt 20V XR Brushless 1/2" impact gun that I love. It came with two 5Ah batteries that hold a ton of charge, but are also a bit heavy. It works awesome for the stuff I bought it for, taking off lug-nuts and other large/stuck bolts, but it's overkill for the smaller stuff and definitely for driving screws. So, I find myself wanting a smaller gun for the "light work". I'd really like something pretty compact and good for screwin' and unscrewin' screws, but yet powerful enough to remove smaller bolts as well. Since I really like the big DeWalt, I figure sticking with DeWalt kinda makes sense, but I'm not completely opposed to other brands as well.


Option #1 (cheap, light): I thought about going with a DeWalt "Xtreme" 12V Max Brushless 1/4" impact driver - DCF801F2. It's 1.75 lbs., and puts out 120 ft.-lbs. So it weighs about half what the big DeWalt that I have weighs. It's about $129 on Amazon, and comes with bag, charger and two 2.0Ah batteries.

Then.....I thought, well.....it would be nice if I didn't have to worry about two different voltage batteries.....


Option #2 (more expensive, powerful): So there's the DeWalt 20V Max XR 1/4" Brushless impact driver - DCF887B. Essentially the baby brother to what I have now. It's about 1/4 lb. heavier than the 12V unit at 2 lbs., but still way lighter than it's big bro. It puts out about 167 ft.-lbs. It's $139 on Amazon (double the cost of the 12V unit) and I'd still need to buy batteries since I don't really want to use the heavy 5Ah batteries, but at least I could also use the smaller batteries on the bigger impact and vice-versa, if I wanted to.

Option #3 (a good compromise?): A cheaper option than #2, but still 20V is the DeWalt 20V Max 1/4" impact driver - DCF787C1 (not the XR, but still a brushless motor). Power is comparable to the 12V brushless unit with about 125 ft,lbs. Weight is just under 2 lbs. Right now on Amazon I can get this one for $130 including bag, charger, and one 2.0Ah battery.


I'm open to other ideas as well. What say ye?
 
brushless and 20v to share the batteries. you got the big brother to when torque is needed. i would go with a bundle that had 2 batteries.
 
I've had the DCF887B for about a year now. It's a workhorse.

Is it just crazy overkill for driving screws and small stuff?
 
Well, the 1/2" one would be :lol:

My DCF887B gets used for driving screws, everything from drywall all the way up to 6" structural ledger screws. It probably gets the most use in the garage though, with 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" impact adapters to remove and install all manner of bolts and nuts.

Overkill for some things? Definitely, but it's way more versatile than just for driving screws.

Like @fourtrax said, if I were in your shoes, I'd get a driver that was compatible with the battery system you already have. You could definitely get the 12v one, and I'm sure it's killer, but then you have another battery. If you get the tool only 20v one, then you can share your current battery among both tools. EDIT: I'd wager that the 12v tool with battery and charger is the same cost as the tool-only 20v DCF887B.
 
Well, the 1/2" one would be :lol:

Well yeah.....hence my search.


My DCF887B gets used for driving screws, everything from drywall all the way up to 6" structural ledger screws. It probably gets the most use in the garage though, with 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" impact adapters to remove and install all manner of bolts and nuts.

Overkill for some things? Definitely, but it's way more versatile than just for driving screws.

Like @fourtrax said, if I were in your shoes, I'd get a driver that was compatible with the battery system you already have. You could definitely get the 12v one, and I'm sure it's killer, but then you have another battery. If you get the tool only 20v one, then you can share your current battery among both tools.

Yeah, I looked at the 12v options because they were lighter, but in the end.....it doesn't really seem worth saving 1/4 lb. to have to deal with having different batteries.

I could share the current batteries I have if I get the tool-only one, but what I have are the big 5Ah ones. Maybe I'll try it for a little bit and see if the heavy 5Ah battery (1.4 lbs.) bothers me enough to need to buy a 2Ah battery (0.87 lbs.) or two.
 
Stick with a single platform. I bought Milwaukee fuel 18 stuff a few years ago, a drill and 1/4" impact, charger and batteries. then got a 1/2" impact, and 5ah batteries. also bought the sawzall, and used it after michael to trim limbs from around windows and stuff after the trees fell on my house. I bought a 2nd 1/4" impact to use on clean stuff (trim, inside stuff, etc), and have one dedicated to various work.

I almost bought the chainsaw with the big battery, but went gas instead. the electric would be nice for Trail work, but I had a bunch of big ass trees to drop and clean up.
 
Sorta tool related...I purchased a bunch of 4/4 and 8/4 (live edge) rough sawn oak for give away prices...

I need to get these planed square and don’t really want to spend 5-600 bucs on a high end hobby planer (that gets used once and takes up storage space). These boards are 9 foot length from 4” to 16” wide.

Does anyone know of a place where I could pay to have these planed? I’d rather spend a couple hundred bucs and pay to have it done. I’m not in the wood working space so this is all new to me.

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I friend of mine got a bunch done somewhere in Raleigh, I’ll have to find out where. I’ll try to remember to ask him tomorrow. I need to catch up with you soon anyways. Those are some serious chunks of wood.
 
Well yeah.....hence my search.




Yeah, I looked at the 12v options because they were lighter, but in the end.....it doesn't really seem worth saving 1/4 lb. to have to deal with having different batteries.

I could share the current batteries I have if I get the tool-only one, but what I have are the big 5Ah ones. Maybe I'll try it for a little bit and see if the heavy 5Ah battery (1.4 lbs.) bothers me enough to need to buy a 2Ah battery (0.87 lbs.) or two.
I agree with the others, get a common platform with two extra 2.0Ah batteries to make everything interchangable. I did that with Makita. I have 2 x 5.0, 2 x 3.0, and 1 x 1.5. I keep the 1.5 in my older drill but the 3.0 and the 5.0 are interchangeable between the chainsaw, grinder, 1/4" impact, blower, and hedge trimmer.
 
Stick with a single platform. I bought Milwaukee fuel 18 stuff a few years ago, a drill and 1/4" impact, charger and batteries. then got a 1/2" impact, and 5ah batteries. also bought the sawzall, and used it after michael to trim limbs from around windows and stuff after the trees fell on my house. I bought a 2nd 1/4" impact to use on clean stuff (trim, inside stuff, etc), and have one dedicated to various work.

I almost bought the chainsaw with the big battery, but went gas instead. the electric would be nice for Trail work, but I had a bunch of big ass trees to drop and clean up.


I don't have many battery operated tools anymore. But yes try to find one brand and stay with it. I used to have a lot of Hilti, you cannot beat them best power tools that are easy to buy period. But they are the equivalent to snap on in the power tool world in terms of price. I got great deals on floor models since I worked in tools and the contractor desk at home depot in the early 2000s. They all went to my friend when I moved from LA and he still has every single one and he uses them every day in his job.
 
Stick with a single platform. I bought Milwaukee fuel 18 stuff a few years ago, a drill and 1/4" impact, charger and batteries. then got a 1/2" impact, and 5ah batteries. also bought the sawzall, and used it after michael to trim limbs from around windows and stuff after the trees fell on my house. I bought a 2nd 1/4" impact to use on clean stuff (trim, inside stuff, etc), and have one dedicated to various work.

I almost bought the chainsaw with the big battery, but went gas instead. the electric would be nice for Trail work, but I had a bunch of big ass trees to drop and clean up.

I hear you. I went the opposite route as far as purchases :). I finally got the chainsaw from Milwaukee and am so in love with it overall, compared to having to carry the Stihl around. Yes, I will need the Stilhl for the huge stuff, but have been cutting the s*** out of everything with the 16" bar Milwaukee. To not have to hear the gas chainsaw and not breathe in the fumes is heaven, and so far the battery has outlasted my cuttings. Then I bought the drill and 1/4" impact with 3/8" ratchet and have been happy with those.....
 
I hear you. I went the opposite route as far as purchases :). I finally got the chainsaw from Milwaukee and am so in love with it overall, compared to having to carry the Stihl around. Yes, I will need the Stilhl for the huge stuff, but have been cutting the s*** out of everything with the 16" bar Milwaukee. To not have to hear the gas chainsaw and not breathe in the fumes is heaven, and so far the battery has outlasted my cuttings. Then I bought the drill and 1/4" impact with 3/8" ratchet and have been happy with those.....


at that time, I had 2 90ft tall tulip poplars on and against my house. I went thru about 5 gallons of gas, a few gallons of bar oil, and 4 chains. I think that electric saw would have released its magic smoke somewhere along the way. LOL
 
Work load has turned to camping preparations. Rusty extension poles, inside and out. No problem on the outside of pole. Inside needed special honing tool. Flexible plastic window rod with 50 grit flapper paper taped to it. The rest is history.
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Work load has turned to camping preparations. Rusty extension poles, inside and out. No problem on the outside of pole. Inside needed special honing tool. Flexible plastic window rod with 50 grit flapper paper taped to it. The rest is history.

Don't you mean "The rust is history"? :rofl:
 
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