So I have made the decision to invest the x-mas tool funny money into the 18 volt Dewalt Rt angle drill. I was curious what other 18 volt tools you guys might own/ use and if I could get opinions on them? I am currently thinking down the road I might get the recip saw and maybe the drywalll screwgun.
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Replies
The 18 volt compact impact driver is the most compact has nice ergonmics and light but it comes with the regular batteries not the xrp's.
The rt angle drill is one of the few DW that I don't have so I would be interested in your evaluation.
The big box stores have clearance deals on a regular basis on DW 18 volt combos.
I love the 18 volt trim guns.
The grinder is handy I keep a flap sander disk on it for touchups.
The saw is nice.
The recip is ok but not great.
The vac is on the weak side with battery but fair when plugged in.
The cutout tool is nice but I haven't used it yet.
Radio is OK but not the best.
3 speed hammerdrill is good.
The jigsaw is nice but the newest model has a better blade release and holder than mine.
I also like Rigid line of 18volt, their saw is great and the only right side cordless I know of.
The recip is good.
The door planer is excellent.
The drill is heavy.
The rest I havent tested yet, but the batteries are cheaper and the clearance deals are considerably better than any of the other 18 volt systems.
ANDYSZ2
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
DW Jigsaw = POS
I have used mine a bunch and my only complaint is the blade attachment is hard to work but the second generation looks to be better.
ANDYSZ2WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
Makita makes a right side blade circular saw in Li-Ion 18V. It is called a trim saw though. I have one. I'm thinking of getting the left side blade one also.
Makita doesn't have nearly as many tools in the 18V line. I'm hoping that will change soon. I'd like a jigsaw and a planer.
I don't have the rigid cordless saw yet but I have the corded one and it is by far my favorite saw now.
The cordless is identical but with battery.
I bought the 6 tool 18 volt Dewalt set last week,and will be giving my Mom the drill and flashlight and charger and one battery new, my old saw and one old battery and my old recip.(She is 70 years old and last xmas I gave my BIL the drill and she was so jealous I had to give her this set this year).
I kept the new saw and recip as they are definately an upgrade, I now have 2 impact drivers and 2 grinders one with a flap sander the other with a cutoff blade. A hammerdrill and 16 gauge trim gun fill out the 6 tool bag perfectly and I keep this beind my seat in the truck.
I got the deal of the year HD had dropped the price from 629 to 473 and I went to Lowes and got another 10% off then there is a rebate coupon for a free tool so I just sent off for the 6 3/4" metal cutting saw worth over 200$ and not available in the stores.
I plan on buying the 18 volt impact wrench 1/2" drive kit with 2 xrp batteries as soon as a another good deal comes up.
ANDYSZ2
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
I looked at the Rigid tools but after trying to get an ides of what I wanted I decided to go with Makita. The rigid tools tend to be sold in packages more. I don't like buying tools I don't want or need. Also they tend to sell their tools through outlets like HD. It seems to me like they are after a different market than me. I tend to spend a little more for something I really like. But I've found that sometimes it's better to buy the bundle and be done with it. Like you do.
Rigid is sold at HD in packages and as tool only, probably more tool only readily available thru HD than any of the other tool manuf.
They have some unique tools such as caulk gun, planer and saw while not the only ones out there they may be better than the rest in those particular tools.
HD has a 9 piece set for 499 that is hard to beat for someone looking into buying a system.
I have the planer ,drill, and recip saw in rigid with 3 batteries that cost me less than 200$ total but I got them all clearanced.
ANDYSZ2WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
Makita already has a jigsaw in their 18 volt LXT lineup.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=Makita+LXT+Jigsaw&category0=
I did a search on ebay and by far the list of makitas are all drills/impack drivers. You can find some pretty good deals for empty drill or drivers.
There are jigsaws, but only a few, and the price is through the roof. So, to my thinking, there aren't any jigsaws.
If they are serious about expanding their 18V li- ion line they need to get them out there and jump in the fray. I haven't seen that yet.
That is what i was getting at. If the market is flooded with rigids and Dewalts they need to set themselves apart somehow or lower their price. I'm not spending $247 for an empty ( no batteries) jigsaw. I bought my empty Makita 18V li-ion recpricating for around $ 80-90.
I agree they are high priced. Didn't know if you were aware they existed.
I also would like to see more items in the Makita LXT line. Trying to get to where all my tools use the same battery. Getting rid of Bosch, Panasonic, and Ridgid for Makitas. Have done ok so far, but, still need the Ridgid batterys and charger for the caulking gun, and the Bosch for the planer.
Waiting as well,
Shoe
It's hard to know what their market strategy is. I wouldn't want to try to compete against Dewalt and Rigid in their market. There should be way to expand the line though and make it affordable.
I've seen the bare angle drill for $100 in a number of places. I have one and love it.
I have a circ saw and use it all the time for small things.
The grinder is perfect with a diamond wheel to cut plaster for outlets since it turns slow and kicks less dust than a corder grinder.
Mostly I use it with cutoff disks to take out a hard to cut screw, wire or nail. It's very handy to modify bolts or screws. The cutoff wheel also modifies flat blade screwdriver tips to fit oddsized screws, although a dremel is better for that.
Today I used it to notch a granite countertop, although the batteries don't hold up to much cutting. For cutting wire mesh it's handy.
After using a Makita 18v lithium ion drill and impact it's been hard to hold onto the heavy dewalt drill, but the variety of 18v gadgets has me hooked.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
We have 6 of the 4 tool sets. Circ saw, recip saw, hammer drill, flashlight. I carry a 12v impact driver and we have an 18v screwgun. Like them all. We get good durability out of them and are able to have them rebuilt when needed. Battery life is good.
I think there are better tools and sets on the market but we use ours daily and our maintenance/battery costs are low and they get the job done. My guys like them. Bottom line. for our use the are durable, cost effective and the crews like working with them. DanT
Several guys I work with use the rt angle drills for screwing risers to stair treads. 2 have 12volts and the 3 have 18's.
They are a decent tool and the 2 speeds makes them more versatile, as a drill and also a driver.
Personally I use a Milwaukee corded, close quarters drill.
If I had a collection of DW battery tools like my co-workers I would not hesitate to also have the rt angle drill. I was very impressed with one co-workers 18v XRP drill, the 3rd speed makes it fly like a corded. I've been eyeing the XRP combos for a decent sale, but they are a couple of hundred more than the compact version which goes on sale all of the time. Will I be using all of the tools in the enough to justify the outlay of cash for a combo when it might be better to buy specific tools that will be used all of the time.
I'll probably wait till the Li-ions come down in price, I grabbed a 18v Rigid lithium on sale the other day for $120, only came with one battery, but it charges in 20 min, so who cares? I was impressed with the light weight and enough power to twist a wrist and free battery replacement.
Gord
I have the recip saw, regular 18 volt. I love it. Only complaint is the one battery runs out faster then the other. I don't run it all day but for a few hours of work it's great. No cord to lug around is the best part. Gets into tight places and crawls/attics.
I bought the right angle 18V a year ago when I had a whole house to wire and plumb (PEX). At the time, it was the only powerful rt angle cordless I could find. Milwaukee stoppped making their 18V nicad and hadn't come out with their V28 yet.
I was pretty impressed by the DeWalt. It has enough power to run a long 1/2" auger through studs, but it's still light enough to use for driving screws in tight places. Only drawback I've seen has been the reversing switch - too small and hard to use.
I bought it in a kit for $220 on sale at Amazon with the compact circ saw and drill. Since that wasn't much more than I was going to pay at Lowes for the rt angle kit, I felt like I was getting 2 free tools w/ it. When I opened the box and felt the circ saw, I laughed and thought: nice toy saw. To my surprise, when I grabbed it once to cut some 3/4" subfloor, it zipped right through it. I love that little saw now - will cut a few studs when needed, sheet goods, and rafter tails on a ladder easier than anthing else I've got. The regular drill's alright, power between my older 12V Makita and 18V Milwaukee NiCad.
I've looked at the drywall cutout and the drywall screwgun as the next ones to try.
Jamie
I have the impact & love it.
I have the cordless drill/drivers in 12, 14.4, & 18---- I like the feel of the 14.4 drill the best & it's fine with smaller drill bits, but when using augers & hole saws I prefer the power of the 18.
I have a angle drill in 14.4 & would like one in the 18v version.
At work we also use the sawzall----- it's handy when needed, but no battery saw will last as much as we abuse them at work.
Last shop I worked for had the angle grinder that was very handy for us when we needed to grind off the castings on cast iron fittings----- I would usually have a wire wheel in it to claen my larger copper pipe & fittings ( 3", 4" & 6" )
I have alot of DW 18v stuff. Drill, sawsall, jigsaw,circ saw, Grinder, Impactor, Angle Drill.
I cant kill the drills, they're pretty rugged. The jigsaw isnt bad but its the newer model (the old one stank).
The only tool that I have a problem with is the sawsall, it keeps blowing bushings. I actually have two of the sawsalls so I can have at least one that works.
Dont get me wrong, its not like I open the case and the thing implodes, but it has been in the shop three times.
I have a DW 18 V drill and trim saw. Both started out OK, but after about a year, the gears on the drill started to skip under load. My 14V DW drill is lighter, almost as powerful and doesn't skip gears. Go figger. If both are nearby, I'll grab the 14V before the 18V.
The saw was OK for a while too, but the switch crapped out after about a year and need to be replaced -- $$. (While I'm on the subject, who designed that POS switch anyway? You need to depress a "safety" button before the switch will work. Half the time, you need two hands -- one for the button and one for the switch. Makes it hard to retract the guide if you need to, unless you switch the saw on first, and then retract the guard with the blade spinning. Oh, yeah! THAT's safer!) I do love having that little battery CS around tho'. Never thought I'd want one 'till I had one. (Thank-you, Lovely Assistant!) Now, I wouldn't be without one.
I'd think long and hard before buying either one again. Not like they're total junk -- I just think there's probably better out there. Next cordless I get, I'm going to try to make it a Bosch -- I have the Bosch blue box radio/CD/Aux/charger/GFI combo, and it's all around stellar. I can see it being the heart of my next cordless system as my current tools are retired.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA