cordless stuff

[bedway]

The urge hit me this week to do some deep cleaning in my shop. Its amazing what you collect over the years. I ended up with two craftsman and one ryobi cordless drills. Five battery packs,and three chargers, of which i dont know if any work. I dont know if i need new batteries, drills, or chargers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,go figure!!! :(

[Den Socling]

Well if you need a new motor, battery or charger, you can be sure to find it discontinued.  >:( I've thrown away perfectly good equipment just for that reason. On another occasion, I tossed a drill motor because the replacement battery cost as much as a new drill.

[Cypressstump]

Know what ya mean Den. I used a friends Ryobi 18v lithion impact/drill, Man that thing was Sweet!

I just had to have one. Found one one day in Home Depot, 39 bucks !  In the basket it went. Then I find the required battery for the thing, 80 bucks,,,Yikes!

[beenthere]

I too have way too many bad battery packs and plenty of chargers. I'm still using a DeWalt cordless 12v drill after many years. Was so impressed with it, that a good deal on a 14v kit came up, but those battery's didn't last any time at all. Quickly lost their charge, and all too quickly wouldn't take a charge any more. As said, a great deal for the sellers of the batteries.

A week ago I bought a Milw 18v cordless hammer / screw/ drill because I had a need to anchor a few dozen standards to a poured concrete wall. Dreamed that this would do the trick. The anchor screws required a 5/32" concrete drill bit. I labored a couple hours over the first dozen holes and finally gave up.
Friend burlkraft said get the corded hammer drill. I took the cordless back and for 1/3 the money ended up with the corded hammer drill. Yesterday I drilled the remaining two dozen holes in less time than it took me to drill one with the cordless. I'm impressed with that dude. There were things I really liked about the cordless Milw, but for sure not the hammer drill part of it.

[ely]

i have mostly milw, and one set of porter cable tools. cant complain about them yet.

[thurlow]

Anyone with a modicum of mechanical and soldering skills can CHEAPLY rebuild the battery packs.  Sub c batteries can be bought for $1.00-$2.00 each........depending on quantity and amperage;  bunches of 'em on e-bay. 

[WDH]

I have about had it with cordless tools.  They are great for someone who uses the tool a couple of time a year.  For steady use, the batteries won't last all that long, a couple of years at most.  I think that I am going to return to being a cord guy.  I hate worthless, un-rechargeable batteries.  I have a pretty good whack of them.

[Ianab]

Actually, for occasional use I'd suggest corded tools.

Pull a lightly used corded drill out of the draw after 10 years and it still works fine. My cheap Rhyobi drill is still going after 20+ years. A battery drill will be dead after 5 years, whether you use it or not. Where as if you use the battery drill every day for couple of years, and it dies, at least you got your moneys worth out of it.

But I agree on the corded tools, I do like the convenience of a light battery drill / driver, but pretty much everything else is corded, and still works.

Personally I think it's a conspiracy by the tool companies. Convince everyone they need all sorts of cordless gadgets, which they know will die after a couple of years. Much more profit than selling corded tools that last 20 years.  :-\

Ian

[Larry]

I agree 100%.  The chucks on the cordless drills are junk also.  I think they expire about the same time as batteries.

I inherited an old 1/4" Maul drill.  It was a slow speed model but recently I picked up a high speed model for $5 at a garage sale.  I think Maul folded a long time ago but there drills will be going for a long time.  I gave a 1/2" Maul drill to one of the kids to abuse 10 years ago...it was probably 50 years old then.  Still going.

[SwampDonkey]

I have never bought a cordless anything, just for the reason you guys state. Just a bunch of junk. I reach for my corded Makita I have used and used a lot for 20 years. Thank you very much. 

[scsmith42]

I'm in the opposite camp on this one.  I have a 28volt Milwaukee set that is around 6 years old, and we have used the heck out of it here on the farm.

It's been used so much that I've already had one set of brushes replaced in the drill, and it's almost time for a second set.

Last year I finally had to break down and acquire some new batteries (ouch), but the tools themselves are still going strong.  I would have rebuilt the batteries myself, but they are LI and the components are not available (at least they weren't a year and a half ago when I researched it).

Lot's of drilling in everything - concrete, etc.  Works like a champ.

[SwampDonkey]

Something like that couldn't be bought locally, has to be ordered. So people just take what's on the shelf which is 18v or less. A lot of people around here hate to hear "well we can order it". So can most anyone, off their computer and internet. ;)

We have a national chain here called Canadian Tire and it's knock off store about like Nor thern  To ol. Even a bulb on a bench grinder will be burnt out with less than 3 hours of use. :

[tcsmpsi]

I have utilized greatly cordless drill motors since Makita came out with their first one, it was small and small voltage (and a mite expensive), by today's standards.  But, it was priceless in remodeling/cabinet work.  I have yet to find another that would be what it was, overall.  Nontheless, I currently have 3 up and running motor packs (circular saw and drill motor).  The little circular saw is great for installing laminate flooring.  If one needs a drill motor on a roof, they MUCH handier than a corded.  In the woodshop, many times/projects, I'll have all 3 of the drill motors working  with different bits in them.  Presently, I have a Makita, Porter Cable and Ryobi set.  Just keeping a battery charging while using one, takes only a small time to change.

[SwampDonkey]

Put a new roof on the shed in 2007, got the cord and drill out. :D

[thecfarm]

I like the cordless stuff 600 feet across the road in the field working on my bird houses. But I don't like to buy batteries every 2 years for it either. I have a ryobi set and really like the convenience of using it without dragging around a 100-600 foot extension cord. Now if I can just convince my wallet of my convenience every couple years things will be not much better.  ;D The Ryobi is fine for what I need most of the time.  We had the Milwaukee at work. That thing would last a long time,and have more pushing power than my cheapy Ryobi,but twice the money too. I try to buy 2 batteries at a time. Last time there was a special on a drill and a torx one to put in deck screws with 2 batteries. For $10 more I had 2 new tools. I had a drill,but the torx I did not. Just another way to add more tools to make sure you keep buying batteries. But I really like the flash light. I reach for it and it works. No need to buy smaller batteries for a smaller flash light all the time for it. I really like my ryobi set,just wish the batteries were better. I've had no problems with it and I use it quite a bit too. The drill is great for small jobs that I do. Mine is a keyless too and that works good too.

[sprucebunny]

I built a 12x16 foot building with just my cordless 18v Makita saw and drill/screw gun. Then I built a 2 story house  but added a generator cause there was lots of cutting to do and helpers. Sure was nice to turn off the generator and still have the cordless tools.

Nothing but a generator and solar panel where I am now. The 12 year old Makitas are still going and a flock of Ryobi stuff. The batteries are worth the convienence to me.

[thecfarm]

Come to think of it,my Ryobi must be about 10 years old. I maybe a little off on the lasting of the battiers by a year,  :  But it's still costly to replace them in that time frame. But it's better than no cordless tools. Was no power here until '86.

[metalspinner]

At last count, I have 7 cordless drill currently that still work in my shop. 

The 18volt Dewalt tool set is what I have been the most disappointed with over the years.  The hammer drill is OK, but the other tools in the set suck too much power from the batteries and die quickly.

My favorite drills right now are the 12 volt Li Dewalt set - one drill and one driver.  They are very small, lightweight and handy.

Another corless that has been going strong for 5 years now is my 14volt Hitachi drill.  These three are used for most of my hand drilling needs which is mostly pilot holes and screwing.

A buddy has a cordless framing hammer that is propane powered with a small battery pack.  That thing is awesome and I want one.

[Cypressstump]

I have a set of the Dewalt 18v drill,and skill saw. I am Very impressed with he strength of that little saw. The batteries last a good while if you are using a shape blade. It's my go to tool for cutting 2x's. Another thing is the balde brake on it, once tigger is released it stops quickly.

[beenthere]

Also, I couldn't get along without my cordless drills.
Getting the corded hammer drill did remind me of the hassle of dragging the cord along to the job.
I'll not be without the cordless tools, just will moan about the dead bat. packs.

I'd be interested in the suggestion to put c battery's in the old packs.  Someone have some directions for this?  Seems once I looked into it, there was a dead-end or two -- not as simple as some soldering of wires. But I'd like to give it a shot.

cy stump
That blade brake is a good addition. My 12v saw doesn't have that and one has to be real careful after a cut. But it doesn't handle 2x4's real easy. Am sure the 18v is much better tool.

[thurlow]

There are numerous on-line instructions for rebuilding the battery packs; here's one ( http://www.ehow.com/how_5432537_rebuild-nicad-subc-battery-pack.html ); there are also some on youtube.  As far as I know, they all contain 1.2v sub c batteries.  When I rebuilt the first one, I bought just enough batteries to rebuild the one.  After I did the first one, I bought a large quantity...........100, iirc.  They can be had with tabs or without.    The tabs sound like the way to go, but I could never get the tabs on the second/other end to line up.  What I do is to take a piece of 14ga copper wire about an inch long, hammer it THIN/FLAT and use it in place of the tabs.  It's not rocket science, but you must be careful to put the batteries back in the same place.........in relation to each other.  I've spent hundreds of hours soldering.....building stained glass pieces and you must have SOME soldering skills.  I don't use 'em every day, but the cordless tools are great.  I've got 5 or 6, but my go-to ones are a couple of 18v Dewalts;  the battery on the first one lasted almost 7 years and I used it extensively (built 3 buildings with a LOT of screws.  Bought the second one because the replacement battery cost almost as much as the new drill w/batteries and charger.  That was before I started rebuilding the battery packs.  The drills I've got will probably outlast me............

[Cypressstump]

Good info Thurlow. I saw a guy in a battery shop soldering those battery packs once, seemed fairly straight forward.

For someone needing to drive alot of screws, the Ryobi impact I mentioned above works like a charm, it will drive in a screw twice as fast as a normal drill like my 18v Dewalt. The Ryobi has a  qick connect recieving end on it that accepts only hex shanked bits. Real easy to change out bits. Only draw back is on those Lithion batteries, you never get a feel for when one is weak, they just die dead, unexpectedly.

[WH_Conley]

I thought I remembered an old thread about batteries.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,22337.msg317200.html#msg317200

[petefrom bearswamp]

I still have 2 old Makita 9.6 volt drills that work just fine. Been thru several batteries tho.
Also have Ryobi set 18v with old batts that are nearly dead and 2 new Lithium Ion ones.
Recipro saw eats batteries like nobody's business. The flashlight is invaluable.
Don't know how the lithium Ion will last yet.
My third is a Ridgid bought at Home Depot 3 or 4 years ago, lifetime warrantee on all components.
have had 2 Batts go bad so far and when I take them to the dealer I walk out with a new one in about 5 mins, no questions asked. The chuck is first rate unlike the Makita and /Ryobi.

[thecfarm]

Ridgid guarantees the batteries too.    Would just about be worth it to throw my Ryobi in the trash with the price of batteries every 3 years. Would just about pay for itself in about 15 years.  ;D  That is good service.