power tools: red, yellow, or blue. need help...

blackwood

Adventurer
Ryobi for non work usuage is my vote. I had to buy some woodworking tools to build some storage for my truck. I bought a cordless chopsaw, circular saw and jigsaw. I was impressed with them and now have a bunch of fans, lights and vacuum off of the battery system. Don't buy the $70 led lamp, it's bright as heck and has been overkill for any of my needs. The fan saved my bum while working in 90+ degree in the back of the truck.
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
Don't buy the $70 led lamp, it's bright as heck and has been overkill for any of my needs.
Well that settles it. Now I have to get one. When I bought the Ryobi cordless sander a couple weeks ago, Home Depot had the 4ah Li-Ion batteries on sale in a 2-pack for $79, one of their Special Buys. Can't beat that battery price with any other line. I have been running them hard and they are holding up real well, using the 30-minute conditioning charger.

Re the question about "why cordless?": I got the cordless sander because I have to polish out a new travertine floor with wet diamond pads and I don't want to be on my hands and knees on a wet floor with a corded tool, even with GFI. Cordless is a lot safer and more convenient when working from a ladder or scaffold. Cordless tools are approaching or matching the performance of corded tools, and new batteries are reducing the weight considerably.
 

pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
I switched over to the Dewalt 20v stuff a few years ago now. I had an other-branded right angle drill that smoked and when I went to Home Depot to get a replacement the Dewalt was on sale so I bought it. Liked it so much that over the next 6 months or so switched over completely to the Dewalt 20V LiIon stuff so everything I have runs the same battery pack - I probably have a dozen or so of their tools, including their nifty AC/DC shopvac which I have found to be incredibly handy.
 

TwinStick

Explorer
I have the 18v Lit ion Rigid brand from H D. I absolutely LOVE them. Generation 5X. 7 1/4" circular saw, reciprocating saw, drill/driver/hammer drill, 1/4" impact w/3 settings, 4X drill/driver, pistol grip LED light, reg LED light & 1/2" impact gun. I bought them on sale & used my Military discount on the 4th of July. The ONLY reason i gave them a try was "If i was not completely happy with them, i could bring them back within 30 days. I am sure the name brand ones (1/2" impact gun) are more powerful, but it easily breaks the lugs loose on our Power Wagon @ 135 lb ft. It won't quite tighten them back up to that though but REALLY close to it. I just can't believe how much power battery operated tools have. Mine have almost broke my wrist a few times. Plus, H D's are everywhere & mine were no where near as expensive as some of the others.
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
Hilti? Never again for me. Overpriced and impossible to get parts for the old ones.

Dewalt makes an adapter that allows you to use the 20V Max batteries on the old 18V tools. It's a housing that the 20V battery slips into and then the housing snaps into the tool. Far as I can tell, Dewalt will continue to sell and support the old system, but all new tools will be the 20V Max version.
 

mtnkid85

Adventurer
Makita is my vote.
STILL the largest variety of cordless offerings, ability to use the 36v x2 tools, lots of great new offerings and Ive never had a issue with any of my tools or batteries that I use almost daily.
 

jeepdreamer

Expedition Leader
It's stupid expensive, but I think SnapOn makes the best cordless Impact drivers. Nothing touches them in torque per size of tool.

Gotta disagree on this one. Do the full comparison between like-like impacts, snap-on vs Milwaukee (including price point) and snap on prices itself out of the game.
Sadly, they (Snap-on) as well as other "pro" tools are simply successful branding sold for silly mark ups out of a fancy truck. Can't afford it? No problem... we finance!
Ha!

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 

romz26

Observer
Thanks for the input guys.
despite almost going red, i went blue. Got a killer deal from ebay, basically people buying combos and selling them piece by piece.

what i got:
makita xdt01
makita xph07
2 bl1840 4ah
charger
all for 150$ cheaper then buying the kit. sure i dont get the case, but in my eyes cases take up lots of space when hard use tools are built to handle punishment.
 

goodtimes

Expedition Poseur
I agree with the DIY = Ryobi crowd.

I probably wouldn't go that route if I had to earn a living with them - but for tools that only get used around the house for the random project every week or three, it's hard to beat them.
 

Happykamper

Explorer
My shop is 95% Dewalt. Great products, never let me down, never have had a problem. The only non Dewalt in shop is a John Deere pressure washer, just had to buy the Deere to sit alongside the tractor... Wish I had bought the Dewalt .
 

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