Cordless Tool Update- DeWalt

[Sickcall]

I am waiting for the new hydrogen fuel cell Skytrak so I can trade mine in. No more smelly diesel exhaust.

[DDEMILLE]

Battery Rebuilds

Hey Guys,
Check out voltmanbatteries on Ebay. They rebuild most power tool batteries at a very good price. Resurrect those old batteries. I'll be using my 18V Milwaukee tools for years. I have so many I'd have to win the lottery to replace/ upgrade them all.
Doug

[BobbyMike]

They were the "standard" because they were the ONLY battery tool..ha!ha! The first competition cordless tools from Milwaulkee, B&D and others were even worse. But the Mikita's were so cheap that they became disposable tools on the jobsite. DeWalt became the standards with the 18v tools, but some diehards that don't want to spend money for a quality made US tool still buy the Mikita.
MN

Don't make fun of Makita. They're the only tool company that will still sell you a 16" circular saw....

[MoparNorm]

Replying to Doug:
Yeah, I hear you, once you go down a certain road (voltage, brand etc.) you are pretty much locked in until you win the Lotto....= )
MN

[MoparNorm]

Don't make fun of Makita. They're the only tool company that will still sell you a 16" circular saw....

Wasn't making fun of them, like Jim said, they innovated the market. IN the trades they had the reputation of good cheap tools that didn't last, their tools were used for one or two jobs then tossed because a new Mikita replacement was so cheap to purchase.
I'm old school I believe in quality. I buy a Milwaukee corded tool for life, not 5 minutes. I've had some tools since the 60's, still going strong, and only upgrade when another American Made tool comes along that is safer, stronger, and does the job better and faster.
The Mikita corded screw guns were MUCH lighter and cheaper than Milwaukee corded screw guns, guys liked them because they were easier to use for 8 hours a day, but at the end of the job, the trash bins would be littered with Makitas, but I still have my 1972 Milwaukee....= )
Is that 16" cordless? I have a Skil Beam Saw but I think it's is 14"?? haven't used it in years, it's much easier, accurate and safer to use my Stihl chain saw in lieu of the heavy, and potentially dangerous large diameter circular saw.
MN

[JimmieD]

Yea, Norm, still LOVE my Milwaukee 1650-1 1/2" drill. At 5 amps it's an armbruster but it never fails the job at hand. Hint: it's old enough that it's NOT MILWAUKEE RED! Bought it at an old Milwaukee dealer's estate sale and it was his own tool so that says something I suppose.... :~ )

[Gordon Maney]

Yea, Norm, still LOVE my Milwaukee 1650-1 1/2" drill. At 5 amps it's an armbruster but it never fails the job at hand. Hint: it's old enough that it's NOT MILWAUKEE RED! Bought it at an old Milwaukee dealer's estate sale and it was his own tool so that says something I suppose.... :~ )

What color is it?

[JimmieD]

Raw aluminum, Gordon. First one I ever saw that wasn't Milwaukee red. It's fairly old, but nearly new in box as far as useage....

[Sickcall]

I had a friend who bought an all aluminum worm drive skillsaw at a garage sale. He didn't use it on the job very long as it would get too hot to hold if left in the sun. That aluminum sure is a good conductor of heat.

[BobbyMike]

Wasn't making fun of them, like Jim said, they innovated the market. IN the trades they had the reputation of good cheap tools that didn't last, their tools were used for one or two jobs then tossed because a new Mikita replacement was so cheap to purchase.
I'm old school I believe in quality. I buy a Milwaukee corded tool for life, not 5 minutes. I've had some tools since the 60's, still going strong, and only upgrade when another American Made tool comes along that is safer, stronger, and does the job better and faster.
The Mikita corded screw guns were MUCH lighter and cheaper than Milwaukee corded screw guns, guys liked them because they were easier to use for 8 hours a day, but at the end of the job, the trash bins would be littered with Makitas, but I still have my 1972 Milwaukee....= )
Is that 16" cordless? I have a Skil Beam Saw but I think it's is 14"?? haven't used it in years, it's much easier, accurate and safer to use my Stihl chain saw in lieu of the heavy, and potentially dangerous large diameter circular saw.
MN

I was just bustin' on you Norm. I still own my Makita, my spouses (yes, she came with tools), and four others. They've all outlasted the batteries.

The 16" circular is corded and used mainly by timber framers (safer to use in those circumstances than a chainsaw I guess). I used a friend's once for about an hour. That was enough for me. Scary amounts of torque.

[MoparNorm]

I was just bustin' on you Norm. I still own my Makita, my spouses (yes, she came with tools), and four others. They've all outlasted the batteries.

The 16" circular is corded and used mainly by timber framers (safer to use in those circumstances than a chainsaw I guess). I used a friend's once for about an hour. That was enough for me. Scary amounts of torque.

"Looking for a good woman for possible marriage, must have a 4x4 and tools, please send photo of tools..."

Scary torque is right, those "beam saws" have a tendency to rotate into your leg when removed from the cut, plus they can 'kick' stronger than a man can hold. The chain saw is much, much safer in experienced hands. I can cut all day long with the chain saw, the 14" Skil weighs about 60 lbs and gets a tad tedious after a few hours. I was watching a chain saw carver, many years ago and reasoned that if he could carve a grizzly bear, I could cut plumb cuts, "birds mouths" and seat cuts with no problem. With a 32" bar I can cleanly cut 10 x 22 beams with no problems.
MN

[JimmieD]

I find it somewhat humorus to look back to promises from the past, then found in magazines like Popular Science, Mechanics Illustrated etc. Their 'Future Technology' sections told us in glowing words how men of the future would have laser devices to zip through a 4' square beam nearly instantaneously, or use our hypersonic sound wave device to miter 1,000 ton granite blocks as well as any Egyptian. Our anti-gravity device would effortlessly levitate our building materials to any height. We would quickly and easily fasten in place with thermoplastic-ceramic bonding agents that were stronger than Grade 8 alloy bolts. The hi-tech epoxy coatings would clad all in a finish more durable than the Great Sphinx.

For all of that we still labor in our days with tools of ancient design and technology, despite the occassional interjection of some minuscule science here and there. What fun is it to cut wood if chips don't fly? Is there any true merit in a grinder when there's no sparks streaming off the abrasive? Do we really want a welder that bonds silently and effortlessly without the arc glow mimicing the very sun in the heavens? Can we really put our head to pillow at night without having heard that click of the torque wrench on that last fastener, assuring us that all is well in the world of thermal dynamics and applied physics?

I wonder if instead of holding out on technological advances the manufacturers are not the more pandering to our baser instincts of the joy of the hunt with a heavy club? Let's face it, guys, there's far too many things of this sort that polish the emblem of manhood we wear during our day's work. That badge of courage and cleverness ranks us as one of the fellows who are cut from that sturdy craftsman's cloth, and who can do, and well, in any circumstance. It is that, as well as the assuredness of the proper torque having been applied, that allows our last pleasant sigh of each day before we venture into the land of dreams for the night's peace.

We like it.

[Bruce]

Nicely Put

JD,
What a wordsmith, I enjoyed your walk down the Popular Mechanic's long lost/forgotten highway. I have an old corded makita 3/8's drill, used it plenty before I was given the 9.6 volt drill, it has not been out of the case in 10 years I bet?

[Sickcall]

JD,
You make it sound all romantic, loving every minute of burning, welding, and grinding hot metal out in the shop during this last heat wave! I think my coveralls had 10 lbs of water in them and my boots were starting to overflow! Did PM ever do an artical on air conditioning for uninsulated metal buildings?

Nice writing!

[MoparNorm]

It's not that hard to do, just pick up some batts, some batt anchors and some glue and you'll be cooler in hours...just one tip, wait until December....= )
MN