Which cordless tool pack would you get?

OwenM

OwenM

Joined
Oct 26, 2000
Messages
6,104
I'm thinking about "going cordless"!
My three favorite power tool manufacturers are Makita, DeWalt, and Milwaukee, and I've been looking at tool packs.
The Milwaukee is the only one I haven't handled, but I'm leaning heavily toward that brand, anyway, because the circular saw looks the most ergonomic, the sawzall ("Hatchet", they call it) has an adjustable handle so the tool can fit in tight spaces, and the batteries are reversible.
I was disappointed to discover that the online prices really don't beat Lowe's on the Makita and DeWalt ($499 for either), but Lowe's doesn't have the Milwaukee kit, which is $30-50 cheaper than the others, and has a mail-in rebate for an extra spare battery, so that's ok.
This isn't a matter of need, since I no longer do work where these would be used on a daily basis. They're really all overkill, and it's more of a "I'ved used these brands, and trust them, and won't settle for less, even if I have to pay more" kind of thing.
The cool factor is way high, too, plus I hate screwing around with extension cords...
Here they are:
092329.jpg

http://www.northwestpowertools.com/drillcordless/combo/092329.htm

dk1052dl.jpg

http://www.northwestpowertools.com/drillcordless/combo/dk1052dlx.htm

dw4kit2.jpg

http://www.northwestpowertools.com/drillcordless/combo/dw4kit2.htm

Which one would you get?

btw, I'm not really sold on the cordless circular saws, not having used them, and would welcome some feedback from anyone who has.
I like the heft of a traditional 7 1/4" saw, and the cordless ones look and feel "backwards" to me, because of the handle/blade orientation. I can see where the cordless would come in real handy, though.
Whatcha think?:)
 
I have used the dewalt 18 volt set since shortly after they came out. I love mine! the circular saw I thought would be a joke and since I wanted the drill and the sawzall and the price was almost the same seperate as the set at the time- I got the set. I was surprised! I have used the circular saw alot. One of the first things I used it for was to make a pulpit for my churches childrens department out of the oak plywood sheeting and mouldings, cut with the circular saw and it worked great. It works well although a second battery is needed, it did/does better than I would have thought. The blade handle orientation is odd at first but I have gotten used to it and it works well. Mine is still working great although I did bend the drill shaft after a free fall off of a ladder......
 
Thanks, Paul.
Did the battery run down quick on the circular saw? You said you needed another battery...
That was my main concern, but the advertising for the Milwaukee says it will cut 145 2x4s on one charge and I assume the others would be clsoe to that. I would probably just use the circular saw for trim work, so it should be fine, but advertising doesn't impress me, and I'm curious.
Also wonder how it will go using a "backwards" cordless saw, since I pretty much go into automatic when there's alot of cuts to be made, and the cordless seems like it would be, uh, counter-intuitive, for lack of a better term, along with lacking the heft of a larger saw that I'm used to (not to mention, buying a bunch of cordless stuff, and then dragging out the extension cord for one tool would be kind of defeating the purpose).

My main problem, just thinking about buying a toolpack for cost considerations is that I like Makita's circular saws, DeWalt's drills, and Makita and Milwaukee's sawzalls (I've used saws and drills by Makita and DeWalt, but only the only Milwaukee I've used was a sawzall, and it wasn't a cordless). Guess there's no helping that, though. Buying them separately would just cost too much, and it's the whole pack or nothing, so I'm stuck with one brand, but personal preferences die hard.
I'd hate to spend the money, and still be left thinking "well I wish I had XX", so all the input I can get is welcome.

edit: I just reread all that and realized I'm rambling...sorry, power tools get me as excited as knives and guns do:o
That's normal, though, right?
 
Owen, my circular saw does go through the batteries- I tend to push through material hard which is not as efficient etc, But for most things I do it is all I need and I am always getting into something between the house, my business or church.My set came with two batteries and if I pop one on charge when it dies I tend to keep up,but then again I am not usually running production. I feel that I will always have these but if you are used to the corded tools that the extra power IS noticable with the corded tools. I love my corded stuff but recently I did rediscover my corded sawzall and forgot how nice it is compared to the cordless in power and smoothness etc. Also the cordless technology no doubt has been improved in the last 4 years or so since I got mine. As I said I am generally happy with mine. as far as the brand type- I have had a makita cordless drill for years and it still runs great- the unit is kept as a spare not because of anything etcept the slow charge and battery cost- it was more cost efficient to buy new, thats how I got into the pack myself. I guess the best way to say that I like the set is that I am at least 3-4 times a week,sometimes dailey grabing one or another of the tools and doing something with them.
 
we dont have the complete kit, but i bought a dewalt 18 volt drill used, its pretty old but when i use it it feels like the drill is going to break, or its going to break what im drilling because its got so much force, great drill, ive been using it in place of a drill press.
 
You would be happy with any of the three. Black and Decker makes DeWalt.

I personally prefer Milwaukee. They are designed with the professional in mind and can be repaired by the user. Brushes and bearings can go out in hard use.

I have used all three and Bosch. I really have not been disappointed with any of them. Just make sure that you have at least 3 batteries if you use them alot. Also, get at least the 18 volt for hard use.

You can find them for less on the internet than Home Depot or Lowes. I love Lowes, by the way-much better than Home Depot.

Hope that you enjoy your tools!

Daniel
 
I'm a big fan of both Milwaukee and Makita. I like Milwaukee because it's user repairable, and if needed, there's a service center relatively close to me. Makita, while I haven't seen user-repairables from them, has lasted quite well for me, and has a service center 2 blocks from the aforementioned Milwaukee service center.

I do suggest getting a couple batteries (I have 6 for my Milwaukee set) as it's really annoying to have to keep switching battery packs.

TC
 
Thanks, guys. Y'all are too :cool:
I really like the sound of the Milwaukee being user repairable. That's a big plus, and I wasn't aware.
I've also been reading a bunch of online reviews, and it's really making me want to try the Milwaukee set, the reciprocal saw being the big difference.
I've yet to find a better price than the one I linked to-man, retail on all of them is ~$1k:eek:, and the additional free battery is attractive.
A little more justifying, quelling the rebelliousness of my checkbook, and I should be ready to buy:D
I may try to find a Milwaukee set without the circular saw, though. We'll see...
 
I have the DeWalt set, and I'll never go back!

Since I have had the set, I haven't used my corded Skilsaw (HD77M) hardly at all; the cordless handles the job very well.

You might check at Sears on their similar sets; at one time they were DeWalt made, and about half the price.

The brushes on the DeWalts are field serviceable as well, so that shouldn't be a problem.

My only recommendation is to get a couple more batteries in the XL version; more amp hours than the standard.

Costco sells the DeWalt set, and a Milwaulkie set as well, so go look there if you can. Mine came from there, and I saved around $100 over the tool supply & Home Depot price.
 
I don't mean to start a flamefest on this but>>>>>>>

I'm a sales rep with a major power tool/home improvement product manufacturer. I do not work for any of the above mentioned companies, so I have no vested interest.

My take.

Dewalt. Avoid Dewalt. It is made by Black and Decker and is a low grade/high price tool. Lots of plastic internal parts, poor plastic quality, high defect rates, constantly changing batteries and chargers. Very expensive for what you get. Made in Taiwan. If you have Dewalt stuff and it has lasted, you have been very lucky. I see piles of their stuff in the return to vendor area every day.


Milwaukee. The best cordless tools on the market. Period. All mettal internal parts, one charger will work all voltages and they never change batteries. NEW drills only are user servicable. Not sure if new drill is in kit yet or not. Made in USA and/or Germany. Reversable battery. Just look at the tool and hold it. Any of the models in comparison to Dewalt. Ergonomics and solidness of build say it all. Conservative power ratings. Lifetime Defect Warranty.


Makita. Mid level quality. Definately better than Dewalt, not quite Milwaukee. Easy access brushes. Nice motors. Good batteries. Good power ratings. Not built quite as well as Milwaukee. Batteries remain pretty stable in terms of model life. They are made in Taiwan now though.

Bosch makes pretty good stuff, although a bit overrated in power.

Porter Cable has some new stuff coming out that is supposed to be very good. Haven't seen it yet though.

That's my take!!!
 
I've been working my rear off this week, and haven't had alot of time, but I wanted to thank everybody that responded.

Where I'm at, now:
I traded some sleep for shopping time today, and got to compare several tools of all three manufacturers side by side at a Home Depot before hurrying back after last night's double shift.
I came away very impressed with Milwaukee tools in general, and saw what The Towcutter was saying about the difference in quality and construction. Left with a new Milwaukee 7 1/4" circular saw:D--just couldn't resist, after comparing it to a Makita identical to one I had used (and loved) on a jobsite a few years back. No comparison, and I think the Milwaukee was only ~$10 more.
Got to handle the cordless pack I linked to above, and may get that, since the cost isn't that much greater than just the drill and sawzall together. About a $65 difference.
The Milwaukee "Hatchet" was alot more impressive in person than in the pictures (ME WANT THAT!). I had some doubts, and thought it might be flimsy compared to the regular Sawzalls, but the thing is built like a rock.
Course this is all just from handling, not using, but they really made an impression.
I'm going to order, well, something, in the morning. Just have to do a little more agonizing over the drill, and whether or not to bother with the 6 1/2" saw.

Already thinking of seeking out some small one-time jobs, like insurance claims, to let this stuff pay for itself, since I've done that kind of thing before.
Like I really need more work to do:rolleyes:

Thanks again, guys!
 
The new Milwaukee 18 volt is the most powerful cordless drill (spec wise) in the U.S market. Hilti makes a 36 volt drill, but it requires a backpack!!

The 18 volt Milwaukee outperforms every other cordless drill I have encountered on the market. Period. I have a 24 volt Bosch I acquired from a comrade in the industry. The 18 volt Milwaukee destroys it!!! It has more torque, holds a charge longer, and is a hammer drill too boot.

If the new model is in the combo kit,(you can tell because you can see the brush port on the side where you can access the brushes) buy it! It's a no brainer! Just hold the drill with the battery reversed. The balance is so nice. Feel the weight of the drill without the battery. Compare it to a Dewalt of the same voltage. HA HA!! The Dewalt feels like a Fisher Price kiddie drill in comparison.

Get the Milwaukee. You'll be glad you did.
 
Well, so far I've got the 6390-21 circular saw, and the 6521-21 orbital Super Sawzall, neither of which is cordless:rolleyes:
A few days ago, I ordered the 0624-24 18V 1/2" hammer drill that comes in the kits separately, since it comes with two batteries, and still qualifies for the mail-in rebate for another free battery or a car charger. It won't be here 'til Tuesday, according to UPS. The $100 price difference between buying the Hatchet and drill separately was made up for by having an extra battery-since the Hatchet also comes with one, and the fact they come with hard cases (which I want) instead the contractor bag, so I can buy the Hatchet without really losing anything if I decide I want it later.

The orbital Super Sawzall is indeed SUPER. Much better than the "regular" sawzalls I'd used before. The cutting power in orbital mode is really impressive. I got to use it yesterday cutting both wood, and steel pipe. Used 9" "Axe" and "Torch" blades. They are aptly named:D
I'm beyond impressed with this Milwaukee stuff so far, and can't wait to get my drill.
 
Regarding cordless drills, I've had an 18v Makita for almost three years now which has worked very well. The original batteries are still very useable which is fairly impressive in its own right. The advertised torque rating of approximately 450 in/lbs moves large auger bits with ease and can snap the heads off of even the modern deck screws if you're not careful.

The only minor complaint I've had with this model is that it's rather heavy (like any 18 to 24v cordless drill will be). Not a big deal at all if you're working out of your garage as a hobbyist. But after 10 hours on the jobsite it can be a legitimate consideration. And so it was that I purchased the 12v Makita impact driver last December. Long story short-- it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It feels like it weighs about half when compared to its big 18v brother and yet, due to its impact wrench type operation, it delivers roughly twice the amount of torque (over 800 in/lbs). Best of all this torque is more useable than that delivered by its 18 to 24v compadres. In other words I have yet to snap off my first screw head despite now driving longer screws into harder materials. Again the key is the impact operation which turns the screw in short pulses while relieving pressure on the screw head inbetween pulses. Traditional cordless drivers, on the other hand, maintain a high torque level throughout the entire driving process (you can, of course, somewhat mimic this pulse action with your trigger finger, but the effect isn't quite the same).

For a picture, take a look here:

http://www.makita.com/Cordless_Image_View.asp?id=71

As you can see, this driver, in stock form, takes only hex shaft bits much like those accepted by the various "quick change" chuck adapters. But you'd be surprised how many drilling and driving accessories are available in this configuration these days. And if you still need a standard chuck head they actually make one that snaps right in. Any way, it's just something to consider. I barely use my 18v set up any more. :)
 
Originally posted by Bronco
(you can, of course, somewhat mimic this pulse action with your trigger finger, but the effect isn't quite the same)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm kind of used to doing that.
The drill I ordered felt really good in hand, and balanced well. That was the main thing for me, and the weight isn't a problem.
I hadn't really thought about having too much power, but I see what you mean, as this will probably see it's share of use as a screwdriver, since using the old Black & Decker, and fooling with another set of batteries probably isn't going to happen. 'Specially since my batteries mysteriously disappeared recently...
(EDIT: Looks like this is covered. Not knowing better, I thought all those numbers were speed settings. They're torque settings, that tell the clutch when to slip to avoid screwing the screw in too deep, or breaking it--yeah, I actually read the owners manual...)
That impact driver looks like something I'd like to have ('course so does every other power tool I don't currently own). Maybe I can justify one later down the road, but right now, I've got a friend's pressure washer, and am afraid that life will be pointless until I get one of my own. How did I ever survive 32 years without a pressure washer???:rolleyes:

What's amazing is how many little projects (that I could have done all along) buying these new tools has motivated me to get into, along with knowing that I'll probably be finishing some rooms and/or building a detached garage/shop in the hopefully not too distant futue, as I'm house shopping. Sad part is, I'm actually looking forward to all this work.
Going to build a new sub enclosure for my truck, some shelves, and I went and priced materials today for building a nice entertainment center. What a rude awakening. Been several years since I'd priced lumber, and it was kind of scary. DIY can get expensive, quick.

Thanks again, everybody! 'bout 9 hours until my new drill gets here:D
 
I hope you guy's are kidding?

HILTI.....HILTI.....HILTI......and don't look back!....there is no and I mean no comparison.....if you dont believe me take one for a test run........you WILL believe me then.

Ummmm.....more expensive but worth it.
 
Originally posted by dog gone
if you dont believe me take one for a test run
Click to expand...

Ahh yes, therein lies the rub. I live in this little town called Los Angeles (perhaps you've heard of it ;) ), and the easiest way for me to actually do a little hands-on testing of a Hilti product is to run down to LAX and catch the next flight to Geneva. I can only imagine how difficult it would be if you lived in an even more remote village like the little encampments we here in the U.S. call Chicago, Boston and Baltimore, to name a few. Of the ten or so Home Depot locations that service the southwest quarter of Los Angeles County, which we patronize frequently, only one of them will occasionally (say every three months) set up a Hilti display for the weekend.

Hilti, Festo and Fein are all examples of companies who manufacture tools that are technically superior to the Makita, DeWalt and Craftsman products with which we are most familiar. But who among us is readily going to spend the amount of money they charge for a tool sight unseen?
 
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