quote:

Originally posted by JonDaddy82:
When I was younger I used to work for Home Depot. DeWalt power tools where returned all day, every day, broken.

That was then, this is now.

NiCad batteries SUCK, the new 20V batteries are GREAT, they simply keep going and going.

Years ago DeWalt had a cheap (more plastic) line, that WAS crap and a better (more metal) line which was good, the new 20V tools are GREAT.

Cordless - DeWalt
Corded - Milwaukee


*Tools are as important to me, as a firearm is to a hunter.

Agreed on the usefullness of an impact. I've got a 20v Dewalt 1/2" that I take off mower blades with and I've got a Makita 18v lithium 1/4" impact for screws. I don't have a battery saw and could use another drill just to have. Seems like a lot for $200. The barebones brad driver, battery and charger is $200 by itself. They must make it up on volume.

Bosch makes some really nice ones. CPO Bosch has this deal as a reconditioned for $95 shipped. I have bought several reconditioned Bosch tools and they all looked and ran as new.

https://www.cpotools.com/facto...2-rt,default,pd.html

SPECIFICATIONS
Series: Compact Tough
Cordless: Yes
Batteries Included: 2
Battery Type: Li-Ion
Chuck Size: 1/2 in.
Chuck Type: Keyless
Clutch Settings: 18 + 1
Handle Style: Soft Grip
No-Load Speeds (RPM): 0 - 500 / 0 - 1,700
Power Type: Electric
Torque: 600 in-lbs.
Voltage: 18V

Ryobi is Milwaukee's cheap consumer line. That being said, it's find for non-professional homeowner around the house type jobs. I have a now very old Ryobi drill driver. I don't use it much, but when I do, it hasn't given me any problems.

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
Home Depot sure pushes the Ryobi 18v One system. They have a 5 tool set for $199 that I may buy just to get the brad nailer.

Any love for the Ryobi?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ry...Tool-P1882/206349864

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
Any love for the Ryobi?

Yes!

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
It would be a crime against humanity if you bought that. Get the combo that includes the impact. So, so many uses for it. Also pick up one of these while you're at it.

Funny you should mention that because I saw THIS combo with the impact driver when I saw your post and actually went ahead and ordered one for my brother as he can really make use of the impact driver as can I on occasion (hinted the combo to my wife ). My dad only really needs / uses a drill / driver though.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. You can keep the thread going too as I'm sure there are others interested in these items and would benefit from the discussion.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Ryobi is Milwaukee's cheap consumer line. That being said, it's find for non-professional homeowner around the house type jobs. I have a now very old Ryobi drill driver. I don't use it much, but when I do, it hasn't given me any problems.

I did not know that .... Ryobi was a part of Milwaukee.
Everything I have had that was Milwaukee was great.
Everything I had that was Ryobi was shit.
Never liked Ryobi but not the same opinion on Milwaukee.
Have both M18 and M12 Milwaukee.

quote:

Originally posted by chessiedog1:
Dewalt was the standard back in the day.

I'll take your word for it, but I don't know what day that was. DeWalt has never been a standard of any kind as long as I've been buying power tools.

The "standards," as I've always known them, have always been Delta, Porter-Cable, Milwaukee, Makita and Bosch. Those are always what I've seen pros using.

More recently I'd add Hitachi to that list. Hitachi and all of the above I think of as "1st Tier" power tools.

I place DeWalt in about the same rank as Rigid, but Rigid wins on its warranty. Both I regard as "Tier 2" power tools.

That being said: I have a DeWalt quarter-sheet palm sander that was given to me for Christmas years ago that does a bang-up job. Same with the DeWalt reciprocating saw I bought several years ago and has never let me down.

My Rigid corded multi-tool simply rocks. The guys that replaced our windows thought so, too. (In fact I think all their power tools were Rigid.)

Ryobi I place in about the same category as Black and Decker which I place in about the same rank as Harbor Freight which I rate about the same as no-name brand tools. I never give any of them a 2nd look. I've never seen a pro using any of them.

Impact drivers... Always thought them a gimmick, until I acquired one. Now I would not be without it.

Yeah, I ran into a Ryobi rep at Home Despot, and we started talking. He told me that.

Edit: Parent company - Techtronic Industries:

http://www.ttigroup.com/en/our_brands/

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Ryobi is Milwaukee's cheap consumer line. That being said, it's find for non-professional homeowner around the house type jobs. I have a now very old Ryobi drill driver. I don't use it much, but when I do, it hasn't given me any problems.

I did not know that .... Ryobi was a part of Milwaukee.
Everything I have had that was Milwaukee was great.
Everything I had that was Ryobi was shit.
Never liked Ryobi but not the same opinion on Milwaukee.
Have both M18 and M12 Milwaukee.

I use Milwaukee corded tools routinely.

For cordless, it is Makita 18v Lithium, Brushless.

Makita is in the sweet spot for cost/durability/power/weight/size.

I just upgraded to one of their black impacts, and the weight savings is meaningful, the power remains.

My main complaint with Milwaukee is the power isn't worth the size/weight. I do like their cordless finish gun though.

Makita also has the largest array of useful tools that take the 18v Lithium batteries. Most recently I bought one of the backpack vacuums.

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
Home Depot sure pushes the Ryobi 18v One system. They have a 5 tool set for $199 that I may buy just to get the brad nailer.

Any love for the Ryobi?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ry...Tool-P1882/206349864

I bought that set last year and I've added a compressor, vacuum and jig saw. I've also picked up 4 4AH Lithium batteries when on sale.

As far as cordless tools for homeowners are concerned, these are unmatched in value in my opinion. The 4AH batteries last a very long time and you get a little more power with them.

I've become a Ryobi addict.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
MILWAUKEE 18v

I'll second this. Picked up a 1/2 inch drill and impact driver kit at Home Depot for 99.99 and the 1/2 inch drill has enough power it could potentially hurt you. While not a wrist breaker like the corded 1/2 inch Magnum Hole Shooter it does have enough power to run a 3/8 inch drill bit through 1/4 inch steel without flinching or slowing down much at all. BTW, won't try doing a 1/2 inch bit in steel because I learned that lesson previously with the Hole Shooter I mentioned. About the only downside was that after just 8 holes drilled the battery was totally flat. Now I have a 3 amp hour battery for the heavy drilling and that one lasts much longer. BTW, Milwaukee also has a 9 amp hour battery available for those who enjoy self inflicted pain, that battery should last long enough to turn both wrists into something resembling room temperature butter.

Note, battery charges for the 1.5 and 3 amp batteries is FAST, as in less that 15-20 minutes for the 1.5 amp hour battery. Coming from a Nicad powered drill I was flat out shocked how fast these batteries charge.

I have the Dewalt 20V impact driver and drill. They're very good tools......the lion batteries stay charged even if they sit for 2 months without charging, the batteries last a very long time, and take minutes to charge.......Milwaukee's and Makita's are also very good.

Another vote for the Milwaukee 18V battery tools. Mine are not the FUEL brushless models, but they are still great machines.

I think Fine Woodworking did a review/comparison on the 18-20 volt battery machines in the past year or so. The review was mostly between everything except the Milwaukee Fuel machines. The Fuel models were so far ahead of everything else there wasn't anything even close. I would have the Fuel except for the expense and the fact that I can't kill the Milwaukees that I have.

As a plumber who WORKS his tools, I don't think you will be disappointed with 20V Dewalt or 18v Milwaukee. I have both in different tools and no bad words for either.

I will say I love Dewalt's power check on the batteries, my Milwaukee's don't have it, but the new ones may have.

I bought a dewalt 20v set on Friday

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Ryobi is Milwaukee's cheap consumer line. That being said, it's find for non-professional homeowner around the house type jobs. I have a now very old Ryobi drill driver. I don't use it much, but when I do, it hasn't given me any problems.

I did not know that .... Ryobi was a part of Milwaukee.
Everything I have had that was Milwaukee was great.
Everything I had that was Ryobi was shit.
Never liked Ryobi but not the same opinion on Milwaukee.
Have both M18 and M12 Milwaukee.

Milwaukee does not own Ryobi, but they are both owned by the same company, TTI.

Here is who owns whom:

Techtronic Industries (TTI) - Milwaukee, Ryobi
Emerson Electric - Ridgid, made by TTI, exclusive contract to HD
Black and Decker - Dewalt, Black and Decker, Porter Cable
Bosch - Bosch, Dremel, Skil
Makita - Makita
Hitachi - Hitachi
Hilti - Hilti

A Ryobi drill is to Milwaukee as a B&D drill is to a Dewalt drill. They may have the same parent company, but there is no comparison of quality or features between the tools, except for the fact that the chuck rotates on both.

http://www.woodsmall.com/tools.htm

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
I use Milwaukee corded tools routinely.

For cordless, it is Makita 18v Lithium, Brushless.

Makita is in the sweet spot for cost/durability/power/weight/size.

My setup as well.

When I worked at Home Depot, Dewalt was the standard to be judged by and that was when they first came out. Very little Dewalt tools were ever returned but the Ryobi brand was always breaking or batteries were dying way too soon. Ryobi, in my opinion is junk,even for the occasional home repair person. Well their tools are ok but they can't make a battery that lasts greater than a year, to save their life. I haven't owned any of their newer tools but after owning the older ones, I lost any faith in that brand. I've had a few Dewalt tools and they lasted a good long time but recently, I went with the Ridgid brand. I wouldn't get anything less than an 18V.

That's a great value at $99 but like it was mentioned before, you also need the impact. Definitely pick up the 1/4" to 3/8" and 1/2" conversions.

I use the impact more than the drill. I have the Milwaukee M18 set myself but I wouldn't hesitate to use Dewalt.