New DeWalt 18v tools

[RalphVa]

Anyone have Porter Cable cordless tools. Had time this morning and did a search on the Lowes site. They offer an 8 tool 18v Porter Cable set for $399. Fantastic price. Has the 5 tools I want plus 3 others (think recip, angle grinder and another one). Wonder how the batteries release.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Oh, we have a Bosch 12v drill. Wife loves it. It isn't heavy enough for staying put on hard-to-unscrew screws though. Need the extra weight of the 18-20v DeWalts in many cases.

Ralph

 

[MrWhippy]

If I were buying new, I would not get anything that wasn't powered with the latest Li ion battery technology. The older systems will be phased out in the next few years. I have a full set of DeWalt 18V tools and I won't be buying more batteries for them. As batteries die, I will probably start picking up new Li tools, until completely replaced.

 

[woodchipper]

Very nice to hear about Milwaukee quality and waranty on their line of cordless tools.
I own many >Dewalt cordless tools, with most of them using XRP 18v batteries. Not impressed with the longevity of the batteries. Pure junk is what I have to say about them. Althought they are very easy to take off from the tool, easy in the charcher, and the same going from the charger to the tool. But you battery should stay longer in the tool, not the charger...
Bosch has been good to me with their corded tools, but I don't think they are top of the line. Don't know about their cordless line.
I also have one 1/2" drive cordless 18v Rigid drill... Do not buy these!! Heavy, extremely combersome, battery gets completely dead in a blink of the eye, charger won't charge outside in our cold Canadian winter...
Cordless tools are such a waste of money and precious resources from mother earth, without saying the extra garbage it creates....Pity:thumbdown:

There will be one thing positive that you all agree, is they render great services to us all by not having to use a power cord/runing generator on remote site et al... I did built my own house using Cordless Tools

 

[strum456]

Well then I guess they have made great strides. We actually had the exact opposite experience. We had 2 of the older milwaukee 18 volt drills here and they quit working relatively quickly (can't remember what was wrong with them, it was about 7 years ago)

Milwaukee's first generation of lithium packs that were designed to work with the old 18v tools are ABSOLUTELY USELESS. Milwaukee should do the right thing and recall them. I bought some of these, expecting Milwaukee quality, but they work as good as what I would expect from Harbor Freight cordless tools. These were the "V-18" packs. They didn't make them for very long, but I bet that is what you had.

With all of that said, I have always favored Milwaukee tools. I cannot say enough good things about the new Fuel like of tools and the 4.0 XC lithium batteries.

 

[LD1]

With all of that said, I have always favored Milwaukee tools. I cannot say enough good things about the new Fuel like of tools and the 4.0 XC lithium batteries.

They actually have (or are soon to come out with) 5.0 batteries now:thumbsup:

I like the 4.0's on the drills. But they make the impact drivers kinda heavy and cumbersome. I use the 2.0's on them

 

[newbury]

My 3.0 DeWalt batteries have a charge indicator.

My 20 V Max 1.5 don't, and I'm pretty sure my son's 20 V Max 3.0 doesn't, but the newer 20 V Max XR 5.0 does.
On my Milwaukee drill the battery charge indicator only works when you use the batteries, on the XR there's a push button to check the battery, if it's on the tool or not.

 

[LD1]

On my Milwaukee drill the battery charge indicator only works when you use the batteries,

None of the ones that I have used have to be on the tool.

On the tool, off the tool, on the charger....the indicator works.

 

[kevinwak]

Dewalt and Porter Cable are both Black and Decker products. B and D was their home owner line, Dewalt was their tradesperson line. They recently, about five years ago, purchased porter cable. I am not certain, but I think they are marketed as the mid grade between B and D and Dewalt.

Also, a year or so ago they purchased Stanley. That is why you now see all the Stanley hand tools, such as tape measures, labeled as Dewalt.

 

[DFB]

Ralph you get whatever your happy with the caveat being you get what you pay for. Read well what your getting. I do see a lot of online deals are of older design. Battery amp size varies too. Some tool brands are still even pushing Ni-cad kits like Dewalt and Porter Cable. I have my old style Makita 18V saw and drill but I don't use it much anymore and I was torn between upgrading to Li-on with Makita seeing I could buy an adapter for my older tools. And I really like Makita tools. But the new Fuel 7-1/4 circular saw needs only one battery opposed to Makita's two. Milwaukee has an 18V miter saw in production overseas that would be popular here too. I seem to remember Ryobi having released one years ago?

I went to Milwaukee last year and have no regrets. Like its been said warranty is 5 years and Milwaukee is out there right now looking to dominate the market.

I have a good amount of newer Milwaukee tools both 12 and 18 volt, FUEL and brushed and I'm hooked solid right now. 4.0 batteries are pretty much standard unless you buy a what's called a compact kit and there is a new 5.0 too. Milwaukee just came off of a huge holiday tool promotion and it will probably start up sometime again sometime soon. A lot time they offer either an additional bare tool or battery if you buy a kit. I saved plenty of money that way. I buy a lot of bare tool on promos and the most recent deal was buy a bare tool get a free battery. I have the Hepa filtered vac, the blower, and a lot of the LED lights. along with drills, impact drivers, and impact wrenches among others. My everyday favorite tools are the 12v 2462 impact driver 12 volt 2420 Hackzall, the 2457 3/8 drive ratchet and the 2590 12volt radio.
Anybody ever seen the drop test video on that radio? Gotta love it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igTuazCqPww

Do you believe it?

And that 2763 impact...what beast for a cordless. Though the 2655B is what I use most often at work to change trailer wheels. Where I work I need cordless most all the time. Remote signage, 4 barns...none with electricity, Running out 300 feet of extension cords is bull. 3 tractors, a whole bunch of attachments, 4 wagon gears (2 as hay wagons), and over 50 acres of grounds. With all the junk tires they use flats are inevitable part of life.

Multiple torque settings with the FUEL impact tools are a real advantage. 2 position on the 12v and 3 on the 18v. Single setting impacts are fine for hammering screws in wood but leave a lot to be desired for mechanical work. Milwaukee does have a 2 speed 18v brushed I/4 hex impact though. (I scored a whole kit for $89 with compact batteries on a one day sale at HD online)

The 2403 Fuel 12v drill is an awesome tool with the 1/2" metal chuck. It's fast, powerful, and heavy too but doesn't cut out as easily as the other 12v drills with the built in overload sensing. The 18V FUEL 2604 is the most powerful in the Milwaukee lineup of clutched drilldrivers.


Milwaukee has already stood by me replacing my heated hoodie under warranty probably didn't have too either and when the orange big box failed to honor a free battery promotion one email to Milwaukee customer service had me the battery in two days time.

I am impressed with some of the Bosch offerings though like the Bosch IDH182 18V EC Brushless Socket Ready Impact and Bosch wireless charging too, But pretty much most choose one tool manufacture's battery platform and stick with it. I have never been one to have multiple brands in use at the same time. Milwaukee also just released a 6 slot battery charger 3 12v and 3 18v

 

[RalphVa]

Our (factory reconditioned) Porter Cable tools arrived today from Sears. Charged one battery and stuck it into all 4 tools to make sure they work. Used the light to put in our sink soap dispenser that arrived apparently in the same delivery truck.

Everything appears smaller and lighter except for the circular saw. it's pretty much the same as the DeWalt's.

Came with small and big Lithium Ion batteries.

My DeWalt tools are going to a good family that I gave a bunch of other tools to about a year ago.

After I ordered these factory rebuilt ones from Sears.com, my wife found them new on Lowes.com for $7 more but with a much longer guarantee. Another looking for same would be advised to go to the Lowes web site.

Ralph

 

[DFB]

RalphVa maybe you can tell us overall how happy are you with buying factory reconditioned? I have bought one recon tool...a Milwaukee cordless screwdriver. Looked pretty much brand new to me and the price was right! When delivered had no OEM packaging but did come with an operators manual.

A tools a tool and if their put to use they will pick up dings and scratches in short order anyhow.

 

[CHDinCT]

Also, a year or so ago they purchased Stanley. That is why you now see all the Stanley hand tools, such as tape measures, labeled as Dewalt.

Actually, it was the reverse - Stanley bought out B&D which owns DeWalt and Porter Cable.

Lucky me, I invested in some DeWalt 18 volt Lithium Ion tools about 2 years ago. I have a drill/driver, impact driver, cordless cir saw and pickup up an 18 volt caulk gun. Anyway, these use LiIon batteries but with the stem that inserts into the tool like the XRP NiCads. Love how long the batteries last but I'm having issues finding reasonably priced 18 volt LiIon's now that DeWalt has gone to the 20 volt max platform, which is actually still 18 volts. Apparently, they top out at 20 volts right after charging, but soon drop back to 18 volts, so the 20 volt rating is basically marketing. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I could use those new 20 volts if they would fit on my tools. It would be nice, but wishful thinking, if DeWalt came out with an adapter of some sort you push into the stem of the tool so you can hook up the new slide on batteries. I could buy XRP NiCads but I'm spoiled now having switched to Lithium Ion already.