Cordless drill questions

[JDgreen227]

mx842...well said !!! If you can even get parts to fix something today they usually cost as much as the entire tool. A boss on the flywheel of my 6 year old MTD trimmer cracked and broke off and shredded the two plastic tabs on the housing with the starter spool...to replace those itty-bitty plastic tabs was something like $15 with shipping, and a replacement flywheel was about $65 more...I could replace the entire trimmer with an identical newer model for $75 with sales tax. And I had a four year old Homelite trimmer where the plastic choke shaft broke off, the plastic shaft just slid into the carb housing and was retained by a clip. Guess what? I would have to buy the ENTIRE CARB at $80 because you could not buy just that plastic part. No, I didn't buy the new carb, I carefully drilled thru the choke shaft and added a plastic sleeve and a small cotter pin to secure it. Parts are a HUGE RIPOFF...Ithink they mark them way up to make you buy a new gadget instead.

 

[mx842]

I recently purchased more of their C3 tools and the same kit you did, paid the same $160. I really prefer the carry bag over the hard molded plastic cases they formerly packed the kits in, I never use my plastic carry cases as I never take my cordless tools much of anywhere. The molded cases take up a huge amount of space. When I have to take my cordless tools someplace I just pack them in one of those flip-top clear plastic 12-14 gallon storage bins.

I know what you mean about those stewpid plastic cases I had a whole attic full of them at one time and still have a few and finally hauled them to the dump. I just bought the Dewalt 20V tool set with everything but the kitchen sink in it and it came with a nice tool bag.....something that is actually useful. It has all sorts of pockets and everything plus a bunch of other stuff fits in nicely and it sits on a shelf ready when I am. It's a great go bag for just about anything you have to do weather it's screwing, sawing or if you just need a good light to spot a coon way up in the big ol popular tree out back it's all there ready when you are. I'm thinking about buying a couple more for my big Bosch hammer drill and my small dewalt portable band saw to go in so I can ditch those useless plastic boxes that the latches break on the first time you open the case.

 

[mx842]

mx842...well said !!! If you can even get parts to fix something today they usually cost as much as the entire tool. A boss on the flywheel of my 6 year old MTD trimmer cracked and broke off and shredded the two plastic tabs on the housing with the starter spool...to replace those itty-bitty plastic tabs was something like $15 with shipping, and a replacement flywheel was about $65 more...I could replace the entire trimmer with an identical newer model for $75 with sales tax. And I had a four year old Homelite trimmer where the plastic choke shaft broke off, the plastic shaft just slid into the carb housing and was retained by a clip. Guess what? I would have to buy the ENTIRE CARB at $80 because you could not buy just that plastic part. No, I didn't buy the new carb, I carefully drilled thru the choke shaft and added a plastic sleeve and a small cotter pin to secure it. Parts are a HUGE RIPOFF...Ithink they mark them way up to make you buy a new gadget instead.

Nawh, it's how they make their money. The way today's market place is with most everybody having the Walmart mentality everything has to be priced at the rock bottom price so they make this stuff as cheap as they can make it with margins so close they have to make up the difference by sheer numbers just to keep cash flow moving along. They may not make but 6 bucks on a whole gas trimmer when it leaves the factory but when you need some string or another part to keep it going they bust you in the back end to make up the difference. They gotta eat too you know.:laughing:

 

[SPYDERLK]

I have friends who are happy with Ryobi products. Their all homeowners and that is what Ryobi is designed for. I have never used them though but would consider them if I wasn't in an industry that puts these things through their paces.

I know a good sized woodworking shop that uses them exclusively. They are quite happy with the value.
larry

 

[IXLR8]

I have an older Bosch drill, 12v niCad, worked great for about 6 years, until the batteries died. Bosch no longer provided new batteries. Nobody could rebuild the battery packs as they had a custom Bosch part in them that often fried and made them useless. I now have Makita, 14.4 Ni-MH, have had for about 3 years, work great for my uses, I just need to be careful not to break off 1/4" and smaller screws when using the impact driver.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I have an older Bosch drill, 12v niCad, worked great for about 6 years, until the batteries died. Bosch no longer provided new batteries. Nobody could rebuild the battery packs as they had a custom Bosch part in them that often fried and made them useless. I now have Makita, 14.4 Ni-MH, have had for about 3 years, work great for my uses, I just need to be careful not to break off 1/4" and smaller screws when using the impact driver.

NiMH can give more run time in light to medium loads but wont deliver the torque you can get with Ni Cads. I tried them in my 14.4V and went back to the Ni Cads. A shame they dont provide an upgrade to Lithium.
larry

 

[KubotainNH]

Sadly Sears is the same as most of the other large older companies that are still around today.

Proto....now there's a tool that was well made in its day, I still have most of an old Proto socket set I bought 40 years ago and I still use it almost every day. I've used that ratchet for everything from a pry bar to a hammer and it is still in the top of my tote tray and the first ratchet I grab when I have a rusty bolt to break loose.

I still like sears hand tools for the most part, they are affordable and easily replaced. I can't afford a Snap-on set. I have a Proto 1/2" ratchet, it was rebuilt once because I broke it with a 6 foot pipe on it. I beat the crap out of that tool. Hammer is one use

JDgreen227 mentioned things breaking and costing lots to repair. That part does suck but like JD said, that's the time to jimmy-rig them. Sometimes they come out better than original.

 

[JDgreen227]

Getting off topic here, but I do remember Proto tools, have some of their sockets and open end wrenches lying around somewhere. Anybody remember when Monkey Ward had it's own line of Powr-Kraft (sp?) tools? I still have the Ward's Powr-Kraft 1/2 inch drive torque wrench I got back about 1968...would put a pic up but it's out in the garage and it's 20 degrees here.

 

[deereman75]

Well the talk about the dewalt 20v max tools has won this milwaukee fan over. I am getting the compact drill/impact kit this weekend.

 

[mx842]

Well the talk about the dewalt 20v max tools has won this milwaukee fan over. I am getting the compact drill/impact kit this weekend.

Let us know what you think.