they're not as good as they used to be.

Baronvonrort wrote on Apr 6^th, 2022 at 11:56pm:


I have a powered drill that is 47 years old. I don't use it much anymore but it does still work perfectly.

John Smith wrote on Apr 7^th, 2022 at 5:20pm:


Yes, us too.
Battery powered whipper snipper is great
A friend has a battery lawn mower, says it is far less fatiguing.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Apr 7^th, 2022 at 5:37pm:


thats the next one on my list. I haven't touched the lawn mower since I got the battery mower 36V makita). It's so light and easy to push around that my 12 year old does my lawns now. The surprising thing for me is that I don't even have to remind him. Every two weeks he pulls it out of the shed and goes for it. And he has since started doing the neighbors yard for some spending money. One battery does the neighbours lawn and my front yard before it dies. Then it's on the charger for an hour before he can finish the back yard.   I still have to do the edges for him though because I haven't got around to a battery whipper snipper yet . My 12 year old can't pull the rip cord properly and I don't want him handling the cans of petrol. I want a 36V whipper snipper so the batteries are interchangeable and he'll be able to finish both lawns in one go if he so wishes.

greggerypeccary wrote on Apr 7^th, 2022 at 6:22pm:



UK (drill/drivers, angle grinders, jigsaws, plunge saws, belt sanders and circular saws. )
Germany (Chain saw)
Japan
China

Sprintcyclist wrote on Apr 7^th, 2022 at 8:29pm:



I have used  DeWalt tools - they are fantastic
but a lot more expensive than other brands.
You get what you pay for.

I have 2 old electric drills that use NiCad batteries and
both the batteries are stuffed.
The chargers were not even smart chargers
and the batteries became unusable in less than 2 years.

OOOOOoooooooooohhhhhhhhh, just been playing with my new 12V Makita impact driver.

It is a LOT better than the old 12V Renegade impact driver.
The Renegade is quite ok. I take the purchase price into account.

The Makita has 25% more torque and many more impacts per minute.
It's better balanced, it is slightly heavier but feels lighter.

Drove some screws into the face of some scrap pine. Easy. Don't even think I got up to full revs.
Turned the pine on it's side as it is thicker that way and the side grain is harder than the face grain.
Got up to full revs, I think. It buried the screw about 6 mm under the surface of the wood and split the wood before I could stop.

Bobby. wrote on Apr 7^th, 2022 at 8:47pm:


So, they performed exactly as they were designed.

Where are DeWalt tools made?

Bobby. wrote on Apr 10^th, 2022 at 6:55pm:


They manufacture their tools in the following countries: United States, Mexico, Brazil, China, Italy, United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic.

I bought a cheap Chinese-made drill with two x 88V lithium batteries and charger for use with a garden auger for drilling holes in the soil.

Absolutely a good buy. Powerful and works well. It has torque adjustment, speed control, reversing switch, keyless chuck, a bunch of drills, and screwdriver bits.

Been using it for 6 months and works faultlessly.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Apr 10^th, 2022 at 7:53pm:


Sounds great

Sprintcyclist wrote on Apr 16^th, 2022 at 9:30pm:


These destruction tests are great they show which tools are more durable.

How are you going to know if they aren't publicly tested to failure?

UnSubRocky wrote on Apr 10^th, 2022 at 10:29pm:


Drilled a hole through the corner of a window to fit a cord through. Found out that the security system did not work as I liked. Had to take the system back to the store. Now I have a hole that needs fixing.

UnSubRocky wrote on Apr 17^th, 2022 at 10:51am:



Some putty and paint?
maybe some dowel, then putty/paint

Jovial Monk wrote on Apr 18^th, 2022 at 11:17am:


Ryobi are not one of my preferred brands, but use what you have at hand first.  There is not much 'wrong' with ryobi. Use it judiciously. It's not for putting a 12 mm hole through 150 mm of old dried hardwood.
Don't let it labour, it'll overheat or break something inside.

Better to buy good drill bits (Sutton) than an excellent drill.

Also, excess heat ruins the tempering of any metal cutting blade.
Once the tempering is ruined it is pointless to resharpen it.

If drilling into hardwood I often have a small cup of water nearby to regularily cool the bits in.

Steel does not have to get 'hot' to ruin the tempering

Jovial Monk wrote on Apr 18^th, 2022 at 11:02pm:


Oh, as you have found, it is harder to undo screws than put them in.

Sometimes they can be loosened by hitting the top with a hammer. Not too hard, just to jar them.
Spray it with penetrating oil, let it soak in for a while.
If you think it is getting too hard to undo them, you'll be right. Stop or the head will be stripped.

If they are in old wood, can you chisel out a bit around the head, then put vise grips onto the now exposed head ?

It's a hard job. Don't rush it.

Good luck

Jovial Monk wrote on Apr 19^th, 2022 at 8:14pm:


Phew, yes, electric drills are much better than manual screwdrivers. That is a relief.

Some screw bits look VERY similar but are quite different.
A posidrive is quite different to a normal phillips head, but look almost identical. There are markings on the posidrive screws, else I would not know.

The Torx bits look VERY similar to allen key heads.
With the right torx or allen key, there will be zero looseness.
Try a torx one if unsure. Often I try both sorts till one fits exactly.

You did well to get those old ones out.

I've used the 12V Makita drill/driver and impact driver quite a bit now.
I have an identical 18V Makita drill driver so can compare them.

The 18V range has 50% more torque and is 50% heavier.
For construction work, suspension on cars, mining or farming the 12V probably just won't do it.
Even with a 4AH battery on the 12V range it just will be struggling too much to be fair to it.
The brushless 18V are much more suited to heavy duty work

A guy I know bought a cheap 5 set 18V lithium set from Aldis.
He buys really good deals, is always looking. For what he paid for it, can't lose.

For the home handyman stuff I do, the 12V drill/impact driver set is ideal.
I'm sure you could get a cheaper set ($185 for these 2, charger and 2 batteries).
These are VERY nice.

One tool I will get once established in Tassy is a reciprocating saw. Easy to use, safer than a chain saw, keep trees in shape no problem.

Applewood is a great wood for smoking food. Peach and apricot give a nice light sweet smoke flavor.

If I recall correctly Makita have two different standards for their tools. The blue ones are for the home handyman and the green ones are aimed at tradies. 
I have a battery powered drill that has lasted me for around 20 years. Not bad for the cheap handyman version.

Sigh - was going to have a BIG Makita day today.

Did the M. Whippersnippering, the mowing and compost tumbler process, the M. leaf blowing.
Stopped, had lunch.
Was on the plan to do some Makita woodworking but that did not eventuate.

Tomorrows fun awaits.