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I'm trying to decide between compact/12v drill/drivers to add to my kit. I'm stuck between the Milwaukee M12, Makita FD02W, and Bosch PS31. I'm generally a low voltage field service technician. For the past year I've made it with hand tools and borrowing from co-workers, but sometimes rearranging 40U of rack-mount equipment by myself with a Klein 11-in-1 gets old. Situations where I'd need a bigger drill generally fall to the responsibility of someone else, and if I get stuck with a tough job and can't borrow someone's 18v setup I can just run my company corded Bosch hammer drill off the generator on the back of my truck. For most of the stuff I'm actually doing any of the compact/12v tools would be more than enough, and keeping a full-size tool in my kit would be a bit too much. I've only personally used the M12, a coworker has one and it seems pretty good. I've got a few Makita tools I've been quite happy with, so all other factors equal I'd probably go with theirs, but I haven't had any hands-on time with their offering or Bosch's. Anyone have any personal experience or advice?
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Mar 4, 2011 22:59
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I have the Milwaukee, and a guy in my class has the Bosch. They are both great. I think the Bosch is somewhat nicer, but neither of us have had any trouble with them at all. I'm pretty sure that the Makita is the same drill as the Milwaukee but just with different plastic molding on it.
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Mar 4, 2011 23:55
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The Bosch 10.8V (all 10.8 and 12 volt series are the same voltage, it's difference is if they name them at peak voltage or sustained over a full charge) gets the best reviews in most European articles I've read. Bosch has a drill, a drill driver (no chuck) and an impact driver in the 10.8V series. They also have a multi-tool and a neat flashlight. Makita has a drill, driver and an impact driver. Flashlight as well IIRC. They also released a tiny circular saw in their 10.8V product line. Very cute! Usable? No idea. Milwaukee has a nice inspection tool which screams WANT for tool nerds. Think they have two flashlights, one LED, one Xenon. Metabo has also released a 12V line. I'd go with the Bosch if you find it at good prices. Just check that you get the latest model as Bosch has updated the line a couple of times after initial release. Hitachi and DeWalt are still sticking with the traditional bottom mounted horizontal batteries. Not nearly as sexy.
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Mar 5, 2011 00:46
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Jihad Me At Hello posted:Think this is gonna be the best tool bag I'll have owned. Picked it up at a local HVAC supply house after reading reviews online. I've used many styles of bags over the years but need something that organizes and protects. It was $140 after tax but you can't beat a 5 year warranty. It's the Veto Pro Pac XL. Build quality is very nice even though it's made in China. Here's some pictures with my most commonly used hand tools. I have had this bag for a few years. It holds up, very well made. my problem with it, and it is my problem, is that it just cries "I CAN HOLD MORE TOOLS, PUT THEM IN!" and you have a 60+ pound bag.
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Mar 5, 2011 02:42
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I'd like to find some kind of dolly to carry it in along with my drills and benders. Yes, I want to be that guy.
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Mar 5, 2011 13:19
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So I'm just starting to get into woodworking (parents got me a Milwaukee M18 set for christmas), and I'm considering picking up a combination router set for general joinery and edge moldings. I was wandering around in Lowe's today, and saw that they dropped the price on the Bosch 1617EVSPK to $179, lower than I've seen it anywhere online, and lower than any of the other combo kits I've considered (DeWalt DW618PK, Milwaukee 5616-24). Soooo... should I jump on it? It was marked "new lower price," does anyone know if that means the price drop is permanent or just temporary? It'd be nice if I could wait until April, since Discover is doing 5% cashback on home improvement store purchases then.
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Mar 5, 2011 22:56
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Bogatyr posted:I have had this bag for a few years. It holds up, very well made. my problem with it, and it is my problem, is that it just cries "I CAN HOLD MORE TOOLS, PUT THEM IN!" and you have a 60+ pound bag. I have the smaller LC version of this bag and agree that more pockets = more tools = too heavy. It doesn't help that the bag itself weighs like 6 lbs empty. Its a great bag and well worth it, you just have to watch what you put in it so you dont overload it. Personally I throw mine on one of these whenever i can.  Magnacart folding hand truck, best $25 you'll spend.
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Mar 6, 2011 05:34
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Jihad Me At Hello posted:I'd like to find some kind of dolly to carry it in along with my drills and benders. Yes, I want to be that guy. 
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Mar 7, 2011 03:50
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gently caress yes! Now to search craigslist for a baby stroller. Can't believe I never thought of that.
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Mar 7, 2011 14:16
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Schpyder posted:So I'm just starting to get into woodworking (parents got me a Milwaukee M18 set for christmas), and I'm considering picking up a combination router set for general joinery and edge moldings. I was wandering around in Lowe's today, and saw that they dropped the price on the Bosch 1617EVSPK to $179, lower than I've seen it anywhere online, and lower than any of the other combo kits I've considered (DeWalt DW618PK, Milwaukee 5616-24). Thats a fine router. Bosch stuff is really nice. I have that one, although (I'm ashamed to admit) that I've never used it. I got it as a wedding present, and haven't needed a router in over a year.
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Mar 7, 2011 16:09
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emocrat posted:Does anyone have any advice on small powered sanders? I am a little lost on this one. For small occasional sanding jobs that you don't need great results, they are just fine. Expect a "paint-grade" finish and a sore hand after use. Also forget about the dust collection bag on them, because they don't work. quote:However the brands that I associate with more quality products (Dewalt, Milwaukee) only seem to offer round or square options, none with a point. Because it is difficult to get quality power sanding at a point. The mid-level brands do not offer one because the results would be sub-par and reflect poorly on the machines. Fein and Festool both offer very nice corner sanders, but have a corresponding price tag. quote:Is the point not actually that useful? Or maybe just buy a cheap pointed one for corners and a better quality round random orbital for the rest? I would definitely get a good random orbital with dust collection chute for all flat surface work. Unless you're doing a ton of corners, consider just sanding them by hand or with a cheapie corner sander like you listed. If you're doing assembly work instead of refinishing, do all your sanding before final glue-up so you don't have to worry about getting into tight places with the sander.
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Mar 7, 2011 23:04
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I got my Hitachi random orbit palm sander for free with the purchase of my chop saw. This was a deal on amazon a while back.
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Mar 7, 2011 23:37
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Went out today intending to go to Harbor Freight and get a cheap corded drill for shop work, but stopped at the pawn shop up the road first and paid $5 more for this instead: Similar fairly-wimpy specs to the HF one, including the little knob on the trigger to adjust maximum speed and the button to lock the trigger running, but a keyed chuck (I've had bits slip in the keyless chuck of my cordless), and made in West Germany instead of China. Then I had to go by the hardware store and get a chuck key for it. First thing I drilled a hole in when I got home was the chuck key, so I could twist-tie it to the drill's cord. Speaking of chucks, why hasn't anybody combined the two types? Have the keyless grip on it for light work/hex shafts, and the gear teeth on top in case you feel the need to really crank it down.
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Mar 8, 2011 01:32
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Bad Angus! Bad!
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Delivery McGee posted:
I wondered about that, my only guess is so that people don't tear their hands up and sue or something. The really good keyless chucks, however, don't need keys. The one Dewalt uses is amazing.
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Mar 8, 2011 01:50
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Hypnolobster posted:The really good keyless chucks, however, don't need keys. Also, the back of the card the chuck key came on says "do not start drill with key in chuck." I think anybody who actually needed to be told that would be incapable of reading the warning and really should not be trusted with power tools.
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Mar 8, 2011 02:55
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Life without ratcheting keyless chucks is downright primitive. Milwaukee did a fine job on theirs, has always worked great
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Mar 8, 2011 06:36
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I'm waiting for my 18 year old Makita hammer drill to die, or even to show some sign of underperformance, so I can get a new one with a keyless chuck. It doesn't look promising.
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Mar 8, 2011 07:02
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A keyed chuck require the mounting hole and teeth for the key where as a keyless chuck need that space for a decent grip. I've driven 5 inch hole saws with keyless chucks so if you're having problems, it's probably not tightened enough, it's meant to be slipping at high torque or bad chuck/bit? I haven't missed keyed chucks since forever. I have had to be mean to some cheap bullshit Black&Decker chuck and piss poor hole saw with a round bit end to make it stick. Jabocs(Makita uses this brand) is probably the largest chuck manufacturer. Röhm (DeWalt) is another. Most if not all proper tool brands use professional grade chucks. What one likes is a different matter. Edit: Correction to the above paragraph; Brands don't always stick to one chuck brand. A lot of companies have a drill with the Jacobs 500 series chuck, including DeWalt. Another topic: Does anyone recognize what model DeWalt RAS this is:  I'm going to look at it later today. If the mechanical and electrical stuff is in order, I'm probably picking it up. Around $250 but I'm going to try to bring it down. An old RAS with table is ~$500 here so I'm not expecting miracles. Edit2: AUGH! This is how a restoration should look: http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=8854 Iskariot fucked around with this message at 12:03 on Mar 8, 2011 |
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Mar 8, 2011 10:47
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truncated aardvar posted:I'm waiting for my 18 year old Makita hammer drill to die, or even to show some sign of underperformance, so I can get a new one with a keyless chuck. It doesn't look promising. Take the drill to your local small electric motor repair place and get them to put a decent quality keyless chuck on for you. Might cost a bit but the drill will likely live another 20 years anyhow
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Mar 8, 2011 14:04
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Delivery McGee posted:Speaking of chucks, why hasn't anybody combined the two types? Have the keyless grip on it for light work/hex shafts, and the gear teeth on top in case you feel the need to really crank it down. You can do a pretty good job of tightening a keyed chuck by hand as long as you're not a girlymahn. Hold the bit with your thumb and forefinger, wrap your other three fingers and palm around the chuck and run the drill forward. How hard you squeeze is how tight it gets. Obviously you'll need to break out the chuck key for bits that need a lot of torque, but this method works fine for switching screw tips or something light like that. Try not to mangle yourself.
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Mar 8, 2011 18:44
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Iskariot posted:Edit2: AUGH! This is how a restoration should look: http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=8854 Wow, that's beautiful. Almost a shame to dirty it all up again.
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Mar 8, 2011 19:02
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Iskariot posted:Does anyone recognize what model DeWalt RAS this is: Judging by what parts are plastic and what parts are metal, I would guess that the saw is mid-to-late-70's vintage. At first I thought it was similar to a saw that an aussie user posted, but now I realize it's just a different color scheme on a saw that was available in the US. Given your limited options in Norway, I'd jump on it if it works. Making a new table is easy. GEMorris fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Mar 8, 2011 |
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Mar 8, 2011 19:30
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Tonight I am a vintage DeWalt RAS owner.  The machine is a DW110. Made in Italy. Everything is tight and in working order but I bet this baby has gathered dust for 20 years so levers and knobs have to be forced open. The only broken part is a bit of the plate to the right of the blade where the guard is mounted. A bit is broken off right where the bolt should mount the guard. Haven't found my model on http://www.mtmc.co.uk/ but I'll keep looking. The motor runs fine and quietly. There is a small sound when I turn the spindle manually. Seems to be the right fan barely touches the hood near the axle. Nothing to worry about. I'm going to disassemble the whole thing and clean it before I make a new table. There's also a safety return mechanism that works but needs some love. Little to no rust to detect. Plenty of dust. Hell, I took off the front panel on the arm and I can't detect any wear where the bearings have been running. The wheels running inside the arm are covered in compact sawdust so I don't have the nice rolling feeling in the saw just yet. Will have to order that RAS book now, from Mr. Sawdust or whatever, and inhale tool refurbish forums. Also need to find a good blade. The 10" 90T blade that came with it is a little rusty.
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Mar 8, 2011 21:58
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Iskariot posted:Tonight I am a vintage DeWalt RAS owner. Ohhh! How much did you get it for?
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Mar 8, 2011 22:05
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Iskariot posted:Tonight I am a vintage DeWalt RAS owner. Ok, I was wrong then, if it was made in Italy then it is likely a much better machine than the US machine which it resembles. A general cleanup of the bearings and ways and a good calibration can work wonders on a RAS. If it was made/sold as a 10" model, consider running an 8-8.5" blade. The blades are generally much cheaper and the motor will seem more powerful than it does spinning a 10" blade. Keep a single 10" blade around for when you must have the capacity. As always, a good place to start without spending any money is here: http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/dewaltrebuild.pdf GEMorris fucked around with this message at 22:38 on Mar 8, 2011 |
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Mar 8, 2011 22:35
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I had to shell out the $250 for it but as I said, most cheap ones go for $500 and this guy had calls coming even as I was there. It's probably not a great find in the US but here it is. Saw an old ad with the same saw but better kept and a full table. Asking price was $1500. I've studied the blog that the guy that made the beautiful white RAS wrote but I can't find it anymore. Have to check my machine at work. I've read the PDF you linked a couple of times as well, GEMorris. Lots of great tips. The blog had more pictures of the process and that's always helpful. I'm not going full artwork with this thing, I plan to use it as well. I'm not sure I would have dared to fire up that white one. I searched high and low for a picture that fit this exact saw but I have yet to find one. The 125 looks like it but the guard is completely different. Worrying a bit how I'll find parts but I can always contact B&D/DeWalt directly and ask. I read somewhere that RASes use different blades than table saws, which in term use different blades than mitre saws. Do you change blades for ripping and cross cutting? Edit: Think about painting the body in black Hammerite. The one with the ballhammer effect. We used it back at the farm when I grew up and it's durable as hell. My father used to mix in 25% Owatrol into the paint and by then you could paint directly on rust. Also makes the paint thinner. This is the look: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5H5gNTQ8c9Q/TVwpAOVR2_I/AAAAAAAAD-A/NwVRzkKOWVM/s1600/P2163385.JPG Iskariot fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Mar 9, 2011 |
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Mar 9, 2011 00:18
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Can anybody give me an opinion on this? http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/tls/2251880462.html
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Mar 9, 2011 02:29
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Here we go: http://dewalt925rebuild.blogspot.com/2009/12/day-1.html and his second RAS: http://dewaltgwiresto.blogspot.com/2010/02/before.html
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Mar 9, 2011 11:29
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Iskariot posted:...Stuff... If the saw doesn't have exposed rust, or large sections of peeling paint, I would just clean it up and use it. Parts may be an issue, but given that it was made in Italy, it was probably another manufacturer's saw that was re-badged as a dewalt. Check some brands like Stromab, Omga, etc to see if you can find a saw that looks similar. For cross cutting I use a blade with a 5 degree negative hook angle, they are generally marketed/labeled as RAS or SCMS blades. They aren't absolutely required, but they do add a little extra layer of safety. For ripping I use a regular rip blade. Unless I'm ripping extra thick stock I use a thin kerf 8" rip blade that Freud sells for about $18.
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Mar 9, 2011 18:06
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Yesterday I went to a used tool shop. They have a wide variety of used tools with some new tools. (For anyone in Spokane, WA. Its called Doughboys) After looking around and finding nothing I absolutely needed. I looked down on the floor and found this gem. It had no price on it so I took it to the counter and asked how much it cost. The shop owner said $2  That's an 8" Reed Pipe wrench. I may not use it often but it will come in handy on small gas jobs.
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Mar 9, 2011 19:51
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Went to a resale shop's going out of business sale today. Was hoping for a better haul but this is what I got for $11.. Craftsman 1/8 inch pin punch China 1/4 inch leather punch China 5/16 inch leather punch 2x center punches in desperate need of resharpening 6x taps in various sizes. I just grabbed all the ones that weren't rusty or broken 10/24 adjustable split die Small ball peen hammer in severe need of a new handle but otherwise in great shape. Not the greatest haul I've had but still a great deal for the $!!!
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Mar 10, 2011 22:12
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Right, got a problem with the RAS. The bearings on the sled running inside the arm are as dry as nun's oval office. They are undamaged, yet, but I can't risk running the sled before they are properly lubricated. (Easy test to see if bearings are just dry and not damaged is to try to wiggle the two rings from side to side. If they are tight they are still ok. If you hear and feel crunching, you either have dust or sand in the bearing or the balls are starting to disintegrate. Open them up to verify) The bearings are stamped - is that the correct English term? Meaning the protective wall on the side of the bearing is metal stamped onto the assembled bearing. Doubt I can get those off without ruining the bearing. I can get a thin oil into them and thy ran much better after a quick squirt with a WD-40 alternative. But they are meant to run in grease and grease is thick and gooey. Any pointers? Ordered the Mr. Sawdust book today. Shipping was as much as the book but I figure who better to learn from? Also need to see the fabled table everyone is talking about.
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Mar 11, 2011 00:00
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Iskariot posted:The bearings are stamped - is that the correct English term? Meaning the protective wall on the side of the bearing is metal stamped onto the assembled bearing. Doubt I can get those off without ruining the bearing. I can get a thin oil into them and thy ran much better after a quick squirt with a WD-40 alternative. But they are meant to run in grease and grease is thick and gooey. Any pointers? Pictures are going to help a lot in this case. If you are talking about actually taking the bearings apart, rather than just taking them off of the saw carriage, forget about it. Take a picture of the markings on the bearing and see if you can find a bearing supplier in Norway. Replacement bearings aren't all that expensive. If you can't find a local supplier, let me know and I can point you to some good American suppliers. If they don't want to post to Norway you can have them shipped to me and I will forward them on.
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Mar 11, 2011 02:17
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Went down to my local hardware store to get some drill bits today ended up buying a Bosch 37618 18v drill/driver! They had some Bosch promotion where they are selling all the Bosch cordless tools with a $50-$100 rebate depending on the tool. I got $100 off the normally $258 drill. I'm really happy with this thing so far. The build is excellent, nice fit and finish. Feels good in my hands. The chuck seems to be excellent quality, it clamps down nice on bits and then locks so the bits don't come loose. The trigger is smooth and I can hold the speed I want very easily. It came with two high capacity lithium ion battery packs a charger and a case. The only thing I don't like is the bit holder on the side is flaky. It barely holds the bits on, thats okay though. I don't really use that kind of thing, but it would be nice to be able to rely on it if I did want to use it. So far so good. It seems I found a really excellent cordless tool for a good price. Anyone looking at buying some cordless tools should check there local hardware store, apparently the rebate is in store only. I'm going to help my cousin build a fence this weekend or sometime next week so I'll post a more comprehensive review then.
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Mar 11, 2011 05:13
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tworavens: Congrats on a good deal and a very good drill. The new Bosch line is very much bleeding edge and you get a lot for your money. Now go find a naked impact driver to match the new drill.  GEMorris: I've contacted a DeWalt service center here in Norway and set a guy to rummage through his old papers to find me some data. I think the 110 is pretty close to the 125 in design. I'll upload some pics and take some measurements over the weekend. Thanks a lot for the offer to help. I'm going to take you up on that if the local service center strikes out and I can't get anything from http://www.mtmc.co.uk/ - Their spare parts catalog is impressive. Need some bits for a Makita BSS 610 anyway. Decided to strip the saw down and refurb pretty much everything. Everything is packed with sawdust anyway so parting everything and giving it a good clean is in order. Still leaning towards the black Hammerite finish (hammer effect, like the current snot-green paint). Perhaps it would look cool with a Ferrari red? 
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Mar 11, 2011 10:07
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Are there any recommendations for a fairly rugged pneumatic finishing nailer? I'd prefer to avoid anything from Rigid, as my last nailer from them was a total lemon.
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Mar 11, 2011 17:05
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StinkingWolf posted:Are there any recommendations for a fairly rugged pneumatic finishing nailer? I'd prefer to avoid anything from Rigid, as my last nailer from them was a total lemon. Bostitch is a good route to take. I have an ancient pneumatic framing nailer of theirs and a few modern finish nailers and have never had a problem with any of em.
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Mar 11, 2011 17:26
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What iForge said. Craftsmen here usually prefer Bostitch over Senco, Hitachi, Makita and so on. Some prefer a brand named Basso but consensus is that Bostitch is one of the best. I have a Hitachi myself and for a DIY-er with a tool fetish, a "regular" professional brand will do. Think I picked it up at Lowe's for 50 bucks. It's maybe 250-300 here. It' light, doesn't require much pressure and always drives the nails evenly in. Bosch also has a new line of pneumatic tools. They look well-designed.
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Mar 12, 2011 01:19
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Remember my old-rear end Bosch drill? I put it to some actual use today. Despite being fairly underpowered by modern standards with its 3.3A motor, it snapped a 7/32" and the next size down drill bit, as well as twisting the head right off a wood screw. It's powerful enough for my purposes.
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Mar 12, 2011 04:36
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Following on from my posts in the woodworking thread, I had some big rail road ties, a.k.a. sleepers, to cut up. I had cut up the smallest one with a circular saw but it was an arduous task and I ended up with some big chunks because it took so long to cut through. I also have a heap of similar ties, a.k.a. sleepers, in the retaining wall in the front that I want to replace at some point this year, so I needed something to help me cut them up in place because they're so heavy to lug around. So I decided to delve into the world of chainsaws. I got my redneck on, but in a totally espresso sipping, suburban kind of way. I got an electric chainsaw. Makita UC3520A - 350mm blade, 1800W motor. It did the job swimmingly but it needs a sharpen and I still have three cuts to go, since the last two cuts I did were getting hard and making a lot of smoke I decided to stop. I guess that medium diameter nail I cut half way through didn't help either  I went back to the hardware store where I bought it 10 minutes before closing to get a file but they didn't have the specified size. I'll have to wait until next weekend now since I'm helping my dad move 4 tonne of gravel and pebbles tomorrow so I won't have time. Anyway, for the price of AU$167 it worked pretty well. It cut through the very hard wood quite effortlessly - I couldn't make a mark in the wood with my thumbnail it was that hard. Because it was so easy I made a lot of cuts to get my pieces nice and small for stealth disposal. If it wasn't potentially hazardous I could give it away for firewood. I've never used a chainsaw before but I was surprised that a cheapish box store bought electric chainsaw could be so effective. It was quiet enough too that I didn't need ear protection. Delivery McGee posted:Remember my old-rear end Bosch drill? I put it to some actual use today. Despite being fairly underpowered by modern standards with its 3.3A motor, it snapped a 7/32" and the next size down drill bit, as well as twisting the head right off a wood screw. It's powerful enough for my purposes. Time for some harder bits. What on earth were you drilling? truncated aardvar fucked around with this message at 10:27 on Mar 12, 2011 |
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Mar 12, 2011 10:24
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