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I have a DeWalt DCD780, about seven years old. It's been fine, but it does struggle with heavier work from time to time. (Don't know if that's the batteries or the tool; I'm guessing the tool.) So I'm thinking of getting something else, maybe a little beefier, but not a behemoth. With those...

I assume Li-Ion batteries will eventually die of old age if they're not worn out from use first, right? Typically how long does that take? If you have a rarely-used tool that's say eight years old, how much of its original battery capacity will have been lost to Father Time?

So Home Depot sells this: It's your typical bargain-basement drill, made by Buffalo Tool. HD charges $28 for it, but Harbor Freight has one that looks like it came out of the same factory for $20, with keyless chuck. Here are its specs: No surprises there. Mediocre power, 90-day...

Where would you go for single 500' rolls of THHN? Just the nearest home center, or will an electrical supply house typically be cheaper? On a related question, is there any reason to prefer one brand over another? I've always just assumed they're pretty much the same.

Well, I didn't buy this today, but I took it out of the package and started using it yesterday evening. It's a "Milwaukee 25-ft Premium Magnetic Tape Measure": I was at HD a couple of months ago and they had them on a standing display. There were two options: one for $24.97, or two for...

I'm replacing a cooktop with a new unit. I remember hearing that one should replace the shutoff valve and feed line when doing this. The existing parts look okay and there are no leaks currently. I've never seen the need to do this in the past, but now I'm thinking. Why would one want to...

I'm about to install a gas line for an outdoor grill. There are two options for where and how to join it to the central gas line, and I'm looking for advice on which is better. The gas line enters the building at one corner, runs along the closest floor joist until it reaches the middle of the...

Three paint sticks held together on a pivot with a wing nut to tighten them, and pen lines drawn on them: This is a makeshift tool, but what is it for? I know the answer but what's your guess?

In another forum there's a discussion of acetate-handled screwdrivers going on, and a common complaint is that they smell bad. This seems to be the majority opinion over there, but I don't really understand it. I've got acetate screwdrivers going back 30+ years and only one has any kind of bad...

"Toolrich," in the Craftsman font on a Craftsman-red field. These were on the same end cap with actual Craftsman sets at Farm & Fleet. At first I thought this was an unauthorized Craftsman knockoff, trading on Craftsman's remaining reputation among the general public. I thought maybe they...

Today we're comparing inexpensive Torx driver sets from Kobalt (MSRP $9.99 at Lowe's) and Pittsburgh (MSRP $7.99 at Harbor Freight). I paid $8.01 and $6.39 respectively, after factoring in a Lowe's rebate and employee discount (my wife works there), and a 20% Harbor Freight coupon. The Kobalt...

Lately I've been buying a fair amount of new hand tools, both USA and other, and the experiences I've had are making me wonder if the expectation of "Made in USA" being better is just a prejudice. Here are six examples, three of each: Channellock 10-pc "Professional" acetate-handle...

Short version: Looking for a good 12" combination square that won't break the bank. I know Starrett is well regarded but they're also super expensive. Long version: A while back I found that my Stanley 12" combination square was not, well, square. I thought I was just cutting inaccurately...

I'm bringing 20A service in EMT to an attached garage. The line will enter the garage about 75 feet from the breaker, go up the wall another 5 feet or so to the first outlet box, so about 80 feet to the first devices. From there it will continue about another 25 feet to the second box. I...

What do you think? Should be a quickie exchange. :lol_hitti

I'm considering a small benchtop planer for occasional use. Do any of you guys have experience with the low end - Wen, for example, or the Bauer ones they sell at Horror Fright? The HF one is actually more expensive at $289 than buying a Porter Cable at Lowe's ($269). The Wen is $219 and...

Couldn't find a commercial wrench rack that suited me. I didn't want something I had to pull on to get the wrenches out, and a lot of the commercial racks have online reviews that say they don't work well with Craftsman wrenches. So I'm making my own: Nice heavy <s>oak</s> ash, stays...

I have a smallish workbench that has a space under it for drawers. Right now the drawers are basically plastic boxes that slide in and out of wooden cubbies. I would like to replace this arrangement with toolchest-like drawers. Is there anyplace I can go to buy toolchest-style metal drawers...

I never knew there was a vise fan community until I came here. I have one bench vise and off the top of my head I couldn't even tell you the brand. What is it about vises in particular that arouses such interest? Do you guys actually use all these vises that you recondition, or is it more...

Is there any way to know in advance what Sears will offer you as a warranty replacement for a Craftsman tool that's no longer made? Or is it just up to the individual store and manager what they think is a suitable swap?