Cordless Tools

[theknurl]

I'm with Packard V8 and Mr Ratchet......

my electric corded tools have cost me 1 switch in almost 60 years......yes, every 15-20 years they need new cords

1 air tool needed a ball bearing....bearing cage broke

I have a cordless toothbrush......and vibrators for the girls......most of them like the corded Hitachi one the best

Lombie;
everybody used to port cylinder heads with a corded DuMore and an aluminum oxide stone.......

then they discovered carbide burrs and DOTCO air die drinders

someone gave me a Dremel ~30 years ago......I think it's in my Dad's garage

I gave my ~$300 1/4" industrial B&D corded die grinder to my Sister

a 1/8" Cleco 100,000rpm and 1/4" DOTCOs (4) are what I use

I have many pre WWll power tools that all work as designed

my compressor is dated 1946......somebody broke the pulley off and welded it back on I've had it running since '76 without shutting it off(except to move it)

only my flashlights need batteries

 

[Super Sport]

When I first started using tools around the house, all I had were corded and I hated lugging the cords around and them getting in the way. Bought a Craftsman Pro cordless set with Lithium batteries and haven't looked back. They see occasional use, and in the 6 years I've had them I haven't had a single problem. Batteries hold a charge forever and still work like they did when new.

I ended up buying a few of the Craftsman C3 tools a couple years later, and am equally impressed with those. The NiCad batteries Craftsman sells are junk. The lithium are so much better, and like the Cman Pros I haven't had any problems with them.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I've used cordless tools in carpentry, construction, automotive and diesel work. I can promise you if you update to the Milwaukee M12/M18 lines or Dewalt 20v tools, you will drastically change your opinion on cordless tools.

You're making a promise you can't keep. I replaced a 14.4V Makita drill with a Milwaukee M18. The M18 is as compact as my old 14.4V, lighter, more powerful, longer run time, and quicker charges. None of these things are persuading me to add more cordless than what I already have. For lighter and quick jobs, my cordless drill is my choice and is the most efficient time wise for those types of applications.

 

[DenisG]

Li-ion battery packs lose 20% of their capacity per year (even if you don't use them): http://www.electronics-lab.com/articles/Li_Ion_reconstruct/

 

[uart]

Li-ion battery packs lose 20% of their capacity per year (even if you don't use them): http://www.electronics-lab.com/articles/Li_Ion_reconstruct/

Battery technology is improving however, and there is no guaranty that the 20% figure is still valid.

Other sources state as little as 2% per year loss when stored optimally. http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

 

[DenisG]

Battery technology is improving however, and there is no guaranty that the 20% figure is still valid.

Other sources state as little as 2% per year loss when stored optimally. http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

Here's a quote from the article that you cited:

" ... Let’s look at real-life situations and examine what stresses lithium-ion batteries encounter. Most packs last three to five years. ... The pack does not die suddenly but will give lower runtimes with aging."

I'll trade off great performance (when new) for something that last longer, costs less and I can easily rebuild. I prefer my NiCd and recently rebuilt my Dewalt packs with Tenergy cells.

 

[uart]

Here's a quote from the article that you cited:

" ... Let’s look at real-life situations and examine what stresses lithium-ion batteries encounter. Most packs last three to five years. ... The pack does not die suddenly but will give lower runtimes with aging."

I'll trade off great performance (when new) for something that last longer, costs less and I can easily rebuild. I prefer my NiCd and recently rebuilt my Dewalt packs with Tenergy cells.

Yeah the 2% figure was just a best case to contrast with 20% which is close to worst case. The 2% (pa degradation) is for storage at 40% state of charge at a temperature of 0 degrees C.

Most people are seeing Li-Ion longevity as being an improvement over NiCd, and I think that for many people this will be the case. It's a little ironic however, as Nickel chemistry batteries are actually a lot more stable than Lithium with respect to both time and temperature. NiCd packs could last a lot longer than Li-Ion if they just used smarter packs and chargers, capable of counting amp-hours, balancing cells and NOT overheating packs.

The reality however is that most NiCd chargers punish packs pretty badly and they don't last so well. I think the biggest improvement with Li-Ion will be seen by those who aren't heavy users, but who do like to keep the packs charged and available for use any time. NiCd packs leak their charge when stored, and I know some infrequent users who would get them out just to charge, only to put them away and leak that charge away again LOL. With this type of usage the packs can get trashed in a few years with very little actual usage of the tool. Guys with this usage pattern should see a big improvement with Li-Ion, probably getting a minimum of 6 years of so out of a pack.

 

[Voi]

Here you go.If I decide to get a cordless sawsall this will be it.
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2720-22

Yup, that's one of the tools that would lead me towards the M18 Fuel line if my drill or impact stopped working today. I could have really used that back when we started our remodel and when I tore the dog run out of our back yard.

 

[IndyGarage]

If you don't like cordless tools, then you haven't used good ones.

If your experience is anything over 10 years old, then you haven't used good ones - unless you had a Panasonic cordless, then you know what a good cordless tool can do.

Everyone who works on things can use a 14-18v driver, if nothing else.

My Panasonic 14.4 volt tools that I bought 2 months ago have been charged exactly 1 time - when I pulled them out of the box. I've removed and replaced wheels a dozen times - I've driven a few dozen screws - I've loosened and tightened hundreds of nuts and bolts - all on one charge of the impact driver.

With the drill I've drilled dozens of holes 1/8th inch up to 3/4 inch. I've drilled a holesaw through aluminum plate.

I have corded tools and I have air tools, and I haven't picked up any of them for any of those tasks. I did use a corded circular saw to cutoff 2 inch thick hardwood boards - my cordless saw would have struggled with that job.

 

[sberry]

I would quit if I had to go back to corded tools. Replacing batteries is just part of it, small cost not to have to drag cords and safety.

 

[diggerrick]

Working on our house and our rentals, I always hated dragging cords around and looking for 2-prong adapters (depending on the house). The 18V Craftsman drill/driver made a huge difference, and the M18 cordless combo kit I bought last year stepped things up another notch. I still keep my corded 1/2" Dewalt drills around for prolonged heavy stuff like running hole saws and drilling 1/2" holes for the carriage bolts in my pool deck, but the cordless stuff has taken over most everything else. Drywall is a helluva lot easier with cordless than my big 1/2" Dewalts!

Cordless is starting to replace my hand and air tools in the garage now, too. I just got my M12 ratchet yesterday, and ordered an M18 Fuel 3/8" impact (200ft-lbs) today. When I get the M18 Fuel 1/2" impact, look out!

I would, however, rather lug around an electrical cord than an air hose anytime.

 

[rice rocket]

Most people are seeing Li-Ion longevity as being an improvement over NiCd, and I think that for many people this will be the case. It's a little ironic however, as Nickel chemistry batteries are actually a lot more stable than Lithium with respect to both time and temperature. NiCd packs could last a lot longer than Li-Ion if they just used smarter packs and chargers, capable of counting amp-hours, balancing cells and NOT overheating packs.

The reality however is that most NiCd chargers punish packs pretty badly and they don't last so well. I think the biggest improvement with Li-Ion will be seen by those who aren't heavy users, but who do like to keep the packs charged and available for use any time. NiCd packs leak their charge when stored, and I know some infrequent users who would get them out just to charge, only to put them away and leak that charge away again LOL. With this type of usage the packs can get trashed in a few years with very little actual usage of the tool. Guys with this usage pattern should see a big improvement with Li-Ion, probably getting a minimum of 6 years of so out of a pack.

The first part is probably the most important...Nicads have terrible "shelf behavior" and required behavior that you MUST follow or else they will grow crystal dendrites that will pierce the cell barriers and cause an internal short which is the source of the self-discharge (heh...heh). People have been "zapping" them with welders to remove the crystals, but that doesn't fix the insulation that the crystal already punched through.

And Nicads also have **** for energy density.