Generator or add 18v tools

[Ehcrain]

Im currently in a weird situation where I have a storage barn that has no power that I am working out of. Running power would be quite a lot of money ($2k) and the barn isnt ideal to improve that much. It is weather tight and secure so I am using it as my workshop for the time being. Would anyone in a similar position recommend a generator or adding more 18 volt tools to get work done. Im using Makita tools currently and would build onto that system. My main wish would be to run a miter saw. I have a Bosch 10in which works great when I transport it to a place with power. I have a table saw (3hp) that needs 240v so if I get a generator I would want it large enough to supply that power.
Tldr: extension cords and generator vs 18v for a job site type situation?

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[Firebrick43]

They do make battery miter and table saws now. Haven't seen makita versions yet, just the dewalt and Milwaukee versions. Are you planning on actual wood working and ripping thick hardwoods or general trim/ply/2x4's for home renovation and such? If the later then 18v tools for sure. I would forget the table saw and get a cordless tracksaw. Makita has their version out now. They are actually 36v by way of 2 18v battery's at the same time. I like that method as opposed to dewalt a flexvolt.

If you need a saw for thick hardwoods you are not going to be happy with an 18v table saw. They actually refer to them as job site saws and are more for flooring installers and trim carpenters.

 

[Ehcrain]

Ive got the 36v tracksaw and there are miter saws that are battery powered by Makita.

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[Handyfarmer]

I do not know if your in to metal work as well, but if I was doing it all again, I would buy a generator /welder, I finally bought one about 5 years ago, and wished I would have done this back in 1977 when we bought the first generator, then bought a 30,000 watt three phase unit, so I could run the welder i had if needed, (for the few three phase things I have I do have a rotary converter, that I can produce three phase with if needed),

I bought a lincoln AC DC 225 amp gas engine welder, it has a 10,000 240/120 volt AC, watt generator in it as well, yes it will cost more than a chinese generator, Lincoln has a 3 year a warranty so they are making them reasonably right, I have used mine welder/generator, about as much as a generator, as with welding, and are electric start, and it does have an idle down feature (not the best for motor start things), but if your not using it nearly continually it is a nice feature to conserve fuel and noise,

mount it on a trailer and you will have a machine that will last you nealy a lifetime, and provide your power needs and your welding needs for most home/farm/homestead projects,

 

[NUTTSGT]

How far is this barn from the house where you can draw power from ?

 

[Ehcrain]

House to barn is about 1/4 mile straight shot. The barn is a temporary situation as well, within a year I will be moving and the barn will go back to long term storage use.

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[Voi]

[EDIT] I didn't realize it was the OP saying he already had a cordless tracksaw. Sorry about that.

 

[Voi]

Ive got the 36v tracksaw and there are miter saws that are battery powered by Makita.

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Ignore my other reply.

The 10" X2 miter saw was getting some rave reviews when it first came out. I haven't followed up to see what people think after several months of ownership.

 

[NUTTSGT]

House to barn is about 1/4 mile straight shot. The barn is a temporary situation as well, within a year I will be moving and the barn will go back to long term storage use.

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Oh, that's a "long" way to run power or cords.


If you bought a generator, would you have a place to store it or use for it at the next place ?

 

[plinker]

The generator would be useful in case the power goes out in the future. it would also run lighting and other stuff. With battery powered stuff, you'd need quite a few ready to go, or a way to charge them on site.

What about a small solar set-up? No clue on cost, but it may work.

 

[ScottsGT]

My personal experience from just working in my garage, the less power cords you have to trip over, the better off you are.

 

[MarvinBerry]

Obvious answer is both but if one? Generator.

Cordless is great for some things but heat? Fans? Lights?

Solid genny with a well thought out power distro goes a long way.

Not much of a thought for me.

If youll be there for a while, want to put the $$ in you could run romex & install a panel, even if it's only 30-40 amp. Make things a little more permanent & legit.

Plus I dunno, you gotta charge batteries somewhere & somehow yah?!

 

[rlitman]

If you go cordless, how to you plan to recharge the batteries?

 

[Ehcrain]

I always drive my pickup to the barn and have a 12v plug in charger for my batteries. Usually tske the used batteries back to the house at end of the day and start with fresh charged ones in the morning. Ive got 10 batteries to swap around and have yet to use them all in one day.

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[6PTsocket]

I would go for a portable generator. It will run anything, lights, heater, cheaper corded tools that you may already have or can pick up cheaply and it is a standby in case of power failure. It is also a handier place to recharge the batteries. I can run the whole house, except for the central air, on my 900O/7000 electric start Champion You should be able to get by with a smaller one. . I bought mine for power failures but they are handy for remote work. The down side is the noise.

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[icthruu74]

I’d go genny myself too. You’ve already got corded tools, and a genny can be used for power outages, etc.

 

[matt_i]

The generator would be useful in case the power goes out in the future. it would also run lighting and other stuff. With battery powered stuff, you'd need quite a few ready to go, or a way to charge them on site.

Just to have some lights and not be limited by the sun/not having to work with the doors open would be enough to get the gen.

A super-quiet gen would be perfect for 120vac but the 240vac models are somewhat expensive.

 

[American Locomotive]

Makita makes a nice battery powered miter saw. However if this place has no power at all and it's 1/4 mile away from the house, it probably just makes sense to get a small inverter generator. That way you can run lights, charge your tools, etc..

 

[WittHay]

Even if you buy the Makita mitre saw, you will probably still need a generator to run a vacuum or another woodworking machine. Cheaper and more convenient to hard wire a couple of lights with a switch than to hang cordless lights and uses a ladder to turn them on and off.

 

[Ign]

I always drive my pickup to the barn and have a 12v plug in charger for my batteries. Usually tske the used batteries back to the house at end of the day and start with fresh charged ones in the morning. Ive got 10 batteries to swap around and have yet to use them all in one day.

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This guy gets it. People are acting like this is some great conundrum when it's actually stupid simple.

That said I'd still get an engine driven welder. It's an investment for life. Kohler engine though, not Robin/Subaru or Onan

 

[lis2323]

This guy gets it. People are acting like this is some great conundrum when it's actually stupid simple.



That said I'd still get an engine driven welder. It's an investment for life. Kohler engine though, not Robin/Subaru or Onan

^^^ X2

 

[sk farmer]

typical garage journal fashion. a guy wants to know about cordless or corded tools and run them with a generator and he gets told go buy to buy a welder/generator. maybe he should buy the triple play with welder generator/compressor/instead.

now i won't argue that a welder generator isn't nice . i know several people that have them and i have used them myself. that said, they are heavy, they are expensive they are hard to move and they need to be maintained. i have been a farmer and the times i have needed a large welder generator could be counted on one hand and more like 2 fingers. maybe once if i would have had decent cordless tools then.

the guy needs temp power at a remote and most likely not terribly secure spot for maybe a year. a lot of generator can be had for 500 dollars, a pretty good one for a grand and nice one for 1500. a welder/genset like recomended will be multiple times that.

i have a north star 8000 watt with 13 hp honda and it will run everything i need in an emergency. well, furnace, freezer and fridge. i know, i did it for a week once. when the op is settled, that may be the time for a larger setup more suited to his property but for now a moderately sized generator to run a few lights, maybe a furnace and charge his cordless tools should be great plenty. if the dregs of society hit his remote shop he will also be out far less.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Obvious answer is both but if one? Generator.

Cordless is great for some things but heat? Fans? Lights?

Solid genny with a well thought out power distro goes a long way.

If you are on a budget, see about picking up a smaller table saw, one that runs on 120V. With that 3hp saw, the smallest 240V generator you will find is going to be about 5000W. Likely overkill most of the time.

With a 1hp-2hp table saw, you can get by just fine with a 3000W-3500W inverter generator. Much less money, much quieter and MUCH LESS FUEL !

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

My one friend bought a small off the grid house on a larger plot of land, and he installed 3 solar panels atop his van, and a pretty big inverter.
that would recharge his tool batteries, run occasional plugin tools, then hed go back to the cabin and run an extension cord from there to the van power pack, and it would run his lights, tv, etc.