Help! School me on power tools

[Jtels85]

Hey everyone,

So my knowledge of hand tools is vast, but power tools... eh, not so much. I’m a weekend warrior and recently picked up a side hustle repairing and modifying gasoline powered golf carts a couple of nights per week. Needless to say, I’m running into more situations where a new drill driver and impact driver would come in handy. I’d also like a 3/8” battery powered ratchet at some point.

I currently have an old DeWalt cordless drill. I’m not even sure what model it is, but it’s definitely old and the two batteries don’t last as long as they used to. I have some more work coming up this week in the evenings and would like to take the opportunity today to go buy myself a new set.

My father has had the new Craftsman 20V set for about two years and seems to really like it. I have always purchased DeWalt and was looking at their 20V line on Lowe’s website. I also checked out Milwaukee on Home Depot’s website but found myself confused between the 12V and 18V line. Which is better for my purpose?

I also know that the old Cadmium batteries didn’t last as long as lithium. How many years could I expect to get out of a lithium battery now if I only use is once or twice per week?

How about the Hercules brand at Harbor Freight? They seem a little pricy compared to the name brand tools, but I also know nothing about them.

Thanks in advance,

 

[Chucktin]

I would start with HF and graduate to Milwaukee 18v if you prosper. (I currently have 20v DeWalts).

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[B_Bimmer]

Makita is all you really need to know.

 

[jdm5]

You'll probably get a dozen different answers; I'm mostly with Milwaukee, both 12V and 18V for different applications.

I'm guessing for golf carts / small mechanical stuff 12V tools will be fine - you'll be shocked how powerful they have become vs decades ago. I'd say identify which tools you need (impact driver, drill, ratchet) and go back to your local stores and hold each of the major brands (Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita, Bosch,vprobably missing a couple) and see what you think.

I personally would stick with the major players as A) they are likely to be around for many many years and thus you can continue to get addiitonal tools/batteries/repairs, B) you may find other tools in the manufacturer's lineup that you want (for Milwaukee for me that includes copper tubing cutter, PVC cutter, inflator, flashlights, etc).

 

[RedneckWelder]

Milwaukee for automotive/industrial, DeWalt and Makita for carpentry/building is how I look at it. Ryobi is a solid basic choice and price competitive with HF stuff. You really can’t go wrong with any of them. Milwaukee is definitely faster to bring out stuff for mechanics and it can take a while for the other brands to catch up because that’s not their focus.

M12 is a great choice for your golf cart type use. More compact, plenty of torque for that work. The Lithium batteries are so far ahead of the Nicad junk it’s not even funny. Very long life on the batteries.

 

[richfinn]

Just buy the best deals on individual tool packages and don't worry about matching battery systems etc. is my advice, treat them as purely consumable equipment for business use

They will all be obsolete before the Li-on batteries quit
and the performance of the next generation will always outweigh maintaining older power tools

 

[Jtels85]

Informative responses so far, thanks! Would the M12 impact driver with a socket adapter be strong enough to remove lug nuts from a vehicle that were torqued to say... 100 ft. lbs? Or would I be better off eventually adding an impact wrench?

I have read a lot of people liking Makita. How do they compare to the Milwaukee?

 

[BrandoJames]

I’m a weekend warrior and recently picked up a side hustle repairing and modifying gasoline powered golf carts a couple of nights per week. Needless to say, I’m running into more situations where a new drill driver and impact driver would come in handy. I’d also like a 3/8” battery powered ratchet at some point.

I have the 12v Makita Drill/Driver set, really like it. Get a set with two 12v batteries. Makita also recently released a 12v ratchet--but as a DIYer, I really don't see the need to have that.

From what guys here have stated, the 12v ratchets (either Milwaukee or Makita), are good at spinning off a fastener, but you still have to break it loose by hand. Given that, I'd go instead with an 18v cordless impact. Good luck.

 

[American Locomotive]

I personally like Makita tools. I find the ergonomics to be a bit better than Milwaukee - they seem to be better balanced and fit in the hand better. Milwaukee tools always feel heavy and awkward to me.

 

[Voi]

I have read a lot of people liking Makita. How do they compare to the Milwaukee?

I went with Makita for their greater selection of yard tools but for working on my golf cart or my UTV I would think that an M12 3/8" Stubby impact wrench and/or right angle impact plus a ratchet would be very useful.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

I run dewalt 20volt and a power torque 12 volt ratchet from oriley auto parts. Depending on the power you need the Milwaukee 12 volt, ryobi and makita all have those tools. I myself wouldn’t consider the hf stuff except the ratchet. Dewalt batteries do fit in mac power tools and they have a ratchet but it’s pricey. The handle on the Milwaukee 12 volt is rather thick and a turn off for me. Home Depot carries all those name brands. I think Home Depot usually has better deals on dewalt also. You can also get dewalt and Milwaukee anywhere so if you need a battery or tool asap you can just go and get it

 

[Lucid Moments]

Informative responses so far, thanks! Would the M12 impact driver with a socket adapter be strong enough to remove lug nuts from a vehicle that were torqued to say... 100 ft. lbs? Or would I be better off eventually adding an impact wrench?

I certainly wouldn't want to count on it. I consider an impact wrench a requirement and it would be one of my first purchases.

 

[Chucktin]

If lug nuts are torqued down by an ape in a Mom&Pop local shop a 1/2" breaker bar _with_ an extension (cheater bar) will be necessary. Count on it. The advantage of the battery powered tools is in the ease of dis-assembly, re-assembly. And the time you invest in getting to "the problem".

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[Jtels85]

I greatly appreciate everyone’s input today! I went to Home Depot and spent a half hour cross shopping brands. I checked out the Makita tools and really liked them, but what sold me was the amount of tools available in the M12 line, so I purchased the Milwaukee Drill Driver & Impact Drive combo kit. I’m going to open the box when I get home and get everything set up. I’m excited!!

 

[nadogail]

I greatly appreciate everyone’s input today! I went to Home Depot and spent a half hour cross shopping brands. I checked out the Makita tools and really liked them, but what sold me was the amount of tools available in the M12 line, so I purchased the Milwaukee Drill Driver & Impact Drive combo kit. I’m going to open the box when I get home and get everything set up. I’m excited!!

May you get many years of Satisfaction from those tools, while enjoying good health.

I would have chosen Makita, but Milwaukee is a well respected name in tools.

 

[dutchgray]

Pick your favourite colour, the tools from all the big names are pretty much all the same, Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Metabo, Hitachi (now Metabo HPT or HiKoki). Best to go with what you can get locally.

I know some steel erectors (they pretty much all use Makita in the UK), but these particular ones had a big set of Milwaukee stuff as well their company bought to tryout, the only tool they didn't manage to break in a year was the cordless grinder. They reckon Milwaukee is for carpenters as it doesn't stand up to their work.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Informative responses so far, thanks! Would the M12 impact driver with a socket adapter be strong enough to remove lug nuts from a vehicle that were torqued to say... 100 ft. lbs? Or would I be better off eventually adding an impact wrench?

I have read a lot of people liking Makita. How do they compare to the Milwaukee?

The mid torque impacts by the big boys or the ~300 ft lb impacts put out by base level brands like Ryobi would be a better bet for that use

The 1/4 impact drivers are surprisingly strong these days and outside of lugs they do very well on most smaller bolts and of course very well on screws and such.

 

[carmantl]

I'm an ironworker foreman. We use Milwaukee tools every day. The big impact, super sawzall, fuel bandsaws and drills and impact drivers. We have only had ONE tool expire in less than the 5 year warranty; an impact that has rattled literally tens of thousands of 3/4" bolts. Milwaukee repaired it in a week on their dime. All the others will fail eventually and we will buy more just like them.

 

[a_whale]

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[theoldwizard1]

I also checked out Milwaukee on Home Depot’s website but found myself confused between the 12V and 18V line. Which is better for my purpose?

For the average home DIYer Milwaukee M12 are adequate. If you think you are going to do any big remodeling jobs, go M18.

I also know that the old Cadmium batteries didn’t last as long as lithium. How many years could I expect to get out of a lithium battery now if I only use is once or twice per week?

4 to 6 years at most. Biggest problem is they self discharge much quicker than Li.

How about the Hercules brand at Harbor Freight? They seem a little pricy compared to the name brand tools, but I also know nothing about them.

Stick with DeWalt or Milwaukee. Watch for sales.

 

[SuperDutyMikeMc]

You chose wisely. An impact driver and 3/8ths impact are perfect tools for what you're doing.

I own the DeWalt line of those same tools, and honestly I think the Milwaukee stuff is better for what you're doing.

 

[American Locomotive]

I greatly appreciate everyone’s input today! I went to Home Depot and spent a half hour cross shopping brands. I checked out the Makita tools and really liked them, but what sold me was the amount of tools available in the M12 line, so I purchased the Milwaukee Drill Driver & Impact Drive combo kit. I’m going to open the box when I get home and get everything set up. I’m excited!!

FWIW, The Makita selection at Home Depot is very small percentage of their total tool line up.

 

[finn]

I have Milwaukee, Dewalt, and Bosch. All are good tools, but I prefer the ergonomics of the 20v Dewalt over those of either the 12v or 18 v Milwaukee.

Interestingly, Bosch seems to be dominant in the rest of the world. Milwaukee seems almost nonexistent except here in the US, from what I observed.

 

[MongoTA]

I bought a Dewalt 12V drill about 25 years ago, loved it. Bought their 18v later on, hated it.

About 5 years ago I bought the Dewalt 20v brushless drill and impact driver set. I tried a few tools in my hands, and to me, the ergonomics and balance of the dewalt tools just felt so good.

20v Dewalt, BRUSHLESS. Holy moly, what a difference brushless makes. Battery life is phenomenal. I've used and abused those two over the years, the impact driver is still working as good as new, although the drill has seen better days. Sometimes need to wrench the keyless chuck, sometimes the gears grind when drilling.

This past winter I really thought about going Milwaukee. But because of how much I like the Dewalt Impact driver and the longevity of the batteries with the brushless tools, I stayed with Dewalt. Shopped the sales and bought a bunch of 20v brushless, along with a couple of 60v. And then I bought some more.

I'm happy with them. But I do occasionally find myself staring at the Milwaukee cordless tools and wondering...lol

 

[richfinn]

I have Milwaukee, Dewalt, and Bosch. All are good tools, but I prefer the ergonomics of the 20v Dewalt over those of either the 12v or 18 v Milwaukee.

Interestingly, Bosch seems to be dominant in the rest of the world. Milwaukee seems almost nonexistent except here in the US, from what I observed.

They are selling Milwaukee a fair bit in the UK nowadays, mostly automotive factors and builders merchants etc.

I've never ever seen Milwaukee in large DIY stores though (or Hilti), it's mostly Makita/Bosch/DeWalt and then cheaper budget brands