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Makita Addiction Thread

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BreeStephany

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duneslider said:
I'm not an electrician so I don't know all your needs but what does Makita not offer that you need that Milwaukee does offer?
Click to expand...
Some prime examples would be Milwaukee's Force Logic / Ridgid ProPress tools for Ridgid's StrutSlayr shallow / deep strut shear, wire/cable cutters, crimp heads / dies.

Other examples are Milwaukee's M12 & M18 Cable Strippers, Milwaukee's M18 Angler powered fish tapes for LONG pulls, Milwaukee's M18 Force Logic hydraulic "trade hole" punch sets and Milwaukee's compact threaded rod / allthread cutter to name a few tools that I wish were available in teal.
 
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engineer2

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Makita recently came out with threaded rod cutters.
Their hole puncher looks to be for ironworking rather than sheetmetal.
Makita's focus seems to be heavy construction lately. I wish they had more tools for other trades.
Some of their tools are so specialized, I can't imagine them selling more than a few hundred per year.
I wish they had a handheld tool to cut tubing or pipe squarely and then deburr it.
 
C

Cougar67

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Virginia
The best advice I got on Garage Journal was to pick a tool line with interchangeable batteries and stick with it. Soon after joining I decided I needed an impact driver, so I got Makita. My first one was destroyed in a hurricane flood in 2012 and I replaced it right away. Instead of buying new batteries, I get a tool on sale with batteries. I have a corded ROS and corded recip saw. I later got a bare tool recip saw that has been used a lot.

Last spring, I got the 18v weed eater and blower in a package deal with two batteries and charger. I have an 18v ROS, Drywall driver, and a 12v 4" saw (for precise cutting of a kitchen cabinet).

About Black Friday time Home Depot put this 6-tool kit on sale for $299 with a charger and two batteries. I didn't see any chatter on here about it. At the time Amazon had it for something crazy like $699. I got it for myself as a secret Christmas present. It went up in price at Home Depot to $499. I just got a Facebook ad and it's $299 again, I guess for MLK week. Amazon has it for $299 too. I really just wanted a regular drill and some more batteries, but I'm happy. Also, my family bought me the 18v multitool bare tool. IMO this is a deal. I did the free shipping and got it in about three days.

6 tool makita.jpg
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-...615020354-23852337615260354-23852337615860354
 
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californiamilleghia

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SoCal
Hi ,
I just got a free Makita 3/8 impact , model 6917FD , it has a 12v NiMH battery , which of course is dead :(

are there 12v Lithium Ion batteries that will snap in ? Does the old charger still work ?

I was also thinking to solder a couple jumper wires on it and use a 12v motorcycle battery,

Any other ideas ? I like the size of this impact and do not expect it to have power to loosen lug nuts,

Thanks for your help

PS: does this series of 12v Makita tools have a name , just wondering what other tools of this series were available.....
 
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D

DRider

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Apr 24, 2022
Messages
101
JohnCZ said:
My first "Makita" should be here in a little over a week. The LS1019L double bevel sliding compound miter saw, with the WST06 stand.
Will I join the "addiction"?
Click to expand...
I have that same saw and stand. The saw is great, but heavy. The stand needs to be modified to be a mobile stand otherwise it tends to topple with the saw on it. The wheels are too small and the axle is to narrow. I put a longer axle and bigger wheels on mine. There is a photo on Amazon and a guy who did it. The stand is good, but the wheel and axle setup is poor from Makita. I guess it is okay of you just roll the stand without the saw on it. Mine toppled and hit the garage floor when I tried to move it. I can send you a picture of mine now if you want to see what I did.
 
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californiamilleghia

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I have put Lithium Ion batteries in older "blue" Ryobi 18v tools that originally had NiMH batteries and no problems ,

Voltage is voltage ,

But I have no idea if Makita ever offered Lithium Ion batteries in the early 12v battery style before switching to the flat style battery.
 
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BigLeagueSmoes

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BigLeagueSmoes said:
I threw a little write up in the "Tools of Japan" thread as well but thought this would fit in here too. I bought this last week and impressively enough it made it to my door in 4 days from Osaka Japan to Illinois. Out of the box, well, I can't read anything because it's not in english. The quality is noticeably better than other Chinese Makita tools I have. The tool itself just feels nicer, the weight distribution, the rubber grips, the plastic housing. It has a nice rubber and plastic cover over the front of the driver. The LEDs are great. The motor is incredibly smooth, like unbelievably smooth. It dampens vibrations so well too. It has ample settings for various applications. It's nice and compact. I have only used it so far to drive some Tapcons into concrete but it worked flawlessly. I bought it with the intentions to use it for automotive work when I don't need the massive torque of an impact wrench but want something faster than my hands, or something that's more compact. But I can picture myself using this for all impact driving needs because it's just that much nicer than my other Makita impact driver which is crazy to say because at no point (before I had Japanese driver) did I think to myself "eh.. this Makita driver is kinda dumpy.." or "man I really wish this Makita was better quality". I've always been pleased with my cordless Makita power tools, even the Chinese ones, but when I got my hands on the Japanese one, it was an "ohh... WOWWW" type of moment :bowdown::lol: 10/10 tool right here. Merry Christmas to me!

IMG_8467.jpegIMG_8468.jpegIMG_8478.jpeg

IMG_8470.jpegIMG_8469.jpegIMG_8474.jpeg

IMG_8475.jpegIMG_8471.jpegIMG_8476.jpeg
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As a follow up to my previous post ^^^.

After a few months of use with this impact I have found the axial play of U.S. e6 style bits I’m the Japanese makita to be annoying at times, so I decided to try a remedy. The issue is, simply put, the Japanese designed chuck is deeper than the U.S. designed chuck, so when you use the American bits in the Japanese drill they move in and out a lot more and get pushed into the drill further than normal before coming in contact with the back surface of the chuck. Here is an EXCELLENT video that explains the problem, Makita’s solution, and a DIY solution. I used this video as a reference on my own attempt at a DIY solution and it served me well.


Here’s my DIY fix, idea taken from bzeug on YouTube. It took me maybe 20 minutes of time. All I used were vise grips, angle grinder with cut off disc and grinding disc, digital calipers, small hand file.

  1. The desired length of my homemade bit piece was 5.5mm. I got this number per the recommendation of the video. I wanted to take up some of the axial play but not make it hard to get the actual bit itself to lock into the chuck.
  2. Take any impact bit you are willing to cut up. For me it was an extra PH2 I had. Mark out roughly 7-7.5mm on the bit for cutting. By cutting it long you leave yourself a margin for error in your cutting keeping in mind your cut might not be perfectly square and your cutting disc has some thickness to it too.B6DE2044-2219-40AF-83F4-B98AE9E5C6B1.jpeg
  3. Clasp the bit in a pair of vise grips or a bench vise and cut on your mark. Throw away the “bit” end, in my case the Phillips end. The resulting piece should be plenty long to grind down to the desired lengthF9703AC9-8E92-433E-BD04-1BA2E1351180.jpeg
  4. Clamp the bit piece FIRMLY in your vise. Carefully grind the bit piece little by little until you reach your target length. Periodically check the length with calipers so you don’t grind more than you need to. 9E8F4108-DA2B-4E42-8215-3068D69AFDD9.jpeg
  5. Once the piece has been ground to the desired length round off the sharp edges with a hand file. 50F5E935-1F30-4216-ADEB-B77D739AD86A.jpeg
  6. The piece is now able to be inserted into the Japanese chuck. It won’t fall out on accident. Just make sure that if you are using a magnetic bit, that the homemade bit piece doesn’t come out with the bit, and if it does just press the bit piece back in. I have not had any problems with accidentally pulling the but piece out. Here is a picture of an American E6 bit next to a 13mm Japanese double ended makita bit. C60A3DAC-A10E-4D87-A5DC-E9089A98BFC6.jpeg
Here is a chart that I’m putting together about various measurements I’ve taken regarding the axial play with different bits in the different impact drivers.

W/ 13mm Japanese BitW/ E6 American BitW/ E6 American
Bit AND Bit piece
Japanese JDM Makita2.50mm5.56mm1.76mm
American market MakitaDOES NOT FIT1.23mmN/A

Also here is a picture showing the differences in the Japanese vs North American bit shanks.

C3F8BBF6-6B31-4DAE-BE5F-48BED535EB54.jpeg

I think I might create a new thread dedicated to this impact for people to reference so all the info is kept together.
 
N

NORTON'S SHOP

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DRider said:
I have that same saw and stand. The saw is great, but heavy. The stand needs to be modified to be a mobile stand otherwise it tends to topple with the saw on it. The wheels are too small and the axle is to narrow. I put a longer axle and bigger wheels on mine. There is a photo on Amazon and a guy who did it. The stand is good, but the wheel and axle setup is poor from Makita. I guess it is okay of you just roll the stand without the saw on it. Mine toppled and hit the garage floor when I tried to move it. I can send you a picture of mine now if you want to see what I did.
Click to expand...
^^^This X10^^^ I have the same setup and the stand *****. Moving it on any kind of uneven ground, I just pick up the whole shebang and carry it.
 
G

General Geoff

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Allentown, Pennsylvania
BigLeagueSmoes said:
I think I might create a new thread dedicated to this impact for people to reference so all the info is kept together.
Click to expand...
I encountered the same issue with my Makita oil impulse driver (XST01Z), what I did was I found a spring just barely larger in diameter than would drop into the chuck, and then drove it down into the base with a spring hook, coil by coil. The spring is long enough that fully compressed, it takes up all void space with north american bits locked in. As a bonus, it provides stiff spring pressure against said bits and will auto eject them when you pull the locking collar. Works fantastic, and has less play than even a north american specific chuck.

20230410_200759.jpg
:)
 
B

BigLeagueSmoes

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engineer2 said:
Is the performance of the Japanese version impact driver better than the US version?
I have an XDT16 and love it.
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On paper, yes. In head to head performance comparisons, slightly yes. But in all practicality, to most people, I would say it’s a negligible difference. Small noticeable differences to me: the Japanese one feels like the motor runs smoother, the build quality feels better in the hand and looks higher in quality, and the Japanese one does perform slightly better (you’ll only notice this if you’re driving a lot of screws with each one). For me, I’m hoping to get a long life out of the Japanese one. And it’s a fun conversation piece. People see a purple makita and kinda scratch their heads and ask questions. And at a similar price point as what you can pick up at the Home Depot, I figured I would give it a try! I imagine your XDT16 would be very very similar to the Japanese market version TD172D. I was coming from their sub compact XDT15 so the difference was more noticeable.
 
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f121

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BigLeagueSmoes said:
On paper, yes. In head to head performance comparisons, slightly yes. But in all practicality, to most people, I would say it’s a negligible difference. Small noticeable differences to me: the Japanese one feels like the motor runs smoother, the build quality feels better in the hand and looks higher in quality, and the Japanese one does perform slightly better (you’ll only notice this if you’re driving a lot of screws with each one). For me, I’m hoping to get a long life out of the Japanese one. And it’s a fun conversation piece. People see a purple makita and kinda scratch their heads and ask questions. And at a similar price point as what you can pick up at the Home Depot, I figured I would give it a try! I imagine your XDT16 would be very very similar to the Japanese market version TD172D. I was coming from their sub compact XDT15 so the difference was more noticeable.
Click to expand...

Any thoughts on how the td172 compares with the 173? Bigger number is better, right?
 
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BigLeagueSmoes

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f121 said:
Any thoughts on how the td172 compares with the 173? Bigger number is better, right?
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The 173 is simply the newest Japanese version that recently came out. I've seen some ravingly good reviews on it. It has some new features to it that the 172 was lacking like the LED lights on the front. It wasn't released yet when I bought my 172 otherwise I would have looked for a 173. The 173 is quite a bit more expensive than the 172s that are available. The 173 look to be about $225 plus tax and shipping and the 172 about $160 plus tax and shipping. Maybe I'll get one in the future because they do look like a good tool, just don't really need another one right now.
 
T

Ton ton

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Has anyone bought Makita's battery powered string trimmer with a reverse switch on it? Kudos to Makita for coming up with a useful feature on a string trimmer. I saw them advertised for $599 Canadian dollars. Not sure on the exchange rate but it seems a bit salty.
 
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Kurt4440

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Ton ton said:
Has anyone bought Makita's battery powered string trimmer with a reverse switch on it? Kudos to Makita for coming up with a useful feature on a string trimmer. I saw them advertised for $599 Canadian dollars. Not sure on the exchange rate but it seems a bit salty.
Click to expand...
Yes
I purchased a combo kit a couple of years ago that included: string trimmer, hedge trimmer, charger, and battery for $129 plus tax. I didn't need any of the tools as I have other gas powered and battery powered trimmers. I couldn't pass up the deal based on the price. The string trimmer is fine for a weekly use, the hedge trimmer was surprisingly good.
 
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Ton ton

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Kurt4440 said:
Yes
I purchased a combo kit a couple of years ago that included: string trimmer, hedge trimmer, charger, and battery for $129 plus tax. I didn't need any of the tools as I have other gas powered and battery powered trimmers. I couldn't pass up the deal based on the price. The string trimmer is fine for a weekly use, the hedge trimmer was surprisingly good.
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Thank you very much !
 
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jpaw

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Q

Qualitytools

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jpaw said:
Makita 3/8 sub compact impact for $82 with battery return.
www.homedepot.com

Makita 18V LXT Sub-Compact Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 3/8 in. Sq. Drive Impact Wrench (Tool Only) XWT12ZB - The Home Depot

Provide an essential and ultimate addition to your industrial application with the help of this Makita LXT LithiumIon SubCompact Brushless Cordless Sq Drive Impact Wrench.
www.homedepot.com

Also available on Amazon for $80.
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jpaw, did you notice that home depot is showing a free battery but Amazon is not?
 
O

Outahere

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I recently bought a Makita 1" capacity SDS-Plus hammer drill, model HR2641, at Amazon for $219. Before buying, I also took a look at the competing 1" hammer drills from Bosch ($25 to $35 cheaper) and Hitachi/HPT ($50 cheaper) but neither of them had an anti-vibration mechanism, and the Bosch also lacked a trigger/switch lock button.

DSC01531.JPG


www.makitatools.com

Makita USA - Product Details -HR2641

1" AVT® Rotary Hammer, accepts SDS-PLUS bits (D-handle)
www.makitatools.com www.makitatools.com

  • Powerful 8 AMP motor delivers 2.1 ft.lbs./2.9 J. of impact energy to handle the most demanding applications
  • Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT®) is an internal counterbalance system that greatly reduces vibration by moving a counterweight in the opposite direction of the drive piston
  • Integrated damper spring at the base of the impact bolt is engineered to absorb impact vibrations from the drill bit
  • Recessed hammer function selector located below gear housing for improved durability
  • Torque limiting clutch engineered to prevent gear damage by automatically disengaging gears if the bit binds
  • Variable speed trigger enables user to match the speed to the application for greater versatility
  • 3-mode operation for "Rotation Only", "Hammering with Rotation" or "Chipping" for multiple applications
  • 40 bit angle settings allow the bit to be set at different positions for operating convenience
  • Ergonomic "D-shaped" handle with rubberized soft grip for increased comfort
  • Retractable hook allows tool to remain close by but never in the way
  • Sequential impact timing delivers timed hammering during rotation to minimize overlapping bit impacts for up to 50% faster drilling
Click to expand...
 
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Outahere

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It seems that Makita is unable to consistently make a profit in North America, despite frequent price increases.

toolguyd.com

Makita USA is Cutting Jobs Company-Wide

Makita USA issued a notice of company-wide layoffs.
toolguyd.com toolguyd.com

Here is what Makita reported for their North America segment over the past 5 years:

FYE March 31, 2019: 267 million yen (~$1.98 million) PROFIT
FYE March 31, 2020: 201 million yen (~$1.49 million) LOSS
FYE March 31, 2021: 3,681 million yen (~$27.3 million) PROFIT
FYE March 31, 2022: 803 million yen (~$5.96 million) PROFIT
FYE March 31, 2023: 912 million yen (~$6.77 million) LOSS
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...Makita USA is putting into effect a “company-wide reduction in force,” and has filed notices of mass layoffs with multiple states.
According to the public documents (linked-to below), a total of 213 employees will be affected by the layoffs...
Click to expand...
 
F

f121

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Ton ton said:
Has anyone bought Makita's battery powered string trimmer with a reverse switch on it? Kudos to Makita for coming up with a useful feature on a string trimmer. I saw them advertised for $599 Canadian dollars. Not sure on the exchange rate but it seems a bit salty.
Click to expand...

Yes I have a makita dual 18v string trimmer (or 'strimmer' as we call them in the UK), it's a brilliant bit of kit. Using a string trimmer (strimming) is one of my most hated jobs, but the makita is the least horrible way to do it.

The brushless motor is in the head, so it has less moving parts, less weight and balances really well, plus it's quiet enough not to need ear protection and is very low vibration. With two 5.0ah batteries, it does most of the trimming on our acre lot, but it's worth having a couple more batteries on the charger because it's very annoying running out before you're done. I've almost never used the reverse feature, only when it's probably tangled.

Makita make a ton of different trimmers, 18v, dual 18v, 40v...different handles, etc. Unless you have a very small domestic lot, buy the dual 18v not the 18v. I prefer the handle bar type handle rather than the little loop because you get more control and don't hunch up over the tool.

Overall I fully recommend this, it is so much nicer to use than a gas one.
 
T

Ton ton

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Page County,VA
f121 said:
Yes I have a makita dual 18v string trimmer (or 'strimmer' as we call them in the UK), it's a brilliant bit of kit. Using a string trimmer (strimming) is one of my most hated jobs, but the makita is the least horrible way to do it.

The brushless motor is in the head, so it has less moving parts, less weight and balances really well, plus it's quiet enough not to need ear protection and is very low vibration. With two 5.0ah batteries, it does most of the trimming on our acre lot, but it's worth having a couple more batteries on the charger because it's very annoying running out before you're done. I've almost never used the reverse feature, only when it's probably tangled.

Makita make a ton of different trimmers, 18v, dual 18v, 40v...different handles, etc. Unless you have a very small domestic lot, buy the dual 18v not the 18v. I prefer the handle bar type handle rather than the little loop because you get more control and don't hunch up over the tool.

Overall I fully recommend this, it is so much nicer to use than a gas one.
Click to expand...
Wow, I appreciate the detailed review!
 
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