Need recommendations, Birthday coming up.

[nikerret]

My birthday is approaching and the old lady is looking to get me a gift.

I have a Ryobi set of drill, small circular saw, and reciprocating saw, that I wouldn't mind upgrading-longer battery life, better ergonomics, etc.

She was looking at the DeWalt DCS355D1 Oscillating Multi-tool, but her co-workers talked her out of it, due to it's limited uses.
When I thought I was getting that, I started looking at the DeWalt drills, which got me thinking about asking for a new drill.

Here's the tools I'm looking at, if you want to recommend a specific brand/model, let me know. Also, I'm going to be finishing my basement, this summer, if you know of anything I HAVE to have.

Of course, if I'm going to get a drill, reciprocating saw, etc, I would like the batteries to be interchangeable

Actually, I don't really know what I need...

Drill-Hammer, Impact, regular? If I get a set, which two?

Also, tell me about pneumatic nail guns, angle grinders, miter saws, etc.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Years ago I decided to go with the DeWalt 18 volt platform when doing some major projects around the house. They have served me well, with no complaints

 

[jd_1138]

Depending on budget, I'd get a DeWalt 18V impact and drill combo. Also a compound miter saw would be nice (not necessarily cordless). I don't think cordless for every tool is vital. It's nice but not as powerful as a corded tool.

I'd keep the Ryobi set until you get all those individual tools replaced. Having 2 battery platforms is more flexible. Unless you are going to replace/upgrade every single Ryobi tool.

And a multi-tool is very useful. Usually once you get one, you start finding uses for it that you never considered before. They can make intricate/tight cuts, and can be used for sanding. The Ryobi multi-tools can be picked up for $45 or so. But of course DeWalt and the other brands have their versions too.

I'd say the order of operations in terms of what to buy first:
1. impact driver
2. regular drill
3. circular saw
4. recip saw
5. compound miter saw
6. multi-tool
7. lights/lanterns
8. jobsite radio (for music and podcasts)

 

[TK-421]

What are your intended uses?

I really enjoy my Milwaukee Fuel 12v stuff, and my 12v hammer drill rivals that of my old 18v blue/yellow NiCd Ryobi drill I used to have, even though it's like half the size and weight of the Ryobi.

I don't know what kind of specials Milwaukee is running right now, but I picked my stuff up when it was buy a set and get a free tool, which was an excellent deal and saved me a ton of money.

If you're needing a fair bit of power, then I'd recommend their 18v line, but that can be a bit pricey. For $500 on cpomilwaukee.com you can get an 18v combo kit with a hammer drill and an impact driver, and then you get to pick either a circular saw or a sawzall for free.

Or, if you're okay with 12v, you can buy two bare tools and they'll throw in a charger, two batteries, and a bag for free, and if you buy the sawzall or circular saw they'll throw in an additional 4.0 Ah battery.

 

[nikerret]

Not everything has to be cordless, in fact, I'm not against plugging in the big stuff. The angle grinder, miter saw, etc, I would prefer corded.

Of course, the drill, reciprocating saw, band saw, would be nice to get cordless.

I would probably go with the 18-20v stuff, just to avoid upgrading in the future.

 

[Voi]

I have a Ryobi set of drill, small circular saw, and reciprocating saw, that I wouldn't mind upgrading-longer battery life, better ergonomics, etc.

She was looking at the DeWalt DCS355D1 Oscillating Multi-tool, but her co-workers talked her out of it, due to it's limited uses.

I'm going to be finishing my basement, this summer, if you know of anything I HAVE to have.

Of course, if I'm going to get a drill, reciprocating saw, etc, I would like the batteries to be interchangeable

Actually, I don't really know what I need...

Drill-Hammer, Impact, regular? If I get a set, which two?

I found my cordless oscillating tool to be very useful when finishing up my remodel. I don't have the Dewalt but I didn't care for the ergonomics when handling it in the store.

Do you think you want a full sized reciprocating saw or the small, single-hand type?

I bought my Bosch 12V reciprocating saw thinking it would be helpful during my remodel but it turns out I used the oscillating tool (also 12V Bosch) in most of the situations where I thought I'd use the reciprocating saw. Now that my remodel is over I find myself using the saw much more, mostly for yard work.

If I were shopping for a drill/impact kit today I'd probably want one with a hammer drill.

Getting back to ergonomics, this is really on you. I'd go handle as many 12V and 18V tools as you can. If you find you prefer the 12V tools the only tool you might be limited on would the full sized reciprocating saw which might be better corded anyways.

 

[ez-duzit]

You are not using your tools enough if you can only think of adding an extra cordless drill.

Corded tools are generally superior. Let her go with a corded multi-tool, like the Fein.

 

[BikerDad]

Make sure that whatever it is, if it's cordless insure that it uses Lithium-ion batteries.

For "finishing the basement", here's what I'd suggest.

Small (8.5" or 10") Miter saw. Sliding compound if possible, but a regular Compound Miter saw will do the trick. Very handy for framing and trim, of some use for hardwood/laminate flooring. Corded will be fine, although cordless, even though smaller, is way cool.

Drywall tools. You can nail or screw drywall. If the latter, get a drywall driver. Again, corded will likely do fine for you, but you can go cordless. If you're going to be finishing the drywall yourself, then you will definitely need a wet/dry vac. For the generic low cost ones, the Rigid/Craftsman units made by Emerson are a great value. You can spend more, which will get you a quieter unit, more attachments, better filtration off the bat, tool activation, etc. Or you can just get a 12-16 gallon unit, a Cleanstream filter, and carry on.

IF you need a hammer drill for the basement work, then things get tricky. New concrete is fairly easy to drill into. If your place is older, then you may end up needing more oomph than a regular hammer drill provides. A Corded 1/2" Dewalt hammer drill w/ brand new bits into 50 year old concrete, 15+ minutes per hole. No bueno. 1" SDS Rotary Hammer drill? 30 seconds per hole. Problem is, when will you need it again?

Enjoy.