rechargeable tool madness.

[toplessHO]

So I just purchased a Kobalt 24v impact driver,because I needed the 24v battery pack and charger to repower my Warn Pullzall.
It was cheaper to buy the kit than just a battery and charger.
This was a tough decision,not from a cost angle,but adding to the madness of tools vs brands.
Back from the days of Black and Decker 7.2v I bought DeWalt,first the 12v,then updates as they offered them.
3 of the brands were willed to me so I didnt have any control. Milwaukee Nicad,Rigid lithium,Ryobi lithium. So my arsenal now has 5 brands. I salvaged the DeWalt line by purchasing an adapter to go from old 18v tools to newer 20v batteries.This is crazy.

 

[toplessHO]

Update
I forgot about the Craftsman stuff I found in a relatives cabinet.
So make that 6 brands

 

[mikes02ls1]

I’m rocking Snap-On and Milwaukee only.


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[anavrinIV]

sell or trash what you don't want. No reason to make your life harder on purpose

 

[Sawdust_]

And I hate that new batteries cost more than the tool/battery combo.

 

[Ign]

I consolidated to almost 100% Milwaukee for this reason.

I used to have Cman Nextec, primarily 'cause they had a RAID, inflator and a nice flo sticklight before M12 had any this. But as it became available from Milwaukee I phased out Nextec entirely.

I also had some Ryobi 40V before Milwaukee offered a string trimmer or chainsaw, but eventually got rid of my 40V stuff for the same reason.

I'm still clinging to a little bit of Ryobi Tek4 for the noise cancelling headphones and there's a handy laser level, distance measure and stud finder, but I'm hopeful the RedLithium USB will eventually take this over. As it is the Tek4 is so small it doesn't take much space and isn't really a problem to have around.

I've personally never understood how some techs can have ~4 different brands of chargers on their box, but whatever works....

 

[redmondjp]

I've only had Ryovi 18V for almost the past 20 years.

Switched to the lithium batteries over the past few years and they can sit for a year and not lose charge, which is perfect for my use pattern. When I'm busy with projects I'll use them daily, but over the winter I can go 6 months without touching one.

I am so tempted to go Milwaukee M12 or M18 but I just can't justify it for how often I use them. I try to pretend that other cordless tools don't exist.

 

[Nineeightyone]

I use Ryobi for the outdoor tools, and Dewalt for everything else. I hate yard chores, so I want them done with as little hassle and cost as possible. Ryobi stuff has been up to the task pretty consistently. Meanwhile, my 20v Dewalt is reserved for projects, starting out with a good deal on a DCD996B and expanding to more drills and drivers and saws. Next on the list is the big 1/2" impact for axle nuts, since I'm primarily into automotive things.

A major goal of mine was to avoid having a dozen different chargers/batteries to manage, hence why I only have the two brands -- Dewalt for when I want to spend money and have a long-lasting tool, and Ryobi when I just need occasional "homeowner-grade" use. Surprisingly enough, so far the Ryobi has been excellent for my needs.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Gotta stick with one. I have a ton of Dewalt and inherited my Dad's which was luckily also Dewalt. Its the old batteries, but I bought one of those adapters so I can run the new batteries.. sweet.

I had some old makita stuff (first cordless) but have gotten rid of it all.

 

[ssdave]

Pass it on to someone else, and buy one brand/battery configuration to use. Your life will be much more pleasant.

Unless your time is worth much less than the cost of the upgrade. Then, you're just expending time and irritation in return for the cost savings of using the mixed lot of stuff.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Having different formats can be frustrating but not nearly as investing in one particular format then having the manufacturer change everything and abandon previous customers that had given them 10's of millions of dollars for the previous, now antiquated offerings. The tools have nothing to do with being tools and everything to do with being locked into one particular battery and having to buy those over and over when, not if they fail.

 

[jismay]

I'm all Ryobi with 2 exceptions.
I have an e-go or some-such blower that has its own battery & charger. Works well enough and I won't replace it until something dies.
I also got the Harbor Freight 3/8" cordless ratchet that has its own battery since I wanted the tool, and Ryobi didn't offer one in the USA at the time.
Of course, as soon as I got the HF one they released the Ryobi one in the USA.

 

[bamawildcat]

I'm firmly entrenched with DeWalt tools, but I think I'd by a Craftsman since it takes the same battery (since they are the same company).
I know that folks post from time-to-time, adapters from eBay to convert one manufactures battery to another's tool.

 

[Bacon!]

Yes it is a shame that tools and batteries aren't cross-compatible and even within same brand, formats change over time. This was my most significant reason for Ryobi. Battery adapters, meh I don't want a taller tool that can't stand on its own or that extra expense for an aging tool. Tools get better and wear out over time too.

As someone else already mentioned, if free tools are a problem because of brand, sell them.

 

[toplessHO]

maybe we should start a swap of tools/ batteries with other GJs.
I gave one of the kids the Rigid stuff,and even warrantied one of the batteries beforhand.
So that solves one tool/battery issue.

 

[californiamilleghia]

What other brand tools use the old style Dewalt 18v batteries with the post that goes in the tool ?

I have a bunch of the older Dewalts and bought the modern lithium batteries and charger and they work great ,

But if other brands used the same old style batteries I would keep my eye out at the swap meet for them......

Thanks for the info

 

[mc4life27]

For the most part I mainly have Milwaukee, a few makita (too good of a cl deal to pass up) and a snap on screw gun witch I have yet to find a replacement for it. I’m afraid to admit but I also have a good little amount of hart tools and batteries because I needed some cheap throw away tools so the guys at work would either buy their own tools or use the hart and stop trying to use my Milwaukee or complain they couldn’t get the job done. So far have not killed the hart recip saw that is but their lights and air inflator is not to shabby really. Now I have a few different battery platforms but I have it worked out to where if I have to go mobile then I just take my Milwaukee unless I need throw away tools but I have different things in different lines so I can say leave some lights on a job site so there is always lights there and if something happens they are cheap to replace instead of my expensive Milwaukee lights walking off or damage. That way I don’t have to load up as much stuff at the end of each day. So it kinda works out. But in general it does **** how batteries are always the expensive part. It’s almost like the drug dealers they give you the cheap little hits with the tools but longer term they make it up with the batteries. I wonder what kind of back end tax discount the manufacturers get from the gov to make it possible for consumers to keep buying batteries and to keep those industries alive. Since a lot of the batteries production is sourced from other countries the government gets their cut with import taxes so maybe the let the manufactures have a little break or make them think they are anyways. I know from a manufacture side of thing there is not a lot of mark up and profit in batteries when it’s all said and done. I have always wondered how that who wheel of mining the lithium and battery product worked from accounting side of things.


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[joshmodelskidoo]

I use Ryobi for the outdoor tools, and Dewalt for everything else. I hate yard chores, so I want them done with as little hassle and cost as possible. Ryobi stuff has been up to the task pretty consistently. Meanwhile, my 20v Dewalt is reserved for projects, starting out with a good deal on a DCD996B and expanding to more drills and drivers and saws. Next on the list is the big 1/2" impact for axle nuts, since I'm primarily into automotive things.

A major goal of mine was to avoid having a dozen different chargers/batteries to manage, hence why I only have the two brands -- Dewalt for when I want to spend money and have a long-lasting tool, and Ryobi when I just need occasional "homeowner-grade" use. Surprisingly enough, so far the Ryobi has been excellent for my needs.

Had to look to make sure I didn’t type that out. Got a power torque cordless ratchet to add a 3rd brand.

 

[redmondjp]

maybe we should start a swap of tools/ batteries with other GJs.
I gave one of the kids the Rigid stuff,and even warrantied one of the batteries beforhand.
So that solves one tool/battery issue.

That's not a bad idea - maybe somebody could start a stickied thread in the for/sale/trade forum (which I have never used yet and try not to look at).

 

[Showkey]

Once your committed to a brand Platform .......it’s the reason to stay.

 

[PelicanPines]

Yea... I'm insane, you're insane... we are insane.

Milwaukee m12 m18
Dewalt 20, 18, 14.4
Ridged 18
Dremel 12
Neo 12

So 8 battery sizes across 5 brands. Oh ****... forgot black n Decker 18

 

[designer485]

Same here - too many battery types.

DeWALT 18v Lithium
DeWALT 20v
DeWALT 12v
Makita 18v
Milwaukee M12

Its ridiculous. Thinking about trying to consolidate down...

 

[PugetDude]

All my 18V tools are Ryobi.
All my 12V tools are Milwaukee.
Got rid of the Ridgid and Makita cordless stuff years ago; happy with the two platforms I kept.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Latest Milwaukee 12v
Bosch 18v Nicad still humming after 12+ years
Retired long ago Makita 7.2v
Forgot a couple of Skill screwdrivers my long past FIL purchased.

 

[GraySkies]

Have a Black & Decker Quantum Pro 18v drill that I've had for... certainly more than a decade, but not sure exactly. That and lights are the only cordless tools I use. I actually PREFER corded tools for stuff around the shop. I only use the cordless when I'm outside.

I've replaced the batteries a couple of times, but the drill motor just keeps running.

For the light, I have a SnakeLite that recharges from USB.

 

[HenryAZ]

Bosch 18v complete system, with several additional tools and spare batteries. In addition, two Metabo (not Metabo HPT) drills. Each of those came with two 5.5 Ah batteries and chargers.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

I've started moving to the Bosch 12V platform and that was driven not only by the quality of the tools but the fact that I had a 12V Dremel that took the same battery pack minus a different end cap. Prying the end cap off and filing away some of the retention barbs changes the end cap from a lock on fit to a snap fit allowing quick removal. Some other 12V platforms are shared in this way and can be switched between brands but this is only if the terminal locations and the geometry of the top of the pack is identical.

 

[PelicanPines]

If only there was a true universal voltage to use with tools... I'd even be willing to have that power be slightly removed from the tool... perhaps with a short wire attaching tool to said power... if only it were possible.

 

[bwringer]

This makes me crazy and I only have Bosch and Ryobi 18V.

The Bosch stuff is indeed very nice, but their selection of tools is extremely limited, lame, and expensive. One day I'll get sick of it, buy Ryobi replacements, and put the Bosch stuff on CrackList or something.