Would you toss this Sawzall (Nicd)?

[Davefr]

I'm about ready to toss this old Sawzall. It's only been used a few times and is in mint condition. However both Nicd batteries are dead. New aftermarket NiCd batteries are about $100 and they'll probably go bad in a couple years from sitting. My 18V Lithium platform is Makita. I assume there's no easy (inexpensive) way to convert this thing to Makita 18V Lithium??

 

[f121]

Have you looked to see if there’s a Makita to Milwaukee nicd adaptor available? There’s adaptors for all sorts

 

[RedneckWelder]

See if there are battery adapters on EBay. Most of them are going to be for the M18 line to cross change with other current battery platforms but you may get lucky.

 

[zendriver]

It's only been used a few times

My cue to pass it off to restore.

 

[WWheeler]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MilwaukeeTool/comments/11hkp0i

My old Milwaukee drill, sawzall, and circular saw are is still good enough for the stuff around the house but the NiMh batteries I got from eBay, while usable, run out pretty quickly and I didn't want to waste money on obsolete batteries anymore so I thought I'd try an adapter.
Only problem there was I'm starting to use Makita tools for home going forward...(don't worry, still use M18 tools at the shop) so I thought just for giggles I would try a couple of adapters hooked into each other. They are plastic so they don't weigh much at all. It actually works! Plus now I can still buy or borrow M18 tools if there is one that I like more than Makita.

 

[acer66]

My cue to pass it off to restore.

This, this is a good way for me to get rid of things I have not used in ages but think I might use in years from now while knowing that I never will.

 

[Rinspeed]

That's one reason why I'm not such a fan of such disposable battery-operated tools. My corded Sawzall was made in the early 80's and my grandson will probably still be using it after I'm long dead. You could have the batteries rebuilt for a fraction of the cost of new ones though.

 

[Davefr]

Thanks guys. I'm going to add it to the Restore pile I'm making.

 

[M635_Guy]

That's one reason why I'm not such a fan of such disposable battery-operated tools. My corded Sawzall was made in the early 80's and my grandson will probably still be using it after I'm long dead. You could have the batteries rebuilt for a fraction of the cost of new ones though.

Meh - by the time your grandson would even look at it the products he could use would be lighter, more powerful and better in every way.

Early on it was easier to get orphaned, but the battery platforms have matured to the point where as long as you're buying from Milwaukee/DeWalt/Makita/etc. you're vastly unlikely to be without a quality option for a decade or more.

The current generation of battery tools are nothing close to disposable.

 

[M635_Guy]

Thanks guys. I'm going to add it to the Restore pile I'm making.

Restore is just going to junk it too. (directly or indirectly)

 

[Rinspeed]

Meh - by the time your grandson would even look at it the products he could use would be lighter, more powerful and better in every way.

Early on it was easier to get orphaned, but the battery platforms have matured to the point where as long as you're buying from Milwaukee/DeWalt/Makita/etc. you're vastly unlikely to be without a quality option for a decade or more.

The current generation of battery tools are nothing close to disposable.

Well, this is the age of the girly man and those pesky cords are so cumbersome. I've punched tens of thousands of holes in SS and machine tapped them all. I'll take a corded drill over a cordless any day of the week.

 

[zendriver]

That's one reason why I'm not such a fan of such disposable battery-operated tools. My corded Sawzall was made in the early 80's and my grandson will probably still be using it after I'm long dead. You could have the batteries rebuilt for a fraction of the cost of new ones though.

I have a corded Sawzall, nearly in pristine condition, used maybe half dozen times. Don't use them much but now when I do, just grab the Cman cordless, from the drawer. Sure the corded Sawzall will last forever, but now mostly just takes up space.

Cordless tools make great sense - if they are actually used. Usually by the time the batteries are worn out, the tool itself might not be that far behind. Move on to something new.

Obviously not the case with the OP's unit, where the batteries just died of old age.

 

[f121]

Well, this is the age of the girly man and those pesky cords are so cumbersome. I've punched tens of thousands of holes in SS and machine tapped them all. I'll take a corded drill over a cordless any day of the week.

Per about a million threads on here, it’s about the right tool for the job.

 

[dcg9381]

Restore is just going to junk it too. (directly or indirectly)

Why? I'd buy it if I can get an adapter for it as I've got a bunch of 18V lithium batteries.. Likely the only downside from a modern tool is it's not brushless.

 

[M635_Guy]

Why? I'd buy it if I can get an adapter for it as I've got a bunch of 18V lithium batteries.. Likely the only downside from a modern tool is it's not brushless.

Even if it makes it to their sales floor, the likelihood someone is going to hunt down the right adapter seems... unlikely...

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[whateg01]

That's one reason why I'm not such a fan of such disposable battery-operated tools. My corded Sawzall was made in the early 80's and my grandson will probably still be using it after I'm long dead. You could have the batteries rebuilt for a fraction of the cost of new ones though.

Totally agree. That's why I still drive an old hand crank model A. I'm not getting stuck with a dead battery like a fool!

 

[eejack]

Get the batteries rebuilt and then drop it off at restore. If you are going to donate it, don't leave the dead batteries in there, that is just a tease to the next fellow.

 

[RegeSullivan]

Pretty sure I've Makita to Milwaukee battery adpters. I have a few Makita to Ryobi and Makita to Dewalt that work well.

 

[dcg9381]

Even if it makes it to their sales floor, the likelihood someone is going to hunt down the right adapter seems... unlikely...

I hope I'm wrong.

It took me 30 seconds... Assuming you stick to the same brand. Milwaukee Nicad to Makita Lithium would take me a bit longer..

 

[finn]

Restore is just going to junk it too. (directly or indirectly)

Here, they won’t take battery tools that don’t have functional batteries.

 

[neophyte]

I'm about ready to toss this old Sawzall. It's only been used a few times and is in mint condition. However both Nicd batteries are dead. New aftermarket NiCd batteries are about $100 and they'll probably go bad in a couple years from sitting. My 18V Lithium platform is Makita. I assume there's no easy (inexpensive) way to convert this thing to Makita 18V Lithium??

Look into a battery adapter.
Those saws may have had a brushed motor, but the motors were made to be serviced and rebuilt, and the gear housing on that was likely the same, or almost the same, as the regular top of the line Milwaukee Sawzalls, which arguably had one of the best gear reciprocating designs ever made for a reciprocating saw.

 

[The Cobbler]

every-time I read a thread like this, it reassures me that I am making the right decision by limiting my cordless tool purchases .

 

[subroc]

It should be a math problem. What would it cost power it? What method would you use? I have Dewalt stuff. Not long ago I picked up a Dewalt brushless dcs382 reciprocating saw for $100.00 on a price match from HD. Now if you can find an adapter for$20.00 or so that allows you to use your current batteries it might be worth it but somewhere between that $20.00 and the cost of a new one on sale is a point of diminishing returns.

Good luck.

 

[whateg01]

every-time I read a thread like this, it reassures me that I am making the right decision by limiting my cordless tool purchases .

You do you, but I'm on my way to my dad's right now to work on a trunk lid issue. I've got my M12 mini handheld bandsaw in the back of the truck as well as my flex volt dewalt angle grinder and both my quarter inch hex impact driver and 3/8 drive impact wrench in the truck with me. No need to search for a cord or a place to plug it in or have a cord draped over a fender scratching the paint. And if he has the car out in the driveway where there's a breeze, it'll be even better.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I didn’t read the whole thread, so forgive me if this has already been said, but nicads can be shocked back to life.

 

[Steve_P]

Here, they won’t take battery tools that don’t have functional batteries.

Mine does, so I guess it varies by location. I'm guessing not too many people give functional cordless tools with good batteries for resale when they can give it to someone they know- kid, friend's kid, etc. Most of the name brand stuff has generic batteries available.

 

[liliysdad]

every-time I read a thread like this, it reassures me that I am making the right decision by limiting my cordless tool purchases .

Yes, the obsolescence of 20 year old tool is definite proof that its a failed technology.

I didn’t read the whole thread, so forgive me if this has already been said, but nicads can be shocked back to life.

They can also be thrown in the trash.

 

[jives]

If you never use it now, you won't in the future. I would give the saw away free, keep the nice metal tool case, rig up the case with shelves, and turn it into a small wall mount tool cabinet.

 

[Beerhippie]

When Milwaukee first came out with the M18 platform, they advertised that it was compatible with the older NiCad tools. Have you tried just sticking an M18 batt on it?

 

[Dagny]

no go

 

[mobiledynamics]

Well, this is the age of the girly man and those pesky cords are so cumbersome. I've punched tens of thousands of holes in SS and machine tapped them all. I'll take a corded drill over a cordless any day of the week.

A long time ago....I thought the same. However, on one project, where I always presumed angle grinder + cord is the default, I used the Angle grinder cordless and was able to do the job so much differently as I did not have to deal with cord management. Granted I probably used like 20 5.0 batteries.....but I was not short on power. Using the tool infinitely without having to deal with a cord opened my eyes.......I literally have not picked up Metabo's, my hilti hammers. etc when given the option of a cordless.

Corded is dead.....I can't even think when was the last time a tool manufacturer, or ahem, Pipeline, included a like equivalent release of a new tool in corded....

 

[ChevyEFI]

This thread reminds me of the nearly new V28 Sawzall Dad had in case he could get the battery working for my Aunt & Uncle.

Pretty sure that was the same trip when I told him the Makita 9.6 drill has to go and got him into Bosch 18v.

I didn’t read the whole thread, so forgive me if this has already been said, but nicads can be shocked back to life.

I want to see electroBOOM on YT do a vid on this.

 

[fourjeepin]

I'm about ready to toss this old Sawzall. It's only been used a few times and is in mint condition. However both Nicd batteries are dead. New aftermarket NiCd batteries are about $100 and they'll probably go bad in a couple years from sitting. My 18V Lithium platform is Makita. I assume there's no easy (inexpensive) way to convert this thing to Makita 18V Lithium??

Looks far too nice to toss. I would use one of the old batteries to build an adapter for Ridgid batteries.

 

[vwpieces]

I have that saw and it's still in use. I am on the newer M18 batts with an adapter. Just a heads up, keep the LiIon batts on the smaller side. It wass either my 12.0 or 8.0 that killed the switch, replaced it and have not used a battery larger than 5.0 since. New batts do not like the no feedback tool and they go into blinky mode. Just put them on the charger and they are happy again.

Oh, I also rebuilt a couple of my Old V18 batteries with New Samsung 30Q cells. Technically these are 3.0 but work great. 3D printed adapters to hold the smaller diameter 18650 cells
I do not suggest you play with LiIon batteries.

 

[vwpieces]

I have rebuilt all my NiCd Milwaukee batteries in the past, but finding good cells today is hard. I had the new Samsung 30Q on the V18 so it was an easy decision to do it that way.
Generic Milwaukee NiCd's are available on Amazone but not too cheap, lots of **** reviews and batts not lasting.
Find an adapter to what ever Batt platform you are using today and keep the saw. It is a quality tool.

 

[pizza]

wow, i love the case.

 

[rsanter]

Buy the adapter

 

[ronkz650]

Probably simple AA size batteries in the packs. Replace with NIMH batteries and the pack can be charged with the original charger and regain reliability.

 

[darkzero]

I bet someone on etsy can make an adapter for it. Even if there was an adapter for it I personally wouldn't even bother.

I remember my Dewalt XRP hammer drill being powerful as hell. A few yrs ago I bought an adapter for it to use my M18 batteries. I was so disappointed, back into the storage it went. Cordless tools these days have came a long way & keep getting better.

That thing is in too nice of a condition to just toss or give away. If it has no sentimental value to keep, I would put it on ebay if it's worth your time. I bet someone would buy it just because of the condition it is in.

 

[dchawk81]

I wouldn't toss it myself but I'd find the local high school or college shotput champion and have them toss it while I videoed it for YouTube.