What's in your toolset

[TheSergeant]

Guys, just a small talk about what tools you have in your garage. I'm in the market for a new drill, so would like to know what's reliable. My makita was 10 yo. and have no idea what to choose right now. Maybe you'll advise something interesting, not only drill. By the way, I'm reading a lot of positive reviews about Ryobi but do not see any of Ryobi models on different review websites.

[Borderland]

I use to buy Bosch and Makita a lot. Gone over to Hitachi almost 100%. Cordless and corded drills, pneumatic nailers and staplers, sanders, and saws. I probably left something out. They have factory trained repair/support within an hour of where I live also. Highly recommended.

I think Ryobi is good also but I would want support for anything I purchased.

Good luck.

[RevolverRob]

Used Ryobi for years, still do.

At this point, between what I inherited from my dad and what I have, I have ~8 batteries and 4 chargers, a sawzall, a circ saw, impact driver, and standard power drill. They all work fine and I've found them to handle most of the abuse the average home owner is going to dish out on them.

I used Ryobi, Makita, and DeWalt for years in commercial construction (mostly HVAC) and they all held up about the same. The bonus for the Ryobis is they were cheaper to replace when they inevitably broke or were stolen from an unlocked truck...:rolleyes:

[txdpd]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-2-3-Amp-1-4-in-Corded-Hex-Drive-Impact-Driver-6952/203162021

This has been my go to "drill" for close to 12 years. I got tired of dealing with batteries, and admittedly batteries have improved by leaps in bounds in the last decade, but the cord really hasn't been that big of an issue. I have a Hitachi hammer drill for when I need more size or precision than the 1/4" drive drill bits can offer or the hammering, but that thing hardly sees day light anymore. If cords aren't an issue, I think it's worth a look. I would certainly take another impact driver, if it fit my needs, over a drill.

[TheSergeant]

Why everyone's talking about Ryobi? Are they that good? A friend of mine advised me to buy one, too, but I do not see any models in top 10 lists like this, for example https://wisepick.org/best-cordless-drill/. I'm actually thinking about bosch. They also have a nice set of bits

[AKDoug]

I'm a Milwaukee guy.. but in reality, for the amount most people use a drill, a Ryobi is probably fine.

[txdpd]

Ryobi, Rigid and Milwaukee are owned by Techtronich.

Ryobi is plenty good. If your in a “professional” setting where you’re tools will probably get stolen before you can wear them out, a sad reality of life, Ryobi is just as good as Milwaukee.

[AKDoug]

Ryobi, Rigid and Milwaukee are owned by Techtronich.

Ryobi is plenty good. If your in a “professional” setting where you’re tools will probably get stolen before you can wear them out, a sad reality of life, Ryobi is just as good as Milwaukee.

Kinda like saying all the AR barrels made by FN are the same spec regardless of who is buying them. According to their website, Rigid isn't one of their brands, but who knows.

DeWalt and Black&Decker are the same company (not Techtronic). The DeWalt tools are superior to the B&D versions.

[rob_s]

I own almost exclusively Milwaukee cordless tools. Cordless tech has gotten insanely good to the point that I now own a sawzall, router, random orbit sander, and full-size circular saw, alll 18 volt, all tools that were not available In cordless versions, or which the cordless versions were sub-standard, up until a few years ago.

That said, if I was buying today, it’d be Ryobi. I’m a hobbyist, and not making my living with my tools, and for the amount I use them vs the cost of Ryobi, they’d be plenty good enough for me.

Re: who owns what...
47897

[LittleLebowski]

Ryobi, Rigid and Milwaukee are owned by Techtronich.

Ryobi is plenty good. If your in a “professional” setting where you’re tools will probably get stolen before you can wear them out, a sad reality of life, Ryobi is just as good as Milwaukee.

I'd replace my Ryobi stuff with Milwaukee in an instant, if the Ryobi stuff would just fail, but it won't :(

[javemtr]

Decided to standardize everything to Makita 18V. So far no complaints, albeit I am only a weekend warrior/hobbyist.

[Welder]

First, so it's out of the way, I'm a welding contractor by trade. I don't have any employees. Like a previous poster, I also wonder what the big deal with Ryobi is for homeowners, as they seem to be getting a lot of support in this thread compared to other homeowner-grade tools, but I don't have any experience with them. I can say that I've never seen a Ryobi cordless tool on a jobsite I've been on. I see, in this order, Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita. Mostly Milwaukee. Very few Makita. Nothing else.

I think the advice to standardize, regardless of what you buy, is spot-on. So look at the total set of tools available for that manufacturer's battery of that voltage before you buy. There will likely come a time that you'll want something else without a cord. I'd suggest comparing that line of tools to Milwaukee and DeWalt's line. See anything there you might ever want? Think about it. Cordless tool lines cover more than drills, flashlights, and circular saws these days. Don't get stuck having 3 different chargers and batteries because you were a cheapskate and didn't think ahead LOL.

Also, look at how often that manufacturer changes battery styles within a voltage parameter. It stinks to buy into a complete set of tools only to find that the manufacturer just stopped supporting that battery. Then unless you want to lose your tool investment you're stuck with that current level of tool and battery technology, and also to buying aftermarket batteries or rebuilding batteries yourself. Some manufacturers have never changed their battery style. That's a good thing unless they're about to change and you just don't know it. ;)

I doubt you can buy a piece of crap cordless tool today at a big box store. I'm sure you can anecdotally, but this isn't the 1980's or '90's anymore.

If you're going to use this 10 times a year, I second the advice to just buy corded. The 110V outlet will be around for awhile, and your out-of-date or discharged-when-you-need-them battery concerns are out the window. A 50' extension cord will take you well out of the house to work in your driveway or wherever, and a 25' cord will do anything you want inside. I still have to use corded tools every day running off of my welder, because the current state of battery technology still isn't there for power hog tools like angle grinders. So yeah, you might have to drag a cord through your house, but really, so what? Some of us are rolling and unrolling cords several times a day and we're still with the land of the living.

Lastly, if cordless is the way you want to go, consider buying used. A nearly-new set of quality tools from the pawn shop is going to cost about the same as an average-quality set of homeowner-grade tools brand new. I've bought many, many of my company tools used. I don't have to for financial reasons, I just don't like throwing money away. The battery is the biggest crap-shoot for this, but if you can learn that manufacturer's date codes, you can just look them up and see how old they are. It's still a roll of the dice; just assume the cost of a new battery into your calculations if it'll make you feel better.

You can also get into brushless technology for less $$ this way if it's an object. Brushless is the one true advance in tools themselves within recent times. Milwaukee's 4.5" standard cordless grinder with brushes was the most useless tool I'd ever bought. It'd run for about a minute on a 4.0 Ah battery, if you used it lightly. I replaced it with a brushless model that'd run for minuteS and could be loaded higher. Then out came the 5.0 Ah batteries, then the 9.0's, and if you hang a 12.0 Ah battery on that same grinder, you can really hog with it, enough that I don't always get the extension cords and corded grinders out if it's a small job. Heck, they even make a 9" grinder that'll run for about 5 minutes on that 12.0 battery; at least mine will.

[rob_s]

couldn't resist a gratuitous pic of my all-red tool wall (just ignore that little green pinner in there...)

Attempting to make this pic a little less douchy, the main takeaway I'd like to convey is an agreement to standardize on a single battery system. I currently have a couple of M12 mixed in with my M18 and I wish I didn't (although a couple of these only come in M12).

I will also counter some previous advice and say that if there's a brushless cordless version of a tool, I'd never, ever, buy it corded again. I friggin hate cords. I'd rather have a cordless ryobi grinder or sawzall than a corded Milwaukee or Dewalt, that's how much I hate cords.

47905

[beenalongtime]

I agree on the corded. Most of my tools have a tail of some kind (electrical or air). Battery tools are nice, but it has been a few years, since I use my cordless drills and I found out a few months ago, the batteries are dead. Nicads could be rebuilt, but not so much on these new Lithium batteries, so I will probably go Ryobi, just for the cost (pretty much cordless for ladder work, or out in the country at brothers farm).

On the corded, I am not really a brand guy, but a features guy. Have just about bought every brand, based on features/want list of who I am buying for (bought tools for dad/siblings, because I do more research).

[O4L]

I also use Milwaukee cordless tools.

Although I no longer make my living using tools, after many years of buying the best tools I could find to work with I just can't buy something that isn't up to the same standards as I have always used.

Fortunately, the Milwaukee set I have now I bought slightly used for less than half of the new price. They should last longer than me.

[AKDoug]

My shop guys used their tool budget to buy cordless Milwaukee 1/2” and 3/4” impact drivers. That 3/4 will take properly torqued lug nuts off my semis. They are eyeing a new Milwaukee torque wrench now.

The $7000 screw drive air compressor I bought the two years ago pretty much sits idle now. It basically just powers the tire machine and blow guns..


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[rob_s]

The $7000 screw drive air compressor I bought the two years ago pretty much sits idle now. It basically just powers the tire machine and blow guns..

That's a good point. Not only is cordless killing corded, it's killing air too. I haven't picked one up yet, but when air-driven brad nailer bites the dust I'll be grabbing their M18 Brad Nailer. (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-FUEL-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-Gen-II-18-Gauge-Brad-Nailer-Tool-Only-2746-20/309752194)

My compressor, and you can see the air hose in the pic above, basically gets used for dust and brad nails.

re: the contrast in pricing, that Milwaukee brad nailer is $280 without battery. And this is gen 2 after gen 1 was pretty widely panned and got horrible reviews. The equivalent Ryobi is $100 (https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18-Volt-ONE-Cordless-AirStrike-18-Gauge-Brad-Nailer-Tool-Only-with-Sample-Nails-P320/203810823) and has almost univerally good reviews pretty much since introduction. And Ryobi has a pinner (https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18-Volt-ONE-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-AirStrike-23-Gauge-1-3-8-in-Headless-Pin-Nailer-Tool-Only-P318/302238848) on the same battery system, something I don't think yellow, green or red have. Would I run a cabinet shop with one? Probably not. But I wouldn't be upset if I was using one in my garage/living room.

[OlongJohnson]

We did the battery tool discussion a few years ago. I don't think many, maybe not any, of the responses have changed. I was looking forward to discussion of cool and interesting hand tools. Maybe I'll post up a little later.

I'm to the point that I may seek out a quality hand tool to do a job quickly enough, if it's something I'm not going to be doing a whole lot of, over a power tool. Easier setup and put away; smaller, lighter and easier to transport; cheaper to buy; less storage space required; reasonable expectation that they will be fully functional and still useful when they are part of my estate sale. Part of that is driven by having enough tools that storage is an issue.

[Joe in PNG]

After lugging oversized DeWalts around a jobsite, I've moved on to a small, lightweight Hitachi 12v drill and driver combo.

Works well for the basic round the house stuff, and all the electronics & guitar building I do.

[frozentundra]

I'm a union millwright and work in various heavy industries. Lately I've been doing a lot of work in the US Steel mines of the Northern MN 'Iron Range', for example. It's hard to find harsher conditions to use cordless tools. I think I worked for 6 or 7 different companies last year alone, to include Atlantic Plant Maintenance--General Electric's Turbine company.

I can say that Milwaukee cordless tools seem to be the overwhelming choice of large companies that have multi-million dollar contracts in heavy industry. If I had to guess, I'd say well over 90% of the cordless tools I use are Milwaukee. DeWalt seems to be a distant second. Milwaukee tools are FREAKISHLY durable. It's hard to believe what they stand up to while being used by people that: A)don't have to buy them, and B) don't care one whit if a tool gets broken.

That being said, I've heard really good things about Ryobi tools from homeowners, although I've used few of them myself. Milwaukee tools are so expensive that they probably don't make sense for people that are using them for basic home maintenance and hobby type stuff. You can buy a 6 tool Ryobi set with batteries for less than one large Milwaukee impact driver with no battery.

Just don't expect to be able to use/abuse them like industrial grade Milwaukee tools.

[Dan_S]

Milwaukee. Take care of them, and call it a day.

[frozentundra]

I was interested to read that Walmart has just partnered with Hart tools as a Walmart house brand. Hart tools is owned by the parent company of Milwaukee and Ryobi.

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out over time.

[Dan_S]

I was interested to read that Walmart has just partnered with Hart tools as a Walmart house brand. Hart tools is owned by the parent company of Milwaukee and Ryobi.

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out over time.

Probably as well as everything else Wal-Mart does. They spec out the item, and what they’re willing to pay, and then the company cuts corners to meet the price point, and...shockingly...it’s junk.

[rob_s]

Good info on drill vs impact driver

And a hybrid

Milwaukee 2402-20 M12 FUEL Lithium-Ion 1/4 in. Hex 2-Speed Screwdriver (https://www.cpomilwaukee.com/milwaukee-2402-20-m12-fuel-lithium-ion-1-4-in.-hex-2-speed-screwdriver--tool-only-/miln2402-20.html?ref=pla&zmam=31282435&zmas=47&zmac=722&zmap=miln2402-20&gclid=CjwKCAiA98TxBRBtEiwAVRLquxTuAzmYd0s5VpZPK7Rl g27kfvOWvnqw0DX2WGQLwI2iUla-I7RW1BoCPIAQAvD_BwE)


https://youtu.be/KoM8ARQJR9U

[Welder]

Just as an aside. If you're hunting for tools in a pawn shop or yard sale, and you run across the Metabo brand priced decently, go ahead and pick it up. Metabo doesn't get much press because they're so tremendously expensive, but their quality (especially on the metalworking end of the line) surpasses Milwaukee by a good bit. Due to their expense, you usually only see them on the trucks of independent contractors who don't loan tools out or have one or two employees. I did finally kill a Metabo flat-head grinder when I ran over it with a 963 track-loader in a concrete-floored shop.

As to Milwaukee's quality, I agree that it's up there, but it's also running somewhat on yesterday's steam and is still built to a price point. In the last 5 years I've had warranty work done on two of the small M18 Fuel 1/2" impact guns (both suffered a drastic loss of power), had one M18 battery replaced under warranty, and just got the same nearly-new 4.5" M18 Fuel grinder back for the same type of power loss thing for the SECOND time. So the brushless tools aren't foolproof. But when they work, they work, and the added power and battery life is a real thing.

[frozentundra]

Just as an aside. If you're hunting for tools in a pawn shop or yard sale, and you run across the Metabo brand priced decently, go ahead and pick it up.

I've got a 25+ year old Metabo grinder that refuses to die. This is good advice. In the rare event that you should encounter a Metabo priced low, snap that sucker up.