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Thread: Cordless Drill/Drivers...what's hot?

  1. #46
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
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    I have the white and black Makita combo that I bought whenever it was that they first came out with them. They have the "half sized" 18v batteries. I'm thinking they are 6 or 7 years old, but don't really remember. 3 or 4 years ago, I bought the LXT combo, which has the full sized 18v battery. That was before they came out with the brushless ones. Both of the impact drivers have driven in several hundred pounds of screws, and the LXT some tens of pounds of the good sized star drive lags.

    Just a couple of months ago I realized that I hadn't used the lightweight white ones in a long time, so I tried charging the batteries fully expecting that they had been sitting too long, and were old enough not to take a charge. Sure enough, the charger gave the blinking light drill for defective batteries. I had laid them in a window sill of a South facing window in an old house we were working on. Big Mike saw them sitting there, and put them back in the charger without me noticing him doing it. Both charged back up. Mike said that they were really warm when he charged them. They've been working like new ones for the several months since then.

    I don't know which part, or parts, of the process worked, but there's no question that it worked. The LXT's are still working fine, and we use them most days.

  2. #47
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    Apr 2009
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    Connecticut
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    I have the white and black Makita combo that I bought whenever it was that they first came out with them. They have the "half sized" 18v batteries. I'm thinking they are 6 or 7 years old, but don't really remember. 3 or 4 years ago, I bought the LXT combo, which has the full sized 18v battery. That was before they came out with the brushless ones. Both of the impact drivers have driven in several hundred pounds of screws, and the LXT some tens of pounds of the good sized star drive lags.

    Just a couple of months ago I realized that I hadn't used the lightweight white ones in a long time, so I tried charging the batteries fully expecting that they had been sitting too long, and were old enough not to take a charge. Sure enough, the charger gave the blinking light drill for defective batteries. I had laid them in a window sill of a South facing window in an old house we were working on. Big Mike saw them sitting there, and put them back in the charger without me noticing him doing it. Both charged back up. Mike said that they were really warm when he charged them. They've been working like new ones for the several months since then.

    I don't know which part, or parts, of the process worked, but there's no question that it worked. The LXT's are still working fine, and we use them most days.
    If it detects a problem 3 times, it nukes the pack. I suspect what happens is it tries to charge, detects a problem and stops...but it's given enough charge for it to work the next time.

    In my case, what I've found is if you leave them in the charger, sometimes you'll go back and find that they're completely dead. That shouldn't happen with these batteries, and really shouldn't happen with ANY smart charger, even for NiCads/NiMH. For Lithium, it suffices to simply stop charging them, and for NiCd/NiMh, it should switch to a trickle charge. That technology's been consumer level for 30 years, and no other cordless drill charger has ever done that...but my Makita one does. Again, I rarely leave them in the charger, so it's never really a problem and it's not something I ever worry about, but it has happened to me and it's irritating.

  3. #48
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
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    Whitewater Ks
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    584
    I'm a big Milwaukee fan.... Have a reg M18 tool set, and then about a year ago bought a M18 Fuel impact driver, which is now my go to tool. It's definitely lighter than my drill, and I use the compact batteries that seem to last forever with the Fuel. I use these tool everyday, and they have held up great!
    Only one life will soon be past
    Only whats done for Christ will last

  4. #49
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    Jun 2010
    Location
    Upland, CA
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    1,344
    I know that Makita is one of the heaviest counterfeited brands but most of these guys have to be using the counterfeit tools/batteries instead of the real thing.

    At home I always have two Makita LXT changers with batteries on them. I also have a Bosch 10.8v(12v) charger with a battery in it at all times. I also have 3 companies with at least one Makita LXT charger with batteries in them continuously. One works 24x7x365. None of them are having the issues described.

    As far as that article explaining the Makita problem, it is complete nonsense. I can't see it as anything other than a complete fabrication. I had a vacation house where I left Makita LXT and Bosch 10.8v tools unused from April-December every year for 3-4 years with none of the issues explained in the article that says the chip kills one battery cell in weeks. It always amazed me that the Makita and Bosch LI tools worked after being unused for 8+ months as I used NiCad tools before that.

    I bought a 3 speed Makita Impact Kit a year ago and shortly after that put an unused BTD141 impact, 2 batteries, and charger in the case with the intention to sell it on craigslist or something. It has been at least 10 months and I just opened it. The tool worked normally with both batteries. When put on my charger, the 80% charged lights came on within 2 minutes and the 100% light came on in within 10 minutes. That article says they are dead in a few weeks but mine are close to 80% charged after 10+ months. What complete garbage!

    I'm certainly no Makita fanatic and my personal drills are Festool CXS and T-15. If they start selling the Protool DRC (now called Festool DRC) in the US, I will be standing in line to buy it. I'm also a vendor to one of the companies mentioned which isn't Makita. Personally, I'm a heavy user of Makita LXT but mostly in Chainsaw, Impacts, and Fan. In business, I have lots of Makita Impacts in heavy use in maintenance by people that make construction people look easy on tools.

    Interesting that Makita had a big problem with their NiMh batteries and the LXT seem to work great but the nonsense on the internet seems to indicate problems. Or is it that the Li batteries have problems in extreme cold that I don't see, or that Makita basically were the originators of Lithium battery power tools and are the first ones to find the disadvantages of Lithium batteries compared to other technologies.

  5. #50
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Lafayette, IN
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    4,563
    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Wasner View Post

    My first impact was a Makita. Nice unit, low profile. I had to replace the case on it once. Where the battery connects to the body, it cracked when it fell off of a bench one day. I also went through a few batteries in a couple of years. I don't know if Makita still does it, but they used to have a fifteen minute charger. That's just too hard on the batteries. The faster you charge a battery pack, the shorter the lifespan of it will be. Nice in a pinch, but thinking ahead is cheaper.
    This is a pet peeve of mine. I NEVER stand my drills up on their battery packs--too easily knocked over and damaged, or they'll fall off of something and damage a surface below when the bit spears it.

    Back to your regularly scheduled thread...
    Jason

    "Don't get stuck on stupid." --Lt. Gen. Russel Honore


  6. #51
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    Jan 2008
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    Silicon Valley, CA
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    989
    Quote Originally Posted by John Sanford View Post
    I've yet to hear any complaints about the Milwaukee 12v Fuel tools, other than how buying them can be addictive.
    I really liked the milwaukee 12V fuel tools on paper, but thought that they felt *very* heavy when I saw them on display at HD. Much heavier than my old makita 12V (NiCd) drill, and much-much heavier than my little hitachi 10.8V impact driver.

    Is this a characteristic of brushless, or just putting in metal-by-the-pound?

    Matt

  7. #52
    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Roehl View Post
    ... or they'll fall [over] and damage a surface ... when the bit spears it.

    Back to your regularly scheduled thread...
    I learned that the hard way. When working with a driver, I now lay it down.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  8. #53
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    Nov 2008
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    Northern Oregon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prashun Patel View Post

    I will challenge you to this though: show me a person who hates their cordless drill. I submit that most people are extremely happy with their choice of drill/driver from one of the respected brands - more even than random orbit sanders, which is an area similarly crowded with really happy users. So, I think it's harder to make a mistake in choosing than it is to make the right choice.
    I agree. I love every new cordless drill I get. Then when it needs batteries that cost nearly as much as a new drill with batteries, I hate it. For now I love the Ridgid LSA.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  9. #54
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    Nov 2008
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    Northern Oregon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prashun Patel View Post

    I will challenge you to this though: show me a person who hates their cordless drill. I submit that most people are extremely happy with their choice of drill/driver from one of the respected brands - more even than random orbit sanders, which is an area similarly crowded with really happy users. So, I think it's harder to make a mistake in choosing than it is to make the right choice.
    I agree. I love every new cordless drill I get. Then when it needs batteries that cost nearly as much as a new drill with batteries, the love is gone. For now I love the Ridgid LSA and the little 12V drill.
    "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
    - Henry Ford

  10. #55
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    River Falls WI
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    490
    I have both fuels m12 & m18. The m18 fuel I think is pretty good with 3 impact settings and the m 12 fuel has 2. I keep the older non fuels in my trunk for my scavage finds. I still may buy the fuel m18 hammer drill just to get one with a handle. The regular one doesn't have one, and I'm always getting the wrong end of getting flung by it. I have an older regular drill one that has no torque. The new ones can do anything. If you have big stuff to drill, check out their new Hole Hawg. It out performs the corded version. They also have 4 & 5 Ahr batteries. My oldest batteries are compact and only charge to 3 bars. I just use them on lights. They are about 9 years old. So have done their job. Dan

  11. #56
    One of the things I like about the Ryobi 18V line is when they upgraded to lithium ion they made the batteries compatible with the older Ni Cd tools. Most of my tools are the old blue with only my brad nailer and drills the new bright yellowish color. The new batteries made the old saws, circular and reciprocating, a lot more useful.

  12. #57
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,694
    Honestly...I gave up on my older DeWalt cordless drill/drivers as my Festool keeps on kicking and kicking and kicking... I've owned it for about "many" years now and only replaced the original batteries once with Li batteries a few years ago. Holds a charge forever and despite being the older 12v system, has power to spare. And useful accessories. Yea, it wasn't inexpensive to buy originally, but I'm getting my money's worth for sure...it may outlast me!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #58
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    Dec 2008
    Location
    Northern Michigan
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    Bought two Milwaukee M18 Fuel cordless impacts with two batteries each today. Paid $225 apiece out the door at the local hardware store.

    Time will tell......

  14. #59
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Doylestown, PA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    I learned that the hard way. When working with a driver, I now lay it down.

    Mike
    When working, yup. For storage though it's kinda handy if they sit up, they take less room and are easy to grab.

  15. #60
    Quote Originally Posted by Curt Harms View Post
    When working, yup. For storage though it's kinda handy if they sit up, they take less room and are easy to grab.
    Yes, I absolutely agree and that's the way I have them in storage. But out of the way of any work.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

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