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vette84
03-15-2005, 11:45 AM
I'm wondering what brands of tools you guys are using. I had a DeWalt hammerdrill lose a gear on me yesrterday. This is the second drill in 4 years. I've always liked DeWalt, but now I'm wondering after having to replace $300 drills every 2 years. I'm talking cordless stuff.

Thanks

Shadowman68
03-15-2005, 01:26 PM
My cordless is a 18V Dewalt w/hammerdrill, I love it. Used to have a 14.4 Milwakee, and a 9v Makita. Both were ok, but neither held a candle to the Dewalt for torque. Milwakee is good for the bigger tools, 1/2"+, like the hole hawg and the jack hammer. I inherited the jack hammer from my father (Plumber) its about 15+ yrs old, and the gears are just starting to go.

Kelly
03-15-2005, 05:16 PM
Using DeWalt myself.

18v hammerdrill (Also have the kit that has the drill, recip saw, circluar saw and light).

Milwaukee 1/2" right angle drill which has been around for 15 years (Broke the right angle attachment twice though).

The best 1/2" hammerdrill I ever had was a Bosch.....That thing had WAY more torque than these DeWalt things.

While we're on the toll topic, I'll mention Rotozip. So amny don't like them. But I, for one, use the Rotozip a lot!

Anonymous
03-15-2005, 05:35 PM
I too use a Milwaukee 18v. My experience has been unfortunately you probably will have to get a new drill every 2 yrs or so. This business is very tough on tools. I also really like the Bosch.

OEX
03-15-2005, 05:46 PM
I'm wondering what brands of tools you guys are using. I had a DeWalt hammerdrill lose a gear on me yesrterday. This is the second drill in 4 years. I've always liked DeWalt, but now I'm wondering after having to replace $300 drills every 2 years. I'm talking cordless stuff.

Thanks

I get about 12 to 18 months out of cordless stuff. We do, however abuse the hell out of it.

AHEM
03-15-2005, 06:20 PM
I too use a Milwaukee 18v. My experience has been unfortunately you probably will have to get a new drill every 2 yrs or so. This business is very tough on tools. I also really like the Bosch.

I too own a Milwaukee 18V hammerdrill and I managed to burn it up after a year or so of heavy service. Are you aware that Milwaukee has a 3 year P&L warranty? I just had mine fixed free of charge.

I have an installer who owns a 18V Dewalt, which is also a very nice product. The only complaint that I have is that it won't stand up on its own.

mr2channel
03-15-2005, 07:32 PM
I have a Milwaukee 18V and beat the crap out of it, had it over 3 years, replaced the batt once. Dropped it from 12ft, dragged it through muddy crawls, used oversize bits, just can't kill it. Love my holehawg, a real beast when you have alot of wood to plow through, generator will give out before the drill(or you could break an arm). I really like Labor Saving Devices stuff, but hate the $$$$ so I always try to McGyver around buying them, best one yet is the retreiver for the wet noodle...save the $10 that LSD charges and use a piece of #12 solid copper and a couple of small rare earth magnets (security based contact stuff) and attach them to the end of the #12 and you just saved yourself $8.

AHEM
03-15-2005, 07:38 PM
I have a Milwaukee 18V and beat the crap out of it, had it over 3 years, replaced the batt once. Dropped it from 12ft, dragged it through muddy crawls, used oversize bits, just can't kill it. Love my holehawg, a real beast when you have alot of wood to plow through, generator will give out before the drill(or you could break an arm). I really like Labor Saving Devices stuff, but hate the $$$$ so I always try to McGyver around buying them, best one yet is the retreiver for the wet noodle...save the $10 that LSD charges and use a piece of #12 solid copper and a couple of small rare earth magnets (security based contact stuff) and attach them to the end of the #12 and you just saved yourself $8.

What do you use for the noodle portion of the tool?

Anonymous
03-15-2005, 08:05 PM
Yeah I bought mine when it was just a 1 yr warr. A couple of months later they went to a three yr. About 2 yrs ago. How are your batteries holding up?

Jerry
03-15-2005, 08:34 PM
Still have a Makita 9.6V that is great.
Just burned through the second clutch of a Dewalt 18V. (batteries also on their way out)
So I splurged on the Makita 18V drill, circ saw, saws-all, light combo. So far so good.

Had my hole-hawg stolen two years ago, replaced it with a right angle.
Bastard!

vwpower44
03-15-2005, 08:34 PM
We use Ryobi and Makita. Went through a few black and deckers. The Ryobi 18v kit is awesome. I use it everyday, with no complaints. Ryobi is now manufacturing about 20% of the cordless drills world wide (saw that on the history channel) Brands include Craftsman, Tool Time, and a few others. Just talking....

Mike

AHEM
03-15-2005, 09:01 PM
If I'm not mistaken, Ryobi also now owns Milwaukee.

A couple of years ago, as a father's day present, I received a Troy Built string trimmer. Within the year, I needed parts for it, called Troy Built and they couldn't even find the part numbers (right out of the manual) in their system.

After much debate, they determined that the parts that I needed are for a string trimmer, and apparently when it comes to string trimmers, it's not Troy Built, it's Ryobi built.

Speaking of tools, has anyone seen the trashy cordless drills that now carry the Delta name?

That's another company that ain't what it used to be.

AHEM
03-15-2005, 09:04 PM
Are there any American made, battery powered handtools left?

DDeca
03-15-2005, 09:48 PM
Check out the Rigid cordless hammerdrill at Home Depot. They have 3 year warranty, even on the batteries. They are very well built. We switched over from DeWalt and like the Rigid better.

rmht
03-15-2005, 09:58 PM
After going through two Dewalt 18 volt hammerdrills in two years pissed that I again was visiting the Dewalt warranty shop I asked what is up. According to the tech the gearing is different ? and suggested I avoid the hammerdrill version and get the 18volt drill only and a separate corded hammerdrill. Good advice, I have three hard years on both with no problems.
My favorite tool of all is my 9.6 Dewalt, we have spent alot of time together.

But when its prewire time, you are a amateur unless you show up with the holehawg, and health insurance.

AHEM
03-15-2005, 11:04 PM
I've never owned a Holehawg, but I do have had a couple of Milwaukee corded right angle drills. The Holehawg always seemed like it was too heavy to drill upwards with and too large so slip inbetween tightly spaced wall studs.

What's your take on the differences and why I'd want to invest in a Holehawg?

AudibleSolutions
03-15-2005, 11:45 PM
Power, power, power. It is heavy and it can be awkward in tight spaces where a proper right angle works fine. But power and speed that I have never found in any right angle drill. I have been almost knocked out twice by drills. Once with a Bosch Hammer drill with a 1.5 inch bit that torqued on me and the other was a Holehawg on a 10 foot ladder and an auger bit that caught and knocked me on my back. It would have been really funny save that it happened to me.

Alan

Shadowman68
03-16-2005, 12:24 AM
Ahem,
I take my hole hawg to every job site. But I usually only use it for 2 or 3 holes. Mainly the central drop zone. It is heavy and cumbersome but there is no substitute for chewing a 2" hole through a couple of 2x4's and a 3/4 inch sheet of flooring. But, after falling off a few ladders myself, I made a comment to my father who immediately remarked at how stupid I was and suggested using a chain. What I did was buy a 4 foot length of heavy chain, and had a sipe with a hook welded to one end and a bull ring to the other. I take the bull ring and place it over the handle, wrap the chain around the material to be drilled, you take up the slack in the chain using the hook and use the sipe for leverage. Use your shoulder to lift up on the sipe and pull the trigger. Keep lifting with your shoulder and drive right through. I have yet to have the drill kick back on me. As long as you keep constant pressure you can chew through with no problems, wet, knots whatever.

Kelly
03-17-2005, 09:24 AM
I have a Milwaukee 18V and beat the crap out of it, had it over 3 years, replaced the batt once. Dropped it from 12ft, dragged it through muddy crawls, used oversize bits, just can't kill it. Love my holehawg, a real beast when you have alot of wood to plow through, generator will give out before the drill(or you could break an arm). I really like Labor Saving Devices stuff, but hate the $$$$ so I always try to McGyver around buying them, best one yet is the retreiver for the wet noodle...save the $10 that LSD charges and use a piece of #12 solid copper and a couple of small rare earth magnets (security based contact stuff) and attach them to the end of the #12 and you just saved yourself $8.

What do you use for the noodle portion of the tool?

You can pick up some rather lengthy lightweight chain at most Lowe's or HD and make up your own noodle, Pretty simple thing.

My very own McGyver tool? Dollar store make up mirror, for eyeballing down into the walls.