Cordless Tool Batteries

I bought a HF Bauer drill around '12 and by '20 when I retired it had withstood my abuse enough for me to go 'all in' on the Bauer lineup. I now have two chargers and over a dozen batteries to run my growing collection and I find that the 3ah batteries are the sweet spot for weight and cost vs performance.

I have not thrown a battery away so that first one from '12 is still being used.
 
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Been using cordless tools since the Makita's of the 80's. Been in the Milwaukee 12V system for about 10 years. Awesome tools. They've gotten hard use and have performed at a high level. Have about 15 of them over all. Number one choice of professional mechanics by a wide margin.

That's odd. I was pretty sure it was Matco then Snap-On.

You got a reputable link to back that up? Always open to learning something new.
 
That's odd. I was pretty sure it was Matco then Snap-On.

You got a reputable link to back that up? Always open to learning something new.
I don’t have a link but the shop I use when I can’t do it myself is pretty much Milwaukee. Ratchets and impacts is about all I ever paid attention to. My tire shop are the ones who lead me to buy the m12 impact as that’s what they use for 90% of their rotations. I don’t know about the 550lbs advertised but I can zap off 150ft lbs like nothing. Obviously if your working on heavy equipment, you probably need and m18. There isn’t much as a non pro like myself, that an m12 can’t handle and it’s super lightweight. My son is 26, was a division 1 athlete and opts for m12. Not only the weight but size as well.
 
Unless you crack some of the power tools open you will not know where they saved the money and what makes them nothing more than DIY disposable tools once the warranty is gone. Milwaukee, Bosch green, Hikoki and to some degree Dewalt and others fall into that category, when the warranty is over and if even the switch fails on it open the bin lid and toss it.

I like to watch Dean Doherty tool repair on YouTube, he gets right into them and some of the stuff is downright shameful, cheap no name Chinese bearings, sketchy power control boards some not even potted on high vibration tools, small parts like a switch that are only sold as a unit costing as almost or as much as the tool.
Makita, Bosch blue, German Metabo and others have most individual part available. Look for yourself, I chose a random drill and looked for a switch which is common source of failure.

https://documents.milwaukeetool.com/54-24-2990.pdf?utm_source=pocket_saves

https://www.toolservicenet.com/en/D...RILLS-18V/p/DCD1007B?utm_source=pocket_shared

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/j...ewdriver/parts-list-1?utm_source=pocket_saves

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/j...acturer/makita/hammer-drill/xph14z/parts-list

 
Just because it says Dewalt, Makita or whatever on the outside doesn't automatically make it better.
Do you think this is top quality, top of the line materials and craftsmanship inside?

DewaltImpactTool.webp
 
Unless you crack some of the power tools open you will not know where they saved the money and what makes them nothing more than DIY disposable tools once the warranty is gone. Milwaukee, Bosch green, Hikoki and to some degree Dewalt and others fall into that category, when the warranty is over and if even the switch fails on it open the bin lid and toss it.

I like to watch Dean Doherty tool repair on YouTube, he gets right into them and some of the stuff is downright shameful, cheap no name Chinese bearings, sketchy power control boards some not even potted on high vibration tools, small parts like a switch that are only sold as a unit costing as almost or as much as the tool.
Makita, Bosch blue, German Metabo and others have most individual part available. Look for yourself, I chose a random drill and looked for a switch which is common source of failure.

https://documents.milwaukeetool.com/54-24-2990.pdf?utm_source=pocket_saves

https://www.toolservicenet.com/en/D...RILLS-18V/p/DCD1007B?utm_source=pocket_shared

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/j...ewdriver/parts-list-1?utm_source=pocket_saves

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/j...acturer/makita/hammer-drill/xph14z/parts-list


i smashed my milwaukee 2767 1/2” high torque between a brake caliper bracket bolt and the frame rail on a truck. was able to buy the rear cover with the rotor for $30 and it’s been running like a clock for 3 years since then. parts are available you just have to look.
 
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i smashed my milwaukee 2667 1/2” high torque between a brake caliper bracket bolt and the frame rail on a truck. was able to buy the rear cover with the rotor for $30 and it’s been running like a clock for 3 years since then. parts are available you just have to look.
Clamshells and plastic bits are usually available for most power tools but try to buy a switch for that tool. It is not a $10-18 item but will cost more than the tool is worth, it includes field and electronic control module.
 
Clamshells and plastic bits are usually available for most power tools but try to buy a switch for that tool. It is not a $10-18 item but will cost more than the tool is worth, it includes field and electronic control module.
i see. i think its probably for the best. there isnt much space in the body of the tool for splicing all of the electrical connections.
 
Ive got both Makita 18V and the newer XGT 40V. If I were starting from scratch Id go XGT 40V tools only. To me the XGT = Xtra Grunt.
But I also really like the Bosch 18V tools. Good quality stuff they make as well.
 
Every time I watch the Nurburgring 24 hours I always see Milwaukee impact guns being used. These guys are not racing to lose. All I need to know.
After looking for what kind of power tools used in this years race it seems they are using Snap On. Whatever they are they are red.
 
I've used more cordless tools that most folks will ever see, no brag, just fact. Over the last 40 years I've used most all brands. They all work, some are stronger than others. You have to decide how much power you need. My ideas:
Highest power needs,,,Flex beats them all handily, porbably 5% of all users
Moderate power...Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt, Rigid, porbably 10-15% of all users
Mid range power...Hercules, Ryobi, Bauer, probably the vast majority of users fit this category
Low power... almost anything out there will drill a hole or drive a small screw.

I'd like to jump on the boat about where these tools are made, but it just seems senseless. You can't touch anything from calculators to cars that is not partially made in China or the Asian rim countries. I can tell you that for many years I had a trove of Milwaukee 18v and 12v tools and never went thru a single battery and I have over a dozen or more. In fact, one of the guys who works for me has all of those tools and as far as I know all of the batteries, still no failures.

What do i use?
90% of the time Makita 12v brushless drill and impact driver
10% of the time, Bauer 18v drill and driver, yep, I had some batteries and just kept going and so far haven't looked back. If I had it to do over I'd have gotten Hercules, but no biggie.
If I need more, which I almost never do, I have a Flex 24v hammer drill and a corded Hilti. They hardly ever get used until we need to drill through brick.

I don't get hung up on brands, I get hung up on actual use and what works.
 
For battery powered tools what brands are actually made/sourced here?
Dewalt is probably the closest you can get with assembled in USA. Makita does make some power tools in Georgia, I bought an 5" angle grinder that was made in Georgia not just assembled. Great tool but pricey. I know Snap on uses a Sioux plant in Murphy NC for air tools but they may have a cordless division. Snap on is not very forthcoming with information but they also buy some product from Infar tool Taiwan who also make Icon, Blue Point and Carlyle tools. Course Snap on does not want that info out there the fan boys would be setting their hair on fire

makita.webp
 
Most of power tool makers do but Milwaukee is Chinese owned and operated

Milwaukee cordless angle grinders are notorious for bad power control boards as are their drills for some of the worst chucks in the industry among other things.
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I’ve used both red and yellow as a commercial electrician. (They are my tools that I bought new.. not used second hand things. ) I have found both chucks to suck equally. Neither can bite onto a jobber bit and drill through a 1/2” beam without slipping.
 
Put a Rohm chuck on them. RV80 is a nice chuck with carbide jaw teeth. Any small chuck will slip using round shank bits some worse than others, they are the wrong bits for these tools. Use a 3 flat shank bit, and bits with max M35 (5%) cobalt not M42 (8%) or carbide bits in cordless drills this will put an end to a lot of the problems commonly encountered with cordless drills. This is an example of a good bit for cordless hand held drills.

https://pmisupplies.com/products/87...AFX-rhSkSyQOYwv7LOiJAkEt5kf_KoFitH5t5uT1rwqcq
 
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