Dewalt to Milwaukee?

dlundblad

dlundblad

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Sep 30, 2013
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I’m starting a new job next week that requires me to provide my own power tools. I have Dewalt at home and used them at my last job without any complaints.

To be more effective at my new job, I somewhat need a new drill as mine at home is the pre XR brushless non hammer drill model. 10 years old I’m guessing. I would like one with the hammer feature. I also need something for cutting conduit. I have a sawzaw, but can’t cut straight worth a hoot so I’d like to get a one cutting handed tool. Plus safety wise, I think you can get in trouble using a 2 handed tool with only 1 hand.

Do I switch or keep with Dewalt?

I will say, this from Milwaukee is awesome. AFAIK, Dewalt doesn’t make one. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...VshNMCh0K3A7HEAQYASABEgKNV_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
Cruisin'n5thgear said:
I'd stay dewalt, but this is coming from a guy with a lot of yellow in his garage. Good luck at the new job!
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Thanks.

I should have added, either way I’ll need more batteries. I have a decent amount of yellow at home as well and need batteries here for my OPE and such.
 
I have a great many of the 20V Dewalt tools. As I am sure you know, they are pretty darn good and are more than adequate for the jobs at hand. I use them hard, and they do hold up. The Milwaukee Fuel 18 tools I have are on equal footing and are also quite good. The one exception: The clunky Milwaukee vacuum is way more powerful than the much easier to use Dewalt vacuum. Kinda weird how that is.

I have the Dewalt 20V band saw, which is a flat out epic tool, as is the XR high torque 1/2 inch impact wrench, that thing will always remove stuck lug nuts, with a claimed 700/1200 lb/ft torque. The little 3/8 impact is a good tool too, easy to modulate on small bolts. All the drills, saws, lights and even the 20V weed whacker have been great. I have the 6AH battery for bigger jobs, such as using the weed trimmer and it's a long lasting monster, but I prefer the smaller and lighter batteries on the hand tools.

I'm not sure which company has a larger array of tools.
 
Dewalt here too, the new power stack batteries are nice too.

I have a hammer drill and it’s a nice piece.

Unless you intend to have no crossover between work and home I’d stay with dewalt.
 
If you do go red, Home Depot is running a pretty good Father’s Day sale.

For $349 you can get an M18 Fuel hammer drill, an M18 Fuel impact driver, an M18 non-Fuel sawzall, and two 5 amp hour batteries.

www.homedepot.com

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit with Reciprocating Saw 2997-22-2621-20

The Milwaukee 2997-22 2-tool brushless FUEL cordless combo kit delivers the most advanced 18-Volt cordless drilling and fastening technology in the industry. This kit features 2 M18 FUEL 18-Volt lithium-ion
www.homedepot.com
 
I have a bunch of Milwaukee, both Power Plus nicad and M12/M18 Fuel, both work & home, I've had good luck with all of them. The Power Plus stuff is all on Chinese aftermarket batteries, though.
 
I switched to M12. So much lighter and easier to handle. The majority in my box is M12 Fuel and I haven't noticed any real difference in power versus previous 18V/20V tools, but I wouldn't say I am highly demanding in their use either. For my use, the ease of handling is a preferable tradeoff versus battery longevity.

My most recent purchase is an M12 Hackzall. I haven't touched my old Dewalt reciprocating saw since I bought it. Hackzall is like a one-handed Sawzall.
 
I have tools from dewalt, Milwaukee and Makita.

My preference is the following:

Dewalt: drill & impact driver, stereo, inflator
Milwaukee: automotive impacts & shop vac, lights
Makita: impact driver & stick vac
Bosch: household 12v tools & lights

I have a variety of other tools from the different makers. For example, I have a dewalt oscillating tool, it’s ok, got good reviews, used it a ton, but I’d probably check other options. I really like my dewalt drills, always have, but the Milwaukee one I got in a set? Sold it.

I love my Makita impact and stick vac. I’d definitely check out their drills and other stuff.

Out of all the tools and batteries I have, only Milwaukee has resulted in a battery failure.

Im not sold on one brand of batteries and tools. The swappability is convenient, but it depends upon locations and jobs. I’d find the best tools for specific functions and then buy them. If it means two different battery brands, so be it.

I’d look dewalt and Makita first for drill and driver. Make sure the chuck is a quality metal one, not those cheap plastic ones.
 
JHZR2 said:
I have tools from dewalt, Milwaukee and Makita.

I’d look dewalt and Makita first for drill and driver. Make sure the chuck is a quality metal one, not those cheap plastic ones.
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Just like @JHZR2 I have Mostly Dewalt and Makita, but also Craftsman, Milwaukee and Bosch. I prefer the Dewalts and Makitas first, but all have been good. The Craftsman Professionals are a 20V cordless set that I bought at Sam's Club probably 12 years ago, definitely top notch and better than most.
This is just a personal preference, and I know that most folks don't take it onto account, but I steer clear of Milwaukee these days because they are owned by a chinese company. I prefer Dewalt and Makita for that reason. But overall they have all been good to me.
 
can you get some adapters so batteries can be used on either brand? then you can get whatever you like best and not tie the knot with either brand
 
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Trashman said:
Just like @JHZR2 I have Mostly Dewalt and Makita, but also Craftsman, Milwaukee and Bosch. I prefer the Dewalts and Makitas first, but all have been good. The Craftsman Professionals are a 20V cordless set that I bought at Sam's Club probably 12 years ago, definitely top notch and better than most.
This is just a personal preference, and I know that most folks don't take it onto account, but I steer clear of Milwaukee these days because they are owned by a chinese company. I prefer Dewalt and Makita for that reason. But overall they have all been good to me.
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I have no issue with DeWalt tools, Think they're pretty decent. But ALL their stuff is made off shore.....Though they might assemble some stuff here & call it USA made.

Milwaukee would've went under without intervention....There's only so many corded Sawzalls you can sell.
 
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clinebarger said:
I have no issue with DeWalt tools, Think they're pretty decent. But ALL their stuff in made off shore.....Though they might assemble some stuff here & call it USA made.

Milwaukee would've went under without intervention....There's only so many corded Sawzalls you can sell.
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You are correct. I may not have been clear in what I meant. I was saying I steer clear of Milwaukee these days because they are owned by a chinese company. Same as I have been buying SK tools for years, now they are owned by a chinese company, so I no longer do. I stick with Dewalt and Makita, both have always been my preference. But if anyone knows of a company that makes their power tools here, please feel free to let me know, I am always trying to buy made in USA products. So far Dewalt seems to come the closest, but when there aren't any other options, it's the best I can do 🙂
 
As of right now, I’ve decided to hold off on the change. I have my little brushless drill, xr impact and saw zaw. We’ll see what’s needed down the road.

The new job does offer a 50/50 tool compensation so maybe something will come up that I can’t refuse?
 
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