when is it time to move up with Dewalt cordless?

[Donald]

I have tried to have almost all my cordless tools be Dewalt 18V. I probably have 6 or more. All with Nicad battery. Nothing wrong with anything.

Now I would like an impact driver. I can get that in 18V or 20V. Maybe its time that new acquisitions be 20V?

Or maybe stick with 18V and try some 18B Li-Ion batteries.

 

[spackard]

Dunno. Just get the really good I-R W7150-K1 1/2" electric impact, and stay with your Dewalt for everything else?

 

[crazyoildude]

dewalt quality went down lately according to my contractor friends..

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: spackard
Dunno. Just get the really good I-R W7150-K1 1/2" electric impact, and stay with your Dewalt for everything else?


I have a Dewalt 18V impact wrench and its pretty awesome with 300 ft/lbs. But if that and maybe some PB Blaster cannot handle it I do have both 1/2" and 3/4" pneumatic impact wrenches.

I suppose I could always consider being like Popeye and eat some spinach from a can, then undo the bolt with just a hand wrench. But I really only like baby spinach in a salad.

 

[Sawdusted]

Originally Posted By: spackard
Dunno. Just get the really good I-R W7150-K1 1/2" electric impact, and stay with your Dewalt for everything else?


I totally agree with the IR W7150. It's one awesome impact. Much more power than the dewalt. Chances are when you need to bust out your 1/2" impact, you're removing tough bolts and nuts. You can never have too much power (which you can feather down if needed). You can't get more power of a unit if it's not designed to give more.

my 2 cents

 

[JHZR2]

I love my IR stuff. THing is, its another battery, another charger, etc., etc.

Is the DeWalt charger a smart one that is good for Li-ion and other chemistries? If so, you might be able to get just the tool and a battery, cutting cost.

If I went DeWalt, Id go for the nano phosphate Li-ion, which is better optimized for power and safety. I have a dewalt drill and impact driver that I selected because I chose the chemistry for the battery.

The Ridgid stuff looks pretty good too, if everything is incompatible and youre ending up buying a whole new system no matter what.

And if youre not planning on really big jobs, Bosch has a nice, compact impact driver that is much smaller and more convenient, which I really like.

 

[donnyj08]

ive been unhappy with Dewalt overall the last 5 years or so. untill last year When when i got a new job i was helping my father run his contracting company of 20 years and we had switched almost entirely to Hitachi tools. Hitachi seems to be one of the best right now IMO.

 

[expat]

I have been using Ridgid 18v Li-ion for several years now.
I have used their lifetime warranty to replace one battery, which they did with no fuss, no questions.

For that reason alone, I would buy again.
Li-ion is the way to go!

 

[itguy08]

Step up to Milwaukee M18 or M18 Fuel. Light years ahead of Dewalt and one of the best warranties in the industry!

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Step up to Milwaukee M18 or M18 Fuel. Light years ahead of Dewalt and one of the best warranties in the industry!

This is what I use at work. I won't say it's the best, but my co-worker has the lastest Dewalt and the Milwaukee M18 Fuel will run circles around it.

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Step up to Milwaukee M18 or M18 Fuel. Light years ahead of Dewalt and one of the best warranties in the industry!


This is what our Maintenance shop at work as went to. After years of using Dewalt, and having bits slip in the chuck, having to replace chucks, and having motors burn out, they got Milwaukee M18 Fuels for each of them. A few of them already had the Milwaukee drills at home, and have been so pleased, this is what they wanted for work.

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: BHopkins
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Step up to Milwaukee M18 or M18 Fuel. Light years ahead of Dewalt and one of the best warranties in the industry!


This is what our Maintenance shop at work has went to. After years of using Dewalt, and having bits slip in the chuck, having to replace chucks, and having motors burn out, they got Milwaukee M18 Fuels for each of the techs. A few of them already had the Milwaukee drills at home, and have been so pleased, this is what they wanted for work.

 

[dareo]

I like my Dewalt 20v tools, but really the only advantage is the weight over the 18v tools. I don't use them everyday or anything but haven't have issues.

Chargers are not compatible. It would be a huge investment to go from 18v to 20v.

 

[Donald]

Is the M18 Fuel just an extra power version of the M18? Is it in the tool or battery or both?

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Is the M18 Fuel just an extra power version of the M18? Is it in the tool or battery or both?


I was told by the electrical supplier (where my company bought the drill from) that M18 is a brushed motor, M18 Fuel is a brushless motor.

 

[DodgeRamz2007]

Everyone that replied confused your question quite abit. A impact driver and impact wrench are not the same thing. The 18v Dewalt impact driver is quite good. I used one recently to build a carport. I used it along side a Porter Cable and the battery life and power was unmatched. I don't think you would go wrong buying the Dewalt. I think I would step up to the 20v though.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: DodgeRamz2007
Everyone that replied confused your question quite abit. A impact driver and impact wrench are not the same thing. The 18v Dewalt impact driver is quite good. I used one recently to build a carport. I used it along side a Porter Cable and the battery life and power was unmatched. I don't think you would go wrong buying the Dewalt. I think I would step up to the 20v though.


Unmatched? You must be comparing it to a ryobi or something.
Milwaukee makes the best cordless stuff bar none. Dewalt is disposable garbage.
We got a 20v cordless kit with the drivers,saw,sawzall and so on for free from our nail supplier. When you buy 120000$ worth of fasteners yearly they give us stuff for free. We even got some free Milwaukee heated jackets.
Anyway. My 2 year old Milwaukee drivers lasted longer and drives more screws per charge than that dewalt junk we got free. No way would I pay actual money for yellow garbage.
Rigid is pretty decent too,their cordless stuff anyway.
Built a carport with an impact driver. What? Did you screw the framing together? Screws have no shear strength and break before they bend which is why nails are used for building stuff. Screwing together structural framing members is not only absurdly time consuming but it's not as strong as nails.
I see those home improvement shows where they screw together misc framing and I can't help but laugh. But since it was shown on tv it must be right eh.
Mike Holmes is the funniest thing I've ever seen.
I'm a journeyman carpenter. 10000 hour apprenticeship,inter-provincial ticket,and have been building homes,renovations,multi-unit residential and commercial buildings for 20 years,so my experience in this field is vast. And my experience with tools,since they are my livelihood I've learned which last onsite and are actual quality.

 

[DodgeRamz2007]

For you, you make your living with these tools. I doubt the OP does. Being a tool snob doesn't make you an expert on the mid-grade tools. You will rely on your tools a lot more than the OP probably does, so yes, spend your money on higher end tools. It makse sense for you to spend the extra money.

To me, it is like the Snap On vs. any other brand hand tool. The shade tree machanic doesn't need to spend the money on Snap On when other brands work for the amount of time they spend using the tools. Snap On if you are making your living with them.

I am glad you work has a carpenter, some one has to do it. How about getting off your high horse and give the OP some options about tools he can afford for the amount of use he plans on getting out of the tool.

Leave your ego at the door and give sound advice.