Cordless power tools.

[camping1601]

I started on dewalt 20v 15 years ago, and just kept with it because I had the batteries. Probly have 15 tools total now, mostly heavy equipment wrenching and home hobby carpentry, with no real complaints. I will say the xr brushless tools are much better than the cheaper standard brushed motor tools. Especially drills and saws.

This is actually one of my original tools and battery, 15 years old, not pretty but still going strong.

On the chain saw leak, while it should not do it in the first place, there is a known issue and fix

Post in thread '20V DeWalt Chainsaw review'

Feb 17, 2024

I haven't done this yet to mine but it seems like fixing the oil leak is relatively easy to fix, minus having to take the saw apart.

Not all heros wear capes.

I have had this saw for years, have always just accepted it would leak all over the fing place, until is was about 1/4 tank.

Going to tear it apart today and seal up the actual tank joints per video

• sickles107

I fixed my chainsaw leak with a trip to the Stihl dealer. Expensive fix but wow what a difference.

 

[BLJ]

In the process of switching to Hercules 20v from Harbor Freight from Milwaukee.

I don’t think the 18v stuff has as much ass as the 20v Dewalt my buddy has or the Hercules 20v.

Hercules doesn’t have the amount of options that Milwaukee does, but it covers what I need.

Warranty is 5 years on tools and 3 on batteries and chargers.
And I don’t have to mail anything back. I walk into the store and swap it out.

And I’ve had issues with Milwaukee batteries and chargers.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Battery size makes a big difference as well.

 

[BLJ]

5ah on both of mine. Hercules is doing well.

 

[Weldor]

Used them all pretty much. Milwaukee 28 volt was a dud for sure batteries suck, M18 is way better, Mostly use them now. My industrial stuff I use Metabo industrial (not the stuff Lowes sells) All my metal working stuff from them is bullet proof . 5" grinder is 15 yrs old and still rolling. They were early with the brushless stuff. Batteries outlast my milwaukee's 10 to 1. Pricey but worth it. As for the big chainsaws I use Green works 60v they are great. 18" and 16". Key to keeping them from leaking is to clean the sawdust out of the oiler next to the blade after using it. I'm sure you guy's know you can get aftermarket batteries cheap on Amazon and Ebay. I've had good luck with them.

 

[grfox92]

In the process of switching to Hercules 20v from Harbor Freight from Milwaukee.

I don’t think the 18v stuff has as much ass as the 20v Dewalt my buddy has or the Hercules 20v.

Hercules doesn’t have the amount of options that Milwaukee does, but it covers what I need.

Warranty is 5 years on tools and 3 on batteries and chargers.
And I don’t have to mail anything back. I walk into the store and swap it out.

And I’ve had issues with Milwaukee batteries and chargers.

Ive heard guys have good luck with the Hercules stuff.

Just a FYO though. The Dewalt stuff isnt 20V during usage. If you put a meter the battery it reads 20.3V, once you pull the trigger the tool only draws 18v. Just a marketing deal.

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[intunegp]

I don't have a whole cabinet full of cordless power tools like lots of guys, just a couple drills and impacts, but I've always been satisfied with my Dewalts. Bought them because they were all that was used for cordless drills and impacts in the machine shop where I did my apprenticeship. Was working on the fence with my neighbor a while back and his Ryobi was struggling to drive the 3" deck screws through a picket and into the post. He was amazed at how quickly my smaller, lighter Dewalt sent them home.

I also have a Milwaukee M12 die grinder that is great and I've been eyeballing one of the M12 ratchets.

I have no loyalty other than already owning some batteries but I don't see any reason to switch from Dewalt and Milwaukee. If I needed a new tool I'd pick what suited me best that worked with a battery/charger I already have.

Ive heard guys have good luck with the Hercules stuff.

Just a FYO though. The Dewalt stuff isnt 20V during usage. If you put a meter the battery it reads 20.3V, once you pull the trigger the tool only draws 18v. Just a marketing deal.

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Doesn't the draw of the tool vary depending on the load?

 

[grfox92]

I don't have a whole cabinet full of cordless power tools like lots of guys, just a couple drills and impacts, but I've always been satisfied with my Dewalts. Bought them because they were all that was used for cordless drills and impacts in the machine shop where I did my apprenticeship. Was working on the fence with my neighbor a while back and his Ryobi was struggling to drive the 3" deck screws through a picket and into the post. He was amazed at how quickly my smaller, lighter Dewalt sent them home.

I also have a Milwaukee M12 die grinder that is great and I've been eyeballing one of the M12 ratchets.

I have no loyalty other than already owning some batteries but I don't see any reason to switch from Dewalt and Milwaukee. If I needed a new tool I'd pick what suited me best that worked with a battery/charger I already have.



Doesn't the draw of the tool vary depending on the load?

Yes, but the maximum draw is 18v.

I saw it at a product Demo when I was a store manager for Home Depot. The TTI guys (Milwaukee, Ridgid and Ryobi) were always going after the Dewal guys. He did a demo with a meter and a taken apart 20v Dewalt. When I pressed the Black and Decker rep about it, he admitted it was true and the 20v was simply marketing.

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[Steve300xcw]

5ah on both of mine. Hercules is doing well.

I've a bunch of 5's. That said thats still on the small side if you are wanting to hammer on something

 

[Billogna]

So far I've been VERY impressed with build quality and run time of the Hercules tool from Harbor Freight. Catch them on sale with the starter bundle which is buy a battery and charger get a free tool!

 

[Terrapin]

I’ve been using a Milwaukee M12 screwdriver to drive 1/4-20 socket headed cap screws on a production job. Over the last year it’s installed & removed over 40,000 screws (my life sucks… I know). I’m surprised it had held up this well, several other brands have failed.


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[grfox92]

I’ve been using a Milwaukee M12 screwdriver to drive 1/4-20 socket headed cap screws on a production job. Over the last year it’s installed & removed over 40,000 screws (my life sucks… I know). I’m surprised it had held up this well, several other brands have failed.


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I had an original M18 Impact driver that the Milwaukee rep gave me. It drove tens of thousands of 3 inch screws and was used daily for 11 years. 7 by me and it's last 4 by my friend who is a GC.

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[TheShootist]

The vast majority of people that make a living using tools use Milwaukee. I own a roadway electrical company and use Milwaukee exclusively for most of our power tools.


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[Tahoe1305]

I don't have a whole cabinet full of cordless power tools like lots of guys, just a couple drills and impacts, but I've always been satisfied with my Dewalts. Bought them because they were all that was used for cordless drills and impacts in the machine shop where I did my apprenticeship. Was working on the fence with my neighbor a while back and his Ryobi was struggling to drive the 3" deck screws through a picket and into the post. He was amazed at how quickly my smaller, lighter Dewalt sent them home.

I also have a Milwaukee M12 die grinder that is great and I've been eyeballing one of the M12 ratchets.

I have no loyalty other than already owning some batteries but I don't see any reason to switch from Dewalt and Milwaukee. If I needed a new tool I'd pick what suited me best that worked with a battery/charger I already have.



Doesn't the draw of the tool vary depending on the load?

M12 ratchet is the best tool I own. Makes a big nut/bolt project effortless.

Another great one (although more niche) is the m12 stubby impact driver. Pulls lugs on my trucks and weighs nothing. Only had one or two suspension bolts it wouldn’t pull.

 

[intunegp]

Yes, but the maximum draw is 18v.

I saw it at a product Demo when I was a store manager for Home Depot. The TTI guys (Milwaukee, Ridgid and Ryobi) were always going after the Dewal guys. He did a demo with a meter and a taken apart 20v Dewalt. When I pressed the Black and Decker rep about it, he admitted it was true and the 20v was simply marketing.

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Fair enough. Straight off the Dewalt 20v line product page:

*Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20 volts. Nominal voltage is 18.

 

[Beendare]

I now use Makita and there is absolutely nothing anyone could do to convince me that either of the other two big brands were better for what I do. There is no comparison.

For me it goes #1 Makita, #2 Mikwaukee (very close behind) #3 Dewalt, and Dewalt barely deserves a spot at the top.

Contractor here...and I would agree with that rating though I put Dewalt and Milwaukee neck and neck.

De and Mil have a larger tool line than Makita with some specialized tools that are fantastic. If you are a plumber, that copper compression tool from Mil is awesome. The Mil battery powered framing nailer is the best- though a little heavy and it doesn't take the same batteries. It's disappointing Makita doesn't have a good framing nailer but their 2 battery Skilsaw is the best. Almost all of the pro framers use that Makita skills now instead of dragging a cord around. Put a thin kerf blade on it and it will go most of the day without a battery change.

Tool quality; The difference for me was working side by side with my nephew on his new house years ago- he had a Makita driver, I had the fuel Milwaukee. We were building many large concrete framing panels and driving hundreds of 3" screws. I burned up my Fuel driver and had to stop to let my second one cool but his Makita just kept on going.

That said, the thing about these tool lines is the dang investment in batteries. If you need a lot of specialized tools go with that line, between those 3, they are all pretty good. The quality of the secondary lines like Ryobi is total crap.

 

[Wrongside]

The company I work for- mostly custom residential framing and woodwork- has a large fleet of cordless tools. Many makes- Milwaukee 12 & 18, DeWalt 20 & 60, Makita, Matabo, Bosch. But Dewalt and Milwaukee make up most of the tool crib. All the companies make good/great tools, and they all have some duds. And they ALL wear out or break.

In fact our most repaired tools are Milwaukee by a long shot. But that’s mainly because of their sawzalls and cordless framing nailer. The nailer is by far the most repaired or warrantied tool we use (usually the nitrogen spring loses power), but it’s also a fantastic tool while it’s working. Awesome tool, with a short service life. (Same with the Metabo nailers.)

I’d recommend a guy looks across all companies offerings and purchase the system that suits his particular set of priorities. While staying away from the homeowner level tools.

 

[nm.otter]

I switched to Milwaukee cordless about 15 years ago on the advice of my tool repair guy (following a couple of warranty issues we had with Makita batteries). They've gotten a fair bit of money out of me since, and I have very few complaints. They have the best range of specialty stuff for plumbers and electricians, and I can run anything off just one (dual-voltage) charger.

I do think dewalt might have the edge when it comes to woodworking tools.

Most of my carpenter friends have major investments in DeWalt, but I notice several have recently started buying Red.

Gripe: Still no Milwaukee equivalent for these -- an extremely useful tool IME.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Gripe: Still no Milwaukee equivalent for these -- an extremely useful tool IME.

I think dewalt has everybody spanked when it comes to saws.

Now does dewalt make badass gunsmithing tools? I didnt think so

 

[eric1115]

I use a mix of Milwaukee M12 and M18, and have zero desire to switch.

The Makita 40v and Dewalt 60v rear handle saws smoke the Milwaukee rear handle, but most of my serious Skilsaw use is still better served by my old Mag77 corded saw with an 8 1/4" finish blade (post, beam, beam wraps, etc) . My 6 1/2" sidewinder is fine for everything else. I rarely do production framing that is heavy skilsaw use anymore.

I've got a few guys that use Makita, and their drills and impacts vary a bunch. The top end stuff is great (probably as good as Milwaukee) but the lower price stuff is very disappointing.

There's a couple of guys with DeWalt 20v stuff, and it generally runs pretty well. I don't think you can actually really go wrong with any of the big 3 these days.

I do like that I can charge both my M18 and M12 batteries on the same chargers (and stack a second battery in the charger to charge when the first one's done).

Obviously they are king of the hill for HVAC, plumbing, electrical which doesn't do much for me but Milwaukee also seems to have more automotive oriented stuff than Makita or DeWalt, which I do use and plan to get more of.

I have a string trimmer which I like because I can use my existing batteries with it (actually love that little trimmer), but if I were going to go all-in on outdoor battery stuff I probably wouldn't do Milwaukee. If I were getting a mower I'd want something higher voltage (maybe ego? Stihl? haven't really looked into them) and then get the saws/trimmer/blower that uses that battery platform. Super high continuous amperage draw like a mower puts on an 18v battery leads to imbalance between cells in the battery and shorter life. Higher voltage/lower amperage discharge (and especially balanced charging) helps a ton with battery health as I understand it.