Battery-powered tools - RANT!

I've got this nice big Skil 18 Volt 3/8" drill. I love this thing. Paid $129 and it came with 2 batteries! 3 years old. New replacement battery - $79 EACH!!!!

Renewed Battery: $73. EACH!!!!

The old ones won't hold a charge for more than 5 minutes.

A throw-away world. Watch out for replacing Hybrid batteries at $8,000 or some twit stealing your hybrid battery, instead of paying for a new one before the warranty runs out!

Back to 120 VAC.

Just makes no sense to build a great tool and screw up the company image with a sales hook like that! No more battery-powered tools for me.

 

This is why I love this place when they have a sale. Harbor Freight.

I got this drill on sale for $19.95 and no trouble with it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3273

 

I prefer corded tools myself, but there are places and times that a cord is impossible to use or a flat out PITA.

 

These run about $300.00 at Lowes Home improvement. Been thinking about a set for junkyard runs.

http://www.deltaportercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=20725

 

I have this set and they have been trouble free for over a year and I used them all day nearly everyday. They are expensive, but good tools do cost more. I used Dewalt for years and they are nothing but battery killing junk. Before that was Makita and I loved them and their 9.6v stick batterys, I still have and use my drill, flashlight and screwdriver around the house, had them for 11 years now.

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

I've got a little 90 degree Black and Decker screwgun for cabinetwork, but I can't justify dropping over $150 for a pair of batteries. I can buy a fine corded unit for that.

Which reminds me. I've had the B&D for over 5 years and the batteries take a full charge. Wonder where Skil screwed up.

 

You didn't pick it up at Walmart did you? Everything they sell is a licensed knockoff version of the quality name and made in China. Just like buying a FTD built Cub Cadet/John Deer/Snapper from Home Depot or Lowes. They are not the real deal, just a bought licensed name put on an inferior product.

 

I am thinking one of these along with a 4 drawer tool box and power tools in my earlier post.

I go here a lot.

http://www.pullapart.com/


http://www.tractorsupply.com/lawn-g...gorilla-carts-heavy-duty-utility-cart-3599202

 

No, I bought it from an old Canadian establishment who only deals with tradesmen. Anchor Equipment. Good people. A bit more than the retailers, but always good for accessories and toolbits or drillbits. Even resitered it with Skiltools.com.

Most of my other Powertools are Bosch, except the Makita skillsaw. Great saw too.

 

Hey guys, have you ever bought some neat goodies from Wolfcraft? I was out pricing a cabinet buiscuit cutter. All over the map. From $130 to $600. Then I remembered I'd seen an attachment for use on an angle grinder. Under $40. They're used to make your countertops flush before veneer or laminate.

I bought their tablesaw rollers years ago, and kept scratching my head for the name.
http://www.wolfcraft.us/getgroup3f7b.html?cat=2

After I decided that I could work around it with the router, I recalled the name. Good ideas and well made, at a decent price. I only have about 20 of these biscuits required for the kitchen counters, so this will do just fine:
http://www.wolfcraft.us/display_product54ee.html?cat=4&group=22

This is the new site link, with more goodies:
http://www.wolfcraft.de/en/

 

Norm,
You need to subscribe to Farm Show magazine. There was an article in there not to long ago that spoke about rebuilding batteries for cordless tools. This magazine primarily focuses on the agricultural society, but showcases ideas that people have done to save time and money. From showing people how to process their own diesel fuel, or how to make a lightweight chipper using an old pushmower, some 4x4's, a length of old stovepipe, and an old mudflap. Sounds bad I know, but when assembled properly, it works great on the light stuff around the yard.

 

Thanks! I just found their site:
http://www.farmshow.com/

Then I found this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Revive-Nicad-Batteries-by-Zapping-with-a-Welder/

and this looks a lot safer to try:
http://forums.pcpitstop.com/index.php?showtopic=142075

More and clearer detail to above:
http://www.heritage-tech.net/746/reviving-a-dead-notebook-battery/#more-746

 

I won't buy anything but DeWalt - they make their batteries in standard/carry-over formats. Never a problem with getting a new battery- not in size, not in availability- they're everywhere.

 

Ok. This Skil drill came with 2 rechargeable 18V batteries. I charged one of them this morning and the blinking charge light stopped after an hour. It used to be a 4 hour recharge time.

The other battery got wrapped in 4 layers of newsprint and a closed up in a plastic bag, 3 days ago. Those instructions recommend 3 to 7 days. I'll do the other for 7 days, if this one works out. It needs at least 4 hours to defrost. (It was in the big deep freezer.) Should have it recharged by mid-afternoon today. The guy underlined that it has to completely defrost or it could explode, so at the latest it'll be charged by morning. Here it is coming out of the freezer and its layers of newsprint, etc.:



The Twins ($79 each to replace ):


Charged up indicator:


Let's see what happens tomorrow.

 

Norm buy new electric or Porter Cable battery operated tools like I posted and be happy