Thread: Cordless Platform Advice

Thanks, i have watched these (and more) and i watched them again. I am gonna dive in tomorrow and start with the drills.

18v vs 40v - they will be separate product lines. It’s Official – Makita XGT 40V Max Cordless Power Tools are Coming to the USA

Originally Posted by Pete99

and is buying into the 18v range the old range that is being replaced by the 40v range?

No, the 18 volt stuff is staying.

The 40v was developed to further the higher demand tools like saws and drills but is not as light and nimble as the 18v gear that suits most peoples applications. They are still developing and releasing new 18v gear
I tried the 36/40v? Dewalt gear for a week and it had plenty of grunt but was not nice to use and glad to give it back

Originally Posted by Pete99

OK, i am convinced.

Any thoughts on this before i grab it? MAKITA 18V Brushless 2 Piece 1 x 5.0Ah Combo Kit DLX2180T1 | Total Tools

Hi Pete. I would look for a kit with 2 batteries. You will get sick of changing batteries every time you change tool. Drilling a pilot hole and then driving a screw is much quicker if you have both tools set up and ready to go. I never use the drill for driving screws.

Definitely agree about two batteries and eventually even get a spare that sits on the charger.

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

I never use the drill for driving screws.

Why's that?

I guess it depends what you are into?

I can understand someone who has to drive long and/or self drilling screws all day using a driver, but otherwise I figure in most DIY situations a drill can drive most screw but a driver needs to use hex shank drill bits or a chuck added to drill a hole.

In softer woods or using smaller (esp brass) fasteners I find the ability to set a max torque reduces the chances of the fastener going in too far or snapping the head off, or mangling the head. I also use the drills to tap (thread) Al and brass using meths as a lube - if the correct size hole is drilled and a max torque set they won't break even smaller taps. I also use a lot of special size drill bits (I have a set from 1 to 10 mm in 0. 1mm increments that aren't available with hex shanks.

I do use the bosses driver at work with 6"+ long self tapping bugle head screws but at home I have 4 drills as they can all do both.

Originally Posted by Pete99

I mainly need Impact driver, Drill, Circular Saw, Trim Router. What platform are you bought into AND would you buy it again. Or if you were starting, what would you buy into? Especially, what didnt work very well. Any other recommendations or advice?

If you do decide to run with Makita look at Total Tools or Sydney Tools for the drill and driver, the Green shed only has the handyman versions in those items.
There is a drill with a metal chuck and gears as well as a lighter one with plastic chuck and lighter gearbox. I have both and choose depending on the job at hand, if you are doing lighter finer work the plastic chuck version is much nicer to use but if you are using a hole saw or paddle mixer the metal chuck one is a beast. Physically they look very similar but you will feel the weight difference when you pick them up.
With the drivers there is a midrange model that has number of pulse settings so you can turn down/ off the impact aspect when driving finer screws or softer S/S screws plus it has a higher torque rating of about 180nm from memory. There are two that look identical and the only difference is one is made in China and the other Japan but either works just as well if there is a financial advantage on one I would lean that way.
With the saws there is brushed and brushless options. I have both and recommend getting the brushless for a couple of reasons but the main one is that the motor does not extend outside the baseplate of the saw so can be used in tighter spots better.
The brushless trim router is a cracker to use and has plenty of grunt, to my knowledge there is only the one model.

Have a look at what redemption offers they have running at the moment as you will often get a good deal with a free skin or an extra battery etc with certain products that can make it a very good deal. One of the boys bought a kit recently and it worked out an average cheaper than some of the DIY brand gear.
Sydney Tools will substitute items in their kits if there is a product you don’t want as well.

Originally Posted by BobL

I've had a similar experience.
When I really started getting into wood work abut 20 years ago i bought 2 green Bosch corded drills and they've had a hard life. A few years back one overheated and par-melted the plastic ring/collar that switches between fwd and rev. I was able to take it apart but could not get a replacement part - fortunately I was able to flip the collar over and that fixed it.

I still have my 44 year old orange plastic B&D corded drill and it still works. I fire it up every now and then just for nostalgia. Crikey they are noisy.

The green is the handyman series, the blue is the professional series. There was a time when you could repair them but that has passed. My jig saws are bosch green. Don't ask why I have 2, the second one was a couple of dollars at a garage sale and like new.

Ozito in my experience is either good or terrible. My first router was an ozito. $45 or something with a box and a bucket of stuff. I tend to buy cheap first to decide whether I'll use the tool. If I do I buy something better. Unfortunately in the case of routers triton was flavour of the month and they both have the speed control issue. The ozito remains in reserve if I need a lighter machine.

I have one of those B&D aluminium body 9" circular saws. I reckon it'd cut the harbor bridge in half...+

I bought this MAKITA 18V Brushless 2 Piece 1 x 5.0Ah Combo Kit DLX2180T1 | Total Tools and an extra battery from TotalTools and there was a $25 tax for not travelling to SydTool where it was available as a kit. 464 at syd and 489 at total. Sydtools is a fair way from here and i didnt want to wait for postage.

Originally Posted by Pete99

I bought this MAKITA 18V Brushless 2 Piece 1 x 5.0Ah Combo Kit DLX2180T1 | Total Tools and an extra battery from TotalTools and there was a $25 tax for not travelling to SydTool where it was available as a kit. 464 at syd and 489 at total. Sydtools is a fair way from here and i didnt want to wait for postage.

In mine and a lot of other tool buying professionals experience, we’d rather pay more than have to go into a Sydney Tools store. I avoid them at all costs.

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

In mine and a lot of other tool buying professionals experience, we’d rather pay more than have to go into a Sydney Tools store. I avoid them at all costs.

Why is that? I find them better to deal with than Total but that may just be a local store experience?

I bought Bosch about 5 years ago maybe, when brushless was starting to take off but still a premium option. Just a driller, driver and battery set.

I am very happy with them. However, Bosch do have a much less extensive range of skins compared with some of the others. Also now Bunnings seem to be the only place to buy them - something to be wary of as Bunnings often have lower spec models.

So if buying now, I would probably not buy Bosch

Originally Posted by Beardy

Why is that? I find them better to deal with than Total but that may just be a local store experience?

My experience is the opposite. Back in 2020 a local Total Tools branch were the only ones that responded to my email enquiries about a SCMS I was chasing.

Originally Posted by BobL

My experience is the opposite. Back in 2020 a local Total Tools branch were the only ones that responded to my email enquiries about a SCMS I was chasing.

I have found I nearly always get better prices at Sydney Tools and they have a website that works. Try researching a product with Total Tools and half the products don’t exist on line even though you know they stock them. The store manager has acknowledged how bad their website is but his hands are tied as is a head office responsibility

The main thing is you are happy with whoever you are dealing with.

Price wise I have found ST and TT to be identical. They will actually check prices while you are at the register and then match them. My local TT beats ST hands down for service