Power Tool advice

[PuntoHowTo]

I am planning on buying into a power tool system.

I am looking for the sort of set up where I can buy some batteries and chargers then use the same battery on every power tool there after.

I want to get a decent half inch impact driver, and possibly a powered ratchet as well, but also be able to use all the same batteries with power drills, jig saws, circular saws etc.


At the moment I have some Makita tools but the batteries are begining to fail on the drill and smaller impact driver I have. They are seemingly special batteries for these ones, not used on any of the other makita stuff so I would need to replace the batteries and still buy more batteries and chargers for anything else I decide to buy... So.

I have been looking up the Ryobi stuff that uses the one+ battery system, I am blown away by the massive amount of tools you can get, and while they're not famed for being the go to tools for professionals they are probably perfectly adequate for a home/DIY user like myself?

Has anyone got any experience of the Ryobi tools and how well they are built or how well they last?
Am I going to find unpleasant surprises such as using proprietary jigsaw blades or slightly odd sizes for sanding discs so that all of theses have to be bought from Ryobi. Also how likely am I going to be able to replace batteries in a few years time, are the batteries used now the same as the batteries used in these tools a few years back?

Any experience or advice would be very helpful as well as any other suggestions of tools I could perhaps look at.

Aside from the car stuff I do a lot of wood work as well so looking for things such as saws Routers, drills etc that all fit into the same eco system as automotive stuff

 

[bugsymike]

Personally I was not an early advocate of battery powered tools, believing them largely under powered and inconvenient when for ever going flat, however my neighbour a builder has invested heavily in Professional Dewalt battery powered tools for his business and now increasingly for his garden etc. The ability to have several batteries on charge and one battery fitting multiple tools, plus of course battery life these days is greatly improved meaning apart from purchase cost there are few negatives.
From my point of view I carry on using my older mains powered and compressed air tools as I have sufficient to last me out.
Regarding Ryobi all I have had is a petrol hedge trimmer and a strimmer, both almost new when I bought them, the hedge trimmer once running was great but a pain in the a*se to start, whereas the strimmer was a more professional version and is excellent in all ways.
I recently cut one of my ex customers hedge etc using his brand new Ryobi long extending battery powered hedge cutter due to his ill health as he was struggling.
I found it very under powered even though the bar was quite short. In the end I used an old B&Q Power Products? mains one that I had bought years ago thinking for the price if it lasted a year it would be a bonus, much longer bar and cutting teeth/jaws capable of more hard work.
Prior to buying that I had an old Kawasaki ? petrol hedge cutter that was so powerful I cut through neighbours chain link fence when doing the hedge without noticing. Since then we have built between us a concrete block wall and uprooted the hedge so no maintenance required.

 

[vexorg]

I quite like the dewalt ones, I've got a drill, impact screwdriver and 1/2 inch impact gun, all the XR 18v ones. The batteries do seem to last quite well on them. The impact gun (dcf899) is good, hasn't let me down yet in getting awkward bolts out.

 

[varesecrazy]

To be frank...

DeWalt are the only ones that seem to be a range you can see being around in another 5 years

Makita, Stanley, milwaukee all seem to have had their day.. And as FOR DIY brands like Black & Decker..

I saw a fairly priced 'bundle' In toolstation the other day

18v DeWalt

None of it is 'cheap'... But knowing you can still buy cells that fit in 5 to 10 years time is worth a lot

 

[vexorg]

I got stung by black and decker years ago, resonable tools, then the battery gave up, and found you cant get the batteries any more.

Recently I bought a circular saw, really wanted to get the cordless dewalt one, but they are £100+, and screwfix do mains powered refurb units at £30 (which went a bit wrong as their stock system got it wrong so they gave me a new one for the same price! )

 

[bugsymike]

No coincidence that a bot has just thrown up an advert for Milwaukee tools on my screen!!!!!

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Aside from the battery dying after 9 years on the Makita, I don’t really have anything bad to say about them, very well made and I have some corded tools as well. I just don’t want to pay out the money that makita charge for a lot of their stuff, which leads to Dewalt while a few years back you couldn’t watch a DIY program on Tv without seeing dewalt stuff being used, but these days I have heard that a lot of professionals are moving away from them because of the cost and they’re no better than some cheaper options. I’m not dead against Dewalt but by the time you get an impact driver a battery and a charger you’re already over £200 down. And they seem to have a lot of different battery systems with lower voltages so you need to be careful what you are buying to keep batteries compatible across all the tools you buy

 

[bugsymike]

Aside from the battery dying after 9 years on the Makita, I don’t really have anything bad to say about them, very well made and I have some corded tools as well. I just don’t want to pay out the money that makita charge for a lot of their stuff, which leads to Dewalt while a few years back you couldn’t watch a DIY program on Tv without seeing dewalt stuff being used, but these days I have heard that a lot of professionals are moving away from them because of the cost and they’re no better than some cheaper options. I’m not dead against Dewalt but by the time you get an impact driver a battery and a charger you’re already over £200 down. And they seem to have a lot of different battery systems with lower voltages so you need to be careful what you are buying to keep batteries compatible across all the tools you buy

Yes, I have had many Makita and Hitachi mains and 110volt 3/4 drive impact tools etc. powered tools and well pleased.
I suspect neighbours Dewalt Professional tools were via good trade discounts at Screwfix and being self employed deductible expenses.

 

[chris3234]

I've got. A few DeWalt tools very good quality although but more expansive then Ryobi stuff not used anymysel so can't speak for there quality

Aside from the battery dying after 9 years on the Makita, I don’t really have anything bad to say about them, very well made and I have some corded tools as well. I just don’t want to pay out the money that makita charge for a lot of their stuff, which leads to Dewalt while a few years back you couldn’t watch a DIY program on Tv without seeing dewalt stuff being used, but these days I have heard that a lot of professionals are moving away from them because of the cost and they’re no better than some cheaper options. I’m not dead against Dewalt but by the time you get an impact driver a battery and a charger you’re already over £200 down. And they seem to have a lot of different battery systems with lower voltages so you need to be careful what you are buying to keep batteries compatible across all the tools you buy

Think they only have the 12 and 18v for most stuff
Although 200 will get you a drill impact driver and 2 battery and charger
Although still not that cheep

 

[The Panda Nut]

Had De Waalte, batteries unavailable after just 3 years!!!! NEVER again.

I have 3 Ryobi One+ tools. Brushless drill which is now about 3 years old, its excellent, I have a tyre inflator also good but had to be replaced under waranty due to a faulty valve connectror which wouldnt lock onto the car tyre. 2nd one is good. I have also an impact wrench. This one is also great but a little low powered. Its 9 years old and so is its battery which is as good as new incidentally. (touch wood) For DIY use I recommend them unreservedly. Im massively impressed that I can go and buy batteries for any of these new off the shelf and at sensible money unlike Dewalte. I had two expensive drills of theirs and neither are any good as you cannot get batteries. Ebay replacements lasted around 40 seconds before exploding so now I am building up my One+ stock. I did buy an aldi finger sander last week. What was I doing?? It is actually a very good thing really free of vibration. Makita tools are generally bomb proof but pricey. I used them at work. The ones we had were definitely underpowered but that was because they were the cheap models.

 

[chaos]

I've been updating my power tools over the last year as I've needed cordless stuff more and more.

I have had a Ryobi cordless screwdriver for a few years - it is competent for DIY and although has a tiny battery, it works well.

You don't see any traders using Ryobi - only Bosch, DeWalt, Makita or Milwaukee. Tells you all you need to know TBH.

WRT prices, there are times where there isn't that much between them. You can get an Einhell combi drill for 79 quid in Toolstation, or for 20p more you can get a similar Makita.

I've ended up with DeWalt because I managed to pick them up cheap in sales etc. In the last year I've bought a combi drill, circular saw, impact driver, 5 batteries (including a 5Ah one because the circular saw is power hungry), 2 chargers and boxes to store them in, and I've done that for less than 400 quid.

Einhell isn't much cheaper than that and the other brands I've mentioned are more expensive. I'm happy with my choice.

 

[chaos]

Had De Waalte, batteries unavailable after just 3 years!!!! NEVER again.

I have 3 Ryobi One+ tools. Brushless drill which is now about 3 years old, its excellent, I have a tyre inflator also good but had to be replaced under waranty due to a faulty valve connectror which wouldnt lock onto the car tyre. 2nd one is good. I have also an impact wrench. This one is also great but a little low powered. Its 9 years old and so is its battery which is as good as new incidentally. (touch wood) For DIY use I recommend them unreservedly. Im massively impressed that I can go and buy batteries for any of these new off the shelf and at sensible money unlike Dewalte. I had two expensive drills of theirs and neither are any good as you cannot get batteries. Ebay replacements lasted around 40 seconds before exploding so now I am building up my One+ stock. I did buy an aldi finger sander last week. What was I doing?? It is actually a very good thing really free of vibration. Makita tools are generally bomb proof but pricey. I used them at work. The ones we had were definitely underpowered but that was because they were the cheap models.

Bit unfair, given that DeWalt does an adapter to fit the new type batteries onto old drills...

 

[The Panda Nut]

Bit unfair, given that DeWalt does an adapter to fit the new type batteries onto old drills...

Totally fair as all they said to me was hard luck mate, buy a new one. Id rather use my hand drill than spend with them again. but maybe if they had bothered themselves they would have kept a customer and sold some kit, I only wanted 4 batteries as all four had failed almost at the same time. I did sell one drill for half for the cost of my Dewalt and hope I can sell the other then Ill forgive them! Nothing wrong with the tools.

 

[chaos]

I didn't think that DeWalt did direct sales - you make a fair point with your experience though.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Given the price of Dewalt and the lack of transparency when it comes to all the different battery types and then inability to buy those batteries later on, I’m leaning toward Makita again

The drill and impact driver I have is a Makita G-Series which are very well made just no longer supported. I think I’ll get a new battery for them, and then look at their LXT stuff which has been a round a long time and comes with a huge amount of compatible tools.

At least then I’m getting something that’s a decent quality, but also well supported and a reasonable price.

I’m also going to cut costs where I can’t by buying corded tools where having battery power isn’t necessary

Doing things this way means I don’t have to rebuy a drill and impact driver and I can keep everything else in the same system, when the stuff I currently have does eventually die then it won’t be much hasssle to switch over to a something that takes the LXT batteries.

I have a bit of a psychological barrier when it comes to Dewalt, their stuff may be good but I hear a lot of negative information from professionals who use it day in day out. The prices can be extremely high for somethings and there is no explainable reason why one thing costs £200 more than another seemingly identical tool.

I’ve seen a lot of good press on milwaukee tools they seems to be very popular in the USA especially in garages, I just don’t know anyone here that uses them or know enough about their long term compatibility

Anyone got anything negative to say about the Makita LXT stuff. ?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I have to start by saying that most of my garage power tools are air powered. I grew up with air powered tools and used them all my professional life so, when I was setting up my home workshop it was just natural for me to buy a good sized compressor and go with air tools. I do have a small rechargeable battery powered screwdriver which I use with various bit adapters for removing fixings like engine covers, splitting air filter casings and engine compartment undercovers.

I'm also a keen DIYer and have had many mains powered tools over the years, many of them drills. However when it comes to battery tools I've not gone so wholeheartedly for battery power. First one I bought was a Lidl 18 volt drill driver - 13mm chuck - about 20 years ago. I bought it because we were doing a complete, to bare walls, refurb of my older boy's first flat. It was asking a lot of a very "DIY quality" tool and, after a bout 3 day's continuous use - and I gave it a real hammering - the bearings behind the chuck failed. I took it back and, without any argument at all, they gave me another one. I got another two days out of that one before it started to make grinding noises. I should stress that it was running almost continuously over that time period removing and then retightening screws in major wood work like floor boards, joists and other "big" stuff and It just wasn't made for this sort of abuse. In it's defence my younger boy has the same drill which he's had for years and it's coped well with all the smaller DIY jobs he's used it for.

Anyway, I needed something more robust to get the flat done and B&Q had an offer on the Ryobi 18 volt drill/driver with a small circular saw all in one kit. This was the earlier kit so not Li-ion battery. I bought it and abused the drill something rotten completing the flat - which took about another 3 months. The drill is still going strong as are it's original batteries, which still hold enough charge to this day to be useful. The circular saw, which has a special thin blade to reduce the demand on the battery I think? works well for small jobs but rapidly runs it's battery flat if you try to rip a long piece of wood - very handy for just shortening a baton or similar though. I later bought a large 210mm dia mains saw because the battery job was so limiting. My other stuff, jigsaw etc, are all mains powered too.

So, the Ryobi has been a good buy and has proved to be very robust. I'd have no hesitation buying the brand again and I think I could even buy the newer Li-ion batteries and use them in the old drill and saw if/when the original Ni-cad batteries expire. Just occasionally, If I have to go out to one of the boys to change a puncture etc, I find myself wishing I had a battery powered wheel nut wrench but it's only a couple of minutes longer to use a power bar and if I'm at home I don't think any battery powered wrench is going to "transmogrify" a tight nut like my big Chicago Pneumatic air wrench.

So yes, it's a big thumbs up for the Ryobi from me - and - I don't think, after all these years, that they'll give up on the ONE+ concept.

 

[chris3234]

I have to start by saying that most of my garage power tools are air powered. I grew up with air powered tools and used them all my professional life so, when I was setting up my home workshop it was just natural for me to buy a good sized compressor and go with air tools. I do have a small rechargeable battery powered screwdriver which I use with various bit adapters for removing fixings like engine covers, splitting air filter casings and engine compartment undercovers.

I'm also a keen DIYer and have had many mains powered tools over the years, many of them drills. However when it comes to battery tools I've not gone so wholeheartedly for battery power. First one I bought was a Lidl 18 volt drill driver - 13mm chuck - about 20 years ago. I bought it because we were doing a complete, to bare walls, refurb of my older boy's first flat. It was asking a lot of a very "DIY quality" tool and, after a bout 3 day's continuous use - and I gave it a real hammering - the bearings behind the chuck failed. I took it back and, without any argument at all, they gave me another one. I got another two days out of that one before it started to make grinding noises. I should stress that it was running almost continuously over that time period removing and then retightening screws in major wood work like floor boards, joists and other "big" stuff and It just wasn't made for this sort of abuse. In it's defence my younger boy has the same drill which he's had for years and it's coped well with all the smaller DIY jobs he's used it for.

Anyway, I needed something more robust to get the flat done and B&Q had an offer on the Ryobi 18 volt drill/driver with a small circular saw all in one kit. This was the earlier kit so not Li-ion battery. I bought it and abused the drill something rotten completing the flat - which took about another 3 months. The drill is still going strong as are it's original batteries, which still hold enough charge to this day to be useful. The circular saw, which has a special thin blade to reduce the demand on the battery I think? works well for small jobs but rapidly runs it's battery flat if you try to rip a long piece of wood - very handy for just shortening a baton or similar though. I later bought a large 210mm dia mains saw because the battery job was so limiting. My other stuff, jigsaw etc, are all mains powered too.

So, the Ryobi has been a good buy and has proved to be very robust. I'd have no hesitation buying the brand again and I think I could even buy the newer Li-ion batteries and use them in the old drill and saw if/when the original Ni-cad batteries expire. Just occasionally, If I have to go out to one of the boys to change a puncture etc, I find myself wishing I had a battery powered wheel nut wrench but it's only a couple of minutes longer to use a power bar and if I'm at home I don't think any battery powered wrench is going to "transmogrify" a tight nut like my big Chicago Pneumatic air wrench.

So yes, it's a big thumbs up for the Ryobi from me - and - I don't think, after all these years, that they'll give up on the ONE+ concept.

The big big battery impacts will dewalt dcf899 and millwakee equivalent have over 1200nm of loosening torque and used by quite a few garages and even for lots of stuff on truck's
But you talking £250 or something like that very expensive stuff

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I think it is fair to say a lot of garages are now moving away from air tools if they have not done so already.

there are a lot of advantages to electric tools, these days they can be a lot more powerful, they are no heavier than a metal air tool trailing a long length of air hose behind it. They are also not restricted to where you can get the air hose to go. They are also a lot quieter, in respect to not having a noisy air compressor somewhere in the garage creating a lot of white noise throughout the day and affecting people's hearing over long periods of time.
They're cleaner also not spreading oil into the air around where they are used and they tend to be less likely to get damaged from people throwing them on the floor or driving over them or the air lines.

For DIY use i'm interested in them for the simple reason of not having to have a fairly sizeable compressor to power them as you're reliant on the compressor having the CFM to keep the tools powered. a lot of garage tools need a pretty hefty compressor to keep up with their demand for air which in a home setting could mean a smaller compressor running near constantly, when the tool is in use.

 

[vexorg]

Are there any rules on compressor size and safety or insurance when using them at home?

 

[The Panda Nut]

I have to start by saying that most of my garage power tools are air powered. I grew up with air powered tools and used them all my professional life so, when I was setting up my home workshop it was just natural for me to buy a good sized compressor and go with air tools. I do have a small rechargeable battery powered screwdriver which I use with various bit adapters for removing fixings like engine covers, splitting air filter casings and engine compartment undercovers.

I'm also a keen DIYer and have had many mains powered tools over the years, many of them drills. However when it comes to battery tools I've not gone so wholeheartedly for battery power. First one I bought was a Lidl 18 volt drill driver - 13mm chuck - about 20 years ago. I bought it because we were doing a complete, to bare walls, refurb of my older boy's first flat. It was asking a lot of a very "DIY quality" tool and, after a bout 3 day's continuous use - and I gave it a real hammering - the bearings behind the chuck failed. I took it back and, without any argument at all, they gave me another one. I got another two days out of that one before it started to make grinding noises. I should stress that it was running almost continuously over that time period removing and then retightening screws in major wood work like floor boards, joists and other "big" stuff and It just wasn't made for this sort of abuse. In it's defence my younger boy has the same drill which he's had for years and it's coped well with all the smaller DIY jobs he's used it for.

Anyway, I needed something more robust to get the flat done and B&Q had an offer on the Ryobi 18 volt drill/driver with a small circular saw all in one kit. This was the earlier kit so not Li-ion battery. I bought it and abused the drill something rotten completing the flat - which took about another 3 months. The drill is still going strong as are it's original batteries, which still hold enough charge to this day to be useful. The circular saw, which has a special thin blade to reduce the demand on the battery I think? works well for small jobs but rapidly runs it's battery flat if you try to rip a long piece of wood - very handy for just shortening a baton or similar though. I later bought a large 210mm dia mains saw because the battery job was so limiting. My other stuff, jigsaw etc, are all mains powered too.

So, the Ryobi has been a good buy and has proved to be very robust. I'd have no hesitation buying the brand again and I think I could even buy the newer Li-ion batteries and use them in the old drill and saw if/when the original Ni-cad batteries expire. Just occasionally, If I have to go out to one of the boys to change a puncture etc, I find myself wishing I had a battery powered wheel nut wrench but it's only a couple of minutes longer to use a power bar and if I'm at home I don't think any battery powered wrench is going to "transmogrify" a tight nut like my big Chicago Pneumatic air wrench.

So yes, it's a big thumbs up for the Ryobi from me - and - I don't think, after all these years, that they'll give up on the ONE+ concept.

I pretty well always have to use a bar to break the wheel nuts. But the wrench wizzes the nuts off and back so quickly I carry this in the car on longer journies. I always use a torque wrench to redo the nut so never do more than gentle tightening with it, For removing lawn mower blades its mega. The Ryobi wrench will apply something like 164Nm so well enough for most jobs but undoing sometimes needs help. Its been brilliant for the strut top nuts and link rod nuts. Definitely one of the best tools I have ever had. It has a 1/2" drive screwdriver bit adapter too, so between this and my drill which has torque limiting settings I can get nearly anything. Its the battery life that astounded me. I should have bought a One+ multitool too, Iam getting senile. forgetting to do this.

I bought a little Bauker drill from Screw fix when the dewalt died as a stop gap. That is now 4 years old and it has also been good for lighter jobs. It suprises me its been better than expected fpr a very modest cost.