What power tools?

[Craig1982]

I am just starting to get some tools together, I have alot of hand tools and a few power tools but was just interested to see what power tools other people have and which get used most/least and battery or corded? I could go crazy and buy loads of power tools but her indoors wont be to happy!!!

 

[supasparxs]

ok here's the plant I have

110v Devalt 5KG SDS drill/breaker
110v Ryiobi SDS drill
240v Borsche SDS Drill
240v Wall chaser
2 x 24v Panasonic drills (one semi retired only comes out when need subbies to use a sds cordless)
15.6v Panasonic drill driver
15.6v Panasonic drill / Impact driver
15.6v Panasonic Metal cutter
110v transformer
415v transformer
4 x 110v em florescent temp lights
16x 110v florescent temp light

I would recommend you start with a SDS cordless drill to start with and then a drill driver

I tend to use my cordless plant. if I'm drilling thru a thick or hard wall I'll use the big dewalt drill

 

[telectrix]

better to buy a few good tools than a lot of cheap crap.

you need , in order of priority, ( IMO )

1. 240V or 110V rotary stop SDS drill

2. 18V dewalt or similar drill/driver

3. cordless SDS drill

4. corded or cordless circular saw

5. wall chaser

6. now you can start fantasising about fein multi tool, cordless angle grinders, inspection cameras, and the like.

 

[jase]

I just buy em as i need em and probably whatever deal is on at screwfix at the time, my hitachi 110v sds was a good buy tho, got a real torque to it a solid blows per min when on rotary stop, great for chisselling walls.

 

[Craig1982]

Cheers for the replys, I am going to buy alot of things as and when I need them. I have a little cash buring a hole in my pocket so I think I will go for a SDS and 18v drill, now to see what deals are on :sunny:

 

[supasparxs]

none of my battery plant is Li-ion,
if I was buying new or replacing mine, I would be looking a Li-ion plant

 

[jase]

me too my old ni-cads are holding charge less and less, also alot of peeps i know are using impact drivers these days and they do seem to be the nuts

 

[La Poste]

What do you use impact drivers for when doing electrical work?

My Makita Ni-cad has just about had it, Ni-cad batteries do not last long IMHO.

 

[D80]

Depends where most of your work is - if house bashing a Wall Chaser, Good vacuum, Rip Saw (Circular saw), Kango are vital - but will be near useless in industrial. A good cordless SDS drill is a must.
Some items I have are cheap and nasty (The rip saw is a £30 effort, but generally only used on floorboards).

 

[D80]

What do you use impact drivers for when doing electrical work?

My Makita Ni-cad has just about had it, Ni-cad batteries do not last long IMHO.

Can get decent replacement batteries from flea bay - non branded mind! My little dewalt combi batteries gave up the ghost after about 5 years, 2 replacement batteries are still going strong after 2 years.

 

[HandySparks]

For cordless tools, try to decide on a range and stick to it. Then you can use existing batteries and charger on body-only tools later. I've used Makita 18V Li-ion for the last couple of years; very pleased with them.

Cordless SDS is great for cable holes and fixings in tough brickwork. Also with a chisel bit for chasing.

 

[alarm man]

ok here's the plant I have

110v Devalt 5KG SDS drill/breaker
110v Ryiobi SDS drill
240v Borsche SDS Drill
240v Wall chaser
2 x 24v Panasonic drills (one semi retired only comes out when need subbies to use a sds cordless)
15.6v Panasonic drill driver
15.6v Panasonic drill / Impact driver
15.6v Panasonic Metal cutter
110v transformer
415v transformer
4 x 110v em florescent temp lights
16x 110v florescent temp light

I would recommend you start with a SDS cordless drill to start with and then a drill driver

I tend to use my cordless plant. if I'm drilling thru a thick or hard wall I'll use the big dewalt drill

240v drills!!,were not even allowed 110v,cordless or nothing for us..

 

[MarkieSparkie]

...
240v Borsche SDS Drill ...

I know Ukranian soup is thick, but I didn't realise you needed a special drill to mix it!:joker:

 

[SPARTYKUS]

I know Ukranian soup is thick, but I didn't realise you needed a special drill to mix it!:joker:

Ahhhh! Beat me to it! Thought I'd spotted a gem
!

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Ps i've got a real cheap mains circ saw, BUT it has a very nice (new) blade so is great.

 

[ezzzekiel]

just started to swap out my old dewalt gear to new 3ah liion range so far,
18v cordless, circular, grinder much better to keep everything on same batteries and chargers just need to sell 24v sds and pick up 18v sds

 

[TaffyDuck]

Well I`m quietly changing from Dewalt. Used them for years but whereas a 18v DC988 drill used to last 3-4 years they are packing up at less than 18 months now. Makita here I come, hopefully they wont be going downhill too.

 

[supasparxs]

240v drills!!,were not even allowed 110v,cordless or nothing for us..

I bought that 20 years ago for DIY use about 20 years ago
(doing subie work in London drills were supplied)
but it still going strong (not that it comes out that often)

 

[supasparxs]

Ps i've got a real cheap mains circ saw, BUT it has a very nice (new) blade so is great.

so do I, I'm not saying what voltage it is, as you'll all rip the $hit out of me over it

 

[Adam W]

What do you use impact drivers for when doing electrical work?

My Makita Ni-cad has just about had it, Ni-cad batteries do not last long IMHO.

Screwdriving - fixing backboxes to walls, putting up trunking, securing light fittings to walls and ceilings...
I reckon my impact driver (Bosch 10.8v) is my most used power tool.

 

[rick]

Metabo 18v LTX - best drill I have ever owned.

 

[La Poste]

Metabo 18v LTX - best drill I have ever owned.

I keep reading how good Metabo drills are.

Does anyone have any other stuff of theirs, angle grinder, circular saw, jig saw, etc?

You know a cordless kit.

 

[Sid71]

Alright mate, I haven't ever invested in a Metabo kit but I have heard plenty of good things about their drills - their SDS hammers and their combi drills. Was recently looking at a Metabo combi drill - but will have to save up a few pennies first!!!

 

[sjhall]

Far to much is what I have
Hilti sds mains
Hilti sds cordless
Hilti circular saw
Metabo 18v cordless circular saw
Milwaukee 18v impact drill
Milwaukee 18v drill
Hilti grinder
Norton clipper wall chaser
And now I think I'm going to get a hilti core drill & Hoover.

Looking to cut down a little so ill prob sell the metabo 18v saw on here in the next week or 2...... A sad day

Ste

 

[Guest111]

tools for sparking, makita sds max drill breaker large,makita sds medium,makita sds small,bosch 9"grinder, makita5" grinder,makita diamond core drill,makita circular saw,bosch recipro saw,.makita 24v sds cordless, milwaukee 12v cordless recipro,dewalt cordless 18v drill,jigsaw,grinder,2x 3kva generators.
oh nearly forgot the partridge in a pear tree.as you can tell i like my tools.

 

[firemanowl]

Milwaukee, giving 3 year extended warranty on drills and 2 years on batteries.

 

[Engineer54]

Milwaukee, giving 3 year extended warranty on drills and 2 years on batteries.

Can't beat Milwaukee kit, It's been the main contractors choice of manufacturer on the last 3 projects ( battery and corded kit and also the big breaker stuff too) reliability is also second to none!!

 

[Tonkatoy27]

I had a free Bosch 10.8V L-Ion monster kit from Eddies for the last 6 months.
Torch
Impact driver
Drill/Driver
Right angled driver
GOP
Charger and 3 batteries

I have no idea why the kit has 3 different screwdrivers in it, the drill driver stays in my toolbox and I've rarely used the right angled and impactor.
The Gop however is something else, I do alot of smaller maintainence jobs along with loads of fault finding and rewiring. I just keep on finding jobs for the Gop. It's like a easier, neater electric chisel! Great little tool for domestic, I've used it to chase grout out of tile joints, slice the tounge and groove so I can remove boards on walls, cut sections of dado/picture/skirting board out for trunking, cut floorboards in exposed boards without marking the adjacent boards, cutting chipboards (especially the last 3 inches you can't get the circular to next to the wall) and sanding filled chases.
It was worth Eddies giving it to me for free just to have this tool! ;0)

 

[brman]

How do you find the battery life on the GOP?

 

[Mark_Burgess]

By pressing the battery indicator button on the side if the tool body.

 

[brman]

By pressing the battery indicator button on the side if the tool body.

:lol:​

 

[Mark_Burgess]

:lol:​

You have lost me with that, you posted a question, i posted the correct answer, what was sarcastic about that?

 

[brman]

You have lost me with that, you posted a question, i posted the correct answer, what was sarcastic about that?

ah, ok. My question was supposed to be how good do you find the battery life. I am considering one but have found a few reviews which say the batteries don't last long enough to do anything useful.

Apologies, I did think you were being sarcastic but I can see now that it was me badly wording the question!

 

[Mark_Burgess]

ah, ok. My question was supposed to be how good do you find the battery life. I am considering one but have found a few reviews which say the batteries don't last long enough to do anything useful.

Apologies, I did think you were being sarcastic but I can see now that it was me badly wording the question!

I had a bit of a durr moment and get what you are asking.

The batteries work for about 10mins continuous, there is a speed dial on it so when slower lasts quite a while. Cutting the tongue on hard wood floor boards does drain it, yet I managed to clear the grout out of about 3 metre squared and have plenty of life left in the one battery, I have 7 batteries in all due to the other tools I have, so I never run out of power.
I will get a couple re-celled to 2.6Ah if they ever start to drop off with the power, that should give a long run time, from this company http://www.recellyourbattery.com/prices