Marcv76

Rich you are correct that they are not needed but I still like them. Obviously you can use cheaper joining methods but those tend to be permanent and requiring scraping the whole bench if you want to change the size. With these you leave them attached to the 4x4"s and merely change the 2x4's and in 15 minutes you have a bigger or smaller bench. I kind of like the way they look also.

When Is released in the USA?

I came across these workbench brackets made by Eastwood. There 3/16" thick steel and cost $99. They are laser cut and allow for the making of a extremely heavy duty bench with 4x4's and 2x4's. The price its actually pretty good considering these will last a lifetime and can be used over and over for different sized benches. The picture below isn't my bench its from the website because I just ordered them today.

Stercorarius: close to 3000 in-lbs torque ok so the latest in my personal Metabo saga. I went to Lowes to find out why my cordless Miter Saw wasn't on the shipment. Well it turns out that Metabo has already decided to stop making the 18v miter saw for the North American Market. I called their customer service to confirm this and told them that they did such a bad job advertising it that no one knew it existed until they had already discontinued it. I have to be honest that this leaves a really bad taste in my mouth with Metabo now. I don't want to purchase their other tools and have them discontinue them and not be able to get parts for them in the future. Their company seems to be the equivalent of the contractor that does awesome work but never answers his phone or forgets to show up sometimes so you never hire him again. Im am really trying to make them my tool platform and they are doing everything possible to make sure that doesn't happen.

Ok I just priced out the x3 torque attachment that makes their brushless hammer drill get up to 3000 lbs of torque through gearing. The youtube video stated it would be just under $200, however I just got a quote for $483.56. So it went from a attachment that I don't need but would get, to something that I would only purchase if I really need it and I don't see that as happening.

I don't have a ton of experience with them but they seem to me to be better quality than the "big 3" tools. I really wanted a cordless miter saw and I like theirs the best. The Dewalt is good but only cuts 8" and I don't like the 4 rail design of the Makita or having to use 2 batteries. Also I like that x3 torque attachment that makes their hammer drill have up to 3000 torque. The circular saw and recipricating saw seem average but they have a good feel in my hand. As far as everything I have read you would be hard pressed to find a better angle grinder and their 1/2 impact wrench has crazy power for its size with 11 speeds. If you want the Best in every category you have to have 6 battery platforms because every manufacturer has their tool standouts. For me Metabo just feels good in my hands, their motors have a refined sound and feel to them and their battery technology seems to be the best right now.

So I went Metabo Crazy and started ordering tools. I'm getting the 1/2" brushless impact wrench from amazon with a 2 day delivery. I ordered the 18v miter saw and it was supposed to arrive at Lowes yesterday and low and behold it wasn't on their shipment and they don't know where it is. Lastly I ordered their brushless angle grinder form Metabo CPO and I will be lucky if it begins to ship from the factory by the end of this week which would make it delivered sometime next week. Matabo definitely has a distribution problem here. I have never waited so long for tools to arrive once ordered as well as having a difficult time finding the tools i was looking for. I know the quality of them so I don't mind waiting but once again the average person will say forget that and just go buy something off the shelf.

You can order some Metabo tools through Amazon and CPO Metabo. You can also order through Grainger but they seem to sell everything for more than other stores. Also if you inclined to order Metabo or other tools that you can't find in the USA, there is a online tools company called "toolstop.com". I believe they are out of Scotland and they ship to the USA. I ordered the Metabo cordless miter saw when it came out through them and they shipped it from Scotland to Huntington Beach California in 4 days for about $45. Simply amazing seeing how I have ordered tools from 1 state away that took longer.

Metabo just needs to have better marketing in North America. I am a complete tool junky and was very familiar with them but the average shopper is not and they are just looking at best prices between the red, yellow, and blue brands. If they are trying to enter a new market they need to consider doing a little more PR like having in store representatives like Hilti use to do in Home Depot and Milwaukee does now. Answer questions for people, show off the tool, and tell them why they are so good and why your paying more. I want them to be successful in this market so we are given more of their tools. I bought their cordless miter saw when they first one came out in Europe and loved it, but I ended up selling due to the inability to get blades with the European arbor size here. Now that they are offering an american version to accept our blades I am back on board again. Dewalt, Makita, and milwaukee do make great tools but Metabo's (and Hilti and Festool) are a few levels above them in quality.

So I found some cordless Metabo tools in Lowes Long Beach California. They were already marked for clearance because the tool manager said they weren't selling. He stated people weren't familiar with the name and thought they cost too much. He said one gentleman actually asked him if Metabo was a African tool company. I laughed and cried a little at how ignorant people are, and how they demand price over quality. He said that they were clearing them out and wouldn't be stocking them anymore. I was able to pick up a compact drill, impact driver, reciprocating saw, circular saw, 2-2ah batteries and charger for $440 which was a good deal. I though the acquisition of Metabo by Hitachi would be good because of the Lowes Distribution and would help them break into the American market, but I don't know if that the case anymore.

So I found some cordless Metabo tools in Lowes Long Beach California. They were already marked for clearance because the tool manager said they weren't selling. He stated people weren't familiar with the name and thought they cost too much. He said one gentleman actually asked him if Metabo was a African tool company. I laughed and cried a little at how ignorant people are, and how they demand price over quality. He said that they were clearing them out and wouldn't be stocking them anymore. I was able to pick up a compact drill, impact driver, reciprocating saw, circular saw, 2-2ah batteries and charger for $440 which was a good deal. I though the acquisition of Metabo by Hitachi would be good because of the Lowes Distribution and would help them break into the American market, but I don't know if that the case anymore.

Just passing on what was told to me. and I heard similar stuff on two different occasions from two different sources. I guess we will find out in the next year. At the rate Millwaukee is moving I'm pretty confident we will se a cordless dewalt 10" first.

A 20v small compressor for nail guns would be awesome. I never thought of that. That way you could still use pneumatic nailers because their so much smaller than battery nailers, and would still be very mobile only having to deal with one air hose for your gun.

Don, I was pressing a dewalt rep and they told me that dewalt has designed a 2 battery miter saw that will power a 10 and or 12" sliding and non sliding saw. The batteries will be a little bigger than the current 20v and will supply the saw with 60v x2 for total of 120v. He said that these same batteries will also work in the current 20v tools because the prongs and electronics will tell them how many Volts to discharge. He said they will be tested in the field by selected people and if all goes well we will see them around summer time. That being said I have no way of verifying this and 6 months in tool company time can mean a year or more in real time.

I actually have some 20V tools because their ergonomics fit my hands nicely, but I'm not so deep into them that I cant switch brands. Ultimately I wish I could find one tool brand that had all the tools I want so I only needed one type of battery. What I'm finding out is that every brand has their best in class tools and you need multiple platforms if that's what your goal is. Someone needs to make a universal battery connector, that's the billion dollar idea.

If anyone is interested, I did some quick math between this saw and the Dewalt dcs361. When Concord Carpenter did the Dewalt review he was able to get 173 cuts out of one 4ah battery, which equals to 43.2 cuts per amp hour. This Makita saw gets 42.2 cuts per amp hour (x10) because you burn 2 batteries down at the same time. So everything being equal they are virtually even, with the slight edge being given to the Dewalt, being able to cut 432 cuts on two 5ah batteries. The Makita has a better cross cut capacity and slightly better dust collection, but the Dewalt seems to have better detent operation and the XPS lighting system. So in short I'm still confused on which saw is better. Its nice that there are 2 good cordless saws to picks from now. Soon we will see how Milwaukee responds and I heard that summertime will be the release of Dewalts 10" cordless miter saw.

I honestly forgot about the tool posting rule about the reviewer we arent supposed to talk about. I just saw both of the reviews on my YouTube feed and just wanted to share.

Here are two youtube reviews on the XSL02Z, All I can say is that I am definitely getting this saw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnzEFWWUH8c

It's a great saw. I had one and now I own the DW7480. I would recommend the DW7480 because it has a bigger rip capacity of 24" vs the 20" for the 745. The best part about the these saws is the rack and pinion fence. It is very accurate, quick and easy to set your cut capacity.

I know Festools are expensive but, their business model seems to be to make the best tool they can with the best materials that are put together by adults in their country who make a livable wage. The cost is what it is. Thats why Festools are made so well and why Germany is a economic powerhouse with a high GDP and a high standard of living. I wish more American Manufactures would have similar business models. Our tool companies start with a price then build the tool to that price sometimes cutting corners and they outsource the manufacturing to other countries with a extremely cheap labor and deplorable working conditions in some of the factories. Dewalt and Craftsman have brought some of their manufacturing back to the USA and I give them credit for that. Remember with most things in life you get what you pay for. I would rather not buy Starbucks everyday or $10 micro brews and instead put that money towards good tools that will last a lifetime. Just my 2 cents

Yeah who knows. Like I said I can't verify anything just what I was told. I've actually heard the 60v x 2 battery idea a couple times from different sources. Maybe it's their plan to build the power supply to bring cordless to the other bench top tools. Can you imagine a cordless table saw and planer. Who knows maybe they were yanking my chain. I guess we will find out in the next year.

So I heard from someone who seems like a reliable source that Dewalt is planning to release a cordless 12" sliding and non sliding miter saw next summer. Apparently the saws will use a new battery that is a little bigger than the current 20v batteries but will supply 60 volts x 2 batteries for a total of 120 volts. They also said the 60v batteries will work in the other 20v tools because they are dual voltage and the tools prongs engaged will tell it how many volts to release. So take this information for what its worth. I hope this is really true because this will be awesome. If this is true I can see the cordless table saws hitting the market in the near future.

I know most of you are familiar with the 36V vacuums coming out but I just came across another one being released in March also. Its a 36v Backpack style vacuum. For the right circumstances I think its a pretty cool option. I know it would look pretty geeky but it looks like it would work very well with a Festool cordless track saw or the Makita 18v Sander. heres some pictures of the other ones coming out alongside it in March.

I just saw it on another website for $599. I know its expensive but like someone already said its designed to be a fulltime replacement for a corded saw with similar specs such as the Makita LS0714. I would rather pay more money for a kick ass tool that will last than save a couple hundred bucks because they decided where to cut corners. That could also be why I am addicted to Festool because that is basically how they design and price their tools. I like that the new innovative Makita's are being manufactured in japan. Tools Manufactured in USA, Japan, German, and Switzerland usually have very good track records of reliability.

Here is the amazon link showing the price and some pictures. Its obviously not available yet but supposedly it will be available in December. http://www.amazon.com/Makita-XSL02Z-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless/dp/B017ZBCMQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448397172&sr=8-1&keywords=makita+x2+miter+saw