dwain

its worth mentioning that a bit of movement/flexibility is actually good for the tool/battery. if it doesn't actually bother you while using, don't worry about it.

omg, Makita make non-LXT tools other than a drill & impact?! That company sure knows how to confuse its brand and consumers .... sorry for the bum steer.

You're English is a whole lot better than a bunch of us on here, and especially posts people make here from their phones! In answer to your questions. On the Makita line (like most others), the batteries and chargers are interchangeable, so it doesn't matter which one you buy in a kit. I think 1.3Ah batteries are a bit small, but it will do the job if you don't use them for long periods. They MAY have slightly less power, but the runtime is the significant difference. The hammer function (or lack thereof) makes no difference to your performance in timber, for either cordless or corded. The hammer function on regular drills is just a convenience option, and not a replacement for a true rotary hammer drill. Have you checked local prices for Bosch, Dewalt, Milwaukee in your area? They are also good brands.

i agree that buying Paslode guns is overkill for a DIYer. I certainly don't think he needs a framer anyway, just an ok finish gun will be helpful, Hitachi are widely acknowledged as an excellent value for money 'trade' brand for nail guns. The only thing about buying a 10" mitre saw to look out for is the cutting width. I couldn't quite cut 140mm decking boards (a very common size of decking + lumber in Australia), with my old 10" Bosch miter saw. I think a slider, or a 12" will serve better...

the bosch sander, the dewalt circ saw are great choices. Lots of brands make good mitre saws. i think a good middle ground between a 10" drop and 12" slider is a 12" droppy. you get quite a large cut depth and width, without the bulk (or cost) of a slider... this looks like good value, 12" dewalt for $220. - http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW715-12-Inch-Single-Bevel-Compound/dp/B000ASBCK4/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1434002851&sr=1-2&keywords=miter+saw

i would much prefer to have a brushless unit with high capacity battery. BUT i still get by with my brushed Bosch for the odd bolt/reo cut here and there (<10mm). According to one review, the brushed Metabo grinder is even better than the FUEL, but this is the exception, not the rule. Slim batteries really aren't ideal for a grinder, but will work for a bit.

what about if they allowed a 9" grinder, large circ saw, plunge router etc?

i think a finish nailer would be very handy, but you'd need a compressor, unless you can find an 18V one. i reckonyou'd get by without a recipro/sawzall, and a mitre saw would be best but is a big outlay. IMO you'd be crazy not to own a cordless drill...

SB&D own soo many tool companies - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Black_%26_Decker#Business_segments_and_brands

if you don't mind running two platforms (I don't), then I'd use this opportunity to get into the Milwaukee Line. With the exception of the 18Vx2 Makita saw, Milwaukee M18 FUEL has the best circular saw, recipro saw and rotary hammer drills. I own the dewalt gear. The circular saw is great, but not on the same level as the BL models by Milwaukee & Makita. The recipro saw is probably the second most powerful on the market, but vibrates like a bastard.

its worth noting that i suspect many people nominating Milwaukee are doing so on the strength of their cordless offerings. I think most would agree that choosing only one brand for electric (110/240V) tools is folly, but that Milwaukee wouldn't the best choice if you were. i based my choice of Bosch on cordless + electric. If I took hand tools into the equation as well (only one brand for everything), I'd probably choose Dewalt. EDIT: I realise this thread wasn't a 'choose one brand' topic, so I may have gone off on a tangent...

i love lots of brands, Bosch, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita, Channellock, etc. But i think in the end Bosch is my favourite because of their quality and the fact that 92% of their revenue goes to a charitable foundation - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bosch_Stiftung

if you get it in the kit, make sure you get one of the three speed impacts. kornomaniac makes some good points. Drilling in second speed is where the Makita REALLY shines.

it should definitely never be used by a child! its power is unwieldy, though the less powerful models (like fuel, dewalt etc) are also unwieldy. when any of these grab unexpectedly, you could be in trouble. if you don't need the excessive amount of power, then i don't necessarily recommend it over others (see comparison in my signature). but if you need big power (mortar mixing, huge holes etc), then it and the Metabo are your best bet. what trade are you in?

Also, with regard to power. A lot of people don't realise that there CAN be a difference in power between smaller and larger capacity batteries, but there isn't always. A higher capacity battery can give a higher discharge rate (as well as the bigger gas tank), but in reality, it often doesn't. I tested out my Dewalt 20V hammer drill, impact driver and circular saw. Only the impact driver saw a power increase with the large batteries (4ah vs 2ah), and it was a significant (but not huge) difference. Sometimes the manufacturers detail the different torque you get in their different kits... I think overall I agree with kdv. I love slim batteries, but I'm a DIY guy not a tradie.

The larger batteries are probably the safer bet, but i like to have both. If you're using the impact driver for smaller fixings, there's nothing better than a slim battery on it to make it so small and comfortable...

i saw some in shops recently, they looked kinda cool. Annoying to pair their worst BL impact driver with their best drill though....

i must admit, I do like the chuck on the compact Milwaukee better. But still love the 790 and its chuck...

i think this debate comes down to what you're used to. my OTT partner loves a right-sided bladed, and he's a left hander, which means that we both like the blade on the user side. i hadn't used a regular (right-sided blade) circ saw for years and years like others, so when i got my cordless 20V saw, i was a convert the the left-side blade.

wow, go Dewalt. http://www.coptool.com/dewalt-20v-max-brushless-high-torque-impact-wrenches/

in Australia, Makita is EASILY the most used and trusted brand for electric tools. In cordless tools, Milwaukee and Makita are the two big players.

With the probably exception of FEIN

the latest Makita brushless hammer drill is a monster, powerful but not quite as comfy as others. The links in my signature will take you to a pretty comprehensive review of the best from Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Bosch and Metabo...

ive tested a Dewalt electric vs Dewalt 20V and found them to have very similar power. So to me it comes down to usage. If you want a cordless line anyway, and don't use it non-stop, I say get the FUEL or Dewalt 20V or similar.

i just sold my 110v charger and bought a 240v. but your car plan should work fine too.