jeffmcmillan

I don't think there's anything Bosch doesn't make. Being under 1% of the company is probably why their tool releases are so rare.

A nice clean disc makes my grinder look even more filthy. I have to normalize it.

I thought the new lasers were just 20V. Are there 12V ones too? Dewalt never really ends lines seeing as they still produce and actively advertises 18V nicad tools (yes nicad not even the nanolithium update), but removing 12V support from new chargers is a pretty definitive move towards deprecating the line.

Dewalt's older chargers also supported 12V batteries, but the newer fast chargers don't since it looks like they're ending support for the 12V line. I have no idea why makita didn't support a dual charger since my 18V charger says 7.2-18V.

Yesterday this was ridiculously overpriced at $280. Now it's actually a reasonable price. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wilton-All-Terrain-Truck-Vise-10010/204999735 There have also been mild discounts on almost everything made by urrea. I haven't heard much about them, but if it's a brand people know about there are some prices you won't see elsewhere.

That's ridiculous. I'm hoping Makita makes a 9.0 with 20700 cells just so I can see a stupid big battery on a stupid small impact.

The claimed 1 year runtime puts the draw at 25uA for the Tick. I looked at the datasheets for the device above and the draw in sleep state is 700uA which is quite high for a production design. 700uA is what I'd expect for average draw on a good chip, but sleep state should be under 10uA for anything that's expected to run on a small battery. The 25uA average for the Tick is not groundbreaking but not a bad design.

Let's be honest, very few people are going to keep the app running (burning battery life) on the off chance they go within range of someone's stolen tool. Now if Milwaukee offered a reward (swag, coupon, etc.) for anyone who detects and reports a stolen tool that would change things.

Just buy them now. They solve every time you've tried to twist something with pliers and had them slip. The normal teeth are also offset so they bite better than normal pliers. If you're waiting because you can't decide between sizes, you probably need both.

Easier to sell you on their 18V system: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-18-Volt-LXT-Lithium-Ion-Sub-Compact-Brushless-Cordless-2-piece-Combo-Kit-Driver-Drill-Impact-Driver-2-0Ah-CX200RB/207051121

A nice miter sled will likely be more useful than a nicer miter saw. In general focus on stationary tools.

A bunch of Dewalt corded drills, screwguns, and die grinders are ~30% off as part of some sale on made in USA tools. There are also these two really good bundles: http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Volt-MAX-Lithium-Ion-1-2-in-Cordless-Hammer-Drill-with-Bonus-108-Piece-Mechanics-Tool-Set-DCD785C2DWMT73801/206824819 http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Volt-MAX-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Combo-Kit-2-Piece-with-Mechanics-Tool-Set-200-Piece-DCK240C2DWMT75000/206510226

Or worse the people trying to make a living running a garage sale business.

There's almost no case a pass thru wrench is better than a ratcheting wrench other than a recessed nut down a long stud. The advantage to me is that it's a small kit to bring along and cover most functions of sockets and ratcheting wrenches at a quarter of the weight. If you're the type to find a locknut down 8" of a pressed stud, recessed about 1-1/2" with obstructions both above the bolt end and around the bolt for its full length, then you can definitely justify these. Otherwise it's not something you need but sure is nice to have at times. The nut in question was run down with an extra deep socket in one of the first assembly steps and they thought nothing of it. Then it falls on us to remove the damn thing when the part needs replacement.

They've announced a slim 3.0Ah just not released it yet for marketing reasons. I've never felt the need for a smaller battery on the M18 jigsaw and I don't think the 9.0 Ah would make a big difference since the tool is almost always resting on a workpiece. Do you use a jigsaw on vertical surfaces frequently?

The newer pass through wrenches are a lot better. I have a Gearwrench set that probably sees more use than any of my other wrenches. A nylock nut two feet down rusty allthread is more common than you'd think.

Bosch 6.0Ah batteries are down to $95. That's cheaper than a 4.0Ah or 5.0Ah individually.

Either number not strictly correct. The cell manufacturer supplies voltage curves for various discharge rates, and one those should be integrated to calculate the energy available whether it's the maximum or just for a particular tool. That said, calculating energy from 18V is ignorance while using 20V is just a lie.

Milwaukee Stapler down to $20 from $30 and Hammer Tacker down to $25 from $40

Looks like the hang magnets for multimeters, but hopefully a reasonable price. I think I'm gonna try gluing magnets to the inside of my bit cases, north on the top and south on the bottom so they not only stick to stuff but stack with each other.

They lowered prices on a bunch of starlock blades.

+1 on speedouts, but you guys have already heard the details of my hatred. HF ratchets are complete garbage. One would lock up and you have to switch it back and forth to reverse and wiggle a bit to keep ratcheting. Eventually the detent fell out. This has just about the worst blade retention. Wobbles everywhere and falls out if you get it dusty from the drywall it's supposed to be used on. Your forearm will also learn why a nice pull saw costs about 50x that sawzall. One of these might change my mind though:

I'll start off by saying the argument for slide style 12V is much weaker than pod style 12V. The utility depends a lot on how many hours a day you deal with that little bit of weight, especially overhead. It's also relevant for people who wear out the tools after a couple years so a second line distributes wear.

I think the market for angle die grinders is too small for most electric and cordless tool manufacturers while mechanics are still clinging to air tools. An angle die grinder that works well with 4.5" discs and 1/4" bits is also a big ask, since they work at fundamentally different speeds and torques regardless of pneumatic or electric. I've seen some custom chucks to put 1/4" die grinder bits on an angle grinder but you're probably stuck making your own, and they suffer from the speed difference I mentioned. There's also this mini angle grinder from Bosch that's the same RPM as the AC Delco with more torque, but again you'll need your own chuck. Unfortunately none of these are going to work like your pneumatics so you're stuck with a compressor or scraping together tools to get by.

Oh boy if I could get through a day with only #1 Phillips that would be great.