aabee
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Posts posted by aabee
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I'm a big fan of the Kobalt 24v brushless lineup. They're powerful, affordable (cheapest batteries by FAR, and the drill/impact combo occasionally go on sale for $149), excellent warranty, and speaking of battery slop...they have none. Fit nice and snug.
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And it would only cost $100, since the 2.0 batteries are $20 a piece. I'm gun-shy on attempting this myself since I have no soldering experience, but if I were to start off experimenting I'd try combining the $10 1.5 amp batteries. Kobalt's 24v stuff is awesome btw.
His videos are indeed really cool overall.
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2 hours ago, FrosBros82 said:
am Yeah, it was pretty basic for a radio. I know they came out with something recently.... which I am pretty sure runs off m12 or m18. Not sure if the sound quality on that is similar? Or has improved?
I think the one you're talking about is Bluetooth only. I honestly think Milwaukee's radios in general are never top-of-the-line and don't plan on trying another out unless they're at least Makita-quality (which are the most underrated jobsite radios by far in terms of sound), let alone Tough System. I couldn't believe how mediocre the M18 radio was for when it came out.
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The M18 radio that came out about a year ago is a POS. Horrible reception, no Bluetooth, and sound that would be on par with jobsite radios that came out 5 years ago. Makita has radios that have been out years longer that decimate the M18 radio in sound quality and features.
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I love Kobalt's 24v line; it's my primary one and compares very favorably to Milwaukee. Those have actually been out for about a month or so, as well as a cordless jigsaw and grinder. I'm looking forward to seeing what else will be coming out next year. For a platform that only launched a year ago, they already have most of the essentials in place. I'm hoping for a Bluetooth radio sometime in the near future!
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Glad to see there are FINALLY Gen 2 M12 Fuel drills/impacts. Any pics?
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Smaller M12 Fuel fasteners would be great, or even a response to Makita's subcompact 18v lineup.
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Kobalt's 24v brushless line is incredibly underrated. They compare favorably to the other big-name brands, especially the impact and circular saw. I'm really happy that Lowe's has already expanded this line a good deal beyond their former 18/20v max line as apart from their (largest) selection of DeWalt, a recently revitalized Hitachi, and a beyond-stagnant Bosch, their selection of quality cordless is fairly slim and I could see Kobalt filling a sizable role in that niche. The prices for the batteries are so low it's hard not to invest in them. I'd like to see a Bluetooth radio out next.
By the way, the 24v impact/drill combo is currently $149 which is a steal, as well as lower prices throughout their lineup which ends (I believe) this month.
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Got the Kobalt 24v brushless drill/impact kit for $149 on sale. At that price (which is cheaper than most brands' prices for just a brushless drill) it's an absolute no-brainer. These tools are excellent!
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Does anyone know if a second one is on the way? Only asking since the first model is a few years old, and we all know how Makita is with their impacts.
FWIW Hitachi is also apparently working on one to replace the one they have in Europe/Asia. If it's anything near the Triple Hammer in terms of overall quality I'll probably just wait for that.
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Bosch brushless 12v is indeed good, but I felt they took a step back with ergonomics compared to the brushed versions. The handles are more contoured and comfortable than the brushed, but they removed the rubber grips on the handles so they become easy to slip out of the hand. The EC drill can't stand up with a compact battery, unlike the brushed. Not sure how this happened given how the MUCH larger 12v Fuel drill can stand up on its own.
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On 3/31/2017 at 7:53 AM, Bremon said:
@aabee what's wrong the the layout of it? It's 4 speakers and a sub plus a passive radiator, has louder and clearer sound than my Bosch PB360C, while the suitcase style design makes it much more portable. Pretty much has to be the size it is, and overall volume of its form factor is pretty similar to other radios in its class.
The physical layout isn't the issue so much as having to constantly toggle the volume knob to switch between volume/searching/adjusting sound settings. I'm spoiled by my Hitachi BT radio where there's buttons for searching, volume, etc.
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Aren't routers the one thing that PC still makes quality products of?
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Don't mock me for asking this, as I'm relatively inexperienced when it comes to reading power tool specs. Is the Surge less powerful than most 12v impacts? I'm only asking due to the lower torque put out. I've used the tool to drive 3" decking screws with ease, but I was just curious if it was worth it to purchase a 2nd Gen Fuel impact to handle longer screws.
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I have this and love it. Everything about it. Even down to the fact that Hitachi just came out like Kool-Aid Man through a brick wall and suddenly released the best impact on the market with IP56 rating to boot out of absolutely nowhere, along with the fastest charger of any power tool brand and a sweet, sweet case with 3.0 batteries the size of 2.0s.
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Definitely demand the FPD. It's vastly superior to the compact and as others have said, isn't much bigger.
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Just used the sub-compact 18v impact driver today.
I friggin' love it. The assist mode is worth the difference in the kits alone, and it operates smoother and quieter. Speaking of weight, I like the larger base of the 18v compared to the torpedo-style batteries. This isn't to say the Fuel isn't good (it certainly is), but I knew I made the right decision the minute I sank my first screw. Thank you everyone!
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My 18v Fuel Surge/Hammer drill just arrived today from Tool Barn, and it's accompanying my 18v sub-compact set I recently bought with the free 2.0 battery from HD (I used to work at Lowe's, but screw it; we should have done everything possible to retain both Makita and Milwaukee!) as well as my Triple Hammer. I absolutely love the impacts from both the Makita and Milwaukee sets (the assist mode on the Makita is unbelievably smooth, while the Surge is a blast to use with the reduced noise; much quieter than it seems in videos).
Fastening class of 2016!
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39 minutes ago, HiltiWpg said:
They are long overdue for a refresh, it's probably coming soon.
They seem to be clearing out a lot of M12 stuff.
Sent from my iPad using TapatalkI reached out to Milwaukee via their Facebook page and asked them when/if they'd be releasing more compact M12 fasteners a few weeks ago, and they told me nothing was in the works. Even mentioned the fact that their Fuel drill/driver in particular is longer than most compact 18v drills these days. They were groundbreaking when they were released but their size hasn't aged well.
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11 hours ago, Biggie said:
Yea I prefer the 18v too, they're so powerful and compact. I just assume the guys running a m12 will want the quiet surge the same way I wanted it with the m18 surge. As long as they can keep similar power to the current m12 fuel I would think it'd be a hit.
I think Milwaukee's been conspicuously quiet with their 12v Fuel fasteners in general. I'm amazed that they have no plans to release more compact versions of their current 12v Fuel fasteners given they came out 4+ years ago and aren't much smaller than a lot of 18v stuff on the market. I'd expect a 2nd gen 12v Fuel fastener lineup before the release of a 12v Surge TBH.
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Big thank you to everyone who's posted. I'm going to go with the Makita. In addition to having better ergonomics, I've found that the drill is superior (non-spinning chuck, shorter length) and the impact is as well (assist mode, slightly higher torque). One thing that's really awkward about the 12v Fuels are their angled chucks on both the drill and impact. They're set up that way (I'm assuming) so they can stand up with the smaller batteries but they just feel off when drilling and driving as I'm used to the 90 degree angles instead of the 45. Keep posting in this thread though, as I'm sure others are likely in the same boat with both promotions going on!
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38 minutes ago, rrich1 said:
if you wanted to get one id go makita. But it depends on what tools you want. Do you want a cordless ratchet? if so go Milwaukee. Do you want a hand held planer, sander, or other wood working tools? if so go Makita.
Hitachi really seems to be bringing new tools to the market lately. if you can wait id hold off for a few months to see what else they will bring out. There new stuff looks great.
I'm not planning on purchasing more tools in either platform (I know, famous last words) once I make my decision. It will be for only these kits.
Re: Hitachi, they're indeed killing it of late; their Triple Hammer is my Rolls Royce of power tools. But I'm just looking for something compact at the moment, and there isn't anything planned there and their 12v line is weak akin to DeWalt but with marginally better support.
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I picked up the 12v Fuel to give it a trial run, and will do the same with the Makita, and return one or the other (or both) after testing them out a bit. One thing I've already noticed with the Fuel is the chuck spins. I didn't even put a bit in it; it continues to spin after I release the trigger for a second or two, and this happens on both the 1st and 2nd gear. Is this common? It's one of the many reasons I returned my Kobalt 24v drill; the chuck kept spinning and it wouldn't retain my bit after I let off the trigger. I'm slightly leaning Makita to begin with.
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31 minutes ago, The.Handyman said:
Why does it need to be compatible with with FlexVolt batteries? It doesn't need a big expensive battery in it. Runtime is great with a 5.0ah. I would rather delegate my FlexVolt batteries to tools that have a higher battery drain.It's splitting hairs since the FlexVolt came out after this radio was already made anyhow. Just out of curiosity, I'd love to see what the runtime on it is running off DeWalt's 12v 1st gen lithium batteries.
No doubt the most common question - which brand?
in Power Tools
Posted
To be fair to Kobalt, their lineup has only been out for a little over a year now and so I wouldn't expect compact tools and lighting yet outside of their standard worklight. Good point re: long-term support, but I'm certain they learned plenty of lessons from their bungled 18v/"20v Max" "upgrades". I worked at Lowe's when those tools came out and the irony was that although the 20v Max were actually high quality brushed tools, there was next to no marketing and virtually nothing for discounts or specials, both of which have been rectified with the 24v line.
Right now DeWalt is clearly the #1 cordless option at Lowe's, but the #2 spot is wide open and if Kobalt is wise they'll continue to grow their products as they have a clear shot at that position (in fact, it wouldn't surprise me if they've reached it this past year sales-wise). Porter-Cable is an also-ran and outclassed by the 24v line significantly, while Hitachi and Bosch are content to remain stagnant.