fm2176

You summarized my post very succinctly. I tend to get wordy, especially when I'm killing time...

SBD's brands seem to have more detractors than other corporations' due in large part to the number of battery platforms they've had over the years. I didn't stay up to date with tool news when Milwaukee discontinued the V18 line some twelve years ago, and while the change to M18 caused a few to switch brands, you don't commonly hear people bring up Milwaukee (or other TTI brands) when they complain about batteries and tool system longevity. Over the past few years, I've heard and/or thought the following gripes and opinions about SBD cordless tools (some of which isn't necessarily their fault): DeWalt: 20v Max "false advertising"; 18v Li-Ion batteries discontinued; 18v line incompatible with 20v Max; 12v Max "dead" (before the XTREME tools were released); 12v Max not competitive with M12 Craftsman: not compatible with Sears Craftsman systems; overall confusion with Sears Craftsman; distrust due to Sears' abandonment of previous Craftsman systems Porter Cable: changeover from 18v to 20v Max; lack of growth in the system compared to competitors (namely Ryobi); future of the system (especially since the acquisition of Craftsman) Bostitch: 20v Max: "So, I'm buying this battery system that only supports a few nail guns?"; 18v: Wow! Walmart carries Bostitch power tools, these must be almost as good as DeWalt! Wait, where'd they go?" (Coincidentally while writing this, I found that my local store has a drill/impact combo for $30. Went to the store and searched to no avail, if it still shows one in stock I may ask about it the next time I go. Not getting my hopes up since this system hasn't been sold for a while) Fatmax: Walmart sold them, then Bostitch replaced them. Black & Decker: "why doesn't this B&D battery marked 20v Max fit my twenty year old drill?"

Eric, I agree, PC could (should?) become a corded-only brand that focuses on routers, sanders, and perhaps their better-known trademarks such as the TigerSaw recip. Craftsman could thrive being cordless-only, with a large platform marketed as a DIY/light professional use alternative to DeWalt's pro tools.

Watching a hammer drill test video on YouTube just now, I was reminded that TTI does have some brand redundancy of sorts. This is yet another video where Hart and Ryobi are compared (along with other brands), and I note that the two are often similar in test results. In this case, an $80 Hart kit including a 1.5Ah battery is tested against a $158 Ryobi kit with 4.0Ah battery as well as an off-brand, M18 Fuel, FlexVolt Advantage, and Makita drills. While Hart and Ryobi seem to be peers, albeit with the latter offering more premium kits and a lot more tools, I'd say that TTI still gets this relationship right. Namely, Ryobi is well known as a Home Depot house brand, while Hart started dominating Walmart a year or two ago. The two stores are not direct competitors and their customer bases are a bit different, so Hart and Ryobi aren't necessarily in direct competition. Contrast this to SBD and their presence in Lowe's, where Porter Cable continues to be sold alongside Craftsman despite the latter seeming to have taken its place in the hierarchy. For better or worse, Walmart doesn't have a whole lot of brick and mortar competition these days, with Kmart being almost dead and Target targeting a slightly different demographic, but imagine if Porter Cable could enter into an agreement with Target. Admittedly, Target has very little focus on tools and home improvement, with my local stores relegated to a few basic hand tool kits and one aisle of basic hardware/home improvement goods.

Does anyone look forward to this event? It seems to be hit or miss in terms of overall value, and a thread on another forum shows a lot of displeasure over last year's event. For those who don't keep up with the sale, it boils down to an annual event with Home Depot displaying a large center aisle promo at the front of the store, usually in the form of a battery starter kit or basic drill kit for $99 with free bare tool. The kit may differ year to year, as does the max price on the "free" bare tool. I picked up my first Ryobi One+ tool during Ryobi Days a few years ago and feel as though I got a good deal. That year, the kit was a "30-minute" multi-chemistry charger with 3.0 HP batteries, and I picked up the pole saw to use at a project house. Since then, I've gotten a couple of other promos but nothing to write home about. If anything, I'd say that Ryobi Days is great for the casual homeowner and kinda "meh" for dedicated tool users and/or tool junkies. In other words, if you're starting out, or if you need one of the free tools there are worse ways to go. If you already have a lot of tools, Ryobi Days' free tool selection will probably seem lackluster or just not worth it. For example, the free tool can be anything from an inflator that goes on sale for $20 to a multi-port charger or radio that are normally $79, making deal-conscious buyers have to choose between something they may need or a better bargain. Then too there are those who use the buy and return method, returning the bare tool (or kit) and getting something they need for cheap. While I've never done this, I can imagine that using this to return a "free" $79 item is well worth it if someone wants/needs the inflator, as the latter is so inexpensive regularly. Any thoughts on Ryobi's most hyped non-holiday event?

Theoretically, this should work. A 54v motor, some fairly simple calculations and confirmation that the higher voltage won't fry anything, and your vacuum may live again. Then again, I don't know what kind of electronics are inside the vacuums. I have both 20v Max wet/dry vacuums (DCV580 and DCV517). Both are great little machines, though I've recently used the M18 vacuum a bit more.

I like your train of thought, however, I'd say that Craftsman and Mac are both essential brands for SBD when it comes to mechanics tools. Since I worked in a dealership over twenty years ago a lot of things have changed, but I still see tool trucks rather often and I know that their business model of extending truck credit is a convenient--if slightly predatory--way of helping mechanics and technicians do their job. By predatory, I don't mean with high interest, but rather the relatively high prices of the tools themselves. I sometimes find tools I bought off the Snap-On, Mac, or Matco truck back in the day that I paid a premium for (especially some of the Lisle specialty tools that see a significant markup on the truck). If Lowe's got fully on board with Craftsman and started offering separate had tools, both companies could see a lot of success. Basically, do with Craftsman what they did with Kobalt when they launched in 1998: offer quality USA-made tools that are an alternative to both the truck brands and the Home Depot / Harbor Freight brands. I worked at the Cadillac dealership down the street from a Lowe's when Kobalt launched and though I never bought into the brand at the time I thought it was interesting that an alternative to Sears had popped up. Now, having owned some Williams-made Kobalt tools, I wish I'd have paid more attention back then.

If you were in a position to do so, would you reduce the number of battery platforms Stanley, Black & Decker (SBD) offers into a few compatible/interchangeable brands? Their primary big box competitor here in the states, TTI, effectively offers three brands covering overlapping, yet distinct, tiers. Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi offer just about any cordless tool or accessory needed with Ryobi mostly marketed as a value brand capable of most job, Milwaukee as a pro brand with an emphasis on trades, and Ridgid somewhere between the two but with an unmatched lifetime serivce agreement. For the most part, TTI's brands don't directly compete with each other for display space or sales, and having four well-supported battery systems (I won't count Tek4 or Ridgid 12v as they seem all but dead in the water) with relatively minimal overlap seems like a good marketing marketing strategy for the corporation as a whole. This leads me to SBD, which has a number of brands that seem to directly or indirectly compete with each other. DeWalt is the "premium" brand, but what of Craftsman or Bostitch nail guns? Where does Porter Cable fit into the equation, and are Black & Decker tools as good as Ryobi or just throwaway homeowner-grade junk? With that said, each SBD brand has a legacy, strong brand recognition, and at least some amount of fan service. As such, in my opinion they'd be best served by creating "universal" brand tiers that share common batteries while maintaining the brand themselves. For those already invested in current battery systems, an adapter similar to the 20v Max to 18v DeWalt DCA1820 could be released. My unsolicited thoughts are as follows: DeWalt/Mac: Professional Use - keep the current 12v Max and 20v Max batteries, and continue marketing DeWalt as the premier "jack-of-all-trades" brand with Mac continuing its automotive focus. Perhaps extend the awareness of Mac cordless tools by either a) selling them alongside DeWalt in stores, or b) making yellow versions of things like ratchets. Craftsman/Porter Cable/Bostitch: DIY/Light Professional Use - the former could be focused on automotive and basic carpentry tools (saws, drills, etc.) with Porter Cable focused on sanders and specialty tools (like the 20v Max tile saw) while Bostitch maintains its niche in the nailer market. Black & Decker: Homeowner Use - keep the lower price point and expand the system as well as sales/special buy promos to better compete with Ryobi. TTI has a "good, better, best" system with a lot of innovative tools such as pulse drivers (Ryobi Quietstrike, Ridgid Stealth, Milwaukee Surge) being separated by their size, weight, and power while maintaining a cross-platform sense of quality. Black & Decker would benefit from seeing versions of tools currently offered in other SBD lineups and could also be used to test newer innovations without risking higher tiered brands' reputations. In a pinch, bring FatMax cordless tools back to the states and make them a compatible but more premium version of the B&D lineup. I'm picking on SBD because they are unique in my opinion. Makita is, well, Makita, Bosch focuses on their namesake (though it might be nice if some Dremel tools were adapted to use Bosch 12v batteries), and Metabo HPT did away with their separate platforms a couple of years ago. A trip to Lowe's for a new drill can find the uninitiated overwhelmed by the number of choices, half of which are SBD brands. Metabo HPT, Bosch, Skil, and Kobalt take up a relatively small amount of space compared to DeWalt and Craftsman, while Porter Cable and B&D are a bit more subdued in their presence/marketing. For those interested, Toolguyd has a comprehensive list of who owns what: https://toolguyd.com/tool-brands-corporate-affiliations/?utm_source=topmenu&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buying-guides. Anyway, what are your thoughts? We've discussed universal battery systems before in the guise of cross-manufacturer systems, but the consensus is usually that this would not be financially beneficial to the corporations and would open the door to litigation (imagine being able to fit a Harbor Freight Warrior battery in an M18 Fuel OneKey tool, or a High Output battery in a DrillMaster). Should SBD keep the status quo of pushing DeWalt and Craftsman to the forefront of sales, keeping B&D relegated to a small homeowner quality system, and letting Porter Cable, Bostitch, and other brands just kind of exist? Should they emulate TTI and downsize to only three brands, or should they keep the brands but consolidate the number of battery systems, effectively creating "families" of brands with different end users in mind?

It looks like Stanley, Black and Decker (SBD, who bought Craftsman from Sears) has plans to bring back at least some of Craftsman's former reputation, as I've heard that they're going to start making some hand tools in the US once again. While SBD is pushing Craftsman cordless tools rather heavily, though, and some tools seem to be red versions of their DeWalt counterparts, most of us regard the SBD Craftsman power tool line to be on par with--and a potential replacement for--Porter Cable.

True, I'm optimistic that today's systems are here to stay for the foreseeable future, though. Most major manufacturers haven't switched battery styles over the past ten or so years, despite vast advancements in both battery design and the tools themselves. I have exactly one DeWalt 12v Max Xtreme tool (the 3/8" impact wrench), and my batteries made in 2010 work fine in it As for Ryobi, I have one of my father-in-law's drills he bought in kit form about fifteen years ago that's fully functional with my most modern One+ battery.

Despite the subject, I'll try to leave politics out of this. If anyone feels a need to bring them up, please do so respectfully. Over the past few months I've been a fringe player in the recent Inauguration, working to ensure that key pieces melded together while staying out of the big picture and avoiding any direct exposure to the events themselves. This past week saw our schedule flipped as the team and I worked to bring all of the military elements together during a wholly unique transition of power in our Executive Branch of government. I had the honor of being a part of the Inaugural Parade and a bunch Inaugural events years ago, so I know the amount of time, effort, and (let's face it) shenanigans that go along with the formalities during a normal Inauguration. Let's just say that the downsized celebrations were welcome considering the pandemic and the violence that has taken place since last year. As we ramped up to 1200 on Wednesday, I wondered what-if anything-might happen. National Guardsmen were in DC in droves, and when I missed a turn going into work I got to drive past the heavily fortified Capitol (a uniform and proper ID worked wonders, and no, I have no insight as to the Guardsmen since I'm on Active status and there's this whole Posse Comitatus thing...). I was wondering what might transpire and was relieved to see that it was uneventful. I may be moving to yet another very unique assignment before retirement, but this career has already taken me to places I never fathomed as a young(er) FM2176 looking to simply join the Infantry and go to war. Sure, I've done the whole war thing, back when it was "fun" as we toppled Saddam's regime in 2003, but I've also helped young men and women to enlist, turned them from civilians into Infantry Soldiers, rendered final honors in Arlington National Cemetery, taken part in multiple national events, worked in higher headquarters in Afghanistan, and served in positions that enabled me to help victims or save Soldiers from their own dark thoughts. I've met Presidents, Medal of Honor recipients, Wounded Warriors, celebrities, and too many others to mention; not bad for a kid that grew up in a trailer park. As a proud Virginian with roots that go back some 400 years, as a Soldier who's carried on a tradition of service dating to the 1600's, and as an American, I hope this nation continues to endure even during the most trying times. Before long I'll fade away from federal service and plan to continue serving my community in a vocation that is more unpopular now than ever. In the meantime I'll keep up my tool addiction, create oddities as I get the inspiration, and maybe even hone my skills one of these days (ideally while keeping my digits and natural beauty 🤡). Anyway, back to the tools! America will always need tradesmen and builders!

I picked up two Packout 10" totes for $42 apiece. The 15" tote is marked down to $42 but I have yet to find any in stock. I'll probably transfer some of my electrical tools from one of the AWP totes to a Packout tote, and maybe use the other for plumbing stuff.

If DeWalt made any real mistake in the gradual change from 18v to 20v Max, it's that they continued to fully support the older system for so long. Here in the States, the 18v line was only discontinued in the past year or two, meaning that for at least 7 years (2011-2018) new tools could be purchased in either style. Our big box retailers like Lowe's and Home Depot offered multiple $99 holiday kits, with an 18v XRP often displayed next to the 2-3 20v max Models on sale. While many of these were likely purchased for the replacement batteries, some people doubtlessly bought the 18v kit with the mindset that these tried-and-true workhorses were still top-of-the-line. I consider the early 2010's to be pivotal in tool and battery technology, a time when many brands were optimizing their designs to drive ever more powerful tools. Ryobi has proven that sticking with post-style batteries is possible, with their One+ system being almost universally interchangeable. Most other manufacturers, however, decided that changes were needed to create the "battery of the future", if you will. Despite alienating some established users, companies like DeWalt expanded the horizons of cordless technology. DeWalt gets the brunt of the hate here, probably because the 18v system was so popular and well-established. Let's not forget, though, that other brands had notoriously short-lived or under supported systems, such as the Milwaukee V18 or M28.

The new Craftsman just lacks the stage presence, if you will, of the old Sears stuff. Sure, I can walk into Lowe's and be exposed to a sea of red Craftsman signage, but the effect is diminished by the equally prominent DeWalt yellow, Kobalt blue, and in some cases MetaboHPT green. Also, whereas Sears had aisles devoted to hand tools, with each different size and style of socket or wrench getting its own peg, Lowe's (at least the ones I visit) focuses almost solely on kits. To be honest, Home Depot is similar, with Husky's hand tool section occupying almost no space compared to the multiple aisles Sears had even ten years ago. One thing I'll miss, even from the last time I went into a Sears almost two years ago, is the sheer size of the tool section. The stores devoted nearly a quarter of a floor to tools and lawn and garden, creating an oasis of sorts for those of us who were dragged to the mall by our families. 😀 Many of the Sears stores I went to had tool sections that rivaled Harbor Freight in size, albeit with Made in the USA Craftsman and other reputable brands. Speaking of which, I wouldn't be surprised if Harbor Freight's rise in popularity was aided by Sears' struggles over the past couple of decades.

This... Modern batteries used by today's major brands are the result of years--if not decades--of research and experience as exactly what components/design factors make the best power source for a given tool. We have really seen this over the past five or so years, with each manufacturer releasing their version of high performance batteries for "smart" or high draw tools. FlexVolt, Milwaukee HO, Ryobi HP, etc. are all examples of batteries designed to complement smaller (2ah, etc.) batteries. To put this in perspective, ten years ago cordless circular saws generally used smaller blades (6-1/2", 5-3/8") and made due with the same batteries used in drills and the like (back then 3ah was standard for a "large" pack). Now you can get brushless 7-1/4" saws and have a choice of using a small battery--perhaps losing a little performance and lacking longevity--or using a 9ah or even 12ah battery that will run the saw for much longer.

I have a 20v Max 4ah battery that was doing the same thing. DeWalt sent a new one, no questions asked, and after closer examination I realized that one or two of the terminals were corroded. I saved the old battery as I'm certain the cells are good, and I think the charger is simply unable to read the battery's condition. Check your connection terminals, you may find a similar issue.

So, I stumbled across one of these at two separate Lowe's locations this past weekend (description and price after my comments, in case the link disappears): https://www.lowes.com/pd/Metabo-HPT-was-Hitachi-Power-Tools-Framing-Finish-2-Tool-Kit/1003008470 I have to admit, my first thought was "hmmm, I might need that. Then I thought better...I don't have a pressing need for a roofing nailer and I already have premium saws from DeWalt, Ridgid, and Milwaukee. So, I didn't really pay too much attention to it, rather looking it up when I got home before realizing that the nailer is pneumatic. So, a pneumatic nailer, cordless circular saw, battery and charger for under $300. The nailer alone sells for $10 more, and the bare tool saw is $179 (or $517 in kit form including battery, charger, and power adapter). Given the steep drop in price, I'd venture to say that this wasn't an overly possible combination at its original price point. How many pros use MetaboHPT cordless tools, and what would be the likelihood of someone in the market for a pneumatic nailer paying extra for a cordless saw (or vice versa)? Anyway, the price is below. If I still had the Hitachi impact driver I gave away, or if I needed a roofing nailer, this might be at my house now. I think I will keep an eye on them, though, in hopes of another price drop. $279.00 Actual price was $607.00 $607.00Save $328.00 Offer ends on Jan 29 Ends Jan 29 Metabo HPT (was Hitachi Power Tools) 1.75-in 15-Degree Pneumatic Roofing Nailer Item #2635004Model #KITNV45C36M

Most likely, no. B&D is part of Stanley Black & Decker (SBD), however, so depending on the system you might find an SBD brand's charger that works with minor modifications. For example, the Porter Cable 12v Max and B&D 12v batteries were compatible if a tab was removed. I'd recommend trying to find a used charger.

I scored two new to me tools this weekend. The first is a Toledo No. 1 pipe vise from my wife's grandparents' shed. It needs cleaning but should come in handy in the shop. The second is a Jet DC-650 dust collector. We got a heads up on some free cabinets, and the shop we picked them up at (they were new but had been sitting for five years) had both a radial arm saw and a dust collector sitting outside. The shop had closed by the time we returned, and the RAS was gone (probably just moved out of the shop for the cleaning they were doing), but the dust collector was still there. One of the co-owners was still there, so I asked about it and he told me I could take it. No idea what, if anything, is wrong with it, but it was full of dust and needs to have the cord replaced. The DC-650 doesn't have the best reviews but free can't be beat.

The food turned out well. I used the recipe linked above for the ham, substituting King syrup for the Karo dark corn syrup as the latter was out of stock everywhere I went. In my opinion, the recipe could have been halved, as the pan my ham was in was full to the brim with syrupy marinade. As such, the top half of the ham was a bit more smokey while the bottom was essentially simmered in sweetness. The pecans themselves were ready to be turned into pralines, so I scooped and strained the ones left in the pan, put a little sugar on top, and enjoyed those separately. My wife got inspired to make broth out of the remnants of the turkey, and the leftover ham was divided between breakfast and a pot of cabbage and potatoes. The dogs feasted on what was left after a few days; it's always humorous watching the 50-lb. female mountain cur (hound breed) stealing a ham bone from the 100-lb. male black lab. They were going back and forth over the remnants of the country ham for a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving. I made some beef, vegetable and noodle soup yesterday. I like relatively hands-off cooking, so my go-to inside the house is the Crock-Pot (my wife has bought into the Instant Pot craze). I'll likely take the larger Crock-Pot with me as I head south today to finish some drywall and prime/paint a room. It should be a good week for a large pot of chili.

The M18 vacuum would be my choice. As for batteries, if you're lucky you may find a 2-pack holiday buy (Home Depot usually has these around the holidays but I didn't really pay attention this year).

Same to you and the rest of the Crew!

I'm considering it, ToolGuyd has one review of a Tacklife tool (a pruning saw) and they seem to sell their stuff exclusively on Amazon. Looking at pictures of their various stuff, I'd say they're one of the many brands that simply slap their label on mass-produced Chinese tools, but the price is hard to beat. As I was looking around earlier this week, I was reminded that DeWalt has a cordless drywall sander now. I'm trying to figure out how to convince the wife that I "need" to spend over $400 on that, then I'll have to justify a good dust extractor. 😀

I want a slicer as well (I need to look in the shed at the other house as I think my father-in-law had one). As for smoking larger cuts of pork, I like to use a softer flavored wood like cherry or apple, keep my grill at between 200-300 degrees (the Harbor Freight infrared thermometer is excellent for checking grill temperatures--its temperature threshold is higher than the General and Klein thermometers and with a coupon it's much cheaper. Looking at the website, though, it appears they sell an Ames version now that's different from the Centech I picked up five years ago. As for seasonings, I use whatever dry rub I have on hand, and if I have none I'll use Creole seasoning or (occasionally) Old Bay. Bad Byron's Butt Rub was a go-to when I lived in Georgia, and I think it was Kosmos that my wife picked up last week. I always have at least Tony Chachere's and Slap Ya Mama seasoning on hand as well. If I have time, I'll brine the pork a few hours to a day in advance, using a non-scientific solution of water, salt, creole seasoning, and whatever beer I don't want to drink. I picked up a variety pack of hard cider a while back that I didn't like the taste of, but which made an excellent marinade and brine additive. I couldn't find any of the Tony's praline honey ham marinade around Northern Virginia (most stores only carry Creole Butter, with other varieties available around Thanksgiving), so I'm trying this recipe for tomorrow's ham: http://forums.smokintex.com/showthread.php?722-Pecan-Praline-Honey-Ham-my-way!

Anyone have any experience with Tacklife tools? Namely this: https://www.amazon.com/TACKLIFE-Drywall-Sander/dp/B07RX9SJ5L/ref=asc_df_B07RX9SJ5L/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475715995816&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16219552948329895703&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008192&hvtargid=pla-1019336411691&psc=1 I've heard a little about the brand and know they are no Festool, but the price seems hard to beat for the convenience and utility (versus hand sanding everything and dealing with the dust). Any insight or opinions are much appreciated.