fm2176

DeWalt already has...(okay, not exactly, but the power station can run a coffee maker). ☕

My then-local (Columbus, GA USA) Lowe's had some cordless models marked down to $200 or so. At the time I checked out reviews and most seemed positive.

What would it be? Like most of you, I've accumulated specialty drivers for nearly any task. 8v Max screwdrivers for small electrical, 12v Max screwdrivers for cabinetry, drywall screwguns, impact drivers, pulse drivers, compact and full size drills and hammer drills, rotary hammers, impact wrenches, and on and on. This is a difficult question for me, as I enjoy having the right tool for the job (something I learned long ago as an auto mechanic which was reinforced when I became a road technician who had to make do with the tools I carried in the truck). In fact, it's such difficult question that I'll defer to the TIA Crew members who currently make a living with their tools. I suspect that the answers will vary depending on trade and experience. So, one cordless driver, what would it be?

I may finally get around to assembling the Parkside bench top drill press I bought a few months ago. A forum search for the brand results in one mention of the Grizzly track saw looking similar to a Parkside version, so I figured I'd ask, "Who has tried out Parkside tools?" First, I'll give a Lidl background for those unfamiliar with the store: Lidl is a grocery store not too dissimilar from Aldi. Both are Germany-based and have a smaller footprint than most American supermarkets. Both also feature proprietary brands (some which are identical products albeit with different labels), lower prices than most competitors, and a bring or buy your bags (or simply grab a box from one of the bins around the store--these companies really seem to minimize waste) mentality. Best of all, each store offers a rotating selection of themed items. Exercise and health equipment, pet and household products, etc. Oh, and they also sometimes sell power tools and hardware. While Aldi usually has a single aisle devoted to such things, Lidl offers at least twice the selection in bins located in the middle of the store. So, back to the topic. Have any of you tried Parkside out? Besides the press, I've seen bench grinders and other bench tools, 20v Max cordless tools, and even 40v Max OPE. They also have assorted hardware that may be worth checking out. I picked up a couple of decent looking o-ring assortments last year. I suspect this drill press is akin to most Harbor Freight bench tools: cheap (I think I paid @$70) and hit or miss in quality. Even so, it's cheaper than the Ryobi or Porter Cable, and fills a niche my shop was lacking. Also, until and if I justify buying better equipment, its pricing is in line with my other corded bench tools: PC router in Ryobi router table ($100 total not counting bits), Ryobi wet tile saw ($50 + $20 pump and eventually $40 DeWalt blade), and Ryobi band saw ($80). Okay, so early morning rambling over, who owns, has seen, or even cares about these Chinese tools sold by a German company in a store that most people go to for cheap milk and eggs?

I don't own one, but based on memories of examining in-store models and a summary Google search, I don't think so. As a die hard DeWalt fan, I've tried justifying the purchase of one for over a year, but simply cannot at this time. Though I'm sold on using batteries for nearly everything, the lack of a plug-in option on the DeWalt lessens the temptation, especially as I already have the (almost too-similar) Milwaukee tripod light along with an M18 and two M12 Rocket lights.

I gave in...picked up the DeWalt Xtreme 3/8" impact wrench and a free DCL510 light despite already having two of the lights. Lowe's is giving away the light (a $50 value) with the purchase of any Xtreme kit. The impact wrench looks and feels tiny despite it not being too much smaller than a 20v Max impact driver I have on the counter. Regardless, it fills a niche that I lacked in the tool department. I also gave Home Depot and TTI some money. They are offering a free tool with the purchase of a 3Ah starter kit. This kit doesn't include the fast charger they offered a few years ago but it's still a great buy. Anyway, I picked up the bolt cutters to see how they work. I doubt they'll be good for the military grade Series 5200 locks I usually cut (those require a lot of leverage), so I'll likely use them to cut thicker wire such as fencing.

As many of you (or at least the few of you that still frequent this site) have witnessed, I tend to be a bit verbose in many of my posts. Simply put, I like to write and consider every outlet to be an opportunity to refine both writing skills and style. It is not always the best form on discussion boards such as this, but I firmly believe that well worded and grammatically correct posts add something to a conversation a lot of times. Well, within reason...often longer posts tend to be skipped over. I'm guilty of this myself in some replies, opting to focus on a sentence or paragraph instead of the entire post. Anyway, I write this now as an attempt to crank open my writing faucet. You see, I made an impulsive decision last week to begin my graduate certificate--not in Construction Management or Business, but in Alcohol and Drug Counseling. As I get older I realize that higher-paying management or executive jobs lack appeal, and that I want to continue to do some kind of public service into adulthood (I'm only in my early 40s now). Well, that is if the military is a public service. If it isn't I guess these past two decades have been spent simply adding to the kill count either directly or indirectly. I digress; I started class yesterday and am currently stuck trying to reprogram my brain from my Criminal Justice undergraduate degree and my military training to the world of psychology and psychopathology of substance use. In essence, I'm writing here instead of completing the Blackboard discussion board post I've been struggling with since 0700 simply because I can make some progress here. So, why substance abuse counseling? To be honest, I've witnessed the effects of alcohol and drugs on too many of those close to me. I've also allowed alcohol to turn me into someone I no longer recognized, caring little about things and staring at the brink of complete ruin. Do I plan to become a counselor? Probably not in the near-term. My philosophy is that earning this certificate will better enable me to function as a law enforcement officer in a couple of years. While not in the job description, police officers sometimes have to act as counselors and remediators, and most lack training in how to empathize with criminals or even the victims themselves. For this same reason, I've been a credentialed military Sexual Assault Victim Advocate for almost eight years, and volunteer to become a Master Resilience Trainer three years ago. Every little bit helps, and the fm2176 that went full throttle into Baghdad in early April 2003 does not need to be the Officer fm2176 interacting with the American public in the coming years. Anyway, back to class. I know this thread is entirely different than most of what is shared in the TIA forums, even here in Pub Talk, but can any of you relate? Have you ever found yourself writing an academic or professional essay, report, post, or anything else while struggling to get started? What about diversifying your professional portfolio instead of honing in on a core capability (I suppose that in the trades this would be akin to an electrician gaining a working knowledge of plumbing, or a heavy equipment operator acquiring a CDL in case he needed to haul equipment).

The batteries are compatible. The older stem-style 18v batteries are not. As for the price, it looks okay for the combo and about right for the jigsaw. The DCD771 is DeWalt's oldest and least capable budget drill while the DCF885 was the standard impact driver prior to brushless tools taking the premium positions. As such, a holiday DCF885 kit runs about $99 while a slightly better drill kit will run you about the same. Also, those batteries have been eclipsed by newer and higher capacity ones. While 1.3Ah was decent for a starter kit ten years ago, most starter kits come with at least 1.5Ah batteries now. The jigsaw will run with those batteries but runtime will be minimal unless you invest in a 4Ah or larger battery. If you can afford it, a kit like this will net you slightly larger batteries ND newer and more powerful brushless tools: https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCK277C2-Compact-Brushless-Impact/dp/B01KZNDYT0/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=dewalt+drill+impact+driver+combo+kit&qid=1579133149&sprefix=dewalt+drill+imp&sr=8-4 For $5 less than the above kit you can get the Atomic kit DeWalt released last year.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-230-Piece-High-Speed-Steel-Round-Shank-Screwdriver-Bit-Set/1000441713 My store had two left for $12.48 each. I picked up both and a Versastak large box for $54 out the door. IIRC I already have a similar Kobalt kit, and for the price it is a great buy. Compared to the 100-piece Harbor Freight security bit set, this is only a couple of dollars more, includes multiple 2" bits, and the quality is a bit nicer (though some of the security bits still have off center holes). I went in to buy a second Workpro 100-piece set for the same price but those were sold out.

It can't hurt to have both the smaller and the more powerful impact wrenches. As it stands now, I find myself using an impact driver and adapter for running off nuts that have already been broken loose. I found a DCF880 on clearance at Tractor Supply a couple of years ago but passed on it. I have both the Fuel 2763 and 2767, but those are rather large, so eventually I'd like to get a more compact 1/2" impact wrench as well as 3/8" and 1/4" tools. I guess the good thing about having so many different battery systems is that I'm not tied to a particular brand, so I'll likely pick up whatever I find cheap--be it DeWalt, M12, M18, Ridgid, or Ryobi.

Big box stores (especially Home Depot) exemplify this. New FlexVolt and the power station came out at decent prices. A year or two later certain FV tools and the power station were on clearance. I paid $280 for my FV miter saw, $200 for the table saw, and $180 for the power station. Shortly afterward, some stores started stocking the FV tools again for full retail.

I've noticed a rash of recent posts with embedded links, often by members with no other posts and in reply to years old threads. Are these spambots? If so, they're getting better as the replies have at least something to do with the thread, unlike the boys of only a few years ago that rambled incomprehensibly.

Sounds like fun, dealing with Lawn Darts and Jarheads all of the time. 😉 Seriously, though, it sounds like a tractor trailer style one will work. I'd recommend getting one designed to replace OEM coolers/refrigerators. If they're built for over-the-road driving, one should work well for your needs.

I bought...okay, I returned a few purchases yesterday. While I'll continue searching for great in-store tool deals, I think I'll switch gears back to firearms while saving for retirement these next couple of years. I've realized that my gun collection has shrunk to around 30 or so after a burglary, trades, and sales. It's time to replace my S&W 19 (stolen), finally buy a S&W 29, and perhaps modernize my rifle and shotgun collection a little. I can still post them here if you want...they are rather powerful tools. 😀 Congrats on everyone's 2019 additions, and best of luck with 2020! See you guys around the forums and elsewhere.

I used to have a cheaper one--probably still do, somewhere. Mine also had a heating mode and, while it lacked the speed of a covering drinks in ice, it worked well for road trips so long as the food and drinks were already chilled. For cold drinks during long and sweaty work periods as a Drill Sergeant in Georgia, I adopted two methods of carrying water after tiring of the ubiquitous gallon jug which starts sweating as soon as you step outside. The first was freezing smaller bottles of water and sticking them in the assault pack. After I picked up two of the orange 80-oz Igloo jugs at HD a few years ago, I started filling both up with water or decaffeinated unsweetened green tea. The handles were plenty of sturdy for even a 12-mile foot March and I had cold water even after 16 hours in 95 degree heat. Back to the original topic...a quick search finds this one that has good reviews and is only $89: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U9C322C#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div I don't know the load out of your truck cab, but you can get these things for well over $1000, or even 12v compatable semi-tractor mini fridges for a few hundred.

After performing a quick search I found the link to the seller: https://www.gettoolsdirect.com.au/milwaukee-gen-ii-18v-2-piece-5ah-combo-m18fpp2a2-502c.html. This could be viewed in two ways: as the "gateway drug" into the M12 system mentioned above, or as a way to intice current M12 owners to buy this M18 kit. I think both theories have merit. Already own a number of M12 tools but thinking about getting something with a little more power? Buy this kit and get a spare battery for your existing tools. Need this particular tool kit? Buy it and find yourself tempted to find something to use with that free battery (I didn't see any other versions of this kit, unlike in the US where we often have a choice of bare tool or battery). To be honest, this line of thinking got into DeWalt. I picked up a bunch of 12v Max batteries on clearance for $6-$12 each, then found a Bluetooth speaker on clearance. A few months later I bought a clearance 20v Max kit due to the cross-compatability of the batteries with the speaker and charger. 🙃

DeWalt uses a date code etched into the battery housing (look it up on this site or Google to decipher it). Possible dumb question as I have batteries everywhere, and suspect most of us have more than one, but have you tried different batteries? I have a DCB204 that somehow got a corroded contact. It did the exact same thing with various tools (light came on briefly but didn't power the tool otherwise), due to it being unable to charge properly. Fortunately DeWalt warrantied it.

I posted a deal for the super novice in the Tool Deals sub-forum yesterday, and today I was reminded of something else I saw while at Wal-Mart. My YouTube feed recommend a video from a certain channel and remodeler located in Philly. Let's just say that like many others I was drawn in by his personality and over-the-top videos, left a positive comment on one of his videos (which he responded to), then grew away a bit as I realized that like many other internet celebrities who review products, his channel seemed a bit less than honest about some of their reviews. I still enjoy the videos on occasion, and respect the fact that the channel has grown by almost 150,000 subscribers since last year, but I won't specify out of respect to those members of the TIA Crew who also upload content to YouTube. No need to advertise for the competition, though many of you are likely familiar with the channel in question. Enough about the video...I passed a prominent display of Hart power tools the other day and was intrigued by them. A cursory search shows that TIA and many other reviewers have already made content about them, but I haven't seen any mention here. Did I miss it? Anyway, my intrigue is due to the fact that Walmart seems to be stepping up its game when it comes to cordless tools. They've had 18v Bostitch for years, but they seem to be confined to a drill and impact driver. The Hart selection is larger and much more prominently displayed than I recall Bostitch (or its Walmart predecessor Fat Max) ever being. While I suppose it's nice that Walmart is stepping up its cordless tool game, as many areas that lack a big box home improvement store have a Walmart, I wonder exactly how well these will sell. I posted about the 4-piece Hyper Tough set being on clearance for $30, after a recent price of $50 and original price of $74. The similar Hart kit is $178, though it contains the same tools (drill, impact, recip, and light). Will the average homeowner be willing to fork over $100-$150 more for the same number and type of tools? Is Walmart hoping to attract some of those who might otherwise buy Ryobi or Kobalt, in hopes of cornering those markets where Home Depot and Lowe's lack a presence? Sorry for another long-winded post, leave always finds me bored and inquisitive.

Update: my store had three as of this morning. It's an awfully small box for such a tool kit and the drill chuck is only 3/8", but I stand by my earlier opinions. Also, a lot of the reviews seems to be for an older kit with a single 1.3Ah battery, which makes this deal all the better. If it weren't post-Christmas recovery time, I'd definitely pick one of these up to see how they compare against my Fuel, DeWalt, or Octane tools. I'd fully expect them to disappoint, but I'd also probably consider them to be an upgrade for those relying on manual drivers and throwaway lights.

Okay, so it's Hyper Tough at Walmart. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-Tough-Ht-20-Volt-4-Tool-Combo-Kit-AQ90146G/460267351. I spotted it in the clearance aisle yesterday morning, but the website reflects my local store as no longer having them in stock. The store up the road reflects the $50 price, and a thread on Slickdeals mentions it was $74 originally. I'll admit, I very briefly considered picking one up to torture alongside my Yellow, Red, Orange, and Green tools. Why post this on a dedicated tool forum full of pros and DIY'ers who use name brand tools regularly? Well, hopefully to bring a little more traffic to the site, but primarily because this is, in all honestly, a great deal for those who don't need the name brand tools. The kit has 4.4 stars from 216 reviews, offers LED lights on the tools, and comes with two 1.5Ah Li-Ion batteries. It includes both drill and impact drivers, a reciprocating saw, and the obligatory light to round out the package. Put yourself in the shoes of the vast majority of Americans. The ones who rely on outside aid for nearly everything--be it home repairs or surviving a natural disaster. For the price of a decent flashlight and batteries, you can get this kit that includes an LED flashlight with two long lasting rechargeable batteries (I may be reaching there as my experience is with DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Ridgid lights, not with bargain priced Walmart stuff). Then too, you gain the ability to do basic repairs and projects without spending 2-3x more for an entry level drill (usually with one battery) from a better known manufacturer. To sum it up, this deal will probably be ignored by most of the TIA Crew. I can't really blame you. But if you're surfing in from the interwebs and in need of something more useful than a few cups of awful Starbucks coffee, check out your local Walmart. If you find this deal, head back to their tool section, pick up some cheap bits and blades, a level, and a hammer, and you'll have the necessary tools to take care of most common household improvements and repairs.

Grabbed the M12 Fuel circular saw with free 6.0 Ah battery yesterday. Also, a Ryobi glue gun and a pair of insulated Milwaukee gloves as gifts.

Outstanding! By the way, my dogs say hi to yours.

I went on a splurge and upgraded my commuter bag from an M12 Fuel tool bag to the larger Bostitch bag sold at Walmart. Also picked up my third M12 Rocket light for $105 and the Ridgid 1/4 sheet sander.

True, but the marketing pros at tool companies understand how to appeal to those with compulsive/competitive mindsets. I understand this mentality because of my own compulsiveness, only instead of the latest and greatest I tend to buy deeply discounted clearance items. Simply put, marketing (Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita, and nearly every other manufacturer regardless of product) touts their newest release as "The Best" and people flock to it because they "have to have it" or just due to bragging rights. I tend to use certain tools over others, even if they are "inferior". For example, I own both the M12 and M18 Gen 2 Fuel hammer drills, but I use the standard M12 and the M18 brushless (non-Fuel) drills almost exclusively. With M18 Gen 3 out and my most-used drill being woefully under-powered when compared to Fuel versions, you'd think that I'd have tossed my lesser tools, but in truth they just plain work. In short, I agree with you despite being able to understand what compels some people to continually upgrade. If Porter Cable had continued to support their 10-year-old 18v system, I might have never moved on from that brand. Some trades demand performance, though, and with the constant improvements in technology closing the gap between cordless and corded power I can see perhaps moving to, say, FlexVolt grinders to replace older 18v models. People don't necessarily need the latest, but Milwaukee knows how to make them think they do.

I have a habit of breaking pen clips and bending knife clips, so I was hardly surprised when my new Milwaukee penlight clip snagged on a seat belt this morning. I was surprised, however, by how quickly the clip broke. The clip is attached via a ring between the body of the light and the battery cap which appears to be sturdy, however, the metal is brittle to say the least. Otherwise, I'm impressed by this light and have made it an EDC tool. At the holiday pricing of $30 for two, this is a good buy for those in the market for a compact light that takes standard (AAA) batteries.