fm2176

Thanls for the input. I decided against getting the edger, and though I thought that today was supposed to be the last day of Ryobi Days, the promo signage was all taken down yesterday. The TTI reps here in central VA have been very proactive; I've seen them at least five different times in various stores in the past week alone, usually working in teams of two or three. By comparison, the rep that services the Columbus, GA, and the Phenix City and Opelika, AL stores is usually only there on weekends. Regardless, I think I have all of the Ryobi I want for now, besides the narrow crown stapler. I have two each of the new 3 and 6 Ah batteries to run them, which pales in comparison to my other battery systems but should do everything I need.

With my newly acquisitioned tools and storage, I decided to start putting together a kit to keep in the truck. So far, I have the Makita 3/8" SAE and metric socket sets along with a 1/2" adapter, Klein 11-in-1 screwdriver, M12 3/8" ratchet, impact wrench and drill, and M18 Fuel mid-torque impact wrench. I think that a single 5.0Ah M18 battery and my three M12 batteries (two are charging at the moment) will be sufficient, and I have yet to see if the Rapid Charger will fit in this T-Stak. I have a set of 1/2" DeWalt metric impact sockets in my truck along with Stanley SAE sockets (might have that backwards), and will see if my Snap-On and Sunex sockets will actually fit in the case (once I rescue them from storage next week). I think the entire T-Stak combo will probably stay in the truck, with the bottom box full of hand tools for projects away from home and the top full of various hardware. One thing I'd like to get is a compact M12 light, though I have various other lights in the truck already. Any input or suggestions? With over 250k miles on the truck and a body that's tired of wrenching and ratcheting, I want to ensure my bases are covered to maximize efficiency. The truck box has all the basic mechanic's tools, prybars, big hammers, jack and stands, and some specialty tools such as axle nut and O2 sensor sockets.

Milwaukee is still running their free battery promo through next month. Basically, buy select drill/impact/Hackzall kits and get a free 2.0Ah battery, or buy their Fuel counterparts and get a free 6.0Ah battery. That alone is a decent promo, and the Fuel Hackzall will probably be among my next purchases. The M12 combo has dropped from $149 to $99 for the time being, though, and still qualifies for the free battery, so for $99 + tax you can get an impact, drill, two 1.5Ah batteries, and a 2.0Ah battery plus charger and bag. If you don't need the spare battery, the receipt shows that you can return the free battery for $33 or so, netting the kit for $66. Decent buy, in my opinion, but YMMV.

Good to know, I take it the boots are worth the money? Funny how I ask now, but twenty years ago I didn't hesitate to spend $20+ on boots for my pneumatic tools, despite making under $10 an hour.

I keep a truck box full of well-worn tools with little monetary value. In my opinion, less expensive yet perfectly serviceable tools beat shiny premium brand tools just asking to be stolen, at least when it comes to vehicle kits. The above statement aside, I absolutely loath the scum that steal things out of vehicles, businesses/jobsites, and homes. While all theft sucks, I think that there is a slight gap between those who blatantly steal something and those who find a forgotten item and simply don't try to seek its owner. I'm a fairly peaceful person, especially after taking part in shenanigans overseas, but when my home was broken into I parked the truck in the woodline and prayed the thieves would come back again.

That cantilever box is simply a rebranded version of the former DeWalt box. I found a couple of those at clearance prices a couple of months ago. The T-Stak combo is the same as that sold under the Fatmax brand, which Lowe's had "clearanced" at $95.20 until a few weeks ago. I haven't seen any recently, but the Craftsman version is now $79. I picked one up a few days ago but it feels exceptionally flimsy compared to the ToughSystem and Ridgid boxes. That said, it's designed to target a different demographic and is much lighter and smaller than the 22" modular systems. I now want to get some DeWalt and Fatmax T-Stak components to amuse myself...

Anyone use them? My old IR 231 pneumatic impact still has the Matco branded boot I put on it over twenty years ago. Over the years it served well, but it's sat unused now for a while. With today's addition of a 2860 mid-torque to complement the 2763 and 2767 high torque wrenches, I'm considering get boots for all three. At around $100 total, though, I'm still on the fence about doing so. I have yet to put these tools through their paces, but they'll see plenty of use starting this year. A Kobalt 20v impact I gave my brother late last year is already bearing the scars of heavy use, and I'd prefer to keep the expensive Red tools in decent condition for as long as possible. So, boots or no boots? I know they can be worth the price of admission but have no experience with using them on cordless tools. Any issues I should know about (overheating, debris build-up, etc)? Any stories of miraculous saves after a tool fell 500 stories, or epic fails after an impact imploded inside the boot when torquing a 1/16" fastener?

Reminds me of back when I used to go to my project house alone. 😄 Shortly after starting work there a double murder and arson took place a few miles away. The house had been a foreclosure in a rural area and it seemed that everyone who passed by slowed down to see who was there. Needless to say, I kept a sidearm holstered along with a shotgun near at hand and my dog for good measure. I figured that being a lone minority in the area flaunting lots of expensive tools made me a potential target to some.

Picked up a 2860 mid-torque impact today. I'll likely pick up the M12 ratchets as well as the M18 Fuel 3/8" impact soon enough to complete my cordless automotive setup. Also, found 14 Metabo Combinator cutoff wheels for $.38 each at Lowe's. Coupled with the DeWalt grinding discs I grabbed on clearance last year, I should be set for cutting and grinding for a while.

Also, check your homeowners policy. USAA covers up to 10% of the total personal property coverage for items not on the insured property. This is how I was able to file a claim on stuff stolen from a house I was renting without renter's insurance.

That sucks! Thieves are one thing that irks me beyond words. The thought of someone violating our personal space and taking our property is bad enough. Knowing that the thief or thieves are most likely druggies who will sell the stuff for another fix is even worse. Glad you found a replacement drill so fast, though, and hopefully you'll getba comparable socket set at a decent price. With luck, maybe the stolen items will pop up somewhere to be reclaimed.

Something I got very little of over the past two years. Waking up at 0330 or 0400 six if not seven days a week and working until 2000-2130 got old quick, especially when I got stuck with 24-hour duty on weekends. Seriously, being a Drill Sergeant with a taste for adult beverages isn't good...I found myself so discombobulated when I got a rare day off that I'd often just start drinking at 0500 and alternate booze and naps all day. 🍺 That was then, this is now, and I got the kids to the pool today, played outside with my more active daughter, and tinkered with the lawn mower a bit more. This past week has seen me drinking an inordinate amount of diet root beer as I ween myself off of alcohol and massive amounts of caffeine. As for BF4, I assume you're playing Battlefield? Haven't played that myself, I occasionally play the remastered Final Fantasy X and go on a GTA5 rampage, but I suck at most other games, especially when playing against human opponents.

Well, I got nothing for Father's Day, but found a Bosch 12v light for $9 yesterday morning and picked up a Craftsman T-Stak for $71 later in the day. When I normalize myself from the thankfully over Drill Sergeant days, I'll probably keep my single L-BOXX with the 12v drill and radio it came with (and the new light) in the truck. I'll probably keep a medium Ridgid box or the center T-Stak in there as well with the 2763 impact wrench and sockets. I've been waiting for the 2860 mid-torque to drop to $.03 pricing. The truck used to be clean and organized for emergencies, impromptu projects, and helping other motorists, but over the past two years I've neglected it at best.

I was debating grabbing the Ryobi Quiet Strike if it qualifies for the free tool with purchase of 3Ah starter kit promo. To be honest, though, after comparing it to the Stealth Force and Surge I decided to go with one or both of the latter. The Ryobi's specs seem decent, but it is bulky compared to the Surge. Also, there's that little voice telling me not to start buying Ryobi fastening tools. I have a couple of nailers, the pole saw, inflator, Devour sweeper, and glue gun. Those all fill niches that more premium brands lack. An impulse driver is on my short list, though. I was on the phone at a Home Depot a few days ago, with some employees reconfiguring some shelving using a Ridgid impact driver. In the confines of the store, it seemed louder than normal and was extremely distracting. A day or so earlier I was using my One Key impact driver at the in-laws'. It was a quick job, replacing a broken slat on a bed I made last year, but I wish I'd have just used a drill instead of making all the noise.

Here with my three youngest ones now. My 17 year old son is sleeping and my 19 year old daughter is at her place. I'll be making the most of it, though, and am about to brave the Defense Supply Center swimming pool. Happy Father's Day to you and everyone else too! That said, it's nice watching the kids grow and become more independent...the rental car can't fit 'em all. 🚘

So, HD has restocked the 3Ah starter kits and I'm sorely tempted to get another, but I literally don't need anything else worth the promo. I suppose I could settle for a less expensive free tool, but I like to push the $89 limit. Anyway, the edger is the only tool I might have a use for. Is it any good? Any reason to get one versus just using the DeWalt string trimmer to edge driveways and such? The starter kits are going fast again and the promo ends in a few days so I will likely be unable to take advantage of it again anyway, but on the off chance a kit is still on display, is there any reason to steer away from the edger? As an aside, are any other tools offered in the promo worth it? I have DeWalt, Milwaukee Fuel, and Ridgid brushless driving and cutting tools, so I have little interest in adding green saws or drivers to my inventory. Radios are covered by DeWalt, lights by Milwaukee, and sanders and routers by Ridgid. Is the caulking gun or anything else worth the price of admission?

So, what do all of you do during your time off? I'm currently on leave and trying to find stuff to stay occupied with until I start moving next week. The in-laws' house needs a lot of work but unfortunately my father-in-law is slipping into dementia, meaning that almost anything I do to improve the house is met with disapproval as it's not how he remembers it. I've been trying to do a few things here and there but major work will have to wait until the inevitable.

Politics should be debated on another forum. I'm sure I'm not the only one who comes here for apolitical tool discussion. If I want to hear the two sides of the political divide in the US (let's face it, there are few fence-sitters), I'll call my coworkers (the military is rabidly pro-Trump) or drive fifteen minutes to the liberal haven that is downtown Richmond, VA. As an American I have certain sentiments, but this forum is comprised of a diverse group of people from a lot of English speaking and other countries, all of whom have varied opinions on American policies. As for the DCS577, it's a kickass saw, it costs more or less depending on where you live, and the fact that it's becoming more available across the globe is a win for both DeWalt and those who need such a saw.

I haven't had this issue, but then again I can't say for certain I've tried charging mine on a DCB101. I agree with Bremon, though, blame the charger first unless the same issue occurs with multiple DCB101s.

There could be a problem with your saw, but I think bigger batteries would resolve this issue. The battery you have on the saw is a 1.5Ah (or maybe 1.3Ah), which is about the smallest capacity you can get. My old Porter Cable ran okay with its 1.3Ah batteries, but compared to a 4+Ah those tiny batteries are almost useless on something like a saw.

Well, the above deal fell through after an issue with the card. Reentered the info but it never went through. So, no M12 for this guy as of yet. I picked up a One Key Sawzall and a Gen 4X Ridgid recip saw a couple of days ago, though. I'm back on the wagon, and sadly enough the two saws cost about the same amount I was spending in alcohol every couple of weeks, so I figured why not? Even with the projects I have coming up, I have no need for so many saws, but I do like to destroy things. Right now I'm thinking about just torturing the hell out of my redundant tools when I'm on retirement leave. By that time they'll be overly obsolete anyway. Maybe I'll get rid of a few, but I've already given away most of my one-off tool platforms and hate getting rid of stuff that is compatible with batteries I still own.

It sucks the prices are so much higher over there. I'm in the middle of a roadtrip and found one on clearance for $261, causing me to immediately plot on ways to buy it and return the kit I bought for $349 last month. Pulling it down, I saw it was saw only, meaning it was either a display, someone stole the battery and charger, or somebody bought it and returned it without the battery and charger (same difference). It's a great saw, though.

Sorry to hear about this. Did you have any kind of insurance on the tools? Some homeowners policies cover a percentage of personal property stored away from the insured property, if that helps. You can find used DeWalt tools at flea markets or pawn shops, but prices can be hit or miss. Depending on what you need and your budget, you could get a decent setup for around $500, by buying a Father's Day special at Home Depot (there are a few up to the $499 kit in a Tough System case). Personally, for around the same price, I'd look into a drill and impact kit with two batteries, then head to Lowe's to take advantage of their free 6.0Ah battery promo, buying a brushless circular saw and a brushless compact reciprocating saw to get two high capacity batteries. You might have to make separate purchases to qualify for the promo.

I went with the last circular saw I'll ever buy (until FlexVolt is no longer supported, probably 2020 with my luck), the DCS577. As much as it cost, it's the last saw I can afford! 💸

AWP, the brand of tool bags and pouches sold by Lowe's here in the US, makes what they call a Monster Hook. A quick search reveals that it is sold under a few brands. Basically, you put it on a belt and can hang about anything on it. Werner has two accessories designed for use with the Lock-In system they use on some of their stepladders. One is a hook similar to the Monster Hook that slides into compatible holes on the ladder, while the other is a Tool Lasso that is wrapped around the tool and has a ball on the end. The latter comes with a belt adapter for greater versatility. Before I jumped the shark on collecting power tools, I picked up a number of Tool Lassos when Lowe's clearanced them out for as little as $1 or so. They work great so long as you have a ladder handy. I used to bring a couple podium style ladders for my projects, with Lock-In buckets attached so I had a handy place to set things at a convenient height. The only downside is that the tools aren't really that secure if you use the belt adapter. If you kneel down amd the tool rests on the floor or another object the Lasso may lift off the adapter.