fm2176

I'm wondering if it would be feasible to modify one of the small boxes to mount the compressor on top. Fitting it inside a rolling box would be great, but the small box is cheaper and should be just large enough to fit a couple of nailers and perhaps spare batteries and/or charger and other small items in. So long as you don't go overboard, it should hold up to being carried using the compressor's handle, plus you could still attach it on top of the other boxes. I've got a bunch of rubber insulated steel straps in various sizes, and I'm thinking that four of those with either fender washers or steel/aluminum bars (perhaps even a sheet of aluminum with all four bolts running through it) attached to to the inside of the lid would suffice to prevent the lid from breaking, while providing a damper for the small amount of vibration this thing produces. Another possibility might be to build a mount that attached via the boxes' attachment bars. Wood would get worn down quickly, so either metal or maybe 3D printing would work? The last idea would be if someone has an extra large box, and wanted to mount the compressor on it. This would preclude multiple boxes but would provide plenty of space for hoses, nailers, and supplies.

The mimosas have grown up all over the place at my project house. Where the 20v Hedge trimmer handled them well enough earlier this year, I think this chainsaw is a must for them now. So, one will be on the to-order list very soon.

I found two pairs of the Irwin Ergomulti pliers today for $5 each.

Damn, two reminders of how dangerous tools can be. I'll admit to having done questionable things back when I was invincible, but having survived Iraq and Afghanistan I'm not willing to risk my life using tools. Heck, these days I even drive the speed limit or slower if conditions are bad. Safety features on saws have spoiled me to the point where I don't like using older saws without them. For example, I had to use my brother's old corded DeWalt circular saw late last year for a project we were working on. I'd used my PC 18v for the previous few years. Needless to say, the lack of a brake on the DeWalt surprised me initially. I'd grown so spoiled by such a basic feature that I forgot that some circular saws don't have a brake!

I had a Fluke 87 for years, as they were (are?) the standard for General Motors technicians. It and a Fluke clampmeter were stolen, though, so I'm now stuck with a couple of cheap Craftsman meters and a handy but basic Klein. Come to think of it, I do have a Fluke 110 (I think) that a coworker gave me.

This. While many marriages don't last (my wife and I will probably divorce amicably after I retire), tools do. They can help us make money, save money, and even strengthen or build relationships. I'm sure more than a few guys (and gals, for that matter) got lucky after helping an attractive neighbor or friend of a friend with home or vehicle repairs.

They are pretty good with getting stuff back to you quick. I paid to ship my dual charger to a service center (I contacted them directly, should have called DeWalt) and had a new one less than a week later. I did contact DeWalt about a busted DS450, used the shipping label, and got a new one a little over a week later. Not too bad, all told.

That's true. I'm fairly certain Marshalltown used to be at Home Depot, and I've posted here about recent deals on Fatmax box levels when Lowe's recently switched to another brand. Lowe's has at least brought back a limited number of Ideal electrical tools. I made out well when they put everything on clearance a few years ago in favor of Southwire. To be honest, I don't think I've purchased a Southwire tool to date.

I could see this working, especially if they worked out a bundle deal for starter kits. Imagine 20v Max bare tools for their regular price of $99 to $159, with the option of adding a 2Ah starter kit for and additional $50 or a higher capacity starter kit for $100 more. The starter kits alone could be regular price, with the bundle being an incentive to effectively buy a combo. On the flip side, how many chargers are out there due to the preponderance of combos? I have four Milwaukee tools, one light, and five batteries, but have four chargers. I have three Ridgid chargers for seven batteries and six tools. As for DeWalt, I don't want to even speculate about how many 12v/20v Max chargers I own. It's nice having a few, but I need to start selling or giving away extras.

I find myself starting to buy duplicates of some things. Some of it is out of convenience - it's annoying to have to keep up with a single utility knife, square, or tape measure - but when it comes to power tools it is often due to a desire to maximize production. I don't usually undertake projects requiring extra hands, but when I do it's nice having spare drills and saws. I can imagine that many of you have more than one drill. At the very least, you may have a corded and a cordless, but some of you probably have 10.8v and 18v brushed and/or brushless and subcompact/compact or full size. There are probably more than a few of you who maintain duplicates of other tools, or who invest in multiple tools in a few platforms. Please share your rationale behind owning more than one of any given power tool. For me it's simply a lack of patience when I need a certain tool. I don't want to walk across the room and wait for the hired help to finish what he's doing, I want to grab a spare and do what I need to do. Nevermind that I may hire one or two helpers once a year at most. 🔨

So, here I am on day six of leave. The hurricane affected my plans of continuing a drywall project earlier this week and yesterday I started feeling a bit off. This morning: nausea and a lack of motivation to drive two hours to a house without power and work in the heat. So, the plan is to work on my school assignments, nap this afternoon, and head out this evening or early afternoon. We'll see how that works out. Anyway, tools are packed, including a bunch of new Goldblatt drywall tools picked up at Lowe's when they switched to Marshalltown. They are just the latest of many acquisitions made for 75% or more off. The funny thing is, the brands they switch to have identical tools at times, proving it all comes from the same factories. I have a few Kobalt knee boards picked up when Lowe's switched to Goldblatt a few years back. Comparing the two, the only difference was color and branding. Anyway, I've stuffed most of the drywall tools, to include two DeWalt screwguns and one cutout tool, into a Ridgid bottom; have Ridgid and Milwaukee chargers along with batteries in a small box; and a tote crammed with two fans and the Gen 5X vacuum up top. My DS450 has other 20v Max stuff, with a DS300 containing various tools, DS130 loaded with 20v Max batteries and charger, and the TS radio attached on top of everything. I'm also taking the 20v Max wet/dry vacuum and Ridgid compressor along with more serious tools like my Winchester 1200 Riot and Beretta M92F (I'm Old School in firearm tastes these days). Anyway, if I put half the effort into finishing that project as I put in here the house would be sold by now. We start another 14-week cycle in two weeks, turning clueless teenaged boys into men equipped with the basics needed to survive modern warfare. Fortunately I'll be at a school for half of that time, maximizing time off and just maybe doing something more productive than watching YouTube and commenting on tools.

I almost picked up a Skil that was on clearance at Lowe's last year but passed it up. Heck, I rarely even use my jigsaw.

This is why Ryobi is on the short list of things to buy. I now have DeWalt (got a lot of deals, but also went kind of overboard), Milwaukee (all clearance deals or special buys I couldn't pass up), and Ridgid (all special buys but everything is stuff I can't currently buy in Yellow). Ryobi's glue gun and inflators are tempting, though.

The last I paid attention, Best Buy itself was feeling the heat from online competitors. Chains come and go, I guess, but some of them have such long histories (Sears, Montgomery Ward) that it is sad to see them struggle and eventually disappear. After all, such companies kept rural farmers like my grandparents and their ancestors on their feet in a time when the general store had only the basics. Walmart and now Amazon spoil us these days. I suppose that's why I always take the time to stop into small town hardware stores, especially if they seem to be mom-and-pop owned as opposed to having corporate affiliations. There are a few gems along the Golden Isles Parkway here in Georgia.

Could it have been a Channellock? I've seen a couple of drills at exactly one hardware store, one of which was a 12v, and a quick search results in a number of threads about the 24v drill on various forums that were created in 2008. The consensus seems to be that they were cheaply made (priced at under $50 they had to be) garbage compared to established power tool brands. A lot of these licensed products and obsolete cordless tools lie collecting dust in hardware stores. A local store has new Porter Cable 18v lithium impact driver kits for $169, with the current 20v Max version for $129 just below it. I've seen B&D Firestorm and other ancient products at other stores.

How could I forget to mention Circuit City? I grew up in the same area they originated from and recall playing in the kids area where parents could sign in their children for stress-free shopping. I too recall the "old" days, though the internet became widespread as I was about to leave high school. My grandmother kept a 12" black and white TV on the kitchen table, tuned to The Price is Right during lunchtime (I have that TV now and will probably hook the Atari up to it). We ended up getting cable in the mid-80s; we had the wood grain corded remote that I'd always trip over, sending the remote flying to the chagrin of my parents. Technology has taken off since then, with cable companies struggling and phones able to take the place of nearly every communications device, computer peripheral, and literary source out there. Back to tools and stores, six to seven years ago I was taking advantage of the Sears in the mall I recruited out of. I guess they stopped carrying Milwaukee tools just before, because I lucked out and found a new Sawzall on clearance for $32 and a drill for $64, both corded and both since stolen. Sears had a lot of clearance deals back then (especially as they were discontinuing their Professional line of tools), but they didn't seem to be in serious trouble. Now, I'm about to create a thread for my Finance class pertaining to an article about Sears' financial state. This article theorizes that Eddie Lampert is being strategic with how he is running the company and that he has a long-term plan to restructure it. I'll share the link when I get on the laptop later.

The FlexVolt miter and table saws have dropped in price, as has the 20v Max miter saw. Prices at my local store are now $560, $350, and $280 respectively. I grabbed a second 20v Max saw a couple of weeks ago for $180. I figure one will be stationary and one mobile, though I may keep different blades on each. The Ridgid 18v compressor is down to $150, the Bosch miter saw that was originally almost $1000 is under $500, and the Husky uni-jack is out of stock but with a $15.02 sticker. I picked two up a few weeks ago for $30 apiece; they beat dragging my floor jack downstairs. Prices were just reduced on most of this stuff. The compressor was $180 last week and the other prices were reduced since I last visited on Sunday. Despite the reduced price, the compressor still qualifies for the current Ridgid promo.

Too late. One is in the backseat as I type this. Picked up the Gen5X vacuum too to qualify for another starter kit.

Of course, hence why I usually write "20v Max" as opposed to simply 20v. I distinguish between the two by their branding, as in the US they are simply 18v XRP and 20v Max. Marketing aside, it is a great way to point out that they are indeed different systems, eliminating the confusion between which style of battery a tool uses. Not a big deal for most of us here, but it avoids returns and bad publicity, even while drawing the ire of other consumers. It's funny how much hatred DeWalt gets for this strategy while Milwaukee's M12 line just slides under the radar. Maybe I should criticize my Fuel tools...I still haven't found the gas tank. Similar to how most 12v car batteries are nominally 13+ volts and alternators put out over 14v.

Simply put: wonderful! I registered my fans, starter kit, and two 4.0Ah batteries (the latter don't qualify for the LSA) on Sunday. They were purchased a month ago and I have yet to register the latest purchases (router, ROS, and another starter kit). I just noticed that the registrations were approved, which is in stark contrast with what I expected, after reading about so many bad experiences. I think that many rejected registrations may be due to spontaneous registrations--buy the tool, rush home to register it (or do so in the parking lot via smartphone), forget about it until you get notice that it was rejected. If that is the case, waiting a month allows plenty of time for the purchase to be accounted for. Home Depot and Ridgid can verify the receipt number more easily since the purchase was made weeks ago, as opposed to mere hours. Anyone else have a positive experience with the LSA? Anyone care to share a negative one?

Good question. From a consumer viewpoint, brushed tools will always be "better"--less expensive, user serviceable, less prone to damage from abuse/accidents. Just about everyone here is a diehard tool user/collector, so naturally more runtime and better specs (as most brushless tools boast of) appeal to us. Harry Homeowner, though, is likely much less discerning, caring more about price and perceived quality. In my opinion, this is why DeWalt continues to sell new 18v tools. They are tried and true tools that many people think are still top of the line. A few months back, I paid a local guy to help me hang drywall. He brought his 18v XRP drill, but I'm fairly certain my 20v Max stuff changed his opinion. His batteries died quick, so he found himself using my brushless drills and impact driver more often than not, and he was amazed by the screwgun with collated magazine. I eventually let him use an adapter to keep running his drill with the 20 batteries. Anyway, I digress. So long as they continue to see profits, major tool manufacturers will offer brushed tools. They may slowly reduce the types of bare tools and single tool kits, but larger combos will probably continue to be offered at prices far below those of premium brushless combos. Think of the DCS393 and DCS381; both are saws with cost-cutting features that are solely offered in combos. Similarly, look at recent special buy combos. DeWalt and Milwaukee offer three tiers of drill/impact kits nowadays: brushed, budget brushless, and pro brushless. The brushed (e.g. DCD780/DCF885) is noticeably cheaper than the budget brushless, which is in turn significantly cheaper than the pro brushless. Simply put, proven designs (DeWalt 18v, brushed tools in general) will continue to be sold until they are no longer profitable. Most consumers don't need to pay more for a brushless tool, so they will continue to buy basic models over more premium offerings. Meanwhile, many of us will continue to buy the latest BL/Fuel/whatever else our preferred brands offer and scoff at those buying that 18v XRP kit at Lowe's (I'm exaggerating; I don't think less of anyone due to what they are buying and am actually glad when I see anyone spending their hard-earned cash on a tool). TLDR; Brushed tools will be around for the foreseeable future.

Should I buy, or wait for the DeWalt? My local Home Depot is getting rid of them and has had at least two in stock for the past few weeks. I noticed a few days ago that they've dropped from $180 to $150. I don't really need a small compressor, though it would come in handy for some projects and to inflate tires. Really, the price is what is causing me to try to find an excuse to pick one up. I recently bought a few more batteries, the ROS, and the router, so the compressor would be a welcome addition to my Ridgid collection. Anyone have one? Is it worth buying instead of waiting for the DeWalt?

I've been watching Irma coverage since waking up at 0500 this morning (I slept in, usually wake up no later than 0330 on days off). Picked up a few more Ridgid batteries, made sure everything is charged, and have adequate food and water for me and the dog just in case. If the power goes out, my neighbors won't know how I'll still have light, radio, and fans. Speaking of which: I'm not a hardcore hurricane expert (never been in the center of one, closest thing was TS Lee in 2011), but I own a house in Louisiana and have lived in the Deep South for the past nine years. I think the reason fans are so talked about is the same reason I've been talking about them: they circulate air that is otherwise humid and maybe stagnant (if any water damage has occurred). I'm just looking forward to being relatively comfortable, watching some more TIA videos on the phone (streamed through a radio), and having plenty of light. That is, if the power even goes out.

I've got my dad's old welder and air compressor, both with Wards branding. Sad that some people probably find such items at yard sales and think they were a tool or appliance company.

Tried getting a BOGO Ridgid 4.0Ah pack as part of the promo (buy 2 bare tools or batteries, get starter kit free), but no dice. While on the subject, though, the local Home Depot has another Rocket light promo that qualifies for the current Milwaukee light promo. The older promo includes a 5.0Ah battery and charger in the box, while the current promo throws in a separate 5.0Ah battery. The old one was great, the current one pretty decent, but getting both with one purchase is outstanding! So, I contemplated leaving the Ridgid stuff behind, but decided to fill some gaps in my cordless tool collection instead. With the storm headed this way, I really wanted a couple more batteries for my fans, so I decided to pick up the random orbit sander and router to qualify for the free starter kit, while also picking up the last BOGO 4.0Ah pack. With the storm coming, I'm fairly prepared for a few days without power (worst case scenario). Battery situation is now as follows: Rocket light: 33Ah of batteries (2x 9.0Ah, 3x 5.0Ah) Ridgid fans: 20Ah of batteries (4x 4.0Ah, 2x 2.0Ah) DeWalt radio, USB charger, Bluetooth speaker, and various lights: 46+Ah (7x 2Ah, 4x 4Ah [one more is at work with the spotlight], 2x 5Ah, and 1x 6Ah, plus eight or more 12v 1.3 and 1.5Ah batteries) Filled two 5 gallon bottles for the water cooler yesterday, and about to bring in the patio furniture in a bit.