fm2176

I own the 20v hedge trimmer, string trimmer and both blowers (the small one is designed for job sites but works great for blowing dry grass and dirt off of concrete). Frankly, I like them. I own a house that has turned into a long-term project, and mimosa shrubs have grown around the property. The hedge trimmer works great to trim these down, and the string trimmer--while it will bog down if overworked or in wet grass--helps keep the yard manageable. The blower is just outstanding. Mind you, I have nothing to compare it to in terms of cordless, but it works as well or better than the corded blowers I've owned in the past.

I've never been there. Maybe one day... Seriously, though, a lot of American tool users and enthusiasts seem to go for either Milwaukee or DeWalt, with Makita and Bosch trailing those two in terms of popularity. You have only to walk into Home Depot to see how the first two brands have taken over so much of the tool section, to include hand tools like hammers and tape measures. I'm a DeWalt fan but do own a few Fuel tools (d-handle rotary hammer, high torque impact, circular saw). Those tools are all very good, and had I bought those before spending thousands for yellow tools I might be a Milwaukee guy instead.

Picked up two of the Irwin branded NWS cutters earlier, a couple of wire wheel sets, and another Channellock 460. Now I have at least two of every Channellock tongue and groove pliers they make, except for the Big Azz 480. Going to order two of those soon.

The cutters dropped to $17 at my local store. I don't get a chance to spend money in a more meaningful manner, so I bought the last two sets. Also, Kobalt wire brush wheels were on clearance for around 66% lower than original price.

The Channellock 460 pliers have dropped from $28.97 to $24.97. Not exactly a smoking deal, but it's still $4...

As usual, at work with only a Gerber multitool on my person. Waiting to pick up machine guns and my phone needed a charge but the Durastar "deuce" cigarette lighter hasn't worked for at least a year, so some basic troubleshooting was in order. Checked the fuse and swapped it out with another 15A fuse from the panel: nothing. Removed the trim and a storage compartment just above the lighter and checked the connections: all was good. Removed the lighter, disassembled it, and found some oxidation on the housing and internal components; cleaned, reassembled and put it back: success! Now I'm streaming the Jason Ellis Show on SiriusXM and browsing the web while using my DeWalt inverter to charge the phone.

I agree that they are priced too high. It took me a while to jump on board the Tough System bandwagon, and that was only after they released the holiday combo last year. The 20" Packout tote and the rolling tool box each cost more than I paid for either my Ridgid or Tough System combos, and the small tool box costs the same as the XL Tough System one. Both the Ridgid and DeWalt kind of blend in with a job site or garage and are easily camouflaged while these Milwaukee red boxes and totes scream for attention. LOOK, EXPENSIVE TOOLS INSIDE! Regardless, I'm sure they'll be popular with those who can afford them and who need this type of item. I'm a mere DIY'er and doubt I'll need most of my tools professionally in my next career, so the almost $500 stack shown will not come home with me unless I can find it on deep clearance at Home Depot.

For the price they're being offered for, I doubt it. I have enough red boxes between 4 of the 13" and 1 of the 26" job boxes.

My Tough System DS Carrier arrived yesterday. FedEx didn't drop it off at the rental office like normal, but fortunately it was outside my apartment when I got home. Nothing like having a big box that has DeWalt stickers on it and a description of the contents left unsecured! It's a good thing no one has smart phones that are capable of searching for the worth of the package left outside for over seven hours... I'll post some pictures whenever I have time, but the carrier is a beast! Knowing it was arriving yesterday, I picked up a DS400 XL box on Sunday, and was tempted to grab a DS150 (I have 3 or 4 DS130s). My experience with my first DS450 wheeled box was less than stellar, and the new one DeWalt sent under warranty hasn't been put through its paces yet, but the DS400 seems to be more stoutly built, and the carrier relatively indestructible as a means of transporting the system. Next up is one more large Ridgid box. That will complete two Ridgid modular box systems to supplement two complete DeWalt Tough Systems, with a few boxes of each brand left for miscellany. Now I just need to find time to actually use this stuff.

I can only figure that they want to compete against brands like Porter Cable (which the Bauer tools do slightly resemble) and Ryobi. I can see them putting a hurt on the former, but Ryobi has a much more diverse platform and outstanding value. It makes little sense to me, but I suppose HF wanted to sell a lithium powered line of tools at a decent price as well as attempt to cut into more premium markets.

So, I walked through HF earlier and they definitely have these displayed prominently. Besides the large display at the entrance, Hercules and Bauer also have end caps devoted to them, a couple of standalone displays, plenty of stock in the overheads, and their normal display in the power tool section. I picked up the drill for a few seconds and noted that while it feels pretty powerful, the rubber overmolding just feels off compared to that of every DeWalt tool I own (the number of which is starting to get ridiculous). As usual, I walked out after debating on the wooden work bench or the five drawer service cart. I never seem to have coupons on me, but rarely make a purchase even with one.

These do look decent, but I've yet to venture into HF to check them out. One thing that I think a lot of us tool aficionados are overlooking is the demographic of Harbor Freight's customers. While many of us may buy consumables, certain hardware, or tools that have positive reviews on one of the number of "Pass or Fail" threads and websites, the average Harbor Freight customer seems to enjoy their bargain prices and relative ease of shopping. Brands like DeWalt are featured at home improvement and hardware stores, but I'd bet that many HF shoppers spend little time in those. After all, though these tools are being compared to DeWalt, which we all know can be had for very little more at certain times of the year (not to even mention the added value of a combo kit), they are also competing against the myriad of lesser brands being sold elsewhere. So, Joe Consumer shops around for a new drill while avoiding the oftentimes busy and confusing (to those who only visit a handful of times each year) home improvement big box. He hits up the local hardware store, where he might see Craftsman, DeWalt, Milwaukee, or other brands at near full retail price (a local store near me sells the Flexvolt grinder kit for $379--the same one that is currently $249 at Home Depot). He then sees Bostitch and Black and Decker at Walmart, noting that the Bostitch is almost $100. Finally, he heads to Harbor Freight to claim his free measuring tape and use his 20% off coupon and notes a prominent display comparing their new cordless line to that DeWalt drill that cost $180 at the hardware store. He's seen how much cheaper they are on a lot of tools and has heard of or witnessed their liberal return/exchange policy, so he figures that these new cordless tools must be the "real deal". If they cost so much more than other HF tools and compare to DeWalt in terms of performance, they must be super premium by Harbor Freight standards and far surpass all of the off-brands and cheaper brands sold elsewhere for the same price. I stalked a DCK286D2 kit for a few weeks while in Drill Sergeant School last year. Watched it drop from the holiday price of $299 to around $250 and finally snagged the last one for $222 out the door (after .mil discount and taxes). Not everyone has the patience, luck, desire, or money (even after the price drop). Then too, not everyone realizes that Harbor Freight does make a hefty profit off of what it sells. Those "free" goodies are paid for via other means. I bought a dirt tamper from there a few years ago for what I thought was a decent price only to find that while it worked it was very poorly made. A few weeks later I ventured into a local big box store and found a US-made Collins Axe (I believe) tamper with a nice hickory handle that would have cost less after my discount. TLDR: I think these will find moderate success and that sales will continually grow so long as the product is good enough for the average Harbor Freight shopper. Not everyone knows that the professional brands are so diverse in features and price (DeWalt alone currently offers no fewer than five regular 20v Max drills from $99 on up). They also don't realize that all of this stuff lures them deeper into HF's version of hell: that free flashlight and small purchase turns into "oh, but the price!" and could turn into a $100+ excursion. Finally, you truly do get what you pay for. If something has a regular price of $8.99, is on sale for $3.99, and capable of being purchased with a 20% off coupon, then it is worth $3.20 at most--even if you paid regular price for it. Factor in a free flashlight and it's worth even less. Disclaimer: Staff Duty, rambling post after 24 hours of being awake with at least three more to come, sorry for appreciably lengthening the thread with only one post!

The Columbus, GA Lowe's has finally dropped the price on the Metabo miter saw. Currently $231.60.

Have you considered the 20v Max to 18v adapter? That would allow you to run your 18v tools a bit longer at a cost of under $40. I actually let impulse take over and bought the 20v Max reciprocating and circular saws. Not only are they older designs, but also they're the cheaper kit versions (DCS381 and DCS393), and I didn't even get them for a good price! I do like to think that I helped out the older gentleman I bought them from, though. Anyway, the current 20v Max jigsaw has worked for me so far, but the OP's pictures are interesting, to say the least. Should DeWalt come out with one I'd probably buy it at this rate.

So, I shipped it in early May and just received the replacement last week. DeWalt actually shipped the new one within days of the broken box arriving there, but I never received notice, so it sat in my rental office for almost a month. All interactions with DeWalt were great, though, and they honored the warranty without any questions. Now I just need to load this box up with tools.

I'm buying the fan as soon as it becomes available. We have rifle marksmanship coming up, so it will come in handy.

I saw this last week. Tempting, as it was a great deal even at the original price. I'm really trying to resist buying more Red, though...

I haven't even touched this tracker since last Sunday, but I think I'll add a couple of columns: price paid and date code. The date code may prove useful for stuff like batteries that lack serial numbers, while the price paid will allow me to use a formula to track the total amount I have invested.

Interesting. I have little need for this right now but let's be honest, it will probably be in my apartment by the end of the year.

I'm an Infantry Drill Sergeant. Used to turn wrenches for a living, and will be starting an as-yet undetermined new career in as little as five years, but for now I simply work 16+ hour days turning little kids into Soldiers.

I've been more and more tempted to jump on the Ryobi bandwagon. My father-in-law has a blue drill and flashlight combo that he's had for close to fifteen years. Those look absolutely archaic compared to modern Ryobi offerings. Had I bought into Green last year instead of Yellow, I'd probably have everything Ryobi currently offers after spending much less than what I've spent on DeWalt goodies. Oh well, it's not like my tools sit around the bulk of the time...(okay, they do).

Does anyone use one? I'm not talking about a locator such as the Tick, but rather a spreadsheet or other method of tracking tool inventories, serial numbers, and status. I started one today out of sheer boredom, and currently have an Excel workbook with worksheets for each of my cordless tool systems by manufacturer (DeWalt, Milwaukee, Porter Cable, Hitachi, and Kobalt). On it I've listed Model, Description, Voltage, Quantity, Serial Number, Date/Place Purchased, and Comments (any suggestions for other info?). This allows me to filter by any of those parameters and should allow me to keep a tally of what I have in case of loss or theft. After having my house burglarized a few years ago, I don't think it will hurt to keep this information handy, and building it provided a nice break from statistics earlier in the day. While I am currently a hobbyist/DIY'er at best for now--unless you count various projects that pop up at work--I could see where such a tracker would come in handy for a business that has multiple cordless platforms or a large number of tools. Anyway, I've attached a screenshot. Any suggestions?

Trace Adkins' song "Arlington" always hit home for me. It was released when I served in DC conducting funerals in Arlington National Cemetery. Since I left in 2008 a few friends have been laid to rest there; they will be the first ones I visit when I report back to The Old Guard next year. Memorial Day should honor those who gave their lives for our nation. A time of enjoyment--cooking out and spending time with family and friends while we can--but also a time of remembrance. The poem at the end of the movie Hamburger Hill is a favorite of mine: If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go. Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own. And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind. Major Michael Davis O'Donnell 1 January 1970 Dak To, Vietnam Major O'Donnell was shot down while extracting a Special Forces team only a couple of months after writing the above poem. His crew of four, three Special Forces personnel and five indigenous troops were aboard and all were declared Missing in Action. Their remains were finally repatriated on April 12th, 1995.

Had an Army cop tell me that my company's deuce was deadlined due to the left side head and tail lights being out. I picked up a couple bulbs after dropping a graduate off at the airport and used the trusty Gerber to remove the tail light cover. Other than that, the only tool I've used so far today has been Statcrunch for my Statistics exam.

Years ago I worked for a gutter company, but I was always much more comfortable doing the prep work on the ground. My coworkers did some outright insane stuff though! I recall a job on a three story house that was built into a hill. On the backside, one of the guys had the 32' ladder going to a balcony, and a 28' ladder on the balcony, standing on the top rung to hang a piece of gutter.