PutnamEco

What I liked was Valence u1-12rt system, a "drop in replacement" for a regular 12v lead acid battery, that doesn't need an expensive dedicated charger/management system and could power a standard car charger available from most major tool manufactures, one of these at approximately $850 should be able to charge three 18v tool batteries. They only weigh about 15 lbs. so even a couple of them should be easily manageable.

Tool prices on Ebay vary by season just like they do in the tool stores. Wait until after Christmas, or a manufacturer launches a new line of tools, so you can by the last generation, if you really need the bargain.

Well, if my experience counts for anything, I would say if your using them daily, the Dewalt will be lucky to last a year, while the Hilti will keep going for three. When the Dewalt breaks down, you will end up with your tool out of service for a month or more while the service center orders parts, while if the Hilti breaks down you will walk out of the service center either with your tool working or a loaner tool to use for a couple or three days until your original tool is repaired. You are also a lot more likely to have a Hilti rep come to your job site and pick up your tool for repair then you will to have anybody from Dewalt ever showing up. So, I would have to say that Hilti are for people who make their living with tools, Dewalt is for those who can afford back up tools or can afford to be out of work while they wait on repairs.

Stanley used to make a cool tool that could do exactly that, they called it the Eager Beaver. It was really a trim sized saw (4 1/2") that was in a wedge shape that you could flip over. It had dual triggers one on each end of the rear handle. It actually had two shoes that the bevel could be set independently. Eager Beaver in Popular Mechanics I don't think you would want to carry around a battery capable of doing that. I have had to work remotely before and looked into a lot of options from hybrid solar wind power to battery packs. For solar power figure on about $1000+ dollars for solar cells to charge each battery with a stock 12v car charger. A lead acid battery capable of charging six battery packs is going to weigh in at around 80 pounds. Something like Xantrexs portable power unit will charge about 4 batteries, cost close to $600 and weighs in at around 60 pounds. I don't really remember what it would cost to do a big pack with Lith-Ion car batteries but do remember that the cost was so high that it is not really worth considering and it still would have been in the 50 pound range and would have required building a custom charger. So that leaves the only really viable option, a small generator like a Honda EU1000 or a larger generator and you might as well bring your corded tools or buying enough batteries to last for the duration of your job. One of the reasons I like Makita is they do offer a 10 pack of batteries. We do need more multi-bay chargers, silly that only Ryobi is offering one with any real abilities to charge many packs at once. Seriously, this needs to be done for any tool that can't run for more than a day on a single charge.

Boy, can I relate, I still have a bitter taste in my mouth from Milwaukee and their V18 tools and how quickly they went over to M18 and lost the backwards compatibility.

I tend to take a different tack, when I'm trying to save money I wait at least a year after the new line of tools has been released and buy a larger set when it comes up on sale. Then I fill out the set, with what seems to me to be the more expensive single tools, not available with the set I purchased. I find I can usually get some pretty good deals after the holidays, but great tools sales can be had at any time, so you have to be ready to pounce when they come up. If you really want to save some money, the past generation of most tools is usually about half the price of what they were when they were the cutting edge.

If you were in charge of improving power tools, what tool or tools would you improve and and what would you do to improve them?

Carhart makes some good stuff, I was really disappointed to learn that they are mixing in imported wares in what was an all American line. I really like their brown duck work pants, overalls, and shorts.

While it may not look tuff, I'll say my Veto bag has proved to be pretty durable. It only has a few frayed bits from me jamming a sharp pry bar into it. I really like the plastic tub bottom, it allows me to put it down on wet grass or mud and not have the contents get wet.

None that I have found. The people that design these things seem to think construction only happens on finished floors. Luckily landscapers and nurserymen know how to deal with these things. Just park (or bolt down) a small job box or chest on one of them and away you go. I often appreciate the ability to lock up my tools on some jobs. I also resort to a regular hand truck if I'm just carting a few things.

It looks like California is close to passing a law requiring Sawstop like tech on tablesaws. I really hope this does not catch on nationally. If they make something idiot proof we are only going to get bigger idiots... LA Times article

Nice use of a janitors cart, definitely thinking outside the box.

I seem to always find a use for old tools, so as long as they still do the job they were intended to, they are not obsolete. I still regularly use my 9.6v Makitas around the shop and occasionally my little 9.6 recip saw ends up on jobsites, it is nice not having to switch drill bits around for pilot holes etc. My old Milwaukee 12v drills get used for most of my paint mixing needs, and I still use my 18v Ni-Cads when I have helpers show up sans tools, that is unless I don't want them borrowing my tools again, then they get some 9.6v.

I was thinking if they could beat a power auger then maybe they would have something. I think I could have given them a run for their money with a Boston digger if it was compacted soil, roots or debris they where worried about, If I was to choose a shovel for post holes I certainly would not have chosen one like they did, there is a style of shovel called a spoon, that would work much better in this application, they are however better for larger 12"+ holes. I have seen smaller spoons. I hope you tool junkies also know about split handle post hole diggers as well.

Hey, I beat my Channellocks regularly and they keep coming back for more. Channellocks have been some of the most durable tools I have ever worked with. I still have the first pair I purchased many years ago, if tools could talk, it would sure have some tales to tell. Their adjustable wrenches are very well made too.

The Mora army knife is a good investment at only $20. Another really neat affordable knife is the Opinel.

What do all of you think of multiple speeds on impact drivers? Is this something everyone or no one needs?

Oooh I have, we call them digging bars there are literally hundreds of them available. I will say a couple of things though, that nice fat handle might be more comfortable for those of us with bigger hands to use, than the commonly skinny digging bars. What caught my attention was the accessory tamper, that alone might sell well, although most like myself will probably prefer just to use the tamper built onto a digging bars end. I wonder if any one else seems to think that looks like someone took a wood splitting wedge and welded it to a pipe?

I would be wary of the drawer slides wearing out. pot metal bearings/sliders may seem ok in the store but out in the real world will die a quick death, leaving you with sticky drawers that are prone to jamming. There are a bunch of people that have compiled lists of good and bad tools from Harbor Freight. GIYF "list of good harbor freight tools"

It would appear they are already available in Canada, at Rona. They may do some type of exclusive deal, like Rigid power tools and Home Depot.

A little more realistically, I've been totally lusting after Millers 302 Air Pak their combination welder, generator and compressor. It has pretty decent specifications for all components especially the 26 CFM compressor. The only thing I'm a little less then exited about it is the fact that it has a Kohler gasoline motor, I would prefer a diesel. Although that work platform would open up a business opportunity I have always wanted to pursue, custom tree houses.

I'm getting old and tired of carrying thing up, sign me up for a telehandler, or maybe one of those monster MEC Titan manlifts.

If you would like to think of an option that may be able to carry a few power tools, Knaack has a couple of options that might fit your bill. I really like to work from rolling workbenches both onsite and around my own shop. Their Model 112 jobmaster Cabinet with drawers works well for both hand and power tools. You are talking lifetime investment ($$$$) with these options though.

Have you considered Craftsman? I have a couple that have stood the test of time. Kennedy roll cabs are getting a bit more pricey but not quite in the Snap-on range, another worthy option.

IMHO Clausing makes the best drill press out there. They lean more towards the metal working spectrum though. Many good examples can be found used for a reasonable price. I personally would rather have a descent American made machine, even if I had to buy an old used beater, and with Clausing even that old used beater would still work better than any modern Chiwanese machine.