Question about Dewalt.

[Russ1393434539]

I realize that this is my second topic in several days and while I am not sure if that is okay or not, I do have (I'd like to think) valid question. 

I recently learned that Dewalt was bought out when I went to Home Depot several weeks ago.  I ask that everyone excuse my lack of knowledge because prior to this, I thought Dewalt was single entity and weren't bought out.  So I learned back in 1989 (this what some sites said on the internet) that Dewalt was bought out by Black and Decker.

Fast forward to 2005 and the first lithium based drill was created (by Milwaukee I believe).  My question is, what year was it that Dewalt stopped making Drills in USA?  I know I am asking a very difficult question, but the reason I am asking here is because this type of information can't be found by normal means.

My other question is, regardless of the date, what is a model number of a Dewalt Drill that was made in USA?  I've heard that at some point Dewalt did make made in USA drills, I am just not sure if that ever was the case after Black and Decker bought them out in 1989.

To anyone with any information at all, I truly appreciate any and all help.  Information like this very rare to come by and I know I am asking a great deal being that I am still considered a new member.  So once again, I'd like to thank each and every person ahead of time for any help at all.

[tooljoe]

i am new to dewalt myself but i don't understand why would that matter much... i knew for years now that black and decker makes dewalt... but what i also learned is that that does not matter... companies buy other companies back and forth... like ford owns licoln... and mercury.

though they always have a top of the line... a ford taurus cannot compare to a lincoln while both owned by the same company.

black and decker branded tools do not compare to dewalt tools even if made by the same company.... that is, at it's core, there are 3 levels...entry, semi-entry, and top of the line.

in my opinion though, i am new to the power tool scene myself. pardon my English.

[Russ1393434539]

ToolJoe:  In the event I ever want to buy a Dewalt Drill, I'd really like to know when they stopped making Drills in USA only because I personally strive to buy more items made in USA, than not.  Not always possible, but I at least try.  Out of every company that makes Drills though, these days, I'd only buy a Dewalt because of firsthand experience with dealing with them (several friends have let me use theirs for some time)

But I was reading the forums on this website, I learned that Dewalt was actually sold off my Stanley/Black and Decker to a company called Delta, I think Delta Power tools or something around those lines.

Really the only reason for me asking for this information is to simply gain any information possible.  I am constantly learning that minor details like what I am asking are virtually impossible to obtain through normal conversations  face to face at hardware shops.  I figured I would have more luck here, as this is a primarily a Dewalt forum. 

[kjones]

Black & Decker bought DeWALT (then a radial arm saw producer only) in 1960.  In 1989 Black & Decker stopped all DeWALT production (Still only produced radial arm saws).  At that point there where many different "facets" of B&D, with it's professional tool line being called Black & Decker Industrial.  B&D decided to launch a new name for their premium tool line, and after doing market research, found that the DeWALT name still carried a lot of respect from the professional tool users, so in 1992 Black & Decker launched DeWALT as their premium power tool line, being the first time that the DeWALT name was used for tools other than radial arm saws.  Over the years B&D has bought and sold many companies, and in 2010 Stanley and Black & Decker MERGED (not bought out).  In 2011 SB&D SOLD Delta woodworking tools to a new company called Delta Machinery, so Delta is no longer a part of the SB&D family.

As far as the origin of manufacture, DeWALT tools are made all over the world, with a lot of the manufacturing, assembly, and corporate offices being in the USA.  Also keep in mind that SB&D is the only American held professional power tool line, so even though some of the manufacturing is not done in the USA, the money made is still held here, and the far majority of jobs the company creates are in the US as well. 

Hope this helps!  If you have any other questions about the SB&D company, refer to the below link.

http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com/

[Steven]

I must admit I was a little dissapointed when all of my new DCD760s that I figured were made in Baltimore MD (USA) were actually 'Made in Mexico' (plant # 49).  But when they say Made, maybe they really mean Assembled.  Which could be that all the individual parts are actually made in USA, but the end product is assembled in Mexico.  Just because the end product is Made in Mexico doesnt mean all the parts are made there?  I dont know, just a thought.  I would too prefer it to say Made in USA, but either way it is still the best built powertool out there, so when it comes down to it dont let that stop u from buying.  Plus who knows if any of the other brands are really Made in USA anyways.  Kind of like the Ford F-150 is said to be Made in USA, but it is really assembled in Claycomo MO (USA), the engines are from Windsor Ontario (Canada), some of the rear axles are from the Blue Diamond Truck Plant (Mexico) and so on.

I heard Porter Cable was in the mix with Dewalt and B&D and Delta somehow.

[kjones]

I heard Porter Cable was in the mix with Dewalt and B&D and Delta somehow.

Porter Cable was purchased by B&D as part of the "Pentair" aquisition, which included Delta.  Porter Cable is still owned by SB&D, but Delta is not.

[kanxrus]

Delta was recently sold to the 3rd party company that made a majority of Delta tool's for the old Black&Decker company. Under the new company Stanley Black&Decker, certain brand's were either sold off or became licensed products.

"Delta was sold off to Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd. (TOTY), a Taiwanese company. Bryan Whiffen, former Vice President for Techtronic Industries North America (TTI) was named Delta Power Equipment Corporation’s President and CEO, the first of January 2011. Whiffen confirmed that Chang Type owns 100 percent of Delta Power Equipment and has named Norman MacDonald, former Techtronic Senior Vice President of Operations, as the Delta Chief Operating Officer.  Techtronic Industries makes many power tool brands that woodworkers are familiar with, including Milwaukee and Ryobi."

[Russ1393434539]

DewaltDUDE KJONES:  Even if I tried, I can't thank you both so much for all the information you've given me.  So not even Black and Decker owns Dewalt anymore, which to be honest, can be considered good and bad.  I also had no idea that Black and Decker and Stanley merged either.

Even though I am a new member, everyone has been so helpful and so nice about helping as well.  This can't be said about all forums, but I am glad this forum has been so helpful.

Steven:  Boy do I have a story for you (that is relevant to what you are talking about).  Recently I went to Home Depot and was looking at some utility knives.  One one of them was priced at $30, but it's from the brand Lenox, a company that makes fairly nice utility knives.  In the front there is a USA symbol, right next to it was a very tiny asterisk next to it.  Now this asterisk is so tiny, only people with really excellent vision or who read fine print (like myself) could really catch it.

Turns out only the blade is made in USA and the handle and the rest of the components of the package were made in China.  Although the blade did look nice, considering that it probably cost less than a nickel to produce that blade, I would not pay $30 (not including tax) just for a nice blade and a run of the mill handle that isn't even made in USA it self. 

That really cracked me up, but everyone else I told that to, did not seem to find the humor in it, in fact some people just gave me a blank expression.

I have but one last question that hopefully isn't asking a significant amount of the people here for.  Does anyone know a model number (or series of) of  a Dewalt drill that was made in USA?  I would honestly love to see a picture/maybe even buy a made in USA Dewalt Drill if that is even possible.  I know I am asking a great deal, but I am not kidding when I am saying this, but it seems no one these days knows these answers at let's say  Home Depot or dare I say Lowes. 

[kjones]

DewaltDUDE KJONES:  Even if I tried, I can't thank you both so much for all the information you've given me.  So not even Black and Decker owns Dewalt anymore, which to be honest, can be considered good and bad.  I also had no idea that Black and Decker and Stanley merged either.

Just to clarify, DeWALT was never sold by B&D, it was just part of the merger between the two corporations. 

No problem on the information though!  Happy we could help!  And I couldn't tell you a model number for a complete cordless tool that was made in the US.  I don't know what was done in the far past (early days of DeWALT), but different components are made all over the world (including the US), and then assembled in 1 of a few plants (most done in Texas or Mexico).  A lot of the larger equipment is made in the US, and the premium line of DeWALT hand tools are all made in the US (mostly in New Haven, Connecticut), and most of our cutting accessories (recip blades, circ. saw blades, etc.) are made in Florida.  There are more than the categories I listed, but you get the idea.

[DWalter]

Does anyone know a model number (or series of) of  a Dewalt drill that was made in USA?   

As far as I can recall, most (if not all) of the Dewalt drills manufactured in the 1990s were made in the USA.  Some of the model numbers for pistol grip drills would have been DW100, DW102, DW110, DW217, DW221, DW222, DW223, DW226, DW231, DW235G.  Models such as the DW235G are still in production today but have been manufactured elsewhere for a number of years.  The DW100 was a yellow version of the Black & Decker Professional model 1166 that you mentioned you owned in another post.  In cordless, I have a DW990 1/2" drill/driver built in 1999 that was still made in the USA.  After about the year 2000 production started shifting from the US, however some tools have always been produced overseas.  In the 1980's Black & Decker bought out the European power tool manufacturer ELU and many of the European ELU models later became Dewalt models.  Examples in my collection include a D614-04 router (dated 1993) made in Switzerland, a DW625 router and DW458 grinder made in Italy, and a DW677 planer made in England.

[Russ1393434539]

Dwalter:  So Dewalt did make drills made in USA in the 90's.  I am not only extremely impressed that you know the several model numbers of Dewalt drills made in USA, but you are willing to share these numbers with me and everyone else. 

That is not only really awesome of you, that is mighty generous of you as well.  So the Made in USA Pistol Grip Drills are DW100, DW102, DW110, DW221, DW222, DW233, DW226, DW231, and DW235G.  Great to know to know this information, as this information is very hard to come by. 

I do own a Black and Decker 1166, but it's corded though.  I am not even sure if cordless drill's even existed in the 90's, so I am very grateful you mentioned DW990 because that is a cordless made in USA drill.

I really can't thank you enough for the information you've given me.  I've searched the internet, asked several contractors, electricians, engineer's and even people who work for Dewalt and no one has ever been able to answer my question of what the model number's were of made in USA drills.  Several of these contractor's, electricians and even engineers were extremely brilliant as well, I think one or two of them had a master's degree, so it wasn't that I wasn't asking the right person for a impossible problem.

Now comes the hard part of finding out in the event I want to buy a made in USA Dewalt drill, it will likely have to be online these days as most brick and mortar shops don't even carry the really old model's such as this.  I am likely more interested in the DW990 though, given that it's cordless. 

[Bingobelle]

So, you would like to have a cordless drill from 1999 just because it is made in USA? That was the most stupid thing I´ve ever heard. That old drill will be worthless compared to the newer DCD9** drills and the new 20v max xr line. Made in USA or not. My 18 v xrp dcd 920 is made in Europe and is working great. As a matter of fact my dcf610 is made in china and also that drill is working perfect.

And as dwalter wrote, many of the older dewalt tools where a rebranded Elu tool. Not a bad thing since Elu made very good profesional tools ( for what i know some of the best tool in that time ) so what dewalt did was to purchase a complete profesional tool setup.

[Russ1393434539]

Bingobelle:  It's not that I don't see where your coming from, but at the end of the day, it's ultimately going to be my decision.  I didn't say I'd buy the drill just because it is made in USA.  I just wanted to know the model numbers to see what has changed over the years with Dewalt and really get a better idea what was used then and what is used now.

I mean no disrespect by saying this, but with some tools can be customized/modified. An example of this is my Black And Decker Dust Buster 15.6 Model number  CHV1500 hand vacuum.  I bought this vacuum in 2004-2005 and up until this early this year this vacuum worked very well.  Long story short, I've essentially replaced every part of this vacuum, except the casing.  The wiring, battery, all the filters, charging unit and even some of the screws. 

But because of all that work, my vacuum even better than when I first bought it (obviously) but works just as well, if not better than any modern hand vacuum on the market these days.  So what I am getting at is, in the event I do get a older model Dewalt (or any drill for that matter) I can rebuild it so it will work as well any regular drill on the market. 

None the less, thank you for taking the time to write your opinion on this matter.