Tools

I was looking for a good cordless drill since my cheapo version won’t hold a charge any longer. Check out the Hitachi DS18DMR 18-Volt Ni-Cad 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit.

Stylish and Functional? Not exactly what one might expect for a cordless driver/drill.

Hitachi managed to pull it off with this beast.

(For the impatient types:

Summary:
If you’re contemplating an 18v rather than a 24v, 36v or 48v cordless, and still want big-mam-a-ja-ma performance – go buy this one. There’s nothing here to disappoint you and everything to make your job easier.)

I bought this drill after my DeWalt went missing on the day of a huge camera install job in a massive production facility.

I pulled it out of the case (I bought the kit with two batteries, the drop charger, and the nice case), dropped a battery on the charger and came back 20mins later to see (one is lead to believe) a full charge.

Batteries don’t charge out-of-the-box fully. You really need to condition them, but being Ni-MH memory isn’t as much of a concern, so I put the second battery on the charger and went to work.

I used it off-and-on for eleven straight hours, often fourty feet in the air in a forklift cage, or twenty feet up a ladder.

Never once drilling into metal studs, wood railings, or even I-Beams did this drill falter. It still feels a day later like the original battery has a full charge.

Did I mention this thing is a BEAST? Don’t let “pretty” or “cute” fool you. I’m fairly tall for a woman and do jobs like this frequently. Hefting this monster will get to you. But if you need torque (550 inch-pound current best-in-class)and long run-times, it can’t be beaten by anything I’ve touched.

This drill crushes my DeWalt like a bug. Ryobi, Milwaukee, Makita? This thing will torque them into the day after tomorrow…

The Good and the Bad:

Thirty minute charge time for a 3Ah battery. I think DeWalt (my previous favorite) was really the standards-setter for fast battery charges, but, hey – you can tap sheet steel and drill 2″ holes in hardwood and still charge a flat battery before you manage to flatten the one on the drill.

Belt hook: Integrated belt hook. Plastic, but seems pretty tough. Personally – I wouldn’t trust it. But that might just be me. I use a canvas universal drill holster on a wide mesh belt. If you don’t want to be pulling up your jeans constantly, I imagine you’ll do the same. The hook has eight positions (as memory serves) and can be removed and moved to either side with a screwdriver.

Integrated LED light: Cute feature. Seemed silly until I was working in a dark corner without room to get my work-light into the space. It’s built into the belt hook If you angle it up about 60deg. it actually lights up what you’re drilling pretty darned well. It’s the first time I’ve seen that and I like it.

The downside here is that it doesn’t run from the drill battery but rather a AAAA battery in the hook itself (or so I read). Good for probably 30hrs. I don’t know if I’d depend upon it without changing it out before every job – but in a pinch it’s nice that it’s there. It has an auto shutoff after 15mins.

The Chuck: Forget those plastic tightening rings. This baby is _all metal_ and probably weighs more than an entire 18v Black and Decker _kit_, battery and all, by itself. It’s one serious chunk of metal. It’s fast on and off, but you can release it slowly enough that I didn’t drop any bits with constant changing from drill bit to driver and back. 1/2″, so it will hold some serious tools.

Two speed shift: Really useful, fairly well positioned. You can get it with your thumb one handed if you’re dexterous.

22+ position clutch: Really tight on a new drill. I imagine it will loosen up some. There is a definite difference in the break points even from 1-3 and 4-6. It kinda sums up this drill: Functional. ** See note for listed break-points.

Side handle: Removable, and pretty sturdy. Sturdy enough for anything this drill would probably handle. I tend not to use them anyway.

Bit holder: I’m going to put this in the “negative” column. It’s located right above the battery – not a bad place – but it’s poorly implemented. Very “consumer” in that you can’t put extensions or even drill bits in it. It’s made to hold regular driver bits. HoHumm. Ryobi has a magnetic plate there so you can hold screws. Pretty cool. The space over the bit holder is flat on the Hitachi, so I put magnetic tape across it to duplicate the feature.

Weight: You know I have to put it in the negative column, but I feel bad about doing it. It’s a real tool with a real battery and with real features. It’s going to be heavy. But it’s.. heavy. The specs say “5.5lbs” but I’d want to put it on a scale and see if that’s with or without the battery. I have a hard time believing it. After eleven hours, I wouldn’t debate it weighing 5500 lbs…

Maintenance: I haven’t had to do it yet, obviously, but the brushes are externally accessible. I think that’s pretty standard, but put it back into the plus column.

Appearance: Look – I like it, ok? I wouldn’t buy a drill based on how it looks, but it’s all cute and space-age-ie and such. It puts a smile on my face. I give it the proverbial “thumbs-up”. Some might disagree and argue that it doesn’t look serious enough. Fine. Imagine how much more impressive it will be when it actually IS “serious enough”.

Overall: if I haven’t already left this impression, you can see why it gets 5 stars from me. There’s really nothing wrong with it. And the list of “right with it” goes on for pages and pages, just like me.

Short review of the Jet JML-1014VS
For those that don’t know, the Jet JML-1014VS is a very substantial machine. It is, IMHO, a better lathe than the larger and more expensive JET 1236. If you add the bed extension, it will turn full spindles for legs or banisters.

I got mine with an included Nova chuck, which adds to the value.

This is my first lathe to own, and definately not my last. However, I don’t see myself ever getting rid of this one. It runs extremely smooth, has enough heft to not move on a bench, and is extremely easy to adjust speeds. Even when having to change the 3speed belt, it is quick and easy.

The variable speed is the nuts. I am able to turn pens, sand, and finish them without ever moving out of the medium pully range.

I don’t think there is a better lathe on the market for under $800. Unless I wear it out, I won’t ever get rid of it…. no matter how many other lathes I eventually own.

Features:
• All cast iron
• Variable speed
• Live center
• Rubber feet
• Quick release levers

Here is a 5 star customer review of the new DEWALT DCX6401 Four-Piece Heavy-Duty 36-Volt Cordless Combo Kit

This paragraph is background info, you may skip it to get right to my review. To put my review into perspective: I am a student, not a pro. I have built a couple of decks, completed a room renovation, and numerous smaller tasks. That said, I first got interested in do-it-yourself work four years ago while working in a bar my junior year. I was advised by the bar manager (and handyman) to invest in good tools if I want to learn how to build/fix basic things. On his recommendation I bought the Dewalt 18v 4-tool cordless combo kit. This kit is great but there are a couple of negatives: It is hard to use larger diameter hole saws to drill into wood; The circular saw is underpowered and the 6.5 inch blade preventes the use of the variety of blades available in the standard 7 and 7.25 size; NiCad batteries have relatively short lifespan, charge capacity, and have trailing performance as the charge decreases. In other words, you need a corded circular saw and possibly a corded drill depending on the job. When I saw the new 36v kit, I asked myself if I really needed it. I decided that I could get rid of some of my corded tools (and my 18v kit) if this 36 volt kit lived up to it’s potential.

Circular Saw:
My favorite part of this combo kit. Weighs a bit more than the 18v, but it’s still pretty light. In any case, I like a circular saw to have some weight since it makes it easier to guide. Powerful enough to cut a brick (I used a thin kerf Dewalt diamond blade), it cuts through lumber with ease. Best of all, the saw accepts standard 7.25 inch blades. This gives the user access to the blades not available to users of standard cordless 6.5 inch circular saws. Also, the base plate is pretty good and some users may like the blade positioned on the left. The circular saw is the reason I upgraded to the 36v kit and I’m not disappointed. I’ll probably sell my corded before I move to my new apartment.

Reciprocating saw:
Amazing. Feels like I am cutting with a corded Milwaukee 11 amp saw (probably sell that too now). Weighs only .2 lb more than the 18v! The reciprocating saw has always been my favorite tool (it’s fun to be destructive) and this one lives up to all of my expectations. I was happy with the 18v, but the 36v brings the game to a new level. The saw never bogs down, the shoe has three positions (good for blade life and setting depth), and there is a horizontal blade clamp for flush cutting (sooooo useful). The only feature lacking is an orbital option (not a huge deal). This saw can do anything a corded can.

Hammerdrill/Drill/Driver:
Powerful enough to do anything a corded can do. While a drill/driver is probably the most used tool, I rarely use the 36v version because it’s heavy for extended work. It will benefit anyone purchasing this kit to have a basic 12v drill/driver for extended use. I would like to emphasize this point for homeowners and DIYers because it is frequently the case that one goes into a home store, handles a 6.5 lb. drill/driver and thinks, “hey, this isn’t bad.” Unfortunately, having that weight in your hands for more than a few moments may bring about fatigue which not only makes working difficult, but dangerous. Start with a lighter, cordless drill/driver and consider buying a corded drill for power unless you’re gonna need it enough to justify the additional cost of cordless.

Flashlight:
It’s a light, flex neck is nice, great 8 hour runtime.

Batteries/Charger:
The best part of this kit are the Li-Ion batteries. Compared to NiCad, these batteries deliver consistent power to the very end of the charge, have two to three times the runtime, self discharge at a much slower rate, stay cool under heavy usage, and the 36v Li-Ion WEIGHS THE SAME as the 18v NiCad. It is VERY IMPORTANT to stop using the battery as soon as you see a drop in usable power (happens at the very end of the charge), otherwise the battery may be permanently damaged. I wish Dewalt had built a charge indicator into the batteries for this reason, but they do provide a 2 year warranty on them. The charger functions well and has indicators for charge level.

Final note:
The first two reviewers have written their reviews without having used or even handled these tools; that much is clear from reading what they have written. Whatever their motives, it would be wise to take their opinions with a grain of salt. Also, the review by MDT seems heavily biased toward Makita tools. His point is valid regarding the weight of the drill/driver (I address this in my review also), but he is wrong when he claims that all of the tools are too “bulky and heavy.” The tools actually have excellent balance and reasonable weight for the intended application. Go to your local homestore and hold them for yourself. If I am wrong about MDT’s bias, he may be appeased by purchasing a Makita Li-Ion 18v drill/driver and this combo kit. This way, the 18v Li-Ion, weighing the same as a 12v Dewalt, can be his light weight drill/driver and he has the 36v for more demanding applications.

The Black & Decker LP1000 Electric Chain Saw or Alligator Lopperâ„¢ is a tree-limb cutting tool that includes safelty in it’s design that is almost foolproof. It uses a 4.5-amp motor, a heavy-duty cutting bar and innovative clamping jaws that use a scissor-like action to grab and cut in one easy motion.

Take a big bite out of fallen trees, tree limbs and brush with the new Alligator Lopper, a revolutionary new cutting tool that provides chainsaw-like cutting performance in an un-intimidating and easy to use tool. With its scissor-like action, the Alligator Lopper’s rugged metal jaws clamp onto logs and thick branches, as well as smaller tree limbs and vines and then saws through them with ease. Once limbs and branches are on the ground, the Alligator Lopper is perfect for chopping them up into manageable pieces to throw away or into your fireplace. The Alligator Lopper is ideal for tree pruning, clearing brush, storm clean-up, cutting firewood and more, and is a great alternative to chainsaws, manual loppers, handsaws and clippers. The Alligator Lopper’s jaws offer the ultimate in controlled cutting. The rugged metal guards that cover the jaws protect you from the cutting chain and immediately snap back over the blades once the cut is complete. The Alligator Lopper’s jaws also mean it does not skip around like chainsaws when starting to cut. The Alligator Lopper cuts side-to-side instead of from top to bottom as with traditional chainsaws. This sideways cutting prevents burying the cutting chain in the dirt as the chain cuts though, which can quickly dull a regular chainsaw. The Alligator Lopper also makes it much faster and easier to cut logs since you don’t have to prop them up on saw horses or other logs. Just grab them in the Alligator Lopper’s jaws and cut right through. The Alligator Lopper’s auto chain tensioning keeps it in top cutting form. Just loosen the bar retainer bolts with the included wrench and the bar automatically takes out the slack and adjusts the chain’s tension perfectly.