# Dewalt 20v Li-Ion stuff



## Clarke Carpentry (Apr 22, 2011)

Anyone got any? Was thinking about the brushless Makita impact but just saw this stuff. Although I'd also like a Fein vac... Do I really need a new impact? Maybe the kids should get some shoes this year... I dunno... I could always "invest" in that Festool jigsaw before the new one comes out...


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## jiffy (Oct 21, 2007)

I'll pass on Dewalts 2nd attempt at trying lithium. I saw the stuff at Fastenal and it looks like a cheap copy of the competitors. It's 18V tagged as 20V to be different.


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## Mike- (Aug 20, 2011)

Working for Makita in the past, the brushless Makita Is really good. 3 speed settings like the panny's, a bit smaller than the regular one and an increase in overall torque-1460 in lbs. It is 30 percent more efficient than your standard impact resulting in more prduction and longer run time.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Brushless impact is sold tool ONLY...bend-over.


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

Funny that you would say that. Most of my twelve DeWalt Nano batteries are four yrs old. I've only had one bad battery & that was after two weeks & DeWalt replaced it. I have a large line of DeWalt tools & they have been very dependable for me over the years, but then again no one else uses them but me.
Recently, when I went to change the brushes in my four yr old impact driver, figuring that after all of the hard use over the years that they must be worn down. To my surprise, the brushes look like new.
Steve



jiffy said:


> I'll pass on Dewalts 2nd attempt at trying lithium. I saw the stuff at Fastenal and it looks like a cheap copy of the competitors. It's 18V tagged as 20V to be different.


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## jiffy (Oct 21, 2007)

Inner10 said:


> Brushless impact is sold tool ONLY...bend-over.


Brushless impact can be bought in a kit.






stp57 said:


> Funny that you would say that. Most of my twelve DeWalt Nano batteries are four yrs old. I've only had one bad battery & that was after two weeks & DeWalt replaced it. I have a large line of DeWalt tools & they have been very dependable for me over the years, but then again no one else uses them but me.
> Recently, when I went to change the brushes in my four yr old impact driver, figuring that after all of the hard use over the years that they must be worn down. To my surprise, the brushes look like new.
> Steve



When the Dewalt rep told me they had to re-do the Nano after release due to a "failure". The local tool shop stopped buying the Nano for a few months, and I bought a Makita.

The fact that they are coming out with a new incompatible line of 18V lithium and Nano is only 3 years old. Shows they don't feel it was the best bet either.


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

funny this thread came up,, weeks ago i got anew 18 volt lithium dewalt, charged her all up and used her for 15 minutes and shes dead,,

i recharged being lithium didn't know maybe something stupid , nothing so i took it back, had them order me a new kit and it sat in the van.

pulled it out yesterday and same thing 15 minutes and dead,,,,,,,,,,,

so i called dewalt, the guy told me theres a compact version which i bought and an xrp lithium, my dealer said he knew nothing of the xrp version,, so i returned it.

don't waste your time guys if its a compact,,,,,,,complete junk


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

Has anyone actually purchased the Dewalt 20v impact yet?? I'm planning on picking up the 3amp version and would like some actual input before buying if not I'm grabbing a makita...any thoughts? Thanks in advance!


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

get the makita,i talked to dewalt and he let it slip they were having problems with their lithium technology


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

I have used the Dewalt. Lithium batteries since they came out. I bought five batteries, and they have all been great. Long lasting, powerful, and lightweight. Best thing Dewalt ever made in my opinion.


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## WilsonRMDL (Sep 4, 2007)

Played around with the new stuff in lowes. After using my makitas they seem way too heavy


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

I just hope that the 20V's don't cause the 18V batteries to jump in price because of supply problems, if they are to be phased out? I pay $60 for a Nano battery now. I would like to have a 36V circular saw but the battery cost is ridiculous. 
Steve


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

i returned 2 lithium kits last month , so i called dewalt to see whats up, my batts just died right out almost at the same amount of time, i have better things to do than return junk tools.


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

FRAME2FINISH said:


> , so i called dewalt to see whats up,


What was their response??


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

"hi this is dewalt, the tool company whos colors are the same as warning tape. why you ask so you stay away"


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

WilsonRMDL said:


> Played around with the new stuff in lowes. After using my makitas they seem way too heavy


That's actually strange when the makita weighs 3.4lbs and the dewalt weighs only 2.8lbs and is also slightly more compact. Thanks for the replies its really helping me out but it still seems that most people are not caring for the dewalt lines anymore...might have to pick up a makita set!


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

FRAME2FINISH said:


> i returned 2 lithium kits last month , so i called dewalt to see whats up, my batts just died right out almost at the same amount of time, i have better things to do than return junk tools.


Are you talking about the old 18v or the new 20v???


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## jiffy (Oct 21, 2007)

Not a huge improvement considering Dewalt has the new tool edge on lowering the weight. Too bad the dewalt takes 60 min to charge and Makita only 30. I'll stick with blue.


Actually the Dewalt vs Makita in weight: Hammerdrills with 3.0ah battery.

Dewalt 5.2lbs
Makita 5.3lbs

http://dewalt.com/tools/cordless-drills-hammerdrills-dcd985l2.aspx

http://www.makita.com/en-us/Modules/Tools/ToolDetails.aspx?ID=26661


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

jiffy said:


> Not a huge improvement considering Dewalt has the new tool edge on lowering the weight. Too bad the dewalt takes 60 min to charge and Makita only 30. I'll stick with blue.
> 
> 
> Actually the Dewalt vs Makita in weight: Hammerdrills with 3.0ah battery.
> ...


Yeah thats a good point about the charge time. I'm actually really interested in the impact driver sorry should have been more specific. Thanks for the input though.


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

i was talking to the guy about the 18volt line when he said , he feels dewalt rushed their lithium product out to quick to keep up with the others, i was using makita as my other tool of choice also, without him just coming out and saying it, i took it as yea it's junk. when i asked is it junk he never said no he went into wellthat line was made for in and out jobsnot meant to be used all day yadayadayada, 

i said good i am returning my stuff tomorrow and he said have a good day, now the xrp stuff is still solid as a rock as i bought 2batts yesterday it's just their lithium technology thats?????????/


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

FRAME2FINISH said:


> i was talking to the guy about the 18volt line when he said , he feels dewalt rushed their lithium product out to quick to keep up with the others, i was using makita as my other tool of choice also, without him just coming out and saying it, i took it as yea it's junk. when i asked is it junk he never said no he went into wellthat line was made for in and out jobsnot meant to be used all day yadayadayada,
> 
> i said good i am returning my stuff tomorrow and he said have a good day, now the xrp stuff is still solid as a rock as i bought 2batts yesterday it's just their lithium technology thats?????????/


If I had to decide between the xrp and the makita xlt I would go with makita but I've heard that dewalt fixed the batteries with the 20v lineup not to mention 3yr warranty on batteries.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

dewalt rushed their nano tech to keep up with others????? it came out like 4 years after makita and milwaukee first started lith ion,,, then bosch and metabo were on the scene...


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

FRAME2FINISH said:


> i was talking to the guy about the 18volt line when he said , he feels dewalt rushed their lithium product out to quick to keep up with the others, i was using makita as my other tool of choice also, without him just coming out and saying it, i took it as yea it's junk. when i asked is it junk he never said no he went into wellthat line was made for in and out jobsnot meant to be used all day yadayadayada,
> 
> i said good i am returning my stuff tomorrow and he said have a good day, now the xrp stuff is still solid as a rock as i bought 2batts yesterday it's just their lithium technology thats?????????/


Baloney! bought 5 batteries when they came out (3 yrs ago?). All work excellent. Power, portability, profitability. Don't go by just what one person says. I beat the heck out of most of my tools and these have held up great.


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## jiffy (Oct 21, 2007)

Warren said:


> Baloney! bought 5 batteries when they came out (3 yrs ago?). All work excellent. Power, portability, profitability. Don't go by just what one person says. I beat the heck out of most of my tools and these have held up great.


There is a reason they are coming out with yet another lithium battery. It's not because Nano was wildly successful.


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

If you have noticed, all of the power tool companies are copying the same sliding, low profile type battery that allows the tool to stand upright well. DeWalt's old style battery casing is antiquated & a pain in the butt sometimes to release or lock, but the Nano technology has been great for me & my one dozen four yr old batteries. 20V is a better idea than 18V. I don't see a problem with that.
Steve




jiffy said:


> There is a reason they are coming out with yet another lithium battery. It's not because Nano was wildly successful.


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

I actually own the NANO Lithium batteries and the seem to be lasting for me. I purchased the 36v NANO Combo kit and the batteries have been long lasting. 

To get back on topic, I just decided to go out and buy a Dewalt 20v and a Makita LXT kit and I have to say that the Dewalt definitely outperformed the Makita. I was putting in #12 3" wood screws into a 4x4 and the Dewalt was about 1.5-2 seconds faster than the Makita per screw. I didn't run it long enough to tell how the battery truly performs but with a 3 year warranty on the batteries I'm not really worried about it since it seems that Dewalt is confident enough to have that good of a warranty on the batteries.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

iseebird said:


> I just decided to go out and buy a Dewalt 20v and a Makita LXT kit and I have to say that the Dewalt definitely outperformed the Makita. I was putting in #12 3" wood screws into a 4x4 and the Dewalt was about 1.5-2 seconds faster than the Makita per screw.


So what you're saying is the 20volt dewalt drove a screw 1.5 seconds faster than a 18volt makita:blink: I don't think I'm running out to get a new dewalt soon:no:


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> So what you're saying is the 20volt dewalt drove a screw 1.5 seconds faster than a 18volt makita:blink: I don't think I'm running out to get a new dewalt soon:no:


All I'm really saying is that for "me" the Dewalt 20v felt more comfortable and I definitely felt the power so that's what I'm keeping. Thanks to all the comments from all the users on here helping me decide about Dewalt.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Don't forget the dewalt has exactly the same voltage batteries as makita. Dewalt are just calling them 20v instead of 18v they are both exactly the same spec batteries in voltage and mah. What's more important than how fast a screw can be driven is the drills feel, charge time, amount of screws per charge, warranty and price. All of which makita beat dewalt at.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

your also forgetting that your putting a brand new drill up against one thats already been out in the field. as they get older they slowly lose their umph. so the 1.5 seconds isnt that impressive


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

woodworkbykirk said:


> your also forgetting that your putting a brand new drill up against one thats already been out in the field. as they get older they slowly lose their umph. so the 1.5 seconds isnt that impressive


I actually purchased both impact driver sets so I can compare for myself so they are actually both brand new.

Wow didn't realize how many Makita fans are on this site. Good points though still need to return one set and your comments are making it hard to choose! Thanks for the comments though, keep em coming!


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

iseebird said:


> I actually purchased both impact driver sets so I can compare for myself so they are actually both brand new.
> 
> Wow didn't realize how many Makita fans are on this site. Good points though still need to return one set and your comments are making it hard to choose! Thanks for the comments though, keep em coming!


If your concerned about the speed that an impact can drive screws I would purchase the brushless makita. I have never tried one but heard nothing but good things about it.


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

BCConstruction said:


> If your concerned about the speed that an impact can drive screws I would purchase the brushless makita. I have never tried one but heard nothing but good things about it.


Trust me if I could afford a $450 impact driver I would definitely go with the BL Makita.


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## jiffy (Oct 21, 2007)

iseebird said:


> Trust me if I could afford a $450 impact driver I would definitely go with the BL Makita.


You need to look around more. You can get the Makita Brushless impact for far cheaper than $450. The Makita line also has around 40 tools that you can buy. I have been getting bare tools from Makita and just using my old batteries and chargers. Saves some money in the long run.


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## iseebird (Sep 25, 2011)

jiffy said:


> You need to look around more. You can get the Makita Brushless impact for far cheaper than $450. The Makita line also has around 40 tools that you can buy. I have been getting bare tools from Makita and just using my old batteries and chargers. Saves some money in the long run.


Really I looked on amazon and eBay and that's what the prices run. Where do you usually look at for tools??


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

iseebird said:


> Really I looked on amazon and eBay and that's what the prices run. Where do you usually look at for tools??


It's a little more exspensive than the brushed version but I have seen it as cheap as $280 and at the moment it's about $320 at most places. Or you could by the body only which I think is about $150 currently. But I have seen it as cheap as $120 new on eBay.


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## shelf guy (Mar 18, 2007)

My previous employer bought 4 Makita Li-Ion 18v drills. All 4 crapped out in under two years. 

I have never had a single 18v Dewalt drill lay down, ever. Have been through a few batteries though


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## jps614 (Dec 30, 2010)

ok, i get the american made thing, but i really want someone to tell me that after all the failures by dewalts cordless line, that it is wrong that i buy hitachi and am loyal to that brand until it faults me...


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

shelf guy said:


> My previous employer bought 4 Makita Li-Ion 18v drills. All 4 crapped out in under two years.
> 
> I have never had a single 18v Dewalt drill lay down, ever. Have been through a few batteries though


Very unlikely but at least he had a 3 year warranty to cover them if they did. My Makita lasted 5 years and I used it for doing stupid things like core drilling 4" holes through brick, mixing buckets full of mud and one time connected 2 drills together so me and my mate could see who's was more powerful. By the way my makita shredded his Porter cable gears lol. It still runs to this day but at about 40% power.


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