# Replacing My Dewalt Tools With Ryobi Tools



## rstarre

I want to know if I have just been lucky or do Ryobi tools hold up for others as they have for me. I have the whole collection of cordless Dewalt tools sitting in my garage collecting dust. Three years ago I had to go on a new home warranty repair and left my job site without my drill. I did not want to drive the forty five minutes back so I went to a Home Depot a half mile away to buy a cheap drill. It was an 18V Ryobi. For the next several month I would leave the Ryobi in my van just in case I forgot my drills again. If it got stolen, no big deal since I paid a cheap price for it. I ended up using it everyday and to be honest, I didn't see much difference between it and the Dewalt drills. As my Dewalt batteries died one by one, I thought it was stupid to pay so much for a Dewalt replacement battery when I can get a new Ryobi drill and battery for about the same price. Since then I have bought their 5 1/2 inch saw, router, driver, sawzall, flashlights and mitre saw. I had no problem with anyone of their tools and I use them everyday. The sawzall has gotten wet a few times from cutting plumbing pipes and it still works fine. All at about half the price of the top named tools. My question is, has anyone else had the kind of good luck using Ryobi tools as I have?


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## stp57

I don't know what kind of work that you do, but if your Ryobi tools are holding up then it must be really light work. My DeWalt cordless includes nail guns, rotary hammer, 1/2" impact, right angle drill, impact driver, screw gun, circulars saws & so on. 
Ryobi is light duty & doesn't even make an effort to compete with heavy duty tools. Guys on this forum will defend their own brands of cordless for whatever reasons, but Ryobi, B&D, Skil, Craftsman most likely will not be on their lists. Ryobi is cheap because of what goes into it. You really do get what you pay for in tools.
Steve



rstarre said:


> I want to know if I have just been lucky or do Ryobi tools hold up for others as they have for me. I have the whole collection of cordless Dewalt tools sitting in my garage collecting dust. Three years ago I had to go on a new home warranty repair and left my job site without my drill. I did not want to drive the forty five minutes back so I went to a Home Depot a half mile away to buy a cheap drill. It was an 18V Ryobi. For the next several month I would leave the Ryobi in my van just in case I forgot my drills again. If it got stolen, no big deal since I paid a cheap price for it. I ended up using it everyday and to be honest, I didn't see much difference between it and the Dewalt drills. As my Dewalt batteries died one by one, I thought it was stupid to pay so much for a Dewalt replacement battery when I can get a new Ryobi drill and battery for about the same price. Since then I have bought their 5 1/2 inch saw, router, driver, sawzall, flashlights and mitre saw. I had no problem with anyone of their tools and I use them everyday. The sawzall has gotten wet a few times from cutting plumbing pipes and it still works fine. All at about half the price of the top named tools. My question is, has anyone else had the kind of good luck using Ryobi tools as I have?


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## griz

No offense to you but my grandsons play tools hold up better than any Ryobi  They are prominently featured to the up & coming DIY pros at the local Casa de cheapo store.:whistling


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## mikeswoods

I've had many Ryobe drills over the years--------Never killed one yet.$30.00 batteries.
The first one was a Christmas present.

I've never owned any other of their tools --look like homeowner quality.


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## RussellF

I was using a 4 1/2" Ryobi grinder about a year and a half ago and the thing caught fire on me while grinding some metal. I did not have the grinder for more than three years.......I vowed that I would never buy another one of their products after that. I went and got a DeWalt replacement.......


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## IHI

LOL, I started out with the yellow garbage too, but am smart enough to understand color of a tool does'nt make me money and i dont care if i'm not part of the "cool contractor clich" because my tools are'nt the "percieved" color....why do MOST guys buy yellow?? because they seen them advertised on TV and magazines- "so they have to be good right?" I fell into that, and after fighting the good fight, threw them in the trash, and tried the blue ryobi junk...

Tool- 10yrs later I still own everyone i bought, minus a sawzall that got left out in a thunderstorm one night. 10yrs later we're still using them all everyday...but we must not do much according to Steve:laughing: Have'nt used them for much of anything over the past decade:laughing: We've since changed all the battery's over to the lith-ion stuff....because thankfully ryobi has been nice enough to keep battery design the same since conception so i dont have to buy new tool packages every year because my battery's are junk and to just replace battery's, i'm only $1 shy of a completely new tool kit:laughing:

These lil blue bastards had low inital cost, I've replace 6 battery's in 10yrs @ $29.99/for 2 on sale, and recently replaced 8 nickel battery's with 3 lith ions...investment wise, yep...they've made the business money and have'nt EVER let me down or not performed what i asked of it. I'm not cool though, since i have no deep seeded color of tool affiliation, I just stick to what works.


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## The Coastal Craftsman

Dewalt have always been crapy on the battery quality ever since they popped up. They have sort of got there act together with the new nano cells but even they are cheap compared to what other tool brands are using. The tools there self ain't too bad but not worth the price they are asking. I have had my same Makita set for near on 3 years now and the 3 main tools i started with are just about on there last legs but i can tell you they have been abused. Circular saw been used to cut block walls, drill been used to drill 4 " core through engineering brick, Impact has done well over 1 million screws in the last 3 years and ain't showing any sign of slowing down. If i could get ryobi stuff to last what i put them through then i would buy them. I could burn one of there drills out in 5 mins like i did with that crappy porter cable stuff. But if you look after them and use them as intended then they should last fine.


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## JT Wood

The ryobi stuff I have has been reliable for me.

The impact was $49 + $40 or something for 2 batteries, It has gone strong for 2 years. When I use it I'm driving 3" - 4 1/2" screws. It works fine.


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## Mike Finley

rstarre said:


> I want to know if I have just been lucky or do Ryobi tools hold up for others as they have for me. I have the whole collection of cordless Dewalt tools sitting in my garage collecting dust. Three years ago I had to go on a new home warranty repair and left my job site without my drill. I did not want to drive the forty five minutes back so I went to a Home Depot a half mile away to buy a cheap drill. It was an 18V Ryobi. For the next several month I would leave the Ryobi in my van just in case I forgot my drills again. If it got stolen, no big deal since I paid a cheap price for it. I ended up using it everyday and to be honest, I didn't see much difference between it and the Dewalt drills. As my Dewalt batteries died one by one, I thought it was stupid to pay so much for a Dewalt replacement battery when I can get a new Ryobi drill and battery for about the same price. Since then I have bought their 5 1/2 inch saw, router, driver, sawzall, flashlights and mitre saw. I had no problem with anyone of their tools and I use them everyday. The sawzall has gotten wet a few times from cutting plumbing pipes and it still works fine. All at about half the price of the top named tools. My question is, has anyone else had the kind of good luck using Ryobi tools as I have?


:laughing:Think about the difference in your tools and battery cost replacement of Dewalt being double the Ryobi the next time a customer balks at your prices and says, my uncle knows a fireman that does the work on the weekends and he charges 1/2 of what you do... (now you'll understand that tools cost what they do just like you cost what you do for a reason.)

(I'll bet the 1/2 price guy is using Ryobi too....) :whistling

The 3 top selling points of Dewalt's cordless line of tools for professionals is

#1 Reliability 
#2 Extensive selection of products
#3 Power

Price is down at the bottom of the list.

-- I don't buy Dewalt products because they are pretty or they have commericials on TV or whatever. I buy them for the 3 reasons listed.

Batteries are engineered to last about 2 years with day in day out professional daily use. 

If your cordless batteries are lasting 5 years, it doesn't mean you have some super battery or superior product, it just means you aren't use them at a full time, daily professional level. Cordless batteries are just like the tires on your truck, they have a mileage life to them and will reach that end of life faster or slower depending on how many miles a year you are driving them.


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## Rustbucket

I don't own any Ryobi, but a while back I was visiting my parents and helped them install some hurricane shutters on their house. My father had bought the new green Li-Ion set. I was actually impressed! Nicely balanced and comfortable. Even up on a ladder reaching at all angles. Not bone crushing power, but plenty adequate. The even feel much better built than the old blue ones. 

Don't know how they would hold up long term, but I think that has to do with what kind of work you use them for. Driving your typical screws and smaller drill bits, probably a long time. 4" hole saws, auger bits and lags, probably not. You should really use corded there anyway. 

BTW, I have a bunch of Milwaukee cordless (now owned by TTI, which owns Ryobi) which I have been really happy with for the most part, except the M18 compact batteries and the M12. The V18's have been good. My old DeWalts have been good, and my even older Makita drill keeps running, though I only use those at the house these days, unless I need an extra to lend out. 

I have to wonder if Ryobi, Milwaukee and Ridgid all actually use the same battery technology, being from the same parent company? 

BTW, I recently purchased a Milwaukee cordless V18 SDS bare tool from amazon for around $60. Not bad! And, it's made in Germany!


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## Andrew M.

I use Ryobi as back up and loaner tools. The small footprint circ saw with the 5.5" blade does come in useful at times over the 6.5" ones I have. Daily use, I would not choose them. DIY tools at best.


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## Warren

We refer to them as Toyobi. Myfirst Toyobi purchase was the 18v jigsaw. Just wanted it for birdsmouths and stair notches. What a piece of junk. I used it only one time. I now own the Ridgid 18v cordless. It is probably the best tool in the Ridgid line of 18v tools. The rest are heavy and/or crappy. I did recently buy the little Ryobi 4v kit just for the noise reducing ear protection. The little LED flashlight is decent too. HD had the whole kit for $50 the same day they had the Mil sliders.


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## rstarre

You guys can laugh all you want. What is considered light work? Framing? Kitchens? Flooring? Window replacement? Call it what you like. I never had a problem with a Ryobi tool. My Dewalts have had problems. The battery charger fried my 18v battery. They had a recall on them. One of my 18v drills went out and the Dewalt flashlight that came with the kit does not work. The 18v cordless sawzall is a waste of money. 
Call them what you want, my Ryobi has performed just as well and do the same work as my Dewalts. I still have them in my garage. If can buy batteries for them and use them again. I see no reason to do so.


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## Mike Finley

rstarre said:


> You guys can laugh all you want. What is considered light work? Framing? Kitchens? Flooring? Window replacement? Call it what you like. I never had a problem with a Ryobi tool. My Dewalts have had problems. The battery charger fried my 18v battery. They had a recall on them. One of my 18v drills went out and the Dewalt flashlight that came with the kit does not work. The 18v cordless sawzall is a waste of money.
> Call them what you want, my Ryobi has performed just as well and do the same work as my Dewalts. I still have them in my garage. If can buy batteries for them and use them again. I see no reason to do so.


Between 2 complete job trailers outfitted with tools we put about 40 Dewalt cordless tools through their paces on a daily basis. In 4 years I've had in for repair one Dewalt recip saw, one Dewalt drill, 1 Milwaukee rotary hammer drill, 1 Bosch jig saw, 1 Porter Cable framing nailer (repaired 2 times). Adding it all up we have around 35 18 volt Dewalt cordless batteries and 10 chargers. Never had a battery get fried or a bad charger.

Not saying bad things don't happen to good people. But I'll play the odds that I'm a way better testing ground for Dewalt cordless then yourself and they have made me a sh*t load of money. 

I don't have any allegiance to Dewalt, only to tools that return on their investment, if Dewalt cordless was a sh*tty system I'd be the first one to know it.

Tools are just that, they are tools to make money with.

PS - Try changing the light bulb on your flash light. :laughing: Barring that, buy another one for $19.00 as a bare tool and stop your belly aching. :no:


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## jaymc

i have to agree with mike..
most of my tools are dewalt a few of them ive had for years with no problems at all. they get abused on a regular bassis and just keep on going..
i have other makes aswell but the yellow fellows are the ones that are with me constantly and as mike said they had made me lots of £££.

but again it down to what you prefer


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## Inner10

I don't own any Ryobi but I think it is priced very well if it work for you keep using it.:thumbsup:

I must agree with Mike I've had really good luck with dewalt cordless drills; except I have swapped out quite a few batteries under warranty, there must be an underlying problem like a bad connection or something.

I know in another thread lots of guys were talking up hilti but after both my drill, driver and a battery died in 2 years I don't feel my 650 was well spent.


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## Mike Finley

One time I went to meet a guy to buy some of his used tools. One was a Dewalt cordless drill. I brought a battery along with me and when I put it in his tool and pulled the trigger the thing made a sound like bacon frying and a little smoke started coming out where the battery was connected. I quickly disconnected the battery hoping I hadn't fried the battery. 

I marked the battery with a piece of tape and put it back into service and watched it, but it never seemed to have a problem. I didn't buy the drill of course.

Sh*t happens. Look at Toyota!


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## Greg Di

The simple solution to avoid color envy is to spray paint all your tools flat back. That way, people will think you are cool, like a ninja, no matter what type of tools you have.


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## W-Tinc

I have never used a ryobi anything..call it want you want but for the price of tools versus the money we make with them cost isn't much of a factor to me. 

Otoh I would be slightly embarrassed to break out my tools at a customers house and see that they had the same or better perceived quality tools than we use.

They may be the best thing since sliced bread..but I tend to think "low budget" when I see people using them.


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## AustinDB

Mike Finley said:


> The 3 top selling points of Dewalt's cordless line of tools for professionals is
> 
> #1 Reliability
> #2 Extensive selection of products
> #3 Power
> 
> Price is down at the bottom of the list.


I would reorder as
#1 Extensive selection of products
#2 Reliability
#3 Power

Little things like pulling out the yellow cordless jigsaw for a 2" wood flooring cut saved 3-4 minutes of getting out the corded tool and packing it back up at the end of the day...minutes AND frustration!


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## AustinDB

Greg Di said:


> The simple solution to avoid color envy is to spray paint all your tools flat back. That way, people will think you are cool, like a ninja, no matter what type of tools you have.


not sure what other contractors do, but I have a 'color'-it's a color similar to grabber green-which I spray paint certain items which easily walk away...like battery's, crow bars, etc...no mixing up my stuff for someone elses w/ a little snazzy spray paint.


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## Cole82

Greg Di said:


> The simple solution to avoid color envy is to spray paint all your tools flat back. That way, people will think you are cool, like a ninja, no matter what type of tools you have.


Pink is much better, no body steals a pink impact or drill.:thumbsup:

Cole


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## IHI

W-Tinc said:


> I have never used a ryobi anything..call it want you want but for the price of tools versus the money we make with them cost isn't much of a factor to me.
> 
> Otoh I would be slightly embarrassed to break out my tools at a customers house and see that they had the same or better perceived quality tools than we use.
> 
> They may be the best thing since sliced bread..but I tend to think "low budget" when I see people using them.


Point in case of marketing doing it's job:w00t: I've worked for plenty of customers over the past 2 decades, and never once did they give two chits about what i used to get the job done, so long as i got the job done and it was exactly what they wanted. 

I too had a few faulty yellow chargers back in the day, batteries i could never get a full season out of before they only held half a charge/able to work half as long as before...I even built a charging table with lights and alligator clips to completely discharge the batteries since all the yellow followers were telling me I was'nt discharging them enough and the battery's had a memory:laughing: well, I can tell you, at least 10yrs ago, complete discharge made zero difference. 

The reason i switched years back, is the same reason i see guys on here bragging up the yellow stuff....making money. For us, it became a HUGE inconvience, a huge waste of time/energy running back and forth grabbing battery's to finish a task. I grew tired of mudane drill drops that split my dewalt drills off at the handle to motor transition...overall i just grew very tired of spending big money on garbage that wasted my time both in chasing down charged battery's and buying new drills that snapped in half. Threw it all in the trash and tried the blue junk based on my grandfather who was a window/siding sub and was having excellent results/luck with them. For yrs I've said when they die I'd like to try milwaukee or makita, but these dang things wont die. :w00t: We still have and use ni-cad batteries from 8 yrs ago, they seem to hold up better when it's 20*F and colder than the lith-ion's do throughout the day.

Just like building race cars, there's 1000 ways to get the job done, i just learned years ago when i find something that works and does the job as well as the expensive parts, I'll use it. Heck, electric water pumps for our race engines, the "cool guys" or guys who would buy "dewalt" all buy 1 of 2 brands. Miezere or CSR.....I bought a Proform for half the money. for 9yrs I've run the same pump, it's kept my car plenty cool and never had a hint of problem...but the same guys running the expensive stuff pizz and moan about seals failing, motors burning up, etc....the whole time just like my tools, I just keep on working, keep on doing what i do instead of chasing batteries and buying new tools because of a ladder drop.


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## Warren

72chevy4x4 said:


> not sure what other contractors do, but I have a 'color'-it's a color similar to grabber green-which I spray paint certain items which easily walk away...like battery's, crow bars, etc...no mixing up my stuff for someone elses w/ a little snazzy spray paint.


I try to label my bigger tools with a black sharpie. After a few years it starts to wear off so you have to do it again. I do this to all of my tool batteries too. When you get on a job with a lot of people there are a lot of batteries floating around.


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## TBFGhost

...IHI speaks the truth. I see most people buying Dewalt b/c it is the cool thing to do...b/c other contractors have it. I have had Ryobi 14.4 and Makita 14.4 sets. The Makita outlasted the Ryobi set...and is still kicking to this day....however, the Ryobi is still around but used to home stuff now. I have a Ryobi tile saw and Ryobi hand planer. I buy Ryobi stuff for things that I dn't use often but need to have... Other then that I love my Bosch stuff...I just go too used to the little features they put on their stuff.


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## WarnerConstInc.

Egad's, I could never spray paint my tools.


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## Mike Finley

Warren said:


> I try to label my bigger tools with a black sharpie. After a few years it starts to wear off so you have to do it again. I do this to all of my tool batteries too. When you get on a job with a lot of people there are a lot of batteries floating around.


Do you have a dremel or something like it? If you kind of engrave the tool with your initials or whatever you are going to use, then use the black sharpie to color the engraving, it will last almost forever.


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## loneframer

*DeWalt Cordless story*

I was installing decking on a dock with a hidden fastener system that attaches from underneath. Material was Ipe', so I was predrilling. Installed a new bit in the drill, ducked under from above and drilled through the Ipe' and also my forearm. (Really nice bit, I might add) Dropped my 12V DeWalt in the salt water.:furious: Sent my helper down to fetch it, pulled the battery, hosed it out with fresh water, blew it out with an air nozzle, soaked it with WD40 and parked it for a few days. I got at least a year out of the drill, but the battery was toast.:laughing: I retired the drill when the teeth of the chuck started falling out.:thumbup: I'm not a DeWalt fanatic, but I'm still a fan.:thumbsup:


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## BKFranks

rstarre said:


> I want to know if I have just been lucky or do Ryobi tools hold up for others as they have for me. I have the whole collection of cordless Dewalt tools sitting in my garage collecting dust. Three years ago I had to go on a new home warranty repair and left my job site without my drill. I did not want to drive the forty five minutes back so I went to a Home Depot a half mile away to buy a cheap drill. It was an 18V Ryobi. For the next several month I would leave the Ryobi in my van just in case I forgot my drills again. If it got stolen, no big deal since I paid a cheap price for it. I ended up using it everyday and to be honest, I didn't see much difference between it and the Dewalt drills. As my Dewalt batteries died one by one, I thought it was stupid to pay so much for a Dewalt replacement battery when I can get a new Ryobi drill and battery for about the same price. Since then I have bought their 5 1/2 inch saw, router, driver, sawzall, flashlights and mitre saw. I had no problem with anyone of their tools and I use them everyday. The sawzall has gotten wet a few times from cutting plumbing pipes and it still works fine. All at about half the price of the top named tools. My question is, has anyone else had the kind of good luck using Ryobi tools as I have?


Funny. I went to a friends house to install some tile. Tried using his 18v Ryobi cordless with a paddle to mix the thin set. Wouldn't even turn it was so weak. He just charged the battery too. My 18v Makita had no problems. I wouldn't buy anything with the name Ryobi on it.


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## BKFranks

Warren said:


> I try to label my bigger tools with a black sharpie. After a few years it starts to wear off so you have to do it again. I do this to all of my tool batteries too. When you get on a job with a lot of people there are a lot of batteries floating around.


You should engrave your drivers license number. Then they will check to see if it matches the drivers license # when someone tries to pawn them. Also the police will check the number if they find stolen items.


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## Warren

BKFranks said:


> Funny. I went to a friends house to install some tile. Tried using his 18v Ryobi cordless with a paddle to mix the thin set. Wouldn't even turn it was so weak. He just charged the battery too. My 18v Makita had no problems. I wouldn't buy anything with the name Ryobi on it.


Last week I went to borrow a friends tile saw as I was doing my baths and kitchen. His tile saw switch had gone out and he had bought a Ryobi tile saw for 300 bucks at the Depot. He said it wasn't cutting great but he wasnt sure why. I tried to cut 18 inch tiles with it and was having a lot of trouble with breakage. I came within one tile of not being able to finish. He took that back yesterday and got his money back. This week I am using another friends saw. It is a Chicago Tool (aka Harbor Freight). I am no fan of HF but WOW!!! This is a decent saw.


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## Mike Finley

loneframer said:


> I was installing decking on a dock with a hidden fastener system that attaches from underneath. Material was Ipe', so I was predrilling. Installed a new bit in the drill, ducked under from above and drilled through the Ipe' and also my forearm. (Really nice bit, I might add) Dropped my 12V DeWalt in the salt water.:furious: Sent my helper down to fetch it, pulled the battery, hosed it out with fresh water, blew it out with an air nozzle, soaked it with WD40 and parked it for a few days. I got at least a year out of the drill, but the battery was toast.:laughing: I retired the drill when the teeth of the chuck started falling out.:thumbup: I'm not a DeWalt fanatic, but I'm still a fan.:thumbsup:


see, if that would have been a Bosch, G.B. Electrical,Greenlee, Makita, Metabo, Milwaukee, Panasonic, Porter Cable, Ridgid, Stanley-Bostitch, Hitachi, Craftsman, Ryobi or Hilti, that tool would have walked by itself out of the water, cleaned itself off, lit you a cigarette and finished the deck all by itself and collected final payment for you. :laughing:


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## The Coastal Craftsman

BKFranks said:


> Funny. I went to a friends house to install some tile. Tried using his 18v Ryobi cordless with a paddle to mix the thin set. Wouldn't even turn it was so weak. He just charged the battery too. My 18v Makita had no problems. I wouldn't buy anything with the name Ryobi on it.


 
This is where better quality tools shine. When you use them for things they were not designed for. Thats where the extra cost and quality comes to play. Just the other day i was drilling a hole through a bottom plate and hit a nail and the dam drill twisted and caught a stud. The handle on the drill was bending and the trigger had stuck fast and then the magic blue smoke started coming out of the drill as i couldn't get the drill to stop. Had to hit the battery with a hammer to knock it lose from the drill before it went up in flames. I thought the drill and battery were gonna be toast for sure. Both of them are still working like nothing happen. The drill did make some funny noises right after i tried to use it but they have gone away now.


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## AustinDB

Warren said:


> He said it wasn't cutting great but he wasnt sure why


last big tile job my wetsaw wasn't cutting worth a crap-kept breaking tile near the end of diagonal cuts and wouldn't cut straight...new blade fix everything AND saved time! 

couldn't imagine a jobsite where all the other carpenter's/trades were using Festools :whistling


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## loneframer

Mike Finley said:


> see, if that would have been a Bosch, G.B. Electrical,Greenlee, Makita, Metabo, Milwaukee, Panasonic, Porter Cable, Ridgid, Stanley-Bostitch, Hitachi, Craftsman, Ryobi or Hilti, that tool would have walked by itself out of the water, cleaned itself off, lit you a cigarette and finished the deck all by itself and collected final payment for you. :laughing:


 Here's the  dock. I think I did the Moonwalk on water when I sunk that bit in my arm. Luckily the bit was only long enough to go in about 1/2":whistling


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## SDC

Mike Finley said:


> :laughing:Think about the difference in your tools and battery cost replacement of Dewalt being double the Ryobi the next time a customer balks at your prices and says, my uncle knows a fireman that does the work on the weekends and he charges 1/2 of what you do... (now you'll understand that tools cost what they do just like you cost what you do for a reason.)
> 
> (I'll bet the 1/2 price guy is using Ryobi too....) :whistling.


Of course that Fireman would never dream of working in a fire house without a brand new kitchen, gym and other first rate products.......next time there is a fire, ask the home owner if they would like a carpenter to come to put the fire out...


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## Mike Finley

loneframer said:


> Here's the  dock. I think I did the Moonwalk on water when I sunk that bit in my arm. Luckily the bit was only long enough to go in about 1/2":whistling


Very nice.

Did you conveniently arrange the chairs to cover up the blood stains?


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## loneframer

Mike Finley said:


> Very nice.
> 
> Did you conveniently arrange the chairs to cover up the blood stains?


:laughing::laughing::laughing: Not exactly. That's how the drill ended up in the water. I grabbed my arm to keep the blood off the decking. Deckmaster is a nice product, but you don't want to do it more than necessary. Especially upside down.:no:


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## Tom Struble

Greg Di said:


> The simple solution to avoid color envy is to spray paint all your tools flat back. That way, people will think you are cool, like a ninja, no matter what type of tools you have.


 
yeeaa...ninja:clap:


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## Tom Struble

loneframer said:


> only long enough to go in about 1/2":whistling


 
thats what she said:clap:....oh bam!arty:


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## Mike Finley

Early photo of Ryobi proto types for their next generation of professional tools.


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## rstarre

Mike Finley said:


> Looks like a bad case of the Mondays to me.
> 
> Dewalt blows. A couple million dollars in revenue generated with the damn things and still going. God Damn it!!!!:furious:
> 
> Dude, I could give a rats ass if you like Dewalt, love ryobi or hate ryobi and love Dewalt. They are tools. Personally I'd love to never see one ever again if I had my wish. I don't get wood over tools. I get some over the checks they create. Tools are nothing but a line item on my profit and loss statements.
> 
> 100% of all tool love affair threads are nothing different then what's better? Ford or Chevy? Just a fleeting moment of entertainment. Relax a little Fancis, nothing to get worked up about.:thumbsup:


Hey Mike..why not brag a little more. I find braggers usually like to exaggerate quite a bit and reality differs from the story. Who cares what you supposedly made. Is this suppose to impress the rest of us? You claim you made a couple million dollars using Dewalt tools. Would you have made half that if you used Sears tools? Three quarters of that using Porter Cable? LOLOL Dewalt tools don't blow. But blowhards do.


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## Inner10

Most of us have made millions! But spend more then that in the process.:laughing:



> I don't get wood over tools.


When you spend your wife's birthday budget on them you kinda find a way to make it work.:thumbup:

I'm a huge cordless fan but mixing mortar or cutting LVLs is just stupid. My old makita went snap crackel pop and smoked like mad when I mixed with it! (still works though).

I don't care what cordless sawzall your using on an LVL but you better pack a few batteries and a lunch before you take on that task.


----------



## Mike Finley

rstarre said:


> Hey Mike..why not brag a little more. I find braggers usually like to exaggerate quite a bit and reality differs from the story. Who cares what you supposedly made. Is this suppose to impress the rest of us? You claim you made a couple million dollars using Dewalt tools. Would you have made half that if you used Sears tools? Three quarters of that using Porter Cable? LOLOL Dewalt tools don't blow. But blowhards do.


You ain't exactly ever been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed have ya? Point went way over your head huh?

Time for bed for you, your mommie is calling you, she wants to know why her electric mixer has thinset all over it. Oh, we know, you thought it was a professional spade bit drill. :laughing:

Nighty night Francis.


----------



## caseyleen

I was a Makita/Bosch guy until I was enticed by the Dewalt combo kits many years ago. Dewalt is overpriced when you consider the amount of recalls they have had over the past several years. I think it has been 14 to 17 recalls all together. Unfortunately I had the misfortune of having two of the recall tools. Yes they fixed them, but wasting time driving them to the service center was a pain and a loss of a few hours of work. Dewalt didn't have a service center anywhere near me. Poor record for tools that are suppose to be top quality and at the top of the price range. I sold my Dewalt tools to an electrician
I know. I will not buy Dewalt tools anymore. I am back to buying Makita & Bosch tools. As a matter of fact I still have a Makita drill that is going on 13 years old and still working.


----------



## samthedog

If you hardly use the tool, who cares? I have a no-name tile saw that I have renovated several bathrooms and laundries with. All I did was toss the blade that came with it and replaced it with the best blade I could find and checked that the fence was square. Considering you hide cuts it does not matter.

Some tools I will never try go cheap on and they are things like impact drivers, recip saws and detail sanders. The reason is these tools make a bastard of a job slightly less bastardish and for that I want them to work well and be reliable.


----------



## tonytnt

I use to be a tool snob. I'd laugh at Ryobi, Sears and Skil Red Series users.
During the real estate building boom in 2005, We got a contract to put up 24 town homes. I hired a bunch of workers who just came here from Poland and could not afford to buy tools right away. But they worked like hell. 
I did not want to buy a bunch of top of the line tools. I knew some of the tools would end up lost or stolen, so I bought Ryobi for them to use. To my surprise, none of these tools broke. These guys used them everyday.
I still have these tools and some of my workers use them today. They made a believer out of me.


----------



## IHI

tonytnt said:


> I use to be a tool snob. I'd laugh at Ryobi, Sears and Skil Red Series users.
> During the real estate building boom in 2005, We got a contract to put up 24 town homes. I hired a bunch of workers who just came here from Poland and could not afford to buy tools right away. But they worked like hell.
> I did not want to buy a bunch of top of the line tools. I knew some of the tools would end up lost or stolen, so I bought Ryobi for them to use. To my surprise, none of these tools broke. These guys used them everyday.
> I still have these tools and some of my workers use them today. They made a believer out of me.


It does'nt matter that they hold up better than the Default tools, cuz if you aint sport'n yellow, you aint cool.....come on over to my side of the room, over here we're the older crowd with the big schwing'n dyck that would rather just get the job done quicker/more profit than spending $2K annually on yellow junk to compensate for something/impress other's:laughing: because according to some, color of cordless tools reflects on them and the work they do.....but us older guys who have been at this "a lil while" know differently


----------



## Tom Struble

i think your all ''tools'':clap::thumbup:


----------



## stp57

Personally, I use the German DeWalt tools because I drive a German Sprinter van. Gotta match or the fashion police will get me.:laughing:
Steve


----------



## IHI

Mike Finley said:


> Early photo of Ryobi proto types for their next generation of professional tools.


Sweet, i see they're marketing the circular saw as a siding saw? bout time soembody though about niche marketing!!:laughing:


----------



## Tom Struble

Mike Finley?...a wiseguy?...no way....really?:drink:


----------



## Warren

I see from Mikes post that Ryobi has improved the design of the jigsaw. Maybe I should give it another try??


----------



## Mike Finley

Are you referring to Ryobi's use of the clear plastic wood shaving collector on the front? I think it also doubles as the on board pencil sharpener shaving holder. Very nice!


----------



## loneframer

I worked side by side with a great carpenter who decided to try out an 18V Riobi combo kit. That was about 4 years ago. I watched him go ballistic on the Riobis every time one failed to perform the required task, one by one, until there was nothing left. The drill was junk, as I witnessed first hand when his was within closer reach. My 12V cordless DW drill had a better battery life, more torque, sturdier feel and higher speed for drilling. I still use the 12V DW drills. The 1/2" chuck and 3 speed transmission are great features. They are less cumbersome than the 14.4s and 18s and will drive a 5" deckscrew into a 6x6 treated post without predrilling. If I'm doing work where the batteries can't keep up, I'll get out a corded drill. The Riobi circular saw was nowhere near as nice as my 18V Ridgid, which is still a great saw for PVC trimwork, as is the jigsaw.

I'm not a diehard DW fan, but I like their professional grade cordless drills. My biggest concern is value for the dollar, not price. I should say that the 3 12V DWs I'm running now were $79 bucks at Lowes, marked down from $179 with 2 XRP batteries. Great value for the dollar, considering a replacement battery is $64 bucks.


----------



## ZACC

I have owned several Ryobi tools in the past. They are "Throw Down" tools in my opionion. DeWalt tools are good, for the right tools. They make some good tools, and some crappy ones too. Here is a list of tools that I have owned that and prefer. 

1. Routers- Porter Cable best, Craftman and DeWalt worst
2. Jig Saw- Bosch Best, DeWalt Worst
3. Miter Saws- DeWalt best, Ryobi worst
4. Nail Guns- Passload Best, Craftsman worst
5. Table Saw- Grizzly best, Craftsman worst, Ryobi isnt bad for a site table saw, but light duty
6. Sawsall- Porter Cable and Milwaukee the best, DeWalt worst (except the battery operated ones for light duty)
7. Hammer Drills- Bosch and Hilti Professional Series the best, DeWalt worst.
8. Drills- DeWalt the best BY FAR, Bosch the worst.
9. Skill Saws- Dewalt and Skill (Worm Drive) best, Milwaukee the worst.

I have used all brands of each of the above in my 20+ years as a carpenter. To each his own, of course. But I can stand by these tools as some of the ones I have are 10+ years old and still working great. As you can see, there are some tools that are great and some that are not, it depends on the tool. Not one single manufacturer gets it right on each and every tool.


----------



## Vince10

Interesting site. Owning a tool rental shop, I have some knowledge of tools. I never even held a Ryobi tool in my hand. We had some Dewalt tools we rented out but stopped using them. They did not hold up as long in comparision to Bosch, Hilti, Metbo and Milwaukee. From 25 years of experience in renting tools, those four brands are the top of the line. Dewalt is a grade below in my opinion.


----------



## stp57

I had forgotten all about that movie over the years (except the mud wrestling part). Thanks for the recap.
Steve



Mike Finley said:


> You ain't exactly ever been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed have ya? Point went way over your head huh?
> 
> Time for bed for you, your mommie is calling you, she wants to know why her electric mixer has thinset all over it. Oh, we know, you thought it was a professional spade bit drill. :laughing:
> 
> Nighty night Francis.


----------



## IHI

Vince10 said:


> Interesting site. Owning a tool rental shop, I have some knowledge of tools. I never even held a Ryobi tool in my hand. We had some Dewalt tools we rented out but stopped using them. They did not hold up as long in comparision to Bosch, Hilti, Metbo and Milwaukee. From 25 years of experience in renting tools, those four brands are the top of the line. Dewalt is a grade below in my opinion.


Uh oh....the yellow blood is boiling and fix'n to attack because YOU are'nt using the tools, so how would YOU know:laughing::laughing:

Great feedback since rental shops are the TRUE testiment to everything since holy crap do clueless phuckstycks beat the living dookie out of it. makes it real crappy for thos of us that rent after the idiots.


----------



## Mike Finley

Vince10 said:


> Interesting site. Owning a tool rental shop, I have some knowledge of tools. I never even held a Ryobi tool in my hand. We had some Dewalt tools we rented out but stopped using them. They did not hold up as long in comparision to Bosch, Hilti, Metbo and Milwaukee. From 25 years of experience in renting tools, those four brands are the top of the line. Dewalt is a grade below in my opinion.


This to me is an educated opinion. :thumbsup:


----------



## Mike Finley

IHI said:


> Not as big as i'd like LOL, but we TRY to stay busy to help keep things flowing...i just wish the money flowed like i try to keep us flowing.:furious: Heck, it's nothing to go 1-2 months at a stretch with zero income, then we get a huge influx of money, then back to no income for awhile...20yrs in this game, and it's still feast or famine, just the past 5yrs I've officially accepted it and now operate knowing that. Growing up in IA. we're basically structured like farmers are. I "know" where we're at, but at the same time I wait until november when i "shut down" for 5 month winter break to see where things actually fall out...I stopped being one to count my chickens before they hatched...it used to burn me something fierce when i first got going..be owed $x amount of money/profit, make a tool/vehicle purchase and then things fell apart/money never came in on schedule like it "was supposed to".
> 
> So now i just live like a poverty person everything is a cash transaction, zero credit cards/loans on anything. I know I'm leaving money on the table by NOT utilizing available resources listed above, but at the end of the day I have nothing hanging over my head, what's mine is mine is the puriest sense of the word 100% of the time. cept my house:no::laughing:


:thumbsup:


----------



## Cole82

I can't ***** too much but two tools in 3 days of work isn't the norm just a couple bad days.

Did buy my first DW cordless it is a new impact driver lith-ion 18v it was marked down. Also got a 4 year free replacement on the driver and one year on the battery it wasn't very much money.

Cole


----------



## The Coastal Craftsman

Inner10 said:


> I've destroyed countless tools for various reasons, no power tool in the world is made to work forever and at some point everything will break.
> 
> You cannot make an employee pay for a company tool that breaks read the employment act.
> 
> 
> 
> Around here good help is rather difficult to find, I reckon there are a few bad apples out there but I've had a few guys in the past who treated my tools like gold and were very respectful. I would never say that all employees carry the attitude that you describe above. IMO employees are one of your greatest assets and if you treat them with respect they treat company property with respect.


 
I would make sure they bought their own tools then. Bet they would look after them then when they pay $300 for a drill.


----------



## IHI

Cole82 said:


> I can't ***** too much but two tools in 3 days of work isn't the norm just a couple bad days.
> 
> Did buy my first DW cordless it is a new impact driver lith-ion 18v it was marked down. Also got a 4 year free replacement on the driver and one year on the battery it wasn't very much money.
> 
> Cole


I get luck like that too, cept mine is'nt 3 days and done, I go for yrs at a time:w00t: Had to replace a $900 valvebody on my one plow truck few weeks ago, unexpected bill I was never informed about. Anyhow yesterday brother called and asked if plow motor was suppoed to be loose/rattleing around....DUH-no. So I asked how much snow/ice got into the system, "I dont think any" he tells me, but i know better. But yeah, then today he called and said the plow did'nt work...so first thing i told him, tear the motor off, pull the pump out and check the screen..probably full of ice. Sure enough. So yeah, paid $900 to get plow fixed, they did'nt tighten the motor down, so now i get to REFLUSH the entire system that i just paid them fockers for a few weeks ago when they had the pump in pieces trouble shooting it.....

today was "planning" to start the tile aspect on a job we're doing, grabbed the blade to put back on my 4" grinder since 3rd tile in for layout goes around a toilet flange....what do ya know, I lent the blade to my grandfather last summer, he punched the arbor "bushing out" since his grinnder is a 7/8" and mine is a 5/8"....1.5hr round trip to get another blade. This all after school had a 2hr delayed start, so i was behind already. THEN it's wend. so they get out an hour early too so i had to pick her up....I just called it at 11am and said we're going home, I'm not dealing with Monday on a Wed. LOL!!

ahhh, joys of self employment:laughing:


----------



## Cole82

Josh sounds like a normal day to me.

Yesterday my daughter slipped and fell on the tile in the bathroom, split her cheek wide open with a black eye. Preschool didn't want to take her until she saw a doctor. So we get the doc's opinion he says no need for stitches just butterflies. Now it is noon I have to be in vinton at 1:00 for an acountant's meeting. So she comes with me that takes until 3:00. There goes another day.

Cole


----------



## IHI

Cole82 said:


> Josh sounds like a normal day to me.
> 
> Yesterday my daoughter slipped and fell on the tile in the bathroom, split her cheek wide open with a black eye. Preschool didn't want to take her until she saw a doctor. So we get the doc's opinion he says no need for stitches just butterflies. Now it is noon I have to be in vinton at 1:00 for an acountant's meeting. So she comes with me that takes until 3:00. There goes another day.
> 
> Cole



UGH, man sorry to hear bout the lil one....seems to hurt us more than them i tell ya Sounds like a good daycare to me:thumbsup: Lucky they were'nt crazy and let you drop her off and then call human services to "investigate" I remember when Brooke was 4 she was on a dead run down grandparents driveway, just as i was going to yell for her to slow down....plop, down she goes, face plants onto the concrete and teeth through bottom lip...nice


----------



## WilsonRMDL

Not saying ryobi is junk, I know guys that use ryobi stuff sparingly on jobsites, or if they dont feel like pulling all their tools onto the job. You get what you pay for. 

I bought a milwaukee impact/drill set for $199 last year, lithium ion, 18v, decent set. Last week both batteries just died. Wont recharge. Dead. So now I have two of the tools i use most of the day that I have to spend $140 to replace the batteries. 

Previously I had dewalt cordless that were still going strong after 4 years of everyday use. I picked up the milwaukee because they were lighter weight and I was doing production cabinet installs in commercial buildings. Anyways, when the milwaukees went bad I went and bought a dewalt lithium ion hammerdrill for $329 I think it was. 

Why did I buy dewalt again? Because they last. I put them through hell and they still worked for 4 years. Now the new stuff has a 2 year warranty on just the batteries alone. So was it worth it to pay more for a name? IMO yes, because I know it will last.


----------



## Girlscanbld2

Ryobi has plastic gears...Dewalt steel ones.


----------



## stp57

Yea, it's real easy to exchange bad batteries with DeWalt, thanks to all of the DeWalt/ B&D service centers. I have 10 Nano batteries & only one has gone bad in two years. I wish that I could have said the same about the old Nicad batteries.
Steve



WilsonRMDL said:


> Not saying ryobi is junk, I know guys that use ryobi stuff sparingly on jobsites, or if they dont feel like pulling all their tools onto the job. You get what you pay for.
> 
> I bought a milwaukee impact/drill set for $199 last year, lithium ion, 18v, decent set. Last week both batteries just died. Wont recharge. Dead. So now I have two of the tools i use most of the day that I have to spend $140 to replace the batteries.
> 
> Previously I had dewalt cordless that were still going strong after 4 years of everyday use. I picked up the milwaukee because they were lighter weight and I was doing production cabinet installs in commercial buildings. Anyways, when the milwaukees went bad I went and bought a dewalt lithium ion hammerdrill for $329 I think it was.
> 
> Why did I buy dewalt again? Because they last. I put them through hell and they still worked for 4 years. Now the new stuff has a 2 year warranty on just the batteries alone. So was it worth it to pay more for a name? IMO yes, because I know it will last.


----------



## BuildersII

I prefer Panasonic 15.6V drills because they're small, light, high-torque and marvelously engineered. Anyone who's used one knows they're incredible. That said, it's a $300 drill.

Ryobi's don't have the torque or the battery life of most other drills, but I've used some Ryobi's as long as 8 years in residential remodeling (where all we use are screws). The great thing is that even if it lasts you only a year, you can replace it for $100, and batteries are $25 a piece.

Also be aware that there are different grades of tools sold by the manufacturer. A DeWalt you get at the Home Depot versus a DeWalt purchased from a real contractor supplier might be two different models with different grades of parts in them.

In the end, get a tool that you find comfortable to use and save yourself the strained joints. Cheap tools tend to break down a bit more, but they're cheap to replace. Expensive tools tend to last longer. In the end, it's all a crap shoot anyways, as you could unknowingly buy a lemon from a good tool line.

Also: In the last 10 years, not one customer has noted what brand of tools we used. They care about professionalism, showing up on time, getting the job done within the timeframe predicted and generally knowing what you're doing.


----------



## IHI

Girlscanbld2 said:


> Ryobi has plastic gears...Dewalt steel ones.


I can 100% asure you that for over a decade of daily useage by employee's and myself....the Ryobi plastic gears are still holding up just fine, I know this because I still have 2 complete tool sets I bought over 10 years ago...why would I still have them you ask?? Simple: They still make the SAME battery design to fit the tools they made way back in the day as well as present. I promise none of the other tool manufacturers can tout that and the other reason...they wont fricken die:no:

Metal gears in the Dewalt...I wonder if that's why I went through a handful of drills when the motor housing snapped off the handle? extra weight of the metal gears?


----------



## Tom Struble

plastic can be made ''as strong as steel'' in some cases


----------



## IHI

tomstruble said:


> plastic can be made ''as strong as steel'' in some cases


Exactly, we use a composite distributor gear for our race motors since the billet cam gear will eat up the "stock steel" gear that comes on these aftermarket distributors....the composite aka plastic gears, can handle it

so the metal vs plastic is'nt really much of an arugement for anything....maybe she was thinking of the old school white nylon gears in the black and decker...aka Dewalt tool manufacturer's tools.:laughing:


----------



## Mike Finley

I knew a guy who built a sky scraper with nothing but a pair or tweesers, his wife's nail file and a wheel barrow with a bad tire.

The point is saying any professional tool line is bad is ridiculous. There is no professional tool line that is junk. 

Ford vs Chevy, either one is still a good truck.


----------



## Warren

WilsonRMDL said:


> Not saying ryobi is junk, I know guys that use ryobi stuff sparingly on jobsites, or if they dont feel like pulling all their tools onto the job. You get what you pay for.
> 
> I bought a milwaukee impact/drill set for $199 last year, lithium ion, 18v, decent set. Last week both batteries just died. Wont recharge. Dead. So now I have two of the tools i use most of the day that I have to spend $140 to replace the batteries.
> 
> Previously I had dewalt cordless that were still going strong after 4 years of everyday use. I picked up the milwaukee because they were lighter weight and I was doing production cabinet installs in commercial buildings. Anyways, when the milwaukees went bad I went and bought a dewalt lithium ion hammerdrill for $329 I think it was.
> 
> Why did I buy dewalt again? Because they last. I put them through hell and they still worked for 4 years. Now the new stuff has a 2 year warranty on just the batteries alone. So was it worth it to pay more for a name? IMO yes, because I know it will last.


I thought the Milwaukee lith's had a 5 year warranty?


----------



## Vince10

tomstruble said:


> plastic can be made ''as strong as steel'' in some cases



Plastic timing gears have been used in cars for years because the metal ones om small engines like four cylinders were way to noisy. Example. 1985 GM 4 motors that.


----------



## PARENOS

When i started with little money, I needed to get as much as I could for as little greenbacks as possible. 
If you have nothing to compare Ryobi against and they work for you then great. I am sure for what some people do they do everything that is needed and why spend more money if you are satisfied with the results. I have 3 different sets of cordless tools, Makita, Dewalt, and Craftsman. The Makita's are my workhorse, I leave these on site and get the majority of use. Mainly due to the quick charge battery. My Dewalts I leave in my truck for house calls and quick easy in and out projects. The Craftsman are in the shop and really just an emergency set, (Gift) not that they dont work, but If you have a better option you are gonna use it. I have bought to many things cheap and the 6 months later go out and buy something good, Save the money and buy right the first time. But if it works for you and you are happy, who cares what anyone else says.


----------



## tcleve4911

Warren said:


> I thought the Milwaukee lith's had a 5 year warranty?


Boy I've heard nothing but nightmares about the 'waulkees lith batteries.
Makita 18v lith IS the workhorse in my opinion. :thumbsup:


----------



## Rustbucket

tcleve4911 said:


> Boy I've heard nothing but nightmares about the 'waulkees lith batteries.
> Makita 18v lith IS the workhorse in my opinion. :thumbsup:


I have to say that my V18's have had zero problems. My M18 compact batteries are another story. One was bad out of the box. The other is fine, though, and I haven't had a problem with it. I took the bad one to a service center, and they told me I needed a receipt, which, of course, I can't find  I may have just received a lemon. It happens. I bet if you look around this forum, you will find that has happened with every manufacturer. Still PO'd they won't take the battery without a receipt, though. The fact that I'm holding the  thing in my  hand should be proof of purchase! They have date codes on them that show when they were made, and the M18 hasn't been out long enough for any of the warranties to expire.


----------



## TBFGhost

BuildersII said:


> Also be aware that there are different grades of tools sold by the manufacturer. A DeWalt you get at the Home Depot versus a DeWalt purchased from a real contractor supplier might be two different models with different grades of parts in them.


:no: 
Prove it... I saw from now on every claim anyone makes must be backed up with facts. Like this one did...:clap:



Vince10 said:


> Plastic timing gears have been used in cars for years because the metal ones om small engines like four cylinders were way to noisy. Example. 1985 GM 4 motors that.


----------



## stp57

DeWalt would have just given you another battery, no questions asked.
Steve



Rustbucket said:


> I have to say that my V18's have had zero problems. My M18 compact batteries are another story. One was bad out of the box. The other is fine, though, and I haven't had a problem with it. I took the bad one to a service center, and they told me I needed a receipt, which, of course, I can't find  I may have just received a lemon. It happens. I bet if you look around this forum, you will find that has happened with every manufacturer. Still PO'd they won't take the battery without a receipt, though. The fact that I'm holding the  thing in my  hand should be proof of purchase! They have date codes on them that show when they were made, and the M18 hasn't been out long enough for any of the warranties to expire.


----------



## smeagol

This has all been tested in Tools of the trade magazine. With 2 1/2 " auger bit in walnut the the dewalt drilled the most holes with 10 and the ryobi could not muster even 1. I bought my first dewalt impact 18v after that. Firsthand i have seen it put in over 400 1 1/4" hex gasket screws into 28 gauge steel on one cadnium bat. . Great professional grade tool:thumbsup:













I love this thread should be named replacing Professional tools with D.I.Y. tools


----------



## chrisbrennan

i have gone through 2 dewalt sawzall's in the last 2 years, also the ryobi Dual Power 20-Watt LED Work Light is the best work light on the market, unbelievable brightness


----------



## sunkist

This is a rave from the grave.


----------



## IHI

smeagol said:


> This has all been tested in Tools of the trade magazine. With 2 1/2 " auger bit in walnut the the dewalt drilled the most holes with 10 and the ryobi could not muster even 1. I bought my first dewalt impact 18v after that. Firsthand i have seen it put in over 400 1 1/4" hex gasket screws into 28 gauge steel on one cadnium bat. . Great professional grade tool:thumbsup:
> 
> I love this thread should be named replacing Professional tools with D.I.Y. tools


Since this relic was dug up id just like to ask and say, i still have all my original blue tolls from late 90's, they all still work/get used, they have replacement and upgradable batterys readily available on the shelf that work universally amoung their tools...and since 2010 im still running those same three lith ion batteries.....how are the 15-20yr old dewalt cordless and batteries holding up?


----------



## brhokel606

Why are we digging up a 5 year old thread? 

Anyway, I do not look at Ryobi and think professional, might just be me but I do not think they are of the same quality as Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, etc...

They have really catered to the DIY market. I'll spend more and get what I believe to be better tools. It's my opinion anyway and as long as it makes me satisfied and happy, then I win for me!


----------



## aaron_a

Weird thread to dig up. I have a buddy who is as stubborn as a mule, and he runs all ryobi crap. i hate it. My 12v dewalt impact drives a lag faster than his ryobi 18v will.


----------



## illbuildit.dd

A friend of mine uses ryobi too. Can't say i dont have some for backup. My dewalt took a 20 ft spill yesterday and still works the same. I don't think the ryobi would survive as the housing feels not so tough. The older ryobi stuff was tougher than it is now.


----------



## aaron_a

I have a few ryobi tools, they are surprisingly durable. My problem with them is performance and features, or really, lack thereof.


----------



## builditguy

My 10 to 15 year old DeWalt are doing great. My 3 year old DeWalt are less than impressive.
I was just considering getting the Ryobi cordless brad nailer and stapler. Still considering it.


----------



## chrisbrennan

builditguy said:


> My 10 to 15 year old DeWalt are doing great. My 3 year old DeWalt are less than impressive.
> I was just considering getting the Ryobi cordless brad nailer and stapler. Still considering it.


i have both the 18 gauge brad nailer and the crown stapler. i bought the nailer when my dewalt nailed died.

the dewalt nailer was great, the ryobi nailer is good, the ryobi stapler for what it cost and what is does is terrific.

bottom line is for 120 bucks you can afford to look on a functioning ryobi nailer as a lease. it does its job and then you throw it away. not so easy to throw a 300 buck tool away.


----------



## Jaws

Milwaukee Fuel is where it is at. Converted from the Yellow, all the way


----------



## TNTRenovate

IHI said:


> Since this relic was dug up id just like to ask and say, i still have all my original blue tolls from late 90's, they all still work/get used, they have replacement and upgradable batterys readily available on the shelf that work universally amoung their tools...and since 2010 im still running those same three lith ion batteries.....how are the 15-20yr old dewalt cordless and batteries holding up?


Just bought two replacements for my 2009 Bosch. They still holds a charge but just not as long as they used to.


----------



## m1911

Jaws said:


> Milwaukee Fuel is where it is at. Converted from the Yellow, all the way


Corded tools and long extension cords - that's where it's at! :laughing: :thumbup:


----------



## TNTRenovate

brhokel606 said:


> Why are we digging up a 5 year old thread?
> 
> Anyway, I do not look at Ryobi and think professional, might just be me but I do not think they are of the same quality as Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, etc...
> 
> They have really catered to the DIY market. I'll spend more and get what I believe to be better tools. It's my opinion anyway and as long as it makes me satisfied and happy, then I win for me!


I never unstood why half the guys on here complain when someone starts a thread and bag them for a repeated thread and then the other half bag on guys for firing up an old thread.


----------



## m1911

TNTSERVICES said:


> Just bought two replacements for my 2009 Bosch. They still holds a charge but just not as long as they used to.


I have a couple Bosch nicad batteries from 2000 that still hold a charge, not full of course, but work!


----------



## builditguy

I agree with TNT. Bringing up an old thread can be useful. In this case it is about drills and batteries. So, someone could come back and give an update as to how their decision about tools went. Having a thread about cordless tools and batteries go for a couple weeks and then die, doesn't tell us anything. A true test of the tool and battery needs to be for a couple years.


----------



## Spencer

Jaws said:


> Milwaukee Fuel is where it is at. Converted from the Yellow, all the way


I'm deep into the yellow. Pot committed. 

Dewalt is making a comeback. IMO their standard tools are top notch. I won't say they are better but they are right there with fuel. They have the 20v framing nailer. It is the cats meow if you haven't used one. That is a big plus for the yellow. They've got the cordless drywall gun coming out this summer. Another big plus for me. As soon as they come out with 20v finish nailers they will be the king in the cordless arena again IMO. At least for a remodeler like myself. 

We just need the dang finish nailers so flippin bad.


----------



## Mr Latone

It's not like all yellow is created equal.

Their low end stuff is just that. Low end.

I guess that's a marketing success when you can get HO to assign yellow to quality and fork out a few extra dollars.

But it's a miss when they earn a rep from professionals for putting out junk (low end of their tools).


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## bcradio

Spencer said:


> I'm deep into the yellow. Pot committed.
> 
> Dewalt is making a comeback. IMO their standard tools are top notch. I won't say they are better but they are right there with fuel. They have the 20v framing nailer. It is the cats meow if you haven't used one. That is a big plus for the yellow. They've got the cordless drywall gun coming out this summer. Another big plus for me. As soon as they come out with 20v finish nailers they will be the king in the cordless arena again IMO. *At least for a remodeler like myself.*
> 
> We just need the dang finish nailers so flippin bad.


This ^^^

DeWalt seems to cater more to this arena whereas Milwaukee seems to cater more towards the automotive/fab industries... Milwaukee has multiple impacts, polishers, portaband, etc..


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## Yianno

I'm on 18v yellow for cordless. Got a 5pc combo kit plus a regular 18v drill, second impact and second light. I'm happy with, serves my needs perfectly. However, since I use xrp batteries they are excessively heavy lol. 

I own a few ryobi tools and for what I use them for they are good enough for me. 

A buddy of mine is mostly ryobi, jobmate and black and decker guy. He's always tight on cash and can't really afford to spend much. Screwed himself up from age of 18 and pretty much had to declare bankruptcy. 

He's done well the tools that cheaper brands. He's a great craftsman. I've used his ryobi drills before and they aren't bad at all. Lightweight and have decent power too. 

In comparison to the tools I have, the brand name have more power and he admits it. 

At the end of the day yo each their own I say. We all like different brands, we buy and use what works well for us. When I was working new construction there was one electrician who only had ryobi with the 6 battery charger. Another fool who was a manager at a company I was subcontracted by only had ryobi and claimed they were the best and went on and on, never paid much attention to the guy cause him and I used to clash all the time lol.


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## funkygh

*dewalt sucks in my experience*

mystery to me why so many people like De-fault (Dewalt). I think it's because a lot of guys came into the business right around the time the home despot was promoting the crap out of them.
In any case, I've had all the Dewalt tools I've ever bought die sooner than their counterparts from other companies - a reciprocating saw (finally got serious and bought the top of the line milwaukee, the difference is unbelievable); several corded drills - hammer and regular, which died while cutting one room's worth of holes in plaster ceilings to blow in cellulose; and a grinder - now I buy small reconditioned bosch grinders and they last forever although the switches are finicky. for big grinders nothing touches the milwaukee stuff.
there was a rumor years ago that the yellow tools sold at home despot were made more cheaply although they had the exact same models as other stores. I don't know if it was true, but ALL the dewalt tools I had died prematurely or sucked from the beginning - whether I bought them at HD or elsewhere.
the ryobi stuff is lighter duty than the big boys, but when I've used the correct tool for the correct job they've lasted and given me good service. I had their little plastic table saw and it was perfectly serviceable and easy to carry around. I have a chop-saw that has lasted forever and now stays out in my backyard for cutting hardwood firewood! I recently bought a little tiny radial arm saw and it's fine for moulding and such.
I've never owned one of their cordless products but I'm about to buy a drill to keep in my 2nd home.
If you want really high quality, power and long lasting, buy Milwaukee. Skip the Yellow stuff - it's hype. isn't it proof enough that they're the flagship brand of Home Despot?
just my $.02


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## TNTRenovate

Milwaukee is not really high quality. It's good quality but high quality would be Hilti, Festool, Fein...


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## aaron_a

funkygh said:


> mystery to me why so many people like De-fault (Dewalt). I think it's because a lot of guys came into the business right around the time the home despot was promoting the crap out of them.
> 
> In any case, I've had all the Dewalt tools I've ever bought die sooner than their counterparts from other companies - a reciprocating saw (finally got serious and bought the top of the line milwaukee, the difference is unbelievable); several corded drills - hammer and regular, which died while cutting one room's worth of holes in plaster ceilings to blow in cellulose; and a grinder - now I buy small reconditioned bosch grinders and they last forever although the switches are finicky. for big grinders nothing touches the milwaukee stuff.
> 
> there was a rumor years ago that the yellow tools sold at home despot were made more cheaply although they had the exact same models as other stores. I don't know if it was true, but ALL the dewalt tools I had died prematurely or sucked from the beginning - whether I bought them at HD or elsewhere.
> 
> the ryobi stuff is lighter duty than the big boys, but when I've used the correct tool for the correct job they've lasted and given me good service. I had their little plastic table saw and it was perfectly serviceable and easy to carry around. I have a chop-saw that has lasted forever and now stays out in my backyard for cutting hardwood firewood! I recently bought a little tiny radial arm saw and it's fine for moulding and such.
> 
> I've never owned one of their cordless products but I'm about to buy a drill to keep in my 2nd home.
> 
> If you want really high quality, power and long lasting, buy Milwaukee. Skip the Yellow stuff - it's hype. isn't it proof enough that they're the flagship brand of Home Despot?
> 
> just my $.02



Ridgid is Home Depots flagship brand. That and ryobi actually.

Dewalt has been fine for me. All my 20v tools have been solid work horses since I've owned them. Makita and Milwaukee seem to be kings of power and run time now though. 

But yeah, what tnt said. Fein, festool, Hilti, etc would be real high end. Any difference between the major 4 or 5 brands is probably pretty minor/preference.


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## Rustbucket

When DeWalt came out with the 18V XR line 15-20 years ago, it really was the best. Almost revolutionary at the time. They just didn't keep up after that. They have gotten better over the past couple of years with their 20v line of Li-Ion tools, but I think Milwaukee is still a couple of steps ahead at this point. I think DeWalt is trying to catch up, though, so we'll have to see what the future brings. Milwaukee and Makita are probably the top of the mid-range tools, with Mikwaukee given an edge at this time. DeWalt has some catching up to do when it comes to their lineup.


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## tccoggs

My dad who is retired had a ryobi set. They are decent for diy and light use but they just don't have the power of the prograde stuff. With the impact you don't notice it as much but with augers and speedbores on the drill there is no comparison. I just got him the new ridgid x5 combo kit to replace the ryobi. They are much nicer than ryobi but they are still not Milwaukee, Makita, dewalt, etc. For a pro starting out, they are a big bang for the buck. What I did think was innovative about them was they have the best lights on tool. Really help working it attics or cabinets.


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## tccoggs

My dad who is retired had a ryobi set. They are decent for diy and light use but they just don't have the power of the prograde stuff. With the impact you don't notice it as much but with augers and speedbores on the drill there is no comparison. I just got him the new ridgid x5 combo kit to replace the ryobi. They are much nicer than ryobi but they are still not Milwaukee, Makita, dewalt, etc. For a pro starting out, they are a big bang for the buck. What I did think was innovative about them was they have the best lights on tool. Really help working it attics or cabinets.


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## kixnbux

I read this column just because of the title, going from dewalt to ryobi! I shot my drink out my nose 😂


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## Spencer

kixnbux said:


> I read this column just because of the title, going from dewalt to ryobi! I shot my drink out my nose 😂


Same here. You get all kinds on CT but that's what makes the place great. Lots of guys who aren't afraid to think outside the box.


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## Morning Wood

Ive had good luck with dewalt's cordless stuff. Although all I run for cordless are drills, impacts, and a trim saw. It's tough to switch over batteries etc once you have a brand going.
I'll tell you what I'm done with though is rebuilding batteries. They just don't seem to last. Waste of money.


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## kixnbux

I have great success with my 20v dewalts. Heck my 18s were still running good but I just wanted an upgrade 😁


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## Warren

kixnbux said:


> I have great success with my 20v dewalts. Heck my 18s were still running good but I just wanted an upgrade 😁



I am in the same boat. I had to have that new framer. Today, I came home to find that my 20v multi tool and two 3.0 batteries are also here.


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## kixnbux

Warren said:


> I am in the same boat. I had to have that new framer. Today, I came home to find that my 20v multi tool and two 3.0 batteries are also here.



You'll love that multi tool. I use mine more than I thought I would for sure


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## brhokel606

I have had the Bosch and Milwaukee multi tools and the Dewalt winds hands down! Love that tool and not sure what I did before I had it. Other than the dang expensive blades, this tool is awesome!


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## TNTRenovate

Wasn't impressed with the DeWalt multi. My Bosch had less vibration and I didn't like the location of the blade changing location. Makes it a bit clunky.

I also don't like the open ended blades. The Bosch is 360 degree contact with the tool. Those own blades break easier.


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## brhokel606

TNTSERVICES said:


> Wasn't impressed with the DeWalt multi. My Bosch had less vibration and I didn't like the location of the blade changing location. Makes it a bit clunky.
> 
> I also don't like the open ended blades. The Bosch is 360 degree contact with the tool. Those own blades break easier.


My Bosch had problems with loosing battery contact during use, then have to turn back on after a good slap. Got so frustrating once, I chucked it across the street, I felt better, went and picked up. Then immediately threw away. Bought the Milwaukee and it was much better, less vibration than Dewalt but I love the Dewalt, not a thing I don't like. Love the rapid blade change and has way more power than my M12, granted 20 verses 12 is not much of a contest but still I like the Dewalt above all other cordless I have tried.


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## TNTRenovate

brhokel606 said:


> My Bosch had problems with loosing battery contact during use, then have to turn back on after a good slap. Got so frustrating once, I chucked it across the street, I felt better, went and picked up. Then immediately threw away. Bought the Milwaukee and it was much better, less vibration than Dewalt but I love the Dewalt, not a thing I don't like. Love the rapid blade change and has way more power than my M12, granted 20 verses 12 is not much of a contest but still I like the Dewalt above all other cordless I have tried.


Was the Bosch the 12 as well?


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## brhokel606

TNTSERVICES said:


> Was the Bosch the 12 as well?


Yes it was


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## Mordekyle

As a homeowner, I used to buy ryobi weed whackers. They would last only 2 to 3 years despite light use. My last one was a four stroke that did not even last one summer. I finally figured out that I should use what the professionals use, so I bought Stihl. It hasn't let me down.

When I became a contractor, I invested in the DeWalt 20 V line up. They are convenient and reliable for me and suit my needs well. Even if they cost three times as much as Ryobi, I don't have the frustration of dealing with an inferior underpowered piece of junk, and having to replace that piece of junk Every year.

I wouldn't have anything labeled Ryobi even if it was free.


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## Tom thumb

The guys saying that ryobi is a **** brand are wrong. I've had Milwaukee, bosch, and dewalt all great tools. But I started using the new ryobi impact with the tri beam led, and man it's a nice little unit tons of power long battery life and it's tough I dropped it from 20 feet up of a scissor lift n the damn thing was fine just tore the rubber over mold a little bit . The one + line is cool I got a light and a radio all three things kick ass.


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## TNTRenovate

This guy knows his chit and he tells you several times. https://youtu.be/MzwbKP2qxWM


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## m1911

TNTSERVICES said:


> This guy *doesn't know chit, can't speak, *and he tells you several times. https://youtu.be/MzwbKP2qxWM


fixed it for you


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## TempestV

I like how he starts out by saying that a lot of the other reviewers out there are just fanboys.


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## Tom thumb

I've seen this guy on YouTube, What a joke just ask him he's an expert in every trade.


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## m1911

Tom thumb said:


> I've seen this guy on YouTube, What a joke just ask him he's an expert in every trade.


but he's been at it for a long 8 years... :laughing:


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## avenge

Tom thumb said:


> The guys saying that ryobi is a **** brand are wrong. I've had Milwaukee, bosch, and dewalt all great tools. But I started using the new ryobi impact with the tri beam led, and man it's a nice little unit tons of power long battery life and it's tough I dropped it from 20 feet up of a scissor lift n the damn thing was fine just tore the rubber over mold a little bit . The one + line is cool I got a light and a radio all three things kick ass.


I don't think Ryobi is crap as an HO tool. Dropping a tool doesn't determine if that tool is durable, performs and meets my needs. I can drop an HF tool and it might be fine that doesn't give me the conclusion that HF tools are great.


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## Willy1959

TNTSERVICES said:


> This guy knows his chit and he tells you several times. https://youtu.be/MzwbKP2qxWM


omg, it is hard to see sarcasm on the net, I clicked on that, watched for a little bit and thought WTF?! this guy is an idiot know it all. And how could tnt think this guy knew some ****  Looking at following posts I realized it was sarcastic. :clap:


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## candiver

*Ryobi Tools*

Ryobi tools are just what they claim to be: Economy Tools. They are not designed to stand up like Ridgid, Stanley/Dewalt, or Milwaukee tools. I recently purchased a Ryobi phoneworks moisture meter. The tool is designed to connect to a smart phone, with the phone providing the "brains" for the tool. Unfortunately, Ryobi is way behind on their R&D, and they haven't worked out compatibility for the newer smartphones. I have communicated with them several times, urging them to get caught up. They simply don't care. I feel their tools should be avoided. You get what you pay for.


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## Sam60

I have always been a fan of Ryobi tools. Never bought them much myself. Just was willing to pay for the best even if more expensive.

But for people starting out, or have tools damaged abused by employees or even stolen. Or is just looking for the best Value then Ryobi has been great.

Only problem now is there is no longer a big difference in battery price.
I can even find sales on Makita batteries cheaper than Ryobi ones.
And also if you look hard there are some really good sales every few months on Makita or Dewalt.
Should have bought more before they ran out. but got two pack of the new 4.0 makita batterys ebay for 80.00 from a vendor that had a sale.
So considering all the above there is not as much difference in price between lets say Ryobi and Makita


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## Dirtywhiteboy

This guy doesn't know chit, can't speak, and he tells you several times. 


m1911 said:


> fixed it for you


Wow man I understood everything he said no problem,,, do yourself a favor and do not come to Hawaii. You will hate the people.


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## PacificCanvas

I went from Dewalt to Makita to Hilti to Ryobi to now Milwaukee for installers and still Ryobi in the shop. And this is over 13 years. 

Dewalt was the biggest waste of money by far. They have gotten better but the performance of the drills and battery would decrease to needing a new one in 3-6 months. We would have boxes full of failed batteries and tools.

Makita - Burned up the clutch in one and motor in another within a month. Ended any other Makita purchases.

Hilti - Quality tools, batteries would fail same as any other brand. No full line of tools. For the price it made it appealing to try out this new green Ryobi.

Ryobi- Excellent home owner tool. Their drills and impact wrenches are their best tools. Most of the other tools when put to commercial use will fail. I went through (2) hammer drills and needed to find something better than throwing money down the drain. Their warranty does not cover commercial work...Homeowner only.

One thing about Ryobi is their impact drivers are top speed out of all of them, 3200 RPMs. We will probably keep Ryobi as our shop brand. We lose too many batteries to be paying a high price point. 

Now I am using Milwaukee, what brought me here was the warranty and product line up. Primarily the 1' SDS Hammer Drill. I purchased that with the 2 9.0 AH batteries and so far it is working out good. The chucks are good for their drills, haven't had any issues with there tools. But only been a few months. 

Also picked up the Milwaukee hedger, trimmer and blower for the house...These are nice!

But in the end they all work the same. Each person will have a different history of good and bad luck. You get what you pay for in most cases, though our own experience shapes our opinion.


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## The.Handyman

PacificCanvas said:


> I went from Dewalt to Makita to Hilti to Ryobi to now Milwaukee for installers and still Ryobi in the shop. And this is over 13 years.
> 
> Dewalt was the biggest waste of money by far. They have gotten better but the performance of the drills and battery would decrease to needing a new one in 3-6 months. We would have boxes full of failed batteries and tools.
> 
> Makita - Burned up the clutch in one and motor in another within a month. Ended any other Makita purchases.
> 
> Hilti - Quality tools, batteries would fail same as any other brand. No full line of tools. For the price it made it appealing to try out this new green Ryobi.
> 
> Ryobi- Excellent home owner tool. Their drills and impact wrenches are their best tools. Most of the other tools when put to commercial use will fail. I went through (2) hammer drills and needed to find something better than throwing money down the drain. Their warranty does not cover commercial work...Homeowner only.
> 
> One thing about Ryobi is their impact drivers are top speed out of all of them, 3200 RPMs. We will probably keep Ryobi as our shop brand. We lose too many batteries to be paying a high price point.
> 
> Now I am using Milwaukee, what brought me here was the warranty and product line up. Primarily the 1' SDS Hammer Drill. I purchased that with the 2 9.0 AH batteries and so far it is working out good. The chucks are good for their drills, haven't had any issues with there tools. But only been a few months.
> 
> Also picked up the Milwaukee hedger, trimmer and blower for the house...These are nice!
> 
> But in the end they all work the same. Each person will have a different history of good and bad luck. You get what you pay for in most cases, though our own experience shapes our opinion.


You say DeWalt batteries failed and were the worst. When was this? 18v?What Ah batteries were failing?

DeWalt has the least amount of battery failures in the industry currently.

If you were getting all these failures that quickly, the batteries were under warranty. I can when a battery fails, if within 3 years, they just send me a new one.

Just inquiring.


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## Dirtywhiteboy

The.Handyman said:


> DeWalt has the least amount of battery failures in the industry currently.
> .


Where do you get this info from:blink:Just inquiring


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## PacificCanvas

The.Handyman said:


> You say DeWalt batteries failed and were the worst. When was this? 18v?What Ah batteries were failing?
> 
> DeWalt has the least amount of battery failures in the industry currently.
> 
> If you were getting all these failures that quickly, the batteries were under warranty. I can when a battery fails, if within 3 years, they just send me a new one.
> 
> Just inquiring.



This was years ago, and it was the junk ni-cad batteries. Which it is true that all ni-cads were all prone to failure no matter what name was on them. The whole dewalt product line back 10 years ago was of poor quality. One time twisted the entire drill in half, it literally snapped itself in half due to the torque...Good torque, but the body couldn't handle it. 

Now I know Dewalt has much better tools coming out now, but they have a black eye in my book. 

I am not purchasing for a single person, it's a shop of 8 workers and we go through a lot of drills and batteries. They fail, they go missing, we drop them. And keeping tabs on batteries for warranty issues is not worth the time. If it was my house or truck set, sure. But not when we have 20-30 batteries in rotation.


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## Inner10

PacificCanvas said:


> This was years ago, and it was the junk ni-cad batteries. Which it is true that all ni-cads were all prone to failure no matter what name was on them. The whole dewalt product line back 10 years ago was of poor quality. One time twisted the entire drill in half, it literally snapped itself in half due to the torque...Good torque, but the body couldn't handle it.
> 
> Now I know Dewalt has much better tools coming out now, but they have a black eye in my book.
> 
> I am not purchasing for a single person, it's a shop of 8 workers and we go through a lot of drills and batteries. They fail, they go missing, we drop them. And keeping tabs on batteries for warranty issues is not worth the time. If it was my house or truck set, sure. But not when we have 20-30 batteries in rotation.


Strange, for my the DeWalt cordless drills have been dandy. Which drills were you using? 2 Speed XRP 18V full sized?


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## Defenestrate

PacificCanvas said:


> ...
> I am not purchasing for a single person, it's a shop of 8 workers and we go through a lot of drills and batteries. They fail, they go missing, we drop them. *And keeping tabs on batteries for warranty issues is not worth the time. * If it was my house or truck set, sure. But not when we have 20-30 batteries in rotation.


Keeping tabs on the batteries isn't as much of an issue as you might think. Dewalt batteries have manufacture date stamped on them that they use for warranty purposes if you can't produce a receipt. (Admittedly, if your battery was sitting on the shelf for a year before you bought it, then you don't have a full 3 year warranty.) In practice, I don't think they can tie a particular battery to a particular receipt, so if you send a receipt that has a believable date on it, I doubt they could refuse you.

I've only had a couple of the old 18v batteries die within warranty, and have had no problems at all with Dewalt making good.


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## PacificCanvas

Ok, Since my first post in this thread I went out and bought a Makita, Ridgid and Dewalt impact drivers. The best ones possible as well, and I already own the Milwaukee and Ryobis.

The Dewalt and Makita are the fastest, RPMs reflect that. Torque wise the Milwaukee was the leader in my tests, with Dewalt next. 

We use a lot of thread cutting screws from 1/4" - 3/8" and it takes some torque to get those going in. I used a 1/4" flat bar and pre-drilled with my 5/16" drill bit and ran some self threaders with each drill. The dewalt and milwaukee are the only (2) that could set them. I also used 3/8" x 4" lags into double stacked 2 x 4s. They were within a second or two, nothing noticeable. The ridgid who claimed to have the most torque at 2250 was bs in my opinion. 

For feel and comfort I liked the Makita the best, and possibly might go back and buy the (2) piece set and keep it for my welding area. But I will be staying with Milwaukee for the installers and move my shop towards all Milwaukee.

I also tested the Milwaukee surge, I took it back as well. 450 sustained torque may be great for some applications, but not for me.

And for purchase wise amazon or ebay in the future offer lower prices as most manufactures go off of the serial number for warranty and not receipt.

Everyone tool purchased was returned too, home depot has no limit to returns, go buy em all then test them yourself and take them all back.


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## Dirtywhiteboy

PacificCanvas said:


> Ok, Since my first post in this thread I went out and bought a Makita, Ridgid and Dewalt impact drivers. The best ones possible as well, and I already own the Milwaukee and Ryobis.
> 
> The Dewalt and Makita are the fastest, RPMs reflect that. Torque wise the Milwaukee was the leader in my tests, with Dewalt next.
> 
> We use a lot of thread cutting screws from 1/4" - 3/8" and it takes some torque to get those going in. I used a 1/4" flat bar and pre-drilled with my 5/16" drill bit and ran some self threaders with each drill. The dewalt and milwaukee are the only (2) that could set them. I also used 3/8" x 4" lags into double stacked 2 x 4s. They were within a second or two, nothing noticeable. The ridgid who claimed to have the most torque at 2250 was bs in my opinion.
> 
> For feel and comfort I liked the Makita the best, and possibly might go back and buy the (2) piece set and keep it for my welding area. But I will be staying with Milwaukee for the installers and move my shop towards all Milwaukee.
> 
> I also tested the Milwaukee surge, I took it back as well. 450 sustained torque may be great for some applications, but not for me.
> 
> And for purchase wise amazon or ebay in the future offer lower prices as most manufactures go off of the serial number for warranty and not receipt.
> 
> Everyone tool purchased was returned too, home depot has no limit to returns, go buy em all then test them yourself and take them all back.


I don't think you were using the Makita XDT12T. Maybe one of their cheaper ones. Makita makes a lot of different impacts.


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## PacificCanvas

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> I don't think you were using the Makita XDT12T. Maybe one of their cheaper ones. Makita makes a lot of different impacts.


I was using the XTD14T which has the same specifications for torque and RPM as the 12t. The only difference between the two is that the 12t has an additional Assist mode setting.

The dewalt has 1825, milwaukee 1800, ridgid 2250, makita 1550, and ryobi at 1800 torque ratings

Out of all these that I tested the milwaukee and dewalt were only (2) that could set a type 23 self threading 3/8" screw into 1/4" thick steel.

The makita, ryobi, ridgid as well as the compact milwaukee impact driver, and milwaukee surge would only go a few turns and couldn't push it any more.


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## Dirtywhiteboy

What about Rob:blink::blink::blink:


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## PacificCanvas

His torque test method isn't cutting it for me. There are some other comparison tests that use a much more accurate torque testing method. Look them up.


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## srexteriors26

I did a out of state window job where we installed 2800 replacement units in a apartment complex. I bought all Ryobi tools when I got out there and they held up for the whole job plus I keep em kicking around my house now 8 years later still working. They took a serious beating so I have nothing bad to say. My trailer is all yellow and red though.


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