# DeWalt Tools



## antonioooooooo (Mar 8, 2010)

What do you think of them? Personally, every tool I have picked up has been the sh*ts. They are heavy, batteries dont last, and just not happy with the performance. Mike Holmes stands by them though haha. I just bought a cordless makita kit and its awesome. The batteries last all day long with a full charge. What are your favourite tools?


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## calhomeremodel (Mar 12, 2010)

As far as cordless goes, I switched from Dewalt to Makita about a year ago. They do last longer, are more comfortable, and just seem better.


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## mwhafner (Oct 19, 2008)

When B&D first purchased them, and converted the B&D Industrial stuff to the DeWalt brand they were as good as anything else on the market. It has eroded quickly, and I try to stay away form DeWalt cordless today. I just can't get them to last, and they are a bullseye to thieves. I guess it all depends on how you use them. My brother abuses his everyday, and wouldn't buy anything else. I bought an 18v set a few years ago, and the 16g nailer is the only tool still running. But, I really like that nailer.


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## BKFranks (Feb 19, 2008)

My wife works for B&D and gets the Dewalt tools pretty cheap, but I still don't buy em. Those cordless tools are too heavy and the cordless nails guns weigh a ton. There's no way I'd use those things all day long.


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## JohnLINY (Oct 13, 2007)

I have the older stuff that was made in the USA. When they moved production to Mexico quality fell off a click. Biggest example is look at the old 708 12" slider vs. the new 718 12" slider. The new one doesn't even come close to the build quality and accuracy of the 708.
I would not buy any of the newer DeWalt line. I would look at Bosch, Makita, or Panasonic. If you have deep pockets everyone seems to go nuts for the Festool stuff. It's like green crack from what I heard. Try it once and you are hooked!


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

in regards to holmes, he cant stand dewalt tools either, i met him 4 years ago and was in some tv adds with him which promote apprenticeship, he was saying the only reason he uses dewalt is because they were giving him the tools to have on tv


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## BACKWOODS (Sep 10, 2007)

I have the 6 piece kit from 2006, no problems. I like them and just a few months ago had to replace a few batteries. Shock treatment fixed a few other batteries. I am not sure what the date is that qualifies for the "OLD DEWALT"


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## Brandito (Feb 26, 2009)

have a 14.4 volt cordless drill i bought in 2002-2003 still, it's not something i use daily, but it's taken a beating when i do use it. batteries still hold a good charge for me after all this time.

i like my 10" dewalt miter saw too and am looking to get a dw745 soon. i also have one of their recip saws, it was on sale at the depot, i didn't have one, so i jumped on it. served me well enough so far.

generally i use whatever the boss has in the van, pretty impressed with makita, mostly their sidewinders, and porter cable.


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## mschell (Nov 5, 2008)

I love my old 14.4 dewalt xrp with the jacob's chuck. I bought a new one when the batteries started to die because it was cheaper to buy a new kit, than two new batteries. I was shocked by the difference between my original 14.4 and the new 14.4. The new one is bigger, heavier, weaker and feels cheaper than the old one.


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## Static Design (Nov 30, 2008)

They are too heavy, over priced, and every dewalt tool I buy I always break it some how. Everyone around me swears by them but I can't get one to last, Lowes has a slider miter saw plus the dewalt stand for 569.00 and I want buy it because it says dewalt haha.


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

My experiences with them have been the same as others. 15 years ago Black & Decker industry line of tools were by far my favorite and I still have every single one of the ones I had bought back then and the only thing I've ever had to fix on any of them is a new switch for the jig saw. They painted everything yellow, called them DeWalt and for the first couple of years they were still awesome. Then they started to redesign their tools and started shipping everything off to Mexico and that was the end of that. Now the only thing they seem to be worried about is how many junk tools they can sell at Home Depot and how much many they can make their stock holders.


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## Greg from K/W (Jan 28, 2010)

I have gotten rid of most of my Dewalt tools. I love Hitachi's cordless tools. I have a mix now. DW skill saw some Matabo Corded hammer and sawz all, Hitachi cordless drills. Makita SCMS Will never buy another Duhwalt tool as long as I live.


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## whooley (Apr 5, 2008)

I don't care for their cordless tools for the same reasons others mentioned, plus at one time the $60 batteries would fall out of them... But I do like their corded tools.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Almost $3 million billed in completed projects using Dewalt tools 5 days a week every week. 

Those tools blow.

What's better Fords or Chevys?


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

Got a mix of several types. By far my favorite are the Makitas (12v) I have from 6 or 8 years ago. Light weight and a real workhorse.


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## JKBARR127 (Jan 13, 2010)

i swear by makita. every makita tool i own i love. there cordless lxts have great charge and are a good weight. i have some old dewalt corded stuff thats pretty bomb proof too. no idea about there newer lines though.


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

I have an old set using the XR2 batteries, and they still hold a charge just fine. I have replaced the brushes on the drill, but not the batteries. The drill is a bit heavy and clunky, but there is nothing wrong with it. I take it out once a year to build a St. Patrick's Day float. Lend it out to the crew.


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## DrewD (Jun 10, 2007)

I'm primarily a Dewalt user and I have to say the only tool I was never overly impressed with was the 12" SCMS. My father has the older style with the vertical rail and that thing is monster. Mine just doesn't quite compare. As far as any of my other tools I have no complaints. I buy the brands which perform the best for a given task, Hilti for any concrete related work, Max nailers, etc.


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## premiercons (Mar 16, 2010)

Ridgid is the way to go, with a lifetime warranty you cant beat them. Been using for 3 yrs now, dropped a jobsite work light and it broke, sent it back they gave me a new one. Other than that have not had any problems yet. Used Dewalt for years and after buying batteries all the time I had to make the switch


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## PREMIER INSUL (Sep 15, 2009)

premiercons said:


> Ridgid is the way to go, with a lifetime warranty you cant beat them. Been using for 3 yrs now, dropped a jobsite work light and it broke, sent it back they gave me a new one. Other than that have not had any problems yet. Used Dewalt for years and after buying batteries all the time I had to make the switch


 

I had the Ridgid 18v set....JUNK! I got sick of bringing the batteries back. Had Dewalt years back, then I got my Makita a few years ago, hands down the best cordless line I have used>


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## CStanford (Feb 5, 2010)

antonioooooooo said:


> What do you think of them? Personally, every tool I have picked up has been the sh*ts. They are heavy, batteries dont last, and just not happy with the performance. Mike Holmes stands by them though haha. I just bought a cordless makita kit and its awesome. The batteries last all day long with a full charge. What are your favourite tools?


An old brand name that at one point in time was a signpost of quality. Not any more. As somebody else mentioned - Hilti, Festool is where real quality can be found.

If you need your purse to match your shoes, all that 'yella is what you need.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Solar Control said:


> They've been good to me so far.
> 
> I don't like to complain but sometimes I still do...


I own 4 of those and need 2 more.

Nothing better than for doing cabinet installs. Normal routine is to use 3 at once.

1 with a counter sink bit
1 with a drill bit to pre drill the hole
1 with a driver bit to sink the screw

No changing back and forth drives and bits out of the chuck and the right angle allows you to get into the smaller spaces of small cabinets and be at a right angle.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

Bergstrom said:


> Dewalt seems to get a lot of bad ink around here and maybe it's justafied but I can say that I have owned butt loads of Dewalt tools in my professional life and I haven't broken anything yet. Hell I have a radial arm saw from the late 60's that still works fine. There are 2 12" miter saws, the original issue 12v drill and many many hand tools not pictured that still pay the bills.:clap:


Not counting Festool's sytainer system which I am unfamiliar with but looks pretty sweet.

I will say that every tool maker out there should outsource their case's from DeWault. They make sturdy well thought out cases. Though it seems like a lot of you guys like to run around with your tools all naked. 

What's up with that? :laughing:


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## kcbasements (Feb 5, 2010)

I have had trouble getting dewalt to stand behind their tools. I had a Radio, Nail Gun, and Drill that was all under 1 year old. I brought them in to be replaced. I don't have time to dig through my receipts, without one they will not warranty any of the tools. What made me really upset was what they tried to charge me to fix the radio. They said it would be $85. I told them to forget it, did some research and found out their was a fuse to replace. Fixed it for $2. Instead of trying to help me they decided to help themselves. I do not plan on buying anymore dewalt tools!:furious:

I am trying to get away from dewalt, but hate the idea of having mixed cordless tools/batteries.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

That's too bad. Here in Denver at the Dewalt repair facility, all you do is show up with the tool, they use the tool's serial number to look it up in the system to tell if it is under warranty or not, no receipts, just the tool itself and you're good to go.


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

Same here. Alot of DeWalt haters out there, but customer service shouldn't be a complaint IMO.
Steve



Mike Finley said:


> That's too bad. Here in Denver at the Dewalt repair facility, all you do is show up with the tool, they use the tool's serial number to look it up in the system to tell if it is under warranty or not, no receipts, just the tool itself and you're good to go.


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## D. Jones Const (Dec 31, 2009)

rigid tools are terrible, dewalt is overpriced juck if you ask me, however I use there circ saws I have 4 dewalt cordless drills that sit in the corner and if you dont break a dewalt you are not using it, they break every other time i have used them. makita are hands down the best cordless tools on the market. dewalt yellow is the biggest fad in tools and they make millions just becouse of the yellow.


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## Brandito (Feb 26, 2009)

D. Jones Const said:


> if you dont break a dewalt you are not *ab*using it


fixed it for ya


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## Phillip Marsh (Oct 4, 2009)

We used a mix of Makita and Milwaukee hammer drills over the years but quickly found that the new lithium-ion batteries make a big difference in performance brand to brand. We have lithium-ion powered Makita, DeWalt, Hitachi, and Milwaukee drills, both the lightweight ones and their top of the line models (Makita LXT BHP 454, Milwaukee M18 2611, DeWalt XRP DCD970) and there is a considerable gap in performance between these 18 volt drills.

The DeWalt is the best overall with the most power, least trouble with the lithium-ion battery, best gripping chuck, best clutch and best hammer action. The Milwaukee 2611 is a close second that has a lot more trouble with its internal thermal runaway protection at full load unless you are very gradually in adding power to the motor. The Milwaukee has the best overall design, best charger, but a less than optimum side handle that like the Ridgid drills has to be exactly 90 degrees from the main handle. The Makita stalls the most easily with its very sensitive overload circuits and the chuck tends to loosen if there is any vibration while drilling. The Makita does have the depth rod for making set depth holes for anchors and the Makita has the best side handle design. 

When given a choice any of my guys and myself included will grab the DeWalt DCD970 drill. It has a 3-speed gearbox (only DeWalt and Ridgid provide more than 2-speed ranges) that really helps performance which is not as good with lithium-ion as it was with Nicad batteries. Lithium-ion batteries provide per ounce about twice the amp hours as compared to NiMh or NiCad batteries but if they are charged too fast or discharged too fast they can overheat and burst into flames. The discharge limiting circuits that all the manufacturers use in their batteries are designed to limit how fast the battery is discharged and that limits the amount of power that is actually provided to the drill motor. 

Lithium-ion batteries are easily damaged if the battery is discharged too quickly or too far so you do not get 100% of the power or 100% of the charge and this decreases over time with 20% power loss per year regardless of how or how often the battery is used. Fast charging that is often touted by Makita in particular is actually hard on the batteries and shortens their life considerably. The Makita claim is actually a bit bogus as the full size 3 Ah battery is supposed to charge in 30 minutes and then Makita recommends that it be left on the charger for another 90 minutes to cool down before use. 

I don't know what the amp hour rating is of the DeWalt full size lithium-ion batteries but I do know that they weigh 70% more than the Makita batteries and do last a lot longer when boring or cutting holes in tough materials. 

All the drills work much much much better with modern hole cutters. The big mistake we were making was in using bi-metal hole saws and self feed drill bits first on NiCad cordless and then on our lithium-ion cordless drills and these cutters are terribly inefficient. To give some perspective a 2-1/8" is the largest bi-metal that one is supposed to use with the top of the line drills from any of the companies but we can use a 6-1/4" big gullet hole cutter (like the Blue Boar TCT) with the same drill to make holes in 1-1/8" OSB subflooring. 

Battery life is affected even more. With a 2-1/8" big gullet hole cutter I can cut a hole in 1/10 the time and use 1/30th the battery charge. With a 4" bi-metal and a Makita BDF drill with the 1.5 Ah battery I have completely drained the battery with a single hole in MDF. The same drill with a Blue Boar TCT hole cutter can make dozens of holes on the same board with one battery charge. 

Now we put our money into high performance hole cutters and have stopped buying lots of extra batteries as one pair gets us through the day. 
Whichever brand you decide to buy I would recommend staying away from the light duty 450 inch pound or less rated drills and invest in some modern hole cutters.


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## Phillip Marsh (Oct 4, 2009)

Short addition - learned recently that lithium-ion batteries tend to lose about 20% of their charge capability per year no matter how they are used so over time they hold less of a charge but will recharge in a shorter period of time (very short recharge times are a good indicator that a battery is on its last legs).

No lithium-ion battery should be recharged if it at less than 32F degrees so during the winter it it best to bring them into a warm room for recharging. Temperatures over 105 degrees will also stress a lithium-ion battery and can dramatically shorten its life and it can also cause it to burst into flames. Lots of pictures on the internet of cell phones that were left in cars to charge that burst into flames and their batteries are a lot smaller and did a lot less damage than a 3 Ah cordless tool battery.

Easy to gloss over the warnings in the tool manuals as they seem to be written by lawyers to cover their clients behinds but with lithium-ion batteries there are some real downsides, never given much attention by the trade press, and it is a good idea to heed the warnings. Lithium-ion batteries can cause real damage when used in ways that would never have caused a problem with NiCad batteries.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

dewalt should outsource their cases for other manufacturers.... Ha! you gotta be kidding me, i dont how many times its taken 3 guys 10 minutes to try to figure out how to put a dewalt circ saw or a cordless drill and the charger + the spare battery in the case. their terrible cases. 

makita is prob the best, bosch not far behind, milwaukee's newer cases are pretty good as they make extra spots which fit either a 3rd battery or their bit sets perfectly, ridgid........ stop using bags


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

I would never go back to NiCad after Lithium. I have insulated my van & I run small cooling fans in it during the warmer months (in Texas, that is most times), but I'm sure the temps rise above 105F on a regular basis. I have 12 DeWalt lithium's & have no complaints over the last three years. They are brutal batteries & the days of waiting for a battery to cool down before charging are thankfully over with.
Steve



Phillip Marsh said:


> Short addition - learned recently that lithium-ion batteries tend to lose about 20% of their charge capability per year no matter how they are used so over time they hold less of a charge but will recharge in a shorter period of time (very short recharge times are a good indicator that a battery is on its last legs).
> 
> No lithium-ion battery should be recharged if it at less than 32F degrees so during the winter it it best to bring them into a warm room for recharging. Temperatures over 105 degrees will also stress a lithium-ion battery and can dramatically shorten its life and it can also cause it to burst into flames. Lots of pictures on the internet of cell phones that were left in cars to charge that burst into flames and their batteries are a lot smaller and did a lot less damage than a 3 Ah cordless tool battery.
> 
> Easy to gloss over the warnings in the tool manuals as they seem to be written by lawyers to cover their clients behinds but with lithium-ion batteries there are some real downsides, never given much attention by the trade press, and it is a good idea to heed the warnings. Lithium-ion batteries can cause real damage when used in ways that would never have caused a problem with NiCad batteries.


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## William James (Mar 5, 2010)

*Ridgid nicad, heavy hickory*

To start, the dewalt batteries do seem to die quickly. Now only own a corded saws-all. It's been good the last 3 or so years. Just the release needs some assistance to lock/unlock. 

As for Ridgid, they are heavy battery bastards. I use the drill and jigsaw daily for about 5 years. My second jigsaw (it's not a saws-all :whistling). Only had one battery die on me. The hammer drill has been a horse, but now slips with small (1/8") bits. The battery nail gun lithium seems to loose charge pretty quick (gotta get a 2nd battery!). 

Once these are close to Shettin the bed, I'll probably get something else just because of the weight. Not the best out there, but alot better than most say or think.


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

All tool companies have their pros and cons. I still like my old DeWalt chopsaw, every other DeWalt tool I've ever used I hate. Makita has some really crappy tools too, and some good ones.


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## William James (Mar 5, 2010)

woodworkbykirk said:


> dewalt should outsource their cases for other manufacturers.... Ha! you gotta be kidding me, i dont how many times its taken 3 guys 10 minutes to try to figure out how to put a dewalt circ saw or a cordless drill and the charger + the spare battery in the case. their terrible cases.
> 
> makita is prob the best, bosch not far behind, milwaukee's newer cases are pretty good as they make extra spots which fit either a 3rd battery or their bit sets perfectly, ridgid........ stop using bags


The best case system is the systainers. And ridgid bags are handy to put a bunch of your other tools in the pouches or loose with the drill. They aren't the best bags, but I prefer them to a case.


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## Brandito (Feb 26, 2009)

Craftsman Jay said:


> The best case system is the systainers. And ridgid bags are handy to put a bunch of your other tools in the pouches or loose with the drill. They aren't the best bags, but I prefer them to a case.


when i upgraded my dewalt 14.4 to a makita combo kit i was not happy when i found out that silly blown plastic case makita has wouldn't fit in my truck box, went to ace and got a cheap tool bag and it's considerably better than any hard case.

dewalt still has the best tool cases, used to keep all sorts of stuff in my dewalt's case.


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## LEVELBEST (Dec 28, 2006)

I have almost every tool that DeWalt makes and I love them for the most part. I am not brand loyal, per say, but I do like the tools. However, I do also own Makita routers because I like them better. I also have Rigid shop vacs, Porter Cable routers, Porter Cable belt sanders, etc etc. My family also owns a cabinet shop, so lots of times I let them buy the new tools, then I use them and figure out what I like best. I have every miter saw that DeWalt makes and love them all. I also have three cordless DeWalt nailers and love them too. When my job trailer was stolen last year though, I went with some more economical choices to replace things, but miter saws and cordless tools........as well as the jobsite table saw were all replace by DeWalt, and I love them still.


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## csv (Aug 18, 2009)

Most of my tools are DeWalt. I put my cordless tools through their paces. If the battery dies, I have 12 others waiting. I think their corded tools are pretty tough. The only 2 DeWalt tools that arent in service any more, are a pair of 10 year old 14.4v drills. Nothing lasts forever.


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## joesmith (Aug 25, 2009)

Phillip Marsh said:


> We used a mix of Makita and Milwaukee hammer drills over the years but quickly found that the new lithium-ion batteries make a big difference in performance brand to brand. We have lithium-ion powered Makita, DeWalt, Hitachi, and Milwaukee drills, both the lightweight ones and their top of the line models (Makita LXT BHP 454, Milwaukee M18 2611, DeWalt XRP DCD970) and there is a considerable gap in performance between these 18 volt drills.
> 
> The DeWalt is the best overall with the most power, least trouble with the lithium-ion battery, best gripping chuck, best clutch and best hammer action. The Milwaukee 2611 is a close second that has a lot more trouble with its internal thermal runaway protection at full load unless you are very gradually in adding power to the motor. The Milwaukee has the best overall design, best charger, but a less than optimum side handle that like the Ridgid drills has to be exactly 90 degrees from the main handle. The Makita stalls the most easily with its very sensitive overload circuits and the chuck tends to loosen if there is any vibration while drilling. The Makita does have the depth rod for making set depth holes for anchors and the Makita has the best side handle design.
> 
> ...


Wow, thanks for that info. Definitely very helpful for me making my decision :clap:


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## Gary L (Nov 24, 2008)

If they had a mileage counter on my Dewalt 14.4 drills they would be right up there with Honda and Toyota. I don't have any of the newer ones but I can't honestly complain about the XRPs.

Being the guy who buys my tools also causes me to be a bit more caring of them. I often watch the torture some guys put the company tools through and wonder how some of these nit wits can call themselves carpenters or craftsman.

When a tool of mine breaks I can usually attribute it to being to lazy to get the right tool for the job. I watched an alarm install guy last week running a 1 inch spade bit through 2X10s all afternoon with a dewalt 18V and complaining all the while about the batteries not lasting. Standing by his van on break and there he has a practically new hole hog designed for the job.:wacko: He did have a pretty fancy "Quick Draw Holster" though and was looking pretty cool running up and down for fresh batteries every 15 minutes.

Gary


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