Cordless Screwdriver
Carpenters, what cordless set do you recommend?
I have just started woodworking and would like to start a cordless collection. I'll start with the basics: drill, circular, palm sander, router. Can you all recommend a good brand. I know Dewalt is top of the line but it is out of my price range. My father has a small set of Ryobi 18v and seems happy with it. Is this a good set? Please also recommend some other necessary tools. I have several hand tools: screwdrivers, plyers, clamps.
I'll probably start building simple projects: bookshelves, a ladder for a bunk bed, a child's drafting table.
There is no blanket brand that is best for every single tool. And to go cordless with every tool is not wise. No, Dewalt is not top of the line, they just have a rep. This is my list on many years experience.
Drills - Panasonic, yes Panasonic, makes the finest drills around. Pick up one of the cordless combo packs with a drill and impact driver and you will be astounded at the performance and accuracy of the tools. They are the only drill maker that delivers torque at even levels no matter what speed the chuck is spinning. In other words, other brands derive higher torque by spinning faster which makes for sloppy work if you dig in too deep or start off at top speed. These are the best cordless drills and priced near Milwaukees. I gave my Dewalt cordless to my Dad after discovering Panasonics. Don't buy a hammer drill unless you are doing extensive work with concrete drilling. If they are out of your price range, go Craftsman as their replacement batteries are dirt cheap. Keep a decent corded drill around just in case.
Circ Saw - Many fine brands out there, but Bosch fits my hand very well. Pick up the saw and see how it fits in your hand. Circ. saws must be comfortable or you will make sloppy cuts. If you need high power and are cutting very thick pieces of wood a worm drive Skil Saw is the way to go. Comfort and weight is key and Bosch works best for me in this dept. Cordless circ saws are a waste of money in my opinion. The battery life is horrific on any brand I have used. If these are too much money for you (Bosch circ saw is around $110), then I really don't know what to say. Just buy anything that is comfortable and in your price range.
Sanders - Porter Cable makes great sanders. Again, stay clear of cordless in this department as the batteries just can't keep up. If you are working on a tight budget, skip the sander all together and spend more on better saws and drills. Elbow grease replaces any sander at 1/100th the price.
Router - Porter Cable again in this dept. Honestly, I won't go near any other brand router. The true cost of a router begins AFTER you buy one. Bit sets are very expensive and you may be better off buying trim that matches the type of edges you want. Cut them to size and glue on the corners.
Those are the tools you listed. Cordless tools have advantages when used properly. Anything that runs for long periods of time (sander, jig saw, etc) will be a huge disappointment to you. If you absolutely must have one of those cordless combo sets and Dewalt is too expensive, go with Craftsman or Ryobi.
If all you have is some hand tools and you want to make furniture properly, be ready to shell out at least $1000 on power tools. It sounds like the things you want to work on are indoor projects. For the projects you listed, skip the circ saw and buy a miter saw.
Making things for around the house is very rewarding so keep at it. For shelves, go buy a $100 miter saw (Lowes has a Hitachi for $100 I believe as does Ryobi and Craftsman), wood glue, a Craftsman cordless drill (get corded if you do not already have one, cheap cordless drills can't match the power of a corded drill), a carpenters square, a level, and some screws. Sand the pieces first, assemble, and finish with some stain. Build up your skills with the basics first and things will make more sense when you go shopping for power tools. Have fun!
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Anything You Can Think of Cordless Black
What do you think of when you think of cordless Black & Decker? You may think of small cordless screwdrivers or wimpy tools you only find at discount stores. While I don't think of cordless Black & Decker tools as industrial grade tools, they really have a wide variety of tools that you will find handy around the house, cabin or lake home.
The cordless Black & Decker lineup contains everything from you basic cordless screwdriver, to cordless drills, cordless scissors, tools for yard work including cordless mowers, hedge trimmers, weed trimmers and more. I have one of the cordless Black & Decker weed trimmers and while it doesn't have the power of my gas weed trimmer, it has more than enough to trim up around the house and it always starts. The gas trimmers that I have had typically work for a couple of seasons and then I have to rebuild the carb to keep it running.
One of the really neat tools I noticed in the cordless Black & Decker line is a chainsaw called the Alligator. This tool is a small cordless chainsaw with a clamp below the blade that bites down on the wood you are cutting. It really does look like an alligator! They also have a regular cordless chainsaw and a chainsaw that you can extend up on a pole to cut off limbs a little higher up. Again, these cordless Black & Decker tools don't look like something you would use every day but still, I they have some tools I have never even seen.
Maybe you are looking for a cordless screwdriver for you hobby shop or your camper. Again the cordless Black & Decker line up has several for you to chose from. You can get a very inexpensive tool that will be handy here and there or if you want something with a little more power, try their lithium screw drivers. Lithium tools offer more run time and power in a lighter weight tool that can charge very fast. Some of these tools have LED lights on them making them handy when working in dark corners, maybe like removing hinges inside a cabinet.
They also handle a variety of drills. While I still prefer having my heavy duty Bosch drill at my side, a smaller less powerful drill will work just fine around the house. While most of the cordless Black & Decker drills are fairly reasonably priced, you can afford to have one in your camper, your cabin or lake home. Many of times these tools are more than ample for simple odd jobs around the home like hanging pictures or drilling a small hole to run a cord or something else simple like this. If you do want a little more power, the cordless Black & Decker line includes 24 volt tools available in a combo kit.
One other tool that I guess you can call a cordless Black & Decker tool is their self adjusting wrench. This crescent wrench adjusts to the bolt head with just a touch. I have read a couple of reviews and while some have been able to break them, many felt they were very handy around the house.
So there you have it, a few thoughts on the cordless Black & Decker tool line up. This really doesn't do their line up justice. You just won't believe the cordless Black & Decker tools available.
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You can find all the
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Cordless Screwdriver
