Posted by D Sherman [72.47.153.24] on Friday, March 30, 2012 at 10:42:24 :
In Reply to: second the DeWalt posted by Desoto61 [138.162.0.41] on Friday, March 30, 2012 at 10:02:13 :
I'll agree with that. I have one of those new DeWalt's and it's been good. The 3-speed tranny is handy for augers, the chuck works good, and the hammer function means I don't have to get the plug-in drill when I just need a 1/4" masonry anchor.
It's tempting to grab the cordless tools for everything because they're so convenient, but no matter how good they are, they will not withstand the kind of work that a good corded tool (circular saw, reciprocating saw, or drill) will. There have been times when I could see I was about to break the DeWalt with too big of a self-feeding auger bit, so I stopped and got the Milwaukie plug-in drill even when it meant dragging out the generator too.
The other reason not to use cordless tools when you don't have to is the batteries are very expensive. Most are over $100. They're only good for a limited number of cycles, so unless you have money to burn, better to save them for when you really need them. If you're going to be doing a lot of work, especially heavy work, and there's an outlet available, use it.
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