DeWalt just made the Cordless World a bit more interesting today...

[Paul G]

I am not sure I want to invest in batteries when the power company has power lines everywhere?

Everywhere? Not quite.

 

[jeh]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] [member=40772]Holmz[/member]

[Size=13pt]Interesting discussion guys..

I do not like DeWalt. Never been impressed since a major new drill failure nine years ago. Interestingly it happened during the construction of the then Monty pup's pen. My current career in sales has not changed my views from that experience. Hence I remain a fan of mainly Metabo, Makita, Bosch Blue and naturaly - Festool.

The Aussie Shed does however illustrate your discussion. It is around 60metres from a power point. I have had the compound saw set up near this power source and have cut timber to size there. At the work site I have been using 18V Drills. For any angle grinding work I have a 70 metres of power cords.

You would not call this efficient if it was a commercial operation. If I was a commercial builder, particularly in rural Australia, the newer generation of high volt and amperage batt tools would certainly appeal.

But as an owner builder/hobbiest I prefer corded over batt, due to power and efficiency. I have some batt drills but also corded models. This may also be an 'age' thing!  [eek] It may also be because I want the majority if my tool purchases, given my usage,  to last ten or more years. Consequently the house has an ample supply of external power points.

Back to the Aussie Shed, much time in the 'big green shed'  of late, and when home the rain and gales have continued. Still Ms Untidy's list is being worked on!  [eek]  [smile]
http://festoolownersgroup.com/membe...ustralian-shed/msg463981/?topicseen#msg463981

Hardly fair to hold a grudge against a tool that failed 9 years ago.

 

[jimbo51]

I hope (probably in vain) that Dewalt will make an adaptor to use the 40 volt battery on the old 36 volt tools. I have a 36 volt drill, circular saw and reciprocating saw set that sits idle and is probably un sellable since the last of the three batteries I had died a couple of years back. Rebuilt batteries are about $100 so having new 40 volt batteries which could power old and newer tools would be great for me as maybe then I could sell the 36 volt tools for maybe $20 each or $50 for the set.

I did buy the old style 18 to new style 20 volt adaptor for my Dewalt grinder etc.

 

[#Tee]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] [member=40772]Holmz[/member]

[Size=13pt]Interesting discussion guys..

I do not like DeWalt. Never been impressed since a major new drill failure nine years ago. Interestingly it happened during the construction of the then Monty pup's pen. My current career in sales has not changed my views from that experience. Hence I remain a fan of mainly Metabo, Makita, Bosch Blue and naturaly - Festool.

The Aussie Shed does however illustrate your discussion. It is around 60metres from a power point. I have had the compound saw set up near this power source and have cut timber to size there. At the work site I have been using 18V Drills. For any angle grinding work I have a 70 metres of power cords.

You would not call this efficient if it was a commercial operation. If I was a commercial builder, particularly in rural Australia, the newer generation of high volt and amperage batt tools would certainly appeal.

But as an owner builder/hobbiest I prefer corded over batt, due to power and efficiency. I have some batt drills but also corded models. This may also be an 'age' thing!  [eek] It may also be because I want the majority if my tool purchases, given my usage,  to last ten or more years. Consequently the house has an ample supply of external power points.

Back to the Aussie Shed, much time in the 'big green shed'  of late, and when home the rain and gales have continued. Still Ms Untidy's list is being worked on!  [eek]  [smile]
http://festoolownersgroup.com/membe...ustralian-shed/msg463981/?topicseen#msg463981

Hardly fair to hold a grudge against a tool that failed 9 years ago.

ahha ya like an ex bitter gf

 

[Stephen B]

[size=13pt][member=37561]#Tee[/member] and [member=652]JimH2[/member]

Gentlemen,

I replaced that DeWalt drill with a Metabo which nine years later is still going strong. You will note in sentence 3 of my post that you quote,  that I work part time in tool* as well as paint and timber sales. I have seen nothing in the DeWalt range as yet that has changed my continued bias. As an example; a friend recently  had a new DeWalt table saw blow a motor - new saw, new blade!  I just think that currently there are better products in the price range.

However this new scale of battery technology does look promising for many of the reasons outlined here by others. The return to some US manufacturing is also a positive step. That is not to say that all Chinese manufacturing is of a poor standard. After all my Metabo Drill was made at their Chinese facility.

[size=8pt]* not Festool.  [mad]

 

[Holmz]

I am not sure I want to invest in batteries when the power company has power lines everywhere?

Everywhere? Not quite.

OK you re one of the 5%. Whether you get a GenSet or battery is interesting, but none of my business.

[size=13pt][member=37561]#Tee[/member] and [member=652]JimH2[/member]
...
As an example; a friend recently  had a new DeWalt table saw blow a motor - new saw, new blade!  I just think that currently there are better products in the price range.
...

Should have gotten a Kapex.

... Untidy Shop[/member] building his Aussie Shed ... that's the site and if it was 100m from the nearest mains power outlet, these style of tools would make perfect sense.
...
I get it that some people simply don't see the point in cordless tools and would rather unroll a power cord ... but I'm not one of those people [smile]

Well he will need a line there at some point... "Roll it out", I say, "Roll it out".

 

[Stephen B]

[eek] Mmmmm [member=40772]Holmz[/member].

Table saw, not Compound.  [big grin]  [smile]

Like this one -
[attachimg=1]

He was cutting 19mm Mountain Ash.

 

[jeh]

The tablesaw has one improvement that is notable: fence, tools, mitre gauge, push stick store within the frame of the tool. Keeping them protected from damage and loss. The push stick is readily accessible from the front with the handle projected outward.It is really unbelievable that this was never a consideration given that they are portable tablesaws and accessories can get lost.

 

[ear3]

Since I don't own any Dewalt tools anymore, maybe this was introduced a while back, but I just recently noticed in Home Depot that they are now offering battery powered landscaping tools.  I might actually have bought into the battery platform had I known about this a year ago -- I ended up getting a Ryobi instead (counting down the days until it breaks).  I wish Milwaukee would get on those battery powered garden tools for the 18V platform.

 

[Steve-Rice]

I just really like the idea that these new DeWalt batteries can have flexible voltage, depending upon the demands of the individual tool.  I know many folks have several drills of various voltage and I think it would be very convenient to be able to use the same batteries for all of them - not to mention an entire line up of cordless tools. Very innovative thinking. I hope the rest of the industry follows DeWalt's lead.

 

[DB10]

I'm probably about 95% cordless on all my work sites now, so I was very interested on this announcement from Dewalt regarding their Flexi-Volt, but apparently according to Toolguyd they think that these new batteries will cost between $200-250 US, which will no doubt translate to about $350-400. Au dollars, we will have to wait and see.

 

[jimbouk]

I think the best bit about these is they are backwards compatible and variable voltage. Also there is a corded variable voltage option so you click on an adaptor to make the tool corded and it runs of either 240 or 110v!

Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk

 

[Holmz]

I think the best bit about these is they are backwards compatible and variable voltage. Also there is a corded variable voltage option so you click on an adaptor to make the tool corded and it runs of either 240 or 110v!

Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk

Now you're talkin... That would brilliant.

 

[Kev]

I think the best bit about these is they are backwards compatible and variable voltage. Also there is a corded variable voltage option so you click on an adaptor to make the tool corded and it runs of either 240 or 110v!

Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk

Now you're talkin... That would brilliant.

[member=40772]Holmz[/member] how much have you had to drink? ... do you realise you just said something positive [eek] [wink]

 

[Holmz]

[member=13058]Kev[/member]
I haven't started yet, but I will grab a red soon.

I am not a moron, or at least I do not believe I am. So I am not going to let the needs of people that are bound by WSA/OSHA or the UK rules and their obvious way to get around the BS by using batteries lure me into thinking that I also need batteries. I do not need them.

The idea of a DC motor, and even better a brushless DC, and a tool that can run on batteries or a power cord is great. I think I have mentioned it here on FOG myself.

Just as brilliant would be for FT to make and sell a 110v and 230v transformer to allow battery tools to run from existing power infrastructure. It seems like DeWalt have been on the front foot with this, and it is brilliant of them to do so.
Then all their tools become 1 format, with multiple ways to get the power into the machine, and not three machine formats... (Battery, 110v, 230v).

It is positive, in the marketing, manufacture, and voltage polarity.
Like the Swiss I am neutral... (Sometime negative and sometimes positive, but like AC I vary around neutral)

 

[Kev]

[member=13058]Kev[/member]
I haven't started yet, but I will grab a red soon.

I am not a moron, or at least I do not believe I am. So I am not going to let the needs of people that are bound by WSA/OSHA or the UK rules and their obvious way to get around the BS by using batteries lure me into thinking that I also need batteries. I do not need them.

The idea of a DC motor, and even better a brushless DC, and a tool that can run on batteries or a power cord is great. I think I have mentioned it here on FOG myself.

Just as brilliant would be for FT to make and sell a 110v and 230v transformer to allow battery tools to run from existing power infrastructure. It seems like DeWalt have been on the front foot with this, and it is brilliant of them to do so.
Then all their tools become 1 format, with multiple ways to get the power into the machine, and not three machine formats... (Battery, 110v, 230v).

It is positive, in the marketing, manufacture, and voltage polarity.
Like the Swiss I am neutral... (Sometime negative and sometimes positive, but like AC I vary around neutral)

[member=40772]Holmz[/member] .. I'm so with you ... abstract the tool from the power supply, give it an international warranty - win the market. I just don't understand what it is about tool manufacturers that blinkers them from seeing this, or are they all secretly agreeing not to do it and Dewalt ha started to step out of line?

It $#!^s me to tears that every time I buy a different brand of cordless tool, I have to buy into their proprietary "battery technology" ... which is their plastic moulded connector with the same old cells inside the brick.

 

[Holmz]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] Mate, we sometimes are in alignment.
One could say we share the same "Tenants"...
Directed at the manufacturers:

 

[McNally Family]

This race for larger and larger battery capacity, reminds me of when I was younger and chasing the latest and greatest computer video cards.  As if that was not enough, it was not long before card makers were offering the option of running two identical cards in tandem, effectively doubling your cost (at $300.00 a pop, in 1994 dollars), while only offering a slight increase in performance.

I am retired now, so i don't have the same shop needs, as those of you who jump from job site to job site.  That, and because I'm a hobbyist and can't expense my tools, prevents me from chasing anything but the essentials. 

The fact I have 25 year old corded tools that work as well as the day I purchased them, is not lost on me each time I find one of my old battery powered drills, with different voltages and technologies,  that either no longer work or are not worth spending the money on to restore function.  I just thank God that when I was chasing the latest cordless technology, the field was pretty much limited to drills.  I don't know what I would do if my entire set of tools depended on what is now today, obsolete battery technology.   

 

[Kev]

This race for larger and larger battery capacity, reminds me of when I was younger and chasing the latest and greatest computer video cards.  As if that was not enough, it was not long before card makers were offering the option of running two identical cards in tandem, effectively doubling your cost (at $300.00 a pop, in 1994 dollars), while only offering a slight increase in performance.

I am retired now, so i don't have the same shop needs, as those of you who jump from job site to job site.  That, and because I'm a hobbyist and can't expense my tools, prevents me from chasing anything but the essentials. 

The fact I have 25 year old corded tools that work as well as the day I purchased them, is not lost on me each time I find one of my old battery powered drills, with different voltages and technologies,  that either no longer work or are not worth spending the money on to restore function.  I just thank God that when I was chasing the latest cordless technology, the field was pretty much limited to drills.  I don't know what I would do if my entire set of tools depended on what is now today, obsolete battery technology. 

[member=60452]McNally Family[/member] the very reason I'm looking at an opportunity with air tools at this very moment. I think you need to flip battery tools round year 5 of ownership, otherwise you get stuck with lemons. They can last longer, but value will plummet.

Compressed air tools offer a lot of benefit and they seem to have been generally overlooked in the woodworking space of late.

 

[Holmz]

...
Compressed air tools offer a lot of benefit and they seem to have been generally overlooked in the woodworking space of late.

Hence the DEROS has a paddle