Power tools general

[QE65]

If you are interested in repairing your own power tools, or just generally want to know what is/isn't worth fixing, I recommend this channel. Irish guy with a wealth of information on all sorts of brands.

With certain brands (BOSCH, Makita, HILTI) you tend to get easier avenues for spare parts (DeWalt is passable too). Milwaukee are pretty poor for repairability, but I have a few which I plan on just running into the ground. You can occasionally find broken higher end models of BOSCH hammers on auction sites that are an easy repair and you get a tool for life out of it.

 

[IdiotPlusPlus]

I got this video in my recommendations today. I have never heard of a plastic welding gun before, and I want one.

While they are pretty cool, in the end it's just a heat insertion, same thing is done in 3D prints with a soldering iron if you need a metal thread inserted into something, just heat the insert with the iron and press it in, I've seen it done with regular staples and a soldering iron before on smaller objects too.

Handy technique to know for sure.

 

[Nate Higgers]

I have a boatload of Ridgid stuff and honestly it’s worked just fine for me in the commercial field. It all mostly gets its use cutting 1-5/8” unistrut, drilling CMU or poured concrete for anchors, cutting conduit, or occasionally cutting stainless steel unistrut. I will admit I’m tempted to get Milwaukee shit after seeing all the stuff they’ve released for sparkys in the last couple years.

The contractor I work for bought one of those 18v knockout sets and the thing is tits, especially if you’re working on a project where you’re making knockouts in a ton of panels and junction boxes all day. The 18v cable cutters are also a godsend when you’re pulling and landing parallel 750kcmil into a CT can. Also they have a fucking cordless electric fishtape now? I guess you would use it somewhere you can’t set up a wire tugger but I can’t really say anything else about it.

 

[Fascist Kirk]

Most the big brands are good, once you buy one your committed, I have every Makita product ever made, now they have a new product with a new battery, I am not buying I am good with what I got.

Problem with these new power tools is they are so reliable the companies that make them need to find ways to continue to make products to stay in buisness. . .

 

[Attempt Turd]

I'd say Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt are comparable quality.

Hilti is in a world of their own: expensive, big, heavy, cumbersome unwieldy but more or less unbrakeable with normal use. Made for continuous use by fuckers who barely takes their tools out of the rain and use them as footballs.

I prefer Makita especially for cordless drills and screwdrivers. Their batteries have great longevity and the tools feel lighter, slimmer and have less useless visual design features.

Bosch makes or used to make the best corded jigsaw. The one with the round body and aluminium front.

 

[Grub]

All power tools are Chinese garbage these days. The big tool brands aren't worth it except for maybe Milwaukee, just because of the huge variety you get, though the actual quality of their tools are hit or miss. Some of them are great, some of them are shit and all of them are overpriced.

I've got a set of Craftsman brushless tools I've been using daily for 3 years now. My only real complaint is that my drill lacks torque, but, just a couple of days ago I drilled probably 50 1 1/2" and 2 1/2" holes with it through studs and floor plates and I had no issues. I love my my impact driver. I use it almost every single day. That thing's a fucking powerhouse. It's nice and light and small but it can drive a 6" screw through a pressure treated 4x4 like it's nothing. I've fucking dropped that thing more times than I can count. Off ladders and buildings onto concrete and rocks. I've used it as a hammer way too many times and just generally abuse the hell out of it and it still works as good as new.

I don't like the brushed craftsman tools though. I know a guy who's got a set of those and they're garbage. The drill is somehow even worse, the impact's big and bulky and the battery life's atrocious for all of them. He does have a little battery powered craftsman chainsaw that's honestly pretty nice for what it is though. It's super light and portable, obviously you're not gonna be cutting massive trees or branches with it but it does pretty well for smaller stuff when you don't wanna bust out the gas chainsaw.

 

[Iron Hamster]

Goddamn right.

Most of these tools are made by less than 10 OEMs globally in the USA, EU, Taiwan, Japan and China.

A "universal" or semi universal battery solution is the correct way.

Need a new weed whacker, any recommendations?

Shindaiwa T235

Stihl if you want gas powered. They cost a little more but will last decades . I mow some grass as a side job and have a fs90 and fs110, both will do more than you will ever need for 95% of people. If you cut nothing but super tall grass/weed overgrown areas or run a brush blade you may want to step up a size.
I would also recommend getting a Darwin's grip handle. It's a add on handle that is absolutely fantastic. I won't use a trimmer without one anymore, it makes weedeating so much more comfortable and pleasant.

The Shindaiwa T235 is just as sturdy and $130 US cheaper than the FS90

 

[Hamstirer]

The Shindaiwa T235 is just as sturdy and $130 US cheaper than the FS90

I don't have any shindiaiwa dealers around me and have always been a Stihl saw fan so that's why I got the Stihl trimmer. I really like the 4mix engine because I trim really close to so fancy glass covered vacation homes and it allows me to torque my way through grass at low rpm and not chuck rocks at everything but it does give up some performance in the really heavy/tall grass.
Have you put a echo speed feed head on your trimmer? If not do it, it's a game changer. They make a lot of knock offs now and I can't say how those are but the echo head is fantastic.

 

[Iron Hamster]

I don't have any shindiaiwa dealers around me and have always been a Stihl saw fan so that's why I got the Stihl trimmer. I really like the 4mix engine because I trim really close to so fancy glass covered vacation homes and it allows me to torque my way through grass at low rpm and not chuck rocks at everything but it does give up some performance in the really heavy/tall grass.
Have you put a echo speed feed head on your trimmer? If not do it, it's a game changer. They make a lot of knock offs now and I can't say how those are but the echo head is fantastic.

Solid reasoning. I've been in power equipment 40 years and wrench at a landscape company presently. They run the T235. It holds up well considering it's ShindEcho's homeowner model. They do run the speed feed and it's held up as well. Seems it's the best head since the Redmax PT104.

 

[Sargon's wife's son]

My local pawn shop had a older model jackhammer for sale for 500 with all of the bits so I picked that up he also had a steel demo soul that wasn't working that only needed the oil change and he gave me that for 200.