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naumuk(at)alltel.net
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 Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:02 am Post subject: Cordless drill outcome |
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All-
It's sad when my cynical tongue in cheek observations turn out to be =
right on the money. I just returned from 3 hours of shopping for what I =
consider to be the best deal available in our area. This is long, but =
it's worth reading because you can probably empathize-
1. I couldn't find one CORDLESS drill made in the states. Plenty of =
corded, but no cordless. The only drill offered that wasn't made in =
China was the DeWalt, which is made in Mexico. Considering the DeWalt =
came from the home of craftsmen like Gary Gower, I would now own a =
DeWalt if it weren't for the fact that it had a lower torque spec, twice =
the charging time, and nowhere near the warranty.
2. If the US is morphing into a service economy, we're in big =
trouble. I originally picked out a different model from a different =
vendor and placed my choice on the (Unattended) checkout line. I waited =
for a good 5 minutes, coughing frequently, pulling my credit card out =
and throwing it on the counter, etc. Several sales people glanced my =
way, then turned around and continued talking to whoever it was they =
were talking to.=20
Finally, a salesman came out of the back room to the register and =
wanted to know what I wanted. I told him I'd made my choice- run my card =
and I'm out of here.=20
His reply was that they were busy, he'd only come up to look up a =
price for someone else and I'd have to wait.=20
I figured that if that was the type of treatment I get trying to =
SPEND my money, imagine what kind of treatment I'd get trying to get =
service! Needless to say, I went elsewhere.
3. My final decision was based on specs and warranty rather than (As =
you will soon find out) price.=20
After comparing Ryobi, Craftsman, Makita, B+D, Skil, DeWalt, and =
Milwaukee, (Among a half dozen no-name brands) I came across Ridgid. The =
hook is they're offering a lifetime warranty on everything including =
batteries as part of the original purchase price. In addition, they have =
the fastest recharge time of any brand I looked at (20-30 minutes) and =
the highest torque. The salesman said that I had to have two sales slips =
made out and pick up a registration form from the cashier.
Refer to (2). I get to the checkout, and they try to sell me an =
extended warranty. I told them what the salesman said about the lifetime =
warranty and they were clueless. I told them that if I didn't get the =
lifetime warranty, I didn't want the drill. We don't know what you're =
talking about, yada, yada, yada. When the cash register opened after the =
guy BEHIND me makes his transaction, guess what's in the till!
On the way home it occured to me that the drill I just bought had a =
1/2" chuck and probably wouldn't take drills less than 1/8". I'm driving =
through the gamelands and spook up a couple of eagles- I think they were =
Ospreys. I have a superstition that seeing big birds is a good luck =
omen.=20
Got home and the 1/2" chuck will accept bits down to 1/32. =20
Ridgid model R840011 1/2" chuck cordless drill w/2 batteries, 1/2 =
hour charger, carrying bag, 3 year regular and lifetime limited =
warranty, including batteries- $189.95 at Bone Depot.=20
Wow, my battery's already charged! Back to work on the garanger. =
Good building!
Bill
do not archive?
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Trainnut01(at)aol.com
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| Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:23 am Post subject: Cordless drill outcome |
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Bill
I have a 14.4 volt DeWalt that is at least 10 years old. I built a large deck using it to drive 3 inch screws, my mother in laws garage (3 inch screws) a 1200 square foot hanger (3 inch screws) a RV7 and am now almost done with the wings and tail of my 601. I am still using the same drill and it still works fine. I have two battery packs, one is always in the the drill and the other is always on charge. The batteries do seem to require changing more often as they age but that is not much of a problem. If the DeWalt dies tonight I will buy another one tomorrow, just like it if I can.
Carroll Jernigan
XL
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naumuk(at)alltel.net
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| Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:22 pm Post subject: Cordless drill outcome |
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Carroll-
Actually, I went in with the intention of buying a DeWalt, but was hooked by the Ridgid lifetime warranty for $10 more than the price of the DeWalt. God knows, they're probably both made in the same factory.
The two exceptions seem to be the Pro Line Hitachi and the Bosch. I finally got to see both.
The Pro Line Hitachi has awesome torque (140 in/lbs higher than the Ridgid, which is higher than any other brand I originally looked at) for the same 189.95 price, but twice the charge time and a 5 year warranty. Definitely worth considering. The Bosch is made in Switzerland (!), but the price makes you cringe.
Problem is, Carroll, you can't rely on the old brand names any more. It wasn't too long ago when a Homelite or McCulloch chain saw was the best you could buy! My Subaru was built in Indiana, my wife's Ford in Mexico.
Times have changed.
Bill
do not archive
[quote] ---
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bryanmmartin
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018
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| Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:59 pm Post subject: Cordless drill outcome |
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A ten year old DeWalt is probably not the same as a new one. The
design was changed several years ago and tne newer ones aren't as
good. DeWalt is now a division of Black and Decker, which is a
division of GE and some of the worst junk in the history of
electricity have come from GE.
RCA used to be one of the better electronics firms until they were
bought out by GE and now they make nothing but junk.
On Jun 5, 2006, at 7:21 PM, Bill Naumuk wrote:
[quote] Carroll-
Actually, I went in with the intention of buying a DeWalt, but
was hooked by the Ridgid lifetime warranty for $10 more than the
price of the DeWalt. God knows, they're probably both made in the
same factory.
The two exceptions seem to be the Pro Line Hitachi and the
Bosch. I finally got to see both.
The Pro Line Hitachi has awesome torque (140 in/lbs higher than
the Ridgid, which is higher than any other brand I originally
looked at) for the same 189.95 price, but twice the charge time and
a 5 year warranty. Definitely worth considering. The Bosch is made
in Switzerland (!), but the price makes you cringe.
Problem is, Carroll, you can't rely on the old brand names any
more. It wasn't too long ago when a Homelite or McCulloch chain saw
was the best you could buy! My Subaru was built in Indiana, my
wife's Ford in Mexico.
Times have changed.
Bill
do not archive
---
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_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
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naumuk(at)alltel.net
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| Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject: Cordless drill outcome |
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| Quote: | All-
Before I go any farther, let me tell you that my first arc-welding experience was cutting up junk cars in the middle of a field, with the welder connected with a 100' roll of 12 /2 to two 10A fuses in a barn.
That said, I plugged a batch of high drain corded devices in 3 outlets, and turned on every light in the new shop. I was able to get a slight dimming of the lights.
Save your breath. This is probably my only chance to build MY workshop, the way I want it. I've already spent more than I did on my kit, so what the Hell?
I'll replace the 12/2 inlet lines with 10g ASAP.
Bill
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Trainnut01(at)aol.com
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| Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:28 am Post subject: Cordless drill outcome |
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Bill
I agree, times have changed, making it even harder to make a decision as to what is the best value at any given time. To paraphrase Paul Harvey, "All that we call progress, ain't."
Carroll
do not archive
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dredmoody(at)cox.net
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| Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:50 am Post subject: Cordless drill outcome |
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Based on how well my junky "new" Dewalt drills etc. are working for me, I really regret missing out on the vastly better "old" ones. The one exception is the quick change blade holder on the saber saw. It is truly a piece of crap. Otherwise I have had excellent performance from my Dewalt products.
Ed Moody II
Rayne, LA
601XL / wings
Do Not Archive
---- Bryan Martin <bryanmmartin(at)comcast.net> wrote:
| Quote: | A ten year old DeWalt is probably not the same as a new one. The
design was changed several years ago and tne newer ones aren't as
good. DeWalt is now a division of Black and Decker, which is a
division of GE and some of the worst junk in the history of
electricity have come from GE.
RCA used to be one of the better electronics firms until they were
bought out by GE and now they make nothing but junk.
|
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