The Perfect Tool Choice

[Woolf]

One can get adapters to use batteries interchangeably
Eg
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battery-Adapte ... 87&sr=8-13

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MT20RNL-batter ... 87&sr=8-12

Don’t know if they are available in SA
I bought one many years ago that allows me to use a Li battery on an old Makita NiMH drill

[Mad Manny]

Business
I always try to buy quality tools when it comes to the Business.

Tried Hilti but once they need to go in for repairs the cost is almost that of a new one./

Grips, Hilti does not charge for any repairs in the 1st 2 years.
Thereafter the cost of repairs is limited.

With the hand tools I use; they cannot charge more than 50% of the replacement cost.
So, if you buy a machine for, say, R4 800 & 4 years later it costs R6 000 & it breaks, they cannot charge more than R3 000 for therepair.

I know on heavy tools, like breakers etc, the % is higher.

One of my Cordless Drivers packed up after 4 years.
It made a horrible screeching sound from the chuck (or so I thought)
Replacement was over R4k back then.
I sent it in.
They quoted R486 which included R120 collection & delivery & VAT.
It came back, I tested it.
Perfect (It is still working 100% 2 years later).
When I checked to see if they'd replaced the chuck I saw it was my old battered chuck.
So clearly it wasn't the chuck.
But then I realised they had given me a brand new machine.
They just transferred my chuck across.

[Woolf]

I’m firmly in the Makita stable.
If buying today it must be brushless. There is no comparison between brushed and brushless. I had a brushed 110mm angle grinder which was barely good enough to sand something clean. The brushless version works as well as the corded version.
Unfortunately brushless is much more expensive

[Mike Nel]

I believe in 2 tools and 2 tools only

- Swiss Army Knife
- Leatherman

[Redman]

Makita!

I'm a firm believer in fo(r)king out more for decent quality. Started with a few Bosch tools (Drill, grinder ad sanders) and although they gave decent service I did find that they were not the same Bosch that my dad bought in the 80's and 90's. Moved over to Makita (corded tools), and subsequently started getting the cordless tools as well.

You don't need the cordless tools until you own them. Then you cannot fathom how you managed without them.

In my experience the Makita batteries are doing great. I've build up a nice variety of batteries as I purchase new tools (where possible I opted for tools that also has a battery included until I had a decent battery reserve).

Projects are just soo much easier with these cordless tools. Especially the drill. The first cordless tool I bought and probably the most used one as well.

Other advantages I find is with the cordless sanding tools. No more dirty power cords dragging over your newly sanded wood surfaces.

[Redman]

But as mentioned above. The make you go with will sort of trap you with that brand. That is why I opted for Makita. My wife was looking for a little cordless vacuum cleaner and really liked the Ryobi. She arrived back home with this model, as the extra cost of a battery and charger was making it too expensive. With a good collection of Makita batteries in the garage, she opted to go the same route.

The range keeps on expanding with some garden tools and even a battery operated coffee maker available from Makita

[Hedgehog]

A man who brags about his tools, is hiding his lack of artistry

[grips]

Business
I always try to buy quality tools when it comes to the Business.

Tried Hilti but once they need to go in for repairs the cost is almost that of a new one./

Grips, Hilti does not charge for any repairs in the 1st 2 years.
Thereafter the cost of repairs is limited.

Manny I am not familiar with the new Hilti warranties. Talking about two TE 1 Hilti SDS drills I bought way back in 2003.
The SDS splines on both of them worn out. If I can remember correctly I paid around R750.00 per drill back then.
Were quoted R600.00 for the repair of one.

Also had a big Hilti SDS drill that could took jackhammer bits. The armature packed up and I were quote almost the price of
a new one to repair. That was when I decided to kick Hilti. Replaced it with the Wacker equivalent which is still in use today.
So I do question if Hilti is really that good.

[Bugjuic]

For a business for me it’s a no brainer.

You purchase Makita Brushless. Having used them extensively at work for days on end (6 years now). Only one drill has ever failed, and they are built like a puzzle, so you can only replace the damaged parts. Also having the fast chargers, I literally can’t run down batteries as fast as I can charge them. Thus a no- brainer when it comes to daily work tools. Battery sizes range nicely ( I have up to 6Ah)


Having Bosch Green at home, I would not go that route again. Drill is coming a long way now, but having two batteries and a drill, I now want to get a blower for example, uses a new type of battery, wtf is wrong with them.

Stanley I used for two years at work. Now IF you are doing precision drilling(drill and tap) with a steady hand, I have yet to find a drill that runs more true and still than a stanley! But batteries are shit, and chargers are slow!

I am now opting for INGCO next, yes yes say what you will, for diy use at home, and having used a few in my time. Very happy! Brushed is fine. Batteries are of a good quality and bodies ware inexpensive. For 10k I can stock up my whole garage, where as with say Makita I can only purchase a drill and a grinder.

In short.
Working daily hard - Makita always!
DIY home - Ingco

[iandvl]

<snip>I am now opting for INGCO next, yes yes say what you will</snip>

INGCO is very underrated. As I said, I've got a few of them in the garage. Great bang for the bucks.

Their baby-grinder disks are absolutely fantastic and they're the only discs I buy for metal work.

[Mad Manny]

ingco and Einhell are not bad, I haven't used either, but they are on the cheaper end of the price scale.

It all depends on your needs, for the occasional hobbyist the Ryobi, Ingco, Einhell stuff with brushes is fine.

If money is no object, then buy the more expensive brands.

[Bugjuic]

Highly underrated tools! Will see how they hold up in future, but so far, only positive from Ingco. Also expanding their range very fast. So I am sure there will be growing pains, but one to keep an eye out for. Also spoke to someone at DIY depot, and apparently their motto is to keep costs down to the consumers with good quality tools(obvious sales talk), but should this be the case, that is a product I can support! Last time I spoke to Anthony he mostly used Ingco, maybe hear his opinion? That guy uses tools every day, so will be a good indicator?

[iandvl]

Manny - this is what I said earlier. I've always tried buying better quality, but it has taken me a while to recover financially from the divorce a few years ago.

For my use, the cheaper stuff is fine, but I do appreciate the difference in quality. ie: My Ryobi baby-grinder packed up fairly quickly from relatively light use. Back then, I replaced it with a Makita grinder. The Makita has done some seriously heavy work and still works like a bomb.

I will probably not buy Ryobi again.

The only power tool I definitely will never even look at is Black and Decker. I've had horrible experiences with them.

[Mad Manny]

Clearly, from this Thread, it seems Makita Brushless is a very good choice.

Brands like Hi-Koki, Toshiba etc come next.
Probably De Walt can fall in there.

Then further down is Ryobi, Ingco, Einhell etc.

Black and Decker is at the bottom.

Hilti and Milwaukee are great, but very, very expensive.

I have a Makita 115mm grinder. Have never needed to have it repaired - yet.
It was a cheap R699 jobbie.
I'll look into Makitas back up and repaire centres..

[HenriSteyn]

I only have one cordless tool that works.
Makita drill.
About 15 years old. Only issue I had was my daughter burned the motor (lack of training skills by no other than her father) about 12 years back. I took it to the agent in Boksburg for repairs and 2 weeks later all good.

Batteries are the only headache. 14.4v. And they have been repacked 3 times.

Other than that my first "go to" power tool in my garage. Drill, grind, screws (those ones with thread on). I love it!

My Bosch is much older, but simply too slow to use for drilling. If I tackle a large cupboard installation again I will have the batteries repacked and use it for screwing or countersinking, to save changing bits.

All my other power tools carry a cord that ends with a 3 pin plug