About a month ago I couldn't take it anymore and bought some brand new 5.0AH batteries for my DeWalt impact and drill. My old ones could drive about 15 3" screws and had to be swapped. Wasn't cheap, but I use the heck out of them so I figured it was worth it....and it was. Yesterday my drill had a RUD (rapid unplanned disassembly) and is no longer is service. I took it apart and the gears are all toast....as are the brushes....and since new the chuck has had way too much runout. Surprised it made it this long. I beat the crap out of it for close to 10 years so it doesn't owe me a dime. Even if it was worth repairing I still wouldn't....too many things I don't like about it. I'm at the point now where I have to decide whether or not to buy a new drill or combo kit. My wallet is saying buy a new bare tool drill, but my brain is saying if the drill went the impact isn't far behind. 90% sure going to just buy a new combo because you basically get free batteries. Trying to decide whether or not to pony up the dead presidents for a nice brushless combo kit with a 3-speed hammer drill....or buy another home-owner grade combo kit. The price difference is about $100....which in the big picture isn't a big deal. What do? (No brand wars please, DeWalt has been good to me).
Sometimes the tool in the kits is not the same as the ones you by singly. My FIL was over the other day helping me and we were comparing his kit impact driver with mine i bought as a stand alone tool. Mine seemed much more rugged. These were Milwaukee however.
I'd be willing to bet that spending the extra $100 would be a better bet. If the set gives you 10 years of service it's $10 bucks a year and that's not even taking into consideration that they have a good chance of going past 10 years. Plus in a week you'll forget about the 100 vs 10+ years of painful agonizing regret. Spending others money is fun!!
Brushless for shure!! In a six months or a year from now, you won’t remember the extra you spent vs. brushed. I think you’ll be impressed with the extra power and battery life. I’ve had m18 and m12 stuff for almost 6 years now, 90% of it is brushless.
I don’t know about Dewalt, but every once in a while Milwaukee runs a promo where if you buy a bare tool, they throw in a free battery. I’m currently waiting on one of their 1/2” impact wrenches and a 5.0 battery to find its way to my house.
Thanks for the intel...It is liking buying at Costco or Sam's, a lot of the things they sell are made only for them. I guess the same is true for Home Depot!
I built elevators for a living. About a year ago I bought 20 volt DeWalt everything. Brushless on what I could get. They are amazing almost better than corded. The battery life is way better as well. Other guys when we work together want to go DeWalt now. I am sure that all the rest have great brushless options also. Go brushless you will never look back. Also if you can find a DeWalt factory center near you it would be worth taking your old drill to them and sometimes they will give you a trade credit. That’s how I ended up trading to brushless my old 18 volt smoked out and I took it to the service center to get fixed but the trade deal was cheaper than repair. Any way you go new tools are great.
My employer supplies us with Milwaukee cordless tools...a few years back my V28 1/2" drill finally gave it up...upgraded to a M18 Fuel 1/2" drill...it almost has too much power for its size...twice now I have been using it to drill 3/4" to 1" holes in stainless (which requires low range) and the bit caught and it really wrenched my wrist...hurt for weeks! My point is, you almost can't stop these brushless drills in low range! Its been a couple years now since it happened the first time, and its still tender when I get into just the right (wrong) position...
By the time I had started to buy tools, the brushless stuff had come out. I have never owned a corded drill, circular or reciprocating saw. I can’t think of a time where I regretted it either. I don’t think I’ll regret not having a pneumatic impact wrench either.
If you don't do much heavy mechanical work you won't miss it...but if you do, the cordless impacts don't hold a candle to modern air guns.
The battery guns are much heavier and larger than pneumatic. ok for short bursts but not great for everyday all day sessions. One of the guys used one all day everyday at the dealership I don’t know how he did it. He was a tire, brake donkey tho so there’s that.
It will be great for that! I carry one when I’m pulling a trailer or on a long trip Incase of a flat.
Yeah no doubt...but they are handier than a shirt pocket when you need them...especially out in the field. One of the mechanics at the bike dealership used a 1/4" all day long...kinda nice for running some bolts/screws in/out, but obviously wont work for everything, and still have to hand tighten most of them then too...I tried it, but never bought one for myself. I do have one now, it came in the set I bought myself at Menards one black Friday...can't beat it for driving 3" deck screws!
Our local hardware store recommended the brushless Dewalt Combo kit. Which I love. No lack in of power. Battery lasts forever. I put together the rabbit hutch with them on one charge. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Y'all talked me into a brushless kit. Should be here Wednesday. 20V MAX* Cordless Brushless XR® Hammerdrill & Impact Driver Combo Kit (5.0AH) - DCK299P2 | DEWALT
Spend the extra $100. I had a dewalt 18 volt circular saw fall 25' off a roof and it still worked after. This was 2006. Slightly bent but i was only cutting plywood. Remember buying a 12 volt cordless drill of theirs in 1993. Highest you could get at the time.
You will be very happy with that DeWalt 20V combo. A lot of professional tradesmen I know, including everyone who recently built our addition all swear by them. I run the Milwaukee Fuel 18 system just because my local hardware store carries them and had good deal on a combo when I was looking. It works great for me and lots of other pro's I know. I was going to say just pick whichever color you like (yellow vs. red) and/or whichever one you can get a decent price on.
