chit chat thread
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I picked up a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 3/8" impact a few months ago, thinking of cordless tools.
I had never really used impacts too much, but figured it would be convenient for wheel removal and other assorted things. I use it religiously now, it has cut some project times in half. Removing heat shields under the car? Impact, Pulling a valve cover off? Impact. The 3/8" is nice and compact as well, so it fits everywhere you want it too.
I like the fact that it has three modes. Low speed low torque (21 ft/lbs) medium speed medium torque (71 ft/lbs) and all out (200 ft/lbs)
I tested it on a bolt that I torqued to 225 ft/lbs with my torque wrench, and it zipped it off like it was no big deal. I have removed stuff with it that some 1/2" impacts wont take off.
Long story short, I love the thing!Wow, that was a lot of words in regard to an impact lol.
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I was at Menards and grabbed this Tool Shop drill/impact/flashlight kit for around $80 a few weeks ago.
It's great for some stuff, but nothing too tight. It struggles taking wheel lugs off. Wish I would've just saved the cash towards a better cordless impact. Oh well, live and learn.
I read that the cheap corded Harbor Freight impact is really powerful. Maybe I'll give that a shot for $40.
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-heavy-duty-electric-impact-wrench-68099.html
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turned this:
into this:
not a great improvement visually, but the hood latches now, so it's more fuctional. Tied the core support to a tree with a big strap and backed up a couple times, so that was fun. Driving from West Bend to Appleton and back with no heat, however, was not fun.
Also screwed up my first batch of beer
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I have the Dewalt 20V cordless impact (DCF833m2) and it is fantastic, comes with two 4Ah batteries that last forever. I've charged them like 3 times and used the tool hundreds of times, by far my favorite tool that I own. Its also pretty compact so you can get it in all sorts of places.
Any recommendation on a non-milwaukee, non-dewalt cordless impact? I refuse to own either of those brands, but really want a good impact with good batteries.
Any particular reason you don't like Dewalt?
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Any recommendation on a non-milwaukee, non-dewalt cordless impact? I refuse to own either of those brands, but really want a good impact with good batteries.
Bosch is what I'd get. I've had their drills/impacts in the past. Pricey but worth it
I have all DeWalt now and use them everyday at work
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I have that cheap harbor freight corded impact. It's taken everything off my e30 that I've needed it to. (Big help on the axle nuts)
I leave my stuff out in the garage where it's cold. Batteries tend to get weak out there
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I've never had my dewalt batteries weaken over time being out in garage during winter cold
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I'll look into the Bosch, I have a lot of Bosch tools now and really like them. I've had good luck with Makita hitachi and Portercable as well. I've never liked milwaukee, they had junk sawzalls and drills back when I first started using power tools, and I've never tried them again, and Dewalt is like a fancy black&decker so, I'll spend my money elsewhere.
Thanks for the suggestions!!
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I'll look into the Bosch, I have a lot of Bosch tools now and really like them. I've had good luck with Makita hitachi and Portercable as well. I've never liked milwaukee, they had junk sawzalls and drills back when I first started using power tools, and I've never tried them again, and Dewalt is like a fancy black&decker so, I'll spend my money elsewhere.
Thanks for the suggestions!!
Woah, here I was starting to peg you as the person that just randomly hates companies for no reason and complains about them!
I imagine when you started using them was more then 5 years ago. I would give them a shot. The M18 fuel 3/8" impact had the highest amount of torque from all of the big brands of 3/8 impact that I could find. Therefore I went with it.
It looks like the Bosch 18v unit only has 125 ft/lbs of torque, which is pretty darn low.
Looks like the Makita ($414) has 150 ftllbs
I ended up getting mine for $200 with a coupon, and its rated at 200 ft/lbs
All depends on what you want to take off with it!Dewalt has always felt cheap to me as well, so I get where you come from on "fancy black & decker".
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Dewalt FTW!!!!!!!
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I've had my Snap-On 3/8" 14.4 CT4410 for at least 5 years now and it's still as strong as ever. It's been kept in a shop or in my garage it's entire life and the battery life hasn't faded a bit. It'll take wheels off with no problem and loosen most bolts. I don't think I have ever "had" to charge the batteries on it. I usually swap out to a fully charged one when I start a project but I can't honestly remember a battery dying or fading to the point that I had to swap it out.
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I don't think I have ever "had" to charge the batteries on it. I usually swap out to a fully charged one when I start a project but I can't honestly remember a battery dying or fading to the point that I had to swap it out.
Isn't that fun?! I rarely ever charge mine, because I never need to. Then when I do need to it only takes about 30 minutes anyway.
Batteries have come a long way in the past 5 or so years. I look forward to seeing more development of them! -
Isn't that fun?! I rarely ever charge mine, because I never need to. Then when I do need to it only takes about 30 minutes anyway.
Batteries have come a long way in the past 5 or so years. I look forward to seeing more development of them!^^^This is what you are paying for when you buy these tools. Battery technology. I did a ton of research before buying my Dewalt kit and this included talking to reps, talking to buyers at work, reading reviews, etc. Every conclusion that was drawn is that Dewalt and Milwaukee are at the top of the pack for battery technology right now. This is where a tool separates itself from another. The performance for these tools are all in the battery and not every battery is created equal.
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Woah, here I was starting to peg you as the person that just randomly hates companies for no reason and complains about them!
I imagine when you started using them was more then 5 years ago. I would give them a shot. The M18 fuel 3/8" impact had the highest amount of torque from all of the big brands of 3/8 impact that I could find. Therefore I went with it.
It looks like the Bosch 18v unit only has 125 ft/lbs of torque, which is pretty darn low.
Looks like the Makita ($414) has 150 ftllbs
I ended up getting mine for $200 with a coupon, and its rated at 200 ft/lbs
All depends on what you want to take off with it!Dewalt has always felt cheap to me as well, so I get where you come from on "fancy black & decker".
You are pretty right on about the section I bolded. Haha, in all actuality, I usually have reasons for all my likes and dislikes, but a lot of times my reasons are pretty dumb.
What is the torque of the Milwaukee and Dewalt, or the snap-on or matco? Why are we so interested in the 3/8" instead of the 1/2"? Why is the M18 called the 'fuel'? Now if it had a fuel canister in it like a plasload nail gun, that would be sweet.
It's Delana Kenseth!
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