The Power Tools Thread

[NecroJoe]

We just purchased a California Air Tools compressor and it's about as loud as a power drill. It's 4X the compressor I used to have and 20% of the noise

Yeah, we're going with a quiet one. Unfortuantely, the trade off is that for the same price, you get less capacity. Husky has a 1gal one for $150 and that's already $50 over our initial budget. Milwaukee's cordless compressor is also a quiet one which is what we *really* wanted, but even with the current "battery hack" deal, it's still around $250.

Follow-up compressor question: are there any tool-type compressors that can also draw a vacuum like what you'd use an air pump for silicone casting in a vacuum chamber? This specific Husky one doesn't, and it doesn't *seem* like many do, because it seems like all of the air-intake is just through a filtered vent and not a hose port. Is my hunch correct?

 

[Blind_Io]

How many PSI of vacuum does it need and can you use a compressor with a venturi vacuum instead?

 

[73GMCSprint]

I did a thing. Usually welders are specifically excluded from Harbor Freight coupons, but not on the Memorial Day coupons. 25% off? Don't mind if I do.

 

[eizbaer]

Oh oh, forgot to post here… that circular saw I got a while back finally came to good use, as the fence we wanted was only available in 180cm height - we only really want half that, though. Cut the slats carrying the thing at an angle (rather randomly chosen), to have water run off better. Again: despite the price, the saw performed very well 👍

Sadly, the tools won’t help painting the damn thing with protective oil 🙈

 

[Matt2000]

Sadly, the tools won’t help painting the damn thing with protective oil 🙈

They could…

Looking for that I found that they have a cordless glue gun too, would be a very useful tool to have around.

 

[Perc]

I have the Ryobi glue gun with an adaptor. If Makita ever makes one for the LXT platform I will buy it.
If I remember correctly, the Ryobi was somethig like €10 more than your usual starter pack with a corded 230V gun and a handful of glue sticks, and it's at least €50 better.

 

[Matt2000]

I have the compact Ryobi one, I understand that it takes a bit longer to get up to temp but it weighs almost nothing once it's off the base and comes with a built-in drip catcher. Can't imagine a Makita one being much better to be honest, unless you particularly wanted a heavy duty one for fatter glue sticks.

 

[eizbaer]

They could…

I’m rather worried that thing would not really work very well with that sort of protective oil, too viscous… plus, the stuff would go everywhere! 🙈

 

[Matt2000]

I’m rather worried that thing would not really work very well with that sort of protective oil, too viscous… plus, the stuff would go everywhere! 🙈

me too, but from what I've seen these blower varieties are a lot better than that and than the cheaper piezo ones. Can't avoid overspray but as they're HVLP it's a lot more directional than just a paint booth fog. I almost bought a mains Wagner one to spray wood stain but realised I didn't need it. Which is a weak excuse.

 

[Perc]

Is a normal corded vacuum cleaner a power tool?

A Kärcher from the Professional lineup. You can tell by how it's grey and not yellow. No, it's not a shop vac, it's for professional cleaners and the like. I bought it for the household. It cost about half of my last corded vacuum cleaner.

The tube doesn't telescope, it's just three lengths of plastic that friction fit together. It doesn't have a cable retractor, you just wind it around the thing when you're done. It doesn't have a brain box that turns the power down when you're on a rug. Instead you get a single button for turning the thing off and on.

It didn't come with any furniture attachments or the like so I had to find and order the kit separately. That's when I found their parts catalog is open to everyone with a web browser and full of parts numbers. The power switch is 6.630-769.0 and the yellow locking clips that hold the top to the bottom are 5.033-035.0. As a parts guy this is very sastisfying.

 

[eizbaer]

Random power tools thought: circular saw with a guiding track must be one of the most satisfying tools to use. Goes through wood as if it were butter, perfectly straight and clean, in like no time at all 🥰

 

[NecroJoe]

Random power tools thought: circular saw with a guiding track must be one of the most satisfying tools to use. Goes through wood as if it were butter, perfectly straight and clean, in like no time at all 🥰

And with the right sort of guide, no tear-out.

 

[Blind_Io]

Big Ugga Dugga (Sasquatch hand for scale)

 

[93Flareside]

It has a Buy ‘n’ Large motor?

 

[Blind_Io]

For some reason "Brushless" is two words

 

[NecroJoe]

Does a brushless motor not brush less?


Well, I finally gave in and bought the little Ryobi 13" cordless lawnmower, rather than wait any longer for a brushless version that may never come. I used it once this afterenoon, on some very dry, very thin grass, and it worked great.

It's hilarious to think that my lawnmower runs on the same battery as my hot glue gun.

The marketing photos are hilarious. They make it seem to huge:

A "real" photo (of the same model, just an older generation):

 

[Blind_Io]

Congratulations, I love my electric mower.

 

[NecroJoe]

Yeah, I've had a cordless Black and Decker since 2010. Just sold it this morning. Being able to stand it upto store was great, as well as never once neetinf to transport gas, change oil, clean any filters, etc.

The battery just nearly completely crapped out. I could have stuck about $80 into it to rebuild the battery...I even saw a video where someone jerry-rigged the same mower to run on two Ryobi batteries...but honestly it was too big and heavy for our needs. And being able to hot-swap the batteries is a huge benefit.

 

[Perc]

The same kind of people that are against electric cars seem to be against electric mowers for much the same reasons. "The expensive battery will be shot after sitting all winter" etc. Do these people not own an electric power drill or any other basic homeowner tool?

I've been eyeing electric mowers all spring since we sell them at work but I haven't gotten around to buying one for the cottage, mostly since 5 liters of alkylate lasts us an entire summer.

 

[Matt2000]

Big Ugga Dugga (Sasquatch hand for scale)

Myself and I believe @loose_unit have the same and it's a beast, have fun with it.

The same kind of people that are against electric cars seem to be against electric mowers for much the same reasons. "The expensive battery will be shot after sitting all winter" etc. Do these people not own an electric power drill or any other basic homeowner tool?

I don't understand it, battery mowers just make sense. I really wish my neighbours would change their petrol mower for one, we have very small gardens and by the time they've started it it's all done and the grass is back to bare soil.

Their garage is joined to mine and mine now stinks of petrol, don't get me wrong I like the smell of a petrol and 2-stroke oil mix but I don't want to be hit with a wall of it when I go to my MX-5.

The only cordless mowers that don't make sense are ones being essentially mis-sold with old and unsuitable battery tech.