The Power Tools Thread

It also advertises "soft start" which only seems to mean that you're spending time with your thumb on the trigger waiting for the fucking thing to spin up.

My miter saw is decently powerful, but lightweight. When it starts, it acts like it's been kicked. It bucks a bit. It's enough that if you're holding a long piece of wood, supported on the table or a sawhorse, and holding it against the fence, the saw can shift while the wood stays in place, enough to screw up the squareness of a cut.
 
My miter saw is decently powerful, but lightweight. When it starts, it acts like it's been kicked. It bucks a bit. It's enough that if you're holding a long piece of wood, supported on the table or a sawhorse, and holding it against the fence, the saw can shift while the wood stays in place, enough to screw up the squareness of a cut.

Yes, soft start is a good thing but this Ryobi is just too slow, at least when you’re using it as a miter (mitre?) saw because it constantly feels like the saw is holding you back.

When using it as a table saw it isn’t too big of a problem, the motor is usually up to speed by the time you’ve got the work piece in position.

Oh, and the laser is a good thing to have but it only works well indoors. Yesterday I figured out that it reflects well from the measuring tape. Ie measure while cutting instead of with a pencil beforehand.
 
Oh, and the laser is a good thing to have but it only works well indoors. Yesterday I figured out that it reflects well from the measuring tape. Ie measure while cutting instead of with a pencil beforehand.

I've yet to come across a laser that worked outdoors. Unfortunately, my "shop" is outside. I've also had really bad accuracy issues with them. Because the laser isn't the same width as the blade, it's so rarely enough for anything but rough carpentry-type stuff, or maybe wood flooring where the cut ends are hidden, etc. I love love love DeWalt's "Shadow Blade" system, if for no other reason than it's name...but it's still no good in the sun. The bonus is that the shadow is exactly the width of the blade, even if you use a thin-kerf blade.
 
The problem is if you had a laser that worked outside it would likely be (considered) too dangerous to be put on the product. I'm not sure what the alternative is, maybe a low power near-UV laser and some UV-reacting powder to throw on the item to be cut so it glows but I doubt people would put up with that hassle for very long.
 
The problem is if you had a laser that worked outside it would likely be (considered) too dangerous to be put on the product. I'm not sure what the alternative is, maybe a low power near-UV laser and some UV-reacting powder to throw on the item to be cut so it glows but I doubt people would put up with that hassle for very long.

Didn't stop Youtube's Styropyro. :D
 
Ebay had a 20% off coupon the other week, that's always my cue to buy another cordless power tool and make a healthy saving. This time it was an LXT angle drill:

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There have been several situations where this would've been perfect, also it's more comfortable for using with sanding and polishing wheels. I specifically went for the keyed chuck model as I really don't like the cheaper keyless chucks, it's a good chuck but it's only 10mm and it's fairly fiddly to take up the initial slack on a bit. Not going to see huge use so it's fine and I won't feel too bad about applying sideways loads to it.

I almost picked up the 18V die grinder too as I have an immediate use for it but I'm going to try it with the drill instead.

This now takes my LXT Makita tool count to 12, I think. Along with that I have the three imposters with adapters from Ryobi (glue gun), Bosch (vacuum) and DeWalt (tyre inflator).
 
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Just out of curiosity, why didn't you get the Makita inflator?
 
Just out of curiosity, why didn't you get the Makita inflator?
4 reasons actually. :p

  • The whole holding the trigger thing, I know you can put a clamp on it but that's an extra thing to carry.
  • I wanted the additional low pressure, high volume inflator for things like my air mattress when camping/ringmeet-ing.
  • As I keep it in the car I wanted the additional 12V power option so I don't have to carry an 18V battery with me all of the time
  • While I didn't see a direct comparison, the DeWalt beat all the competition in the Project Farm test. It's fast enough to make inflating big Land Rover tyres bearable without getting out my big boy double cylinder unit.
I got the Bosch vacuum because the Makita version wasn't available at the time, I didn't like the design very much anyway and they were both pretty even in tests.
 
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Holding the trigger is annoying, but so is coming back to the inflator you forgot you left running, only to realize it's been an hour and everything has leaked backwards out through the machine :p

The rest I can understand.
 
Holding the trigger is annoying, but so is coming back to the inflator you forgot you left running, only to realize it's been an hour and everything has leaked backwards out through the machine :p
I haven't tried/done that yet, partly because I don't have any off-road parking so if I walked away it's very unlikely that the machine would be there when I got back. :LOL:

Edit: Newly released Makita kettle:
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Honestly with some of the stuff they keep releasing for their 18V system (the horrible coffee maker comes to mind), i somehow feel like they just gotta be trolling for the lulz. same with apple and their bloody polishing cloth...

edit on topic lol - just ordered a Bosch GSR 18V-55 in the nice box without any batteries. Because it was cheap. And I don't have any batteries for it yet. Yes. Smart. Big brain move right there.
:bangin:
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A product that depletes an entire tool battery just to make a cup of coffee isn't a very good product, no.
 
Looks like that drill takes the same batteries as my vac, so it will work with adapters if you wanted to use different batteries. Has a decent looking metal chuck by the look of it.

I don't think the kettle is really designed for the Western world, although they might try to sell it to Brits for making tea. Looks like Japan values hot noodles very highly, going by the elaborate vending machines they have. No doubt it chews through batteries like nothing else.

Edit: Actually it doesn't look like it boils the water so that's no good for tea, old boy.
 
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Concerning inflators, I've recently added to my Ryobi collection again.

Got a used and broken R18-I first, for very cheap. Took it apart, instantly found a broken solder joint, fixed that, pressure side started working as expected. However, the "mattress" side needed a new switch, and the pressure sensor was reading nonsense as well, so I listed that for the same price I bought it (and sold on within a week), and bought the R18-PI aka. the one from Project Farm test, this time new:

R18PI-0--Hero_1.jpg


Works just fine, for the car and e-scooter tires, just what I needed basically. The analog gauge is not perfect though, shows about 2-3PSI too high - easy to correct for, esp given that I already have a cheap but good tire pressure thingie.
 
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This thing is quite amazing, if not a little bulky. Will punch a hole in up to 1/4" (6.35mm) steel. You need a different punch and die for each hole, but still.
 
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This thing is quite amazing, if not a little bulky. Will punch a hole in up to 1/4" (6.35mm) steel. You need a different punch and die for each hole, but still.
I love how bonkers some "industry" tools can be. Like...when every second costs your business money, "overkill" is sometimes almost enough.
 
@CraigB Now I'm curious what you're using a tool like that for.
 
@CraigB Now I'm curious what you're using a tool like that for.

Honestly, it was in an ad from Home Depot on Facebook. It was just bonkers enough to catch my attention.

I'd love to have one, or even one of these old school metal workers. It's more versatile, but not quite as portable.

 
I really like those industrial tools that are quite clearly drill or angle grinder bodies with what look like torture implements bolted on. The casting on that punch is interesting, looks like someone did it at home.
 
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