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New homeowner here, which means it's time to buy some TOOLS. I have a project that will need a reciprocating saw, plus lots of things that need drilling, so looking for a cordless "ecosystem" to buy into. Hopefully this won't be too much of a bee's nest, is there anything I should be keeping in mind when I look, or brands to focus on or avoid? Are Harbor Freight's high end cordless any good or should I just stay away from that entirely?
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May 8, 2021 04:13
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Any idea what kind of tools would be available with that? I bought this $299 kit but it's currently sitting unopened. It comes with a drill, impact driver, reciprocating saw, circular saw, and multi-tool. I don't really want the multi-tool, so there's also this $199 kit that is the same except without the multi-tool or circular saw. I do want a circular saw, so maybe I should get the $199 kit then pick up some extra batteries and a "free" circular saw? Or maybe I get this $299 kit that subs the multi-tool for a brad nailer, which seems more useful (and the brad nailer is worth more than the multi-tool?) . And loses the tool bag and has 2x 2.0Ah batteries instead of a 1.5Ah and a 4.0 Ah. Or maybe I'm grossly overthinking this all and I should just crack open the kit I've got and stop trying to over-optimize everything.
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May 10, 2021 20:58
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And to make things even more confusing, a lot of those tools you can't buy ala carte. So I have no idea what kind of value the drill + impact driver is because... you can't buy those standalone! Nor the circular saw. The reciprocating saw is $79. The brad nailer is $99. I know for me I do want the drill and the impact driver, and I do want a reciprocating saw (with a specific project in mind already) and the circular saw (another project in mind for that as well). I guess the Impact Driver is listed at $59 (but you can't actually buy it directly) and the kits come with two different circular saw, one of them is a 5 1/2" that's worth $59 (but again you can't really buy it directly) and the other is a 6 1/2", that well I guess you can buy that and it's $69. And, ok, the drill + charger + battery is $79. So maybe I can start to do some math here... So excited to continuously over think every single decision involved here!
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May 10, 2021 22:11
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ThirstyBuck posted:This Ryobi cordless tool set seems like it would suffice for about 75% of homeowner/DIY inquiries in this thread for $200 bucks. I bought this set for 300 but ended up returning it and picking up a different Ryobi set that was also 300 at the time. But I'm determined to not second guess myself all the time, I'm happy with the decision I made at the time! I was keeping "Ryobi Days" in mind when I made my purchase, time to pick up a multi-tool!
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May 22, 2021 19:44
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Did a bunch of stuff with my Ryobi kit this weekend, and honestly I'm mad at how useful that stupid flashlight is.
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May 24, 2021 05:33
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Is the "Ryobi Days" battery+tool deal available in stores, or is it online only? I checked out my local store and they didn't have anything, but looking online they don't have any batteries in stock. But it's a slightly smaller store, and looking online other stores in my metro area have hundreds in stock. I want to get the multi-tool, but the multi-tool is unavailable online. I can get the battery and tool in my online cart for $99, but I can't select the battery for pickup anywhere, and I have to pickup the multi-tool from a store, can't ship. If it's in stores I can just drive to a store that has them both in stock and pick them up, but if it's online-only I'll do the weird online jujitsu, ordering batteries to be shipped and multi-tool for pickup.
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May 24, 2021 21:00
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Big fan of my Greenworks 40v cultivator for tearing up some grass and weeds in my garden.
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May 28, 2021 23:44
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Is the Ryobi One+ shop vac any good? I've been eyeing it up, especially considering all the places in my house/lot without easy extension cord access
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May 31, 2021 14:57
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I've got a greenworks 40v mower, trimmer, and tiller that I'm very happy with for my 4900 sqft city lot (that's overall size, not actual lawn size). I also got a snowblower which is fine but isn't quite powerful enough for a Minnesota winter. My mom has their 60 or 80 volt snow blower and it apparently works a lot better than mine.
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Jun 8, 2021 02:49
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So, uh, why are "tool chests" so expensive? Is there some secret to storing my growing collection of hand tools that isn't "throw them in a box and hope you can ever find them again"? Otherwise I'm looking at Harbor Freight's tool chests because they seem way cheaper than other offerings, but it still seems like a lot of money to spend to store wrenches and pliers and screwdrivers.
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Jul 16, 2021 19:17
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I'm trying to keep a lot of hand tools in the house because I know I won't be bothered to go all the way out to the detached garage to put them away, but out in the garage, I had a spare Ikea chest of drawers that doesn't fit in the house so I set that up and I'm putting some infrequently used tools in those drawers. Also the previous owners were big fans of the "move cabinets around" so I've got a few cabinets down in the basement that I need to get organized, and maybe someday when we reno the kitchen we can move the existing cabinets out into the garage.
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Jul 19, 2021 17:02
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I'm all in on Greenworks 40V which is great for my little city lot. I've got the 40V Cultivator and it's been pretty great. One thing about that model, and I suspect all tools of similar power (and I see it in the product video for the Ryobi Cultivator attachment) is that if you push the machine forward the tines are digging as well as pulling the machine forward, so they don't get really deep. If you want to dig deep and really tear poo poo up, pull it backwards.
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Jul 27, 2021 17:24
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Mr. Mambold posted:I got the Lowe's brand Kobalt 80v mower last fall on clearance, and it will easily do 10k on a single charge. I'm having flashbacks to high school when I lived a few doors down from a girl I had a crush on and she'd see me mowing the lawn and make fun of my lawn mowing form (???). Now having a tiny inner city lawn that's quick to mow has been a great relief, along with my 40V Greenworks mower.
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Jul 29, 2021 20:25
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Love that they don't want to put theft prevention devices on every item "to protect the brand" in the store, so instead we'll damage the brand after you've bought the tool and get stuck with something bricked by bad DRM. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, it sounds like maybe they're intending to use Bluetooth to "flip a switch" so-to-speak in the tool, and presumably that switch would then be permanently be flipped, rather than software DRM that needs to phone home regularly, but even then it seems like there are so many ways that could go wrong that it seems like a fool's errand.
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Aug 4, 2021 20:35
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Oh yeah, absolutely it's bad no matter what. And the easier and more permanent a "switch" that gets flipped at the register, the easier it is for these professional bands of thieves to crack. So yeah you're just gonna end up with some subscription service bullshit and then in 2 years Home Depot will shut down their Ryobi 18v DRM servers and require you to purchase all new 19v tools or whatever. But don't worry, they're not punishing the consumer or hurting the brand!
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Aug 4, 2021 21:00
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After a visit from Dad, it turns out I'm in need of a pole saw. For outdoors I've been using Greenworks 40V, but it doesn't look like they have a recent 40V pole saw available without the battery. Indoors I've got Ryobi One+ 18v. I see there's a One+ Pole Saw for $100 without battery, anyone have any experience with that or a reason to stay away? I have like two trees total that I would ever need to trim, and right now it's only two branches, so I don't really need the higher battery capacity I'd get from a higher voltage too.
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Aug 5, 2021 20:10
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Mr. Mambold posted:I got one after giving my corded one to my buddy for helping me take down a massive bradford pear. For what you're talking it would fit the bill. It's a full 8' iirc, which is good; feels a bit flimsy, but that's also a "good thing" if you don't want to hold extra weight over your head. I wish the handle had a slot or something for the stamped wrench that comes with. Saw someone with that same complaint in the reviews, they 3d printed a piece to hold that wrench.
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Aug 5, 2021 20:58
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Really dumb harbor freight question, their tool chests all say "Please visit any store to order for Free Pickup" and nothing about local stock. So I'm assuming that means it's not a stock item, but I can special order it from the store and have it shipped to the store where I'd pick it up, right? https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage-organization/tool-storage/top-chests/26-in-single-bank-top-chest-blue-64430.html
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Aug 27, 2021 04:44
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Look I refuse to speak to a human on the phone, but I will stop in since there's some other stuff I can pick up. Since there are like 8 HFs I could reasonably go to I wanted to make sure there wasn't 1 weird trick to finding one in stores. Or maybe using a telephone is the one weird trick!
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Aug 27, 2021 12:54
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tater_salad posted:when my shark dies hopefully ryobi has fixed their stick vac. Apparently you can make it work but I don't feel like dicking around with it. Hmmm, fixed? I've got the P724B and it's... fine, but yeah I wish it would suck a bit more.
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Sep 1, 2021 16:17
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I'd like go build a small wood work bench that I can put in my basement and put a Harbor Freight top chest on as tool storage. It will be less for "work" and more just for storage, so I'd like something with a decent sized shelf on the bottom as well. Because of the size of my space and the size of the chest, I think something 2 feet by 4 feet will work just fine, with an added bonus that I can just get a 2x4 plywood handi-panel for the top, instead of having to hassle with cutting plywood with my circular saw or getting it home in my tiny car. I'm sure if I put my mind to it I could easily design something myself, and I can certainly find lots of plans online or in books. But I'm wondering if anyone has any plans they know of that are really good, or warnings for myself. I know it will need to be pretty strong, because it's holding a 116 pound chest + heavy tools. I'll probably anchor it to the wall, since the place I'll be putting it has exposed studs that I can easily attach to, so it will be stable. Anything else I should watch out for?
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Sep 15, 2021 22:32
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FISHMANPET posted:Really dumb harbor freight question, their tool chests all say "Please visit any store to order for Free Pickup" and nothing about local stock. So I'm assuming that means it's not a stock item, but I can special order it from the store and have it shipped to the store where I'd pick it up, right? So I got this ordered today. This was the second store I happened to check in, but it was the one closest to me so I ordered it. Both stores had a couple of the red chests in stock but nothing else. All the staff seemed very confused at my wanting to order this. Yes I know I'll need to actually give you my phone number. Yes I know I will have to wait for it to get delivered. Yes I know you have red, but I want blue. It took... 4 employees, including the manager to actually get it ordered, even though it's as simple as them scanning the "presale" tag that's on the tool chest display for you to bring to the counter to purchase. By the way they call it "presale" and seemed confused by the word "order" even though this process is exactly the same as a "special order" at a a Menards or really just any store that lets you order things to be shipped to the store. My guess is not many people are ordering things from Harbor Freight, if it's not in the shop today they don't want it. Or maybe I just got unlucky at that particular store, but in about 3 weeks I should have my chest, which hopefully gives me enough time to figure out my bench situation. I'm not sure that HF workbench would actually fit in the space I'm thinking of, it's only a couple inches wider than 4 feet, so that 60 inches wouldn't work out regardless of stability. E: And right after I post I find this plan. It looks like it's a from a newsletter for aircraft builders, but it's got everything I want. Strength, stability, the ability to use a 2x4 handipanel. I'll shorten it so it's 4 feet instead of 5 feet, and I can trim a 2x4 piece of plywood by 10 inches for the bottom shelf. And I wanted a bottom shelf! I might also reinforce the bottom shelf a bit we'll see. FISHMANPET fucked around with this message at 05:59 on Sep 16, 2021 |
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Sep 16, 2021 05:46
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FISHMANPET posted:E: And right after I post I find this plan. It looks like it's a from a newsletter for aircraft builders, but it's got everything I want. Strength, stability, the ability to use a 2x4 handipanel. I'll shorten it so it's 4 feet instead of 5 feet, and I can trim a 2x4 piece of plywood by 10 inches for the bottom shelf. And I wanted a bottom shelf! I might also reinforce the bottom shelf a bit we'll see. Ah poo poo I'm gonna need some clamps!
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Sep 16, 2021 17:09
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All of my heavy construction experience as a child comes from before the time of impact drivers, so I'm still a little confused about them. So just as an example, I've been building my workbench, and I have to drive some 3-inch screws into wood. I've got this impact driver and this hammer drill/driver. The hammer drill is a little more powerful than the standard driver that comes with Ryobi kits, and using it in driver mode I'm able to drive in my 3-inch screws in all the way, and even have to set the clutch a bit so it doesn't overdrive them. I can also use the impact driver and it hits enough resistance that it goes into "impact" mode (well, it gets loud so I assume that's what's happening) but it gets the screw in. The impact driver is lighter than smaller than the big drill/driver, but is one doing a "better" job than the other? Is the benefit of the impact driver just that because it does the impact motion, it's able to drive just as well as a larger driver? If size/weight isn't an issue (since I'm inside just driving a few screws at a time) is one better to use than the other? I'm not used to the impact driver so it's usually not the tool I reach for first, but maybe it should be?
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Sep 21, 2021 17:19
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Jaded Burnout posted:Alright I'll try that when I have some downtime. Do I have to do it blindfold? If you can get someone to yell at you and belittle you while you do it, that would be even better.
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Sep 21, 2021 19:40
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I was going to get a countersink bit to ensure all my screws would be sunk in at least level with the wood, and I found that what's far more common is combo pilot/countersink drills so I ended up pre-drilling all my holes, but my pilot holes were like an inch deep while I was driving in 3-inch screws.
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Sep 22, 2021 19:38
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More thoughts on impact drivers - I was attaching the MDF top to my table this afternoon. I used my countersink bits to pre-drill and create the countersink hole, because I wanted to be sure I had a smooth surface. I opted for the big driver to screw in the top rather than the impact driver (the small driver was drilling the holes). I found I really appreciated the variable speed on the driver so I could be more precise with how far I drove the screw in (I could have also used the clutch on the driver, but I was doing so few screws that it was easier for me to just eyeball it slowly rather than work to dial in the clutch). Anyway I think the moral of the story is you can never have enough drills, but with 3 (basic driver, impact driver, more powerful driver with hammer mode) I'm feeling like I've got all sorts of bases covered.
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Sep 23, 2021 22:11
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If I want to cut specific angles in a length of wood, there's really no good way outside of getting a power miter saw, right? Heck, I'm not even really great at doing straight cuts in 2x4s with my circular saw and a speed square. I'm not ready for the DWS780, or even the DWS779. I know the difference between single-bevel and dual-bevel, and I'm fine with single-bevel. Beyond that I'm not really sure what to look out for or what to avoid. For example, any big advantages or disadvantages to these options? They all look fairly similar to me, 10" single-bevel miter, 15 amp, 5000 RPM. Metabo HPT® 15-Amp 10" Corded Single-Bevel Compound Miter Saw Delta ShopMaster® 15-Amp 10" Corded Single-Bevel Compound Miter Saw with Laser RYOBI 10 in. Compound Miter Saw with LED Comedy Harbor Freight option: CHICAGO ELECTRIC 10 In. Single Bevel Compound Miter Saw I recognize "Delta" but that brand has been sold so much I have no idea what it's like these days. I've seen good things about Metabo (formerly Hitachi) here, I'm happy with my Ryobi cordless tool so they seem like a safe bet for a basic meter saw. And then comedy Harbor Freight. Anything gonna disintegrate after 1 cut, or accidentally explode and embed saw blade debris in my chest as I use it?
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Oct 4, 2021 18:12
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I think that was me that posted that table, realize I posted the finished product in another thread, but not here.FISHMANPET posted:As a reward for that, I finished up this project:
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Oct 7, 2021 00:23
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That's a good video with some good advice, but it's also fairly niche advice. I think an important question to ask yourself is what you want a workbench for. If you're going to be doing a lot of furniture-type wood work, then yeah, that video is great advice. Using a workbench the way woodworkers have used workbenches for hundreds of years is going to put lots of lateral stress on the joints, and yeah, butt joints are not going to last forever. But if you're looking for more of a "table" workbench where you won't be doing all that lateral movement (so, maybe a soldering station, or a place to build wooden ships, or just a surface to store stuff on) then the woodworking bench advice may not apply as much. Although all that being said, the EAA 1000 table doesn't really have butt joints like he warns against in that video. It's actually a lot more like the half-lap joint he shows off as a good example. The main legs of the table are essentially a 4x3 post made by laminating 2 2x4s together, and then there's a gap where your cross beams slide into the post. The screws go in the same direction has his half-lap bolt, so the mechanical fasteners are perpendicular to the lines of force like he's advising, not parallel like in his butt joint.
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Oct 7, 2021 01:28
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I have the 12 gallon 5 HP Ridgid vac and I love it but also found it too big to lug around the house. So I relegated it to the Garage and got the 4 gallon 5 HP vacuum for inside the house, and it's the perfect size and weight to actually move around the house. https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/4-gallon-portable-wet-dry-vac
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Oct 7, 2021 13:15
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As I like to say, they both really suck  The smaller one comes with a 1 7/8" chose whereas the larger one is a 2 1/2 hose, but the port on the smaller one is actually 2 1/2 inches, so you can use the larger hose on the smaller vac if you've got a specialized accessory you don't want to buy twice. Another difference between the two is the filter size - the smaller one actually uses a smaller size than the other vacuums. And it looks like the only filter type readily available in that size (others can be ordered but I don't think they're normally stocked) is the blue fine dust filter. The more basic white filter that comes with the bigger vacuums, the green HEPA filter, or the wet foam filter that are available for the bigger vac aren't easily available for the smaller vacuum. Ultimately I'm happy with the slightly smaller attachments and the fine dust filter by default - great for cleaning up cat litter in my basement. It does sort of "feel like" the smaller vacuum is less powerful, but that's comparing the larger unit with the more basic white filter, it might be that the thicker filter needs to be cleaned off more easily and reduces suction a little bit. But ultimately it's more than enough for what I need, and easy to move as well.
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Oct 7, 2021 16:24
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I've got a 40V Greenworks leaf blower (that doubles as a leaf vacuum) and it works great, so I can say that electric leaf blowers can be good, but I have no specific experience with either of those brands. I think a 40V battery of equivalent size to a 20V is going to last longer, so depending on your yard size you might want to go with the 40V option rather than a 20V option (assuming Dewalt even makes any 20V yard tools).
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Oct 12, 2021 15:14
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wandler20 posted:I thought MasterCraft was the Menards house brand but maybe I'm wrong. I honestly don't think their tools are that bad but I can't say on the cordless stuff. The idea of having two and not having to change out all the time is a great idea. Probably not much help here other than I'd say MasterCraft is quite a bit better than Harbor Freight in my experience. I guess worst case if they do suck after using them a bit you could return them. CommonShore posted:oh maybe it's better than Harbor Freight. I have no experience with HF at all. Canadian Tire has two lines of tools: Mastercraft, which is priced around where Ryobi tools are, or a bit lower, and Maximum, which are a bit below Rigid. MC is one of the cheapest tool lines in Canada, though I also see some obnoxiously cheap Skil and Black and Decker tools here and there. I have a few Mastercraft corded tools and they've been alright, but I've slowly been upgrading them (the circ saw is next on the chopping block). None of them are high-speed tools like an angle grinder though. So yes Mastercraft is a Menards house brand, but it's what they use for doors and trim and things like that. I've never seen a Mastercraft tool at Menards. So my guess is that it's just a coincidence. If you look at Mastercraft tools on Canadian Tire's site you'll see a logo that's totally different from the Mastercraft logo you'll see on Menards site.
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Oct 13, 2021 19:36
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I'm picking up my Blue HF top chest today that I ordered 4 weeks ago, same.
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Oct 13, 2021 19:57
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The HF employees were very confused that I didn't just want to walk out with the red one they had in store, and I really wanted the color I wanted, even if I would have to wait for it. But you can't put all those beautiful colors on display in the store and expect me to settle!
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Oct 13, 2021 20:26
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No worries, I had that exact thought, it wasn't until I googled it and saw an ad for Menards doors that I remembered. Having worked at Menards for a year and half, plus basically growing up going there all the time, some of that stuff is like second nature now.
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Oct 13, 2021 20:53
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Get starbit screws and just get whatever seems reasonably priced, I'm not sure brand of bit is something you need to obsess over for the scale of projects around the house.
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Oct 14, 2021 23:14
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I just use the Menards brand construction or triple-coated deck screw (which are all T25, except the short ones which are Phillips) and then I've got a random assortment of small Spax screws (that are all Phillps) which I use for small things or to replace cheap little screws that might come with stuff I buy. Realistcally speaking I don't know it's possible to make much of a specific choice of drive head, when the manufacturers make that decision, and stores only carry one head type for a specific size and screw type.
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Oct 15, 2021 15:58
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FISHMANPET posted:I'm picking up my Blue HF top chest today that I ordered 4 weeks ago, same. Update: obviously I measured beforehand to make sure it would fit, and I saw it on display in the store, but still kind of in awe about how huge this thing actually is. It's a bit too heavy for me to move on my own (and my wife was not in the mood for the heavy labor of hefting it out of my car and into the basement). So I had to sort of slide it out the back of my hatchback and rest it on some sawhorses, ripped off the box, and pulled all the drawers out. Then I was able to very carefully heft it myself into the house, and then brought all the drawers in and put them back, and started loading it up. Discovered that my tabletop isn't perfectly flat either, so the chest currently rocks a bit (or the chest itself isn't square on the bottom...). As for the chest itself, it's great. It's got that paint job on all sides, including the bottom, so it's actually kind of "slippery" and can easily slide across my MDF tabletop there. There are two holes in the bottom (maybe for mounting to the bottom chest) that I will probably end up using to bolt it down to the table, so it doesn't move anymore. At the very least, some kind of grippy rubber feet would be useful to give it some friction. 
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Oct 15, 2021 18:36
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