On Sep 3, 2020, at 7:56 PM, John Kohnen <jkohnen@boat-links.com> wrote:

You've got the experience to back up your recommendation for the higher voltage portable drills and drivers for working hard all day, Case, but Chuck the Duck was right about the little ones for us amateur boatbuiders and fiddlers. The 12 volt drills and drivers aren't just more bang for the buck, they're smaller and less clumsy. Better for working in tight places, and handier all around.

Where more battery power would be useful is for a battery portable circular saw. I'm sure all of us would love a circular saw that didn't have a cord to drag around (and cut <g>) and the power to zip through 2x4s. The little 12 volt trim saw I've got really isn't much good for anything except cutting trim and thin plywood. Alas, I've got two good corded circular saws, and a Bosch jigsaw. <sigh> <g>

An electric chainsaw is sure great! I seldom use a chainsaw, so I ditched the last gas one and bought a corded electric saw. No worrying about whether it will start after sitting for months, no having to keep 2-stroke mix on hand, a LOT less noise. :o) That was years ago; I might buy a battery chainsaw if I needed to today. This year I gave up on the gas weedeater and got a battery weed whacker. It's a cheapo Black & Decker (parent company of Dewalt!) but I don't use it often, so I hope it'll be OK. Works great so far, and the battery lasts longer than I want to run it.

Battery powered tools have sure come a long way in recent years! :o)

On 9/3/2020 2:25 PM, Case wrote:
I had all Makita for a long time. The only reason I went with desalt was because of the table saw and chop saw. Both of which are plenty for the type of stuff we all do. If I was still doing finish carpentry for a living I’d use these in a heart beat.
This past year I rounded out my battery operated equipment with desalts weed eater, leaf blower, and 16” chainsaw. These all use the same batteries as the table and chop saws.
All of which I’ve been throughly impressed with. When I’m exploring back roads or camping the chain saw is always me. There was a ton of blow down last winter and without it we would’ve not got far many trips.

As for the 12v being enough, for occasional users they are the best

bang for the buck. If you’re running them all day long though GH the 20v is a must.

When I was in Hawaii working I was loaned a 12v Makita set to use. Didn’t cut it. I was changing batteries three times as much as the guys with 20v. So I bought the 20v drill and impact set. Mailed back the drill set, a hammer, a tape and a tool belt. Only souvenirs I brought back, lol!
Anyways the Dewalt battery tools are the real deal and I’d have no problem using them if I was still building.

--
John <jkohnen@boat-links.com>
The cabin of a small yacht is truly a wonderful thing; not only will it shelter you from a tempest, but from the other troubles in life, it is a safe retreat. (L. Francis Herreshoff)


--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
https://www.avg.com