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+-- Thread: Battery operated tools (/showthread.php?tid=7378046)
RE: Battery operated tools - EvilTwin - 03-11-2025
A bit late to the party but I'll chime in anyway. I've been using cordless for a long time. Started with bosch nicad, then went with both their 12v and 18v lines. Pretty much have most of their tools including saws, drills, impactors and sanders (round and sheet versions) Since this discussion is mostly about sanders I'll go there.
Before I bought the sanders I looked at reviews and what stuck out was how long they would run even on the lower amp hour batteries. My experience bears this out. You will wear out a grit or two or three before you run the battery down completely. They aren't the lightest things around and that is both a plus and a minus. If you are flat sanding the top of a piece, that weight helps. If you are using it to take down an edge a bit, obviously its more weight to hold. Build quality is great. I also have the version that takes standard cut sheets as well as the precut detail shaped (iron) paper and while I dont use it nearly as much, it works about as well.
I use both sanders with the dust bags attached and they do pull off the dust but not nearly as much as I would like them to so a dust mask is a necessity. I don't care to wear a mask but I value my lungs more. You can hook these sanders up to a vac just like many other sanders and watch them almost glue themselves down to the work, there is so much suction. But that can be a hassle in its own right and I dont do it very often. I have other corded sanders and honestly I havent pulled one out in years, the cordless are just so much easier.
I've also started with Makita for cordless now, at least with their battery system. Bosch just doesnt seem to come out with new tools like other brands (Dewalt and Milwaukee) so I've crammed a 3rd charger on my limited shelf space.
RE: Battery operated tools - tablesawtom - 03-11-2025
If dust is a problem, one thing that works quite well is a Box fan with a furnace filter bungy corded to the suction side, off to the side of the part being sanded. That is in addition to the dust collector supplied with the sander
Tom
RE: Battery operated tools - Just_Dave - 03-11-2025
As usual I am late to the party but here goes. I started with Makita back in the early 80's and the 9.6 volt ni-cad drill-driver, I have never looked back. The only set of drills I ultimately wished I had never bought were the 12 volt NMH pod style. The drill and my first impact driver were GREAT, but when the batteries croaked the cost to replace them made it not worth it to keep using them so I switched to the Li-on 18 volt.
I have a tool problem so there is not much I do not own, or have not used in just about all of the brands. Although the bulk of my corded and cordless tools are Makita. My latest purchase was the mid-size chainsaw. Battery in, check the bar oil and start quietly cutting away. No pulling & pulling & pulling on the starter to get the saw started. But the best part, when you are done, you don't smell like chainsaw.
Three battery tools I do not see myself going to, a router, a sander, and a mitersaw, I just do not see the benefit given how I work. Maybe I will change my thinking in the future.
As for sanding. First, I think sanding is the one part of wood working I hate the most. My primary go to sander is an older PC ROS. The dust bag if you can call it that is worthless. I have a Makita and Dewalt pad sander that are not much better. At some point I picked up a vacuum hose for the PC sander. I will tell you right now that if you have never used a vacuum on your sander you have no idea what you are missing. Now maybe it is the PC sander but; The pad stays cleaner so changing grits is simpler. The fine dust all over the place is a fraction of relying on the dust bag, and the sandpaper lasts longer because you are not plugging it up with the dust that is not going to the sander bag. Plus cleanup is easier. I do have a newer Makita ROS that I have not used, figuring the PC would die at some point, maybe I should get it out and check its on board dust bag.
As for the messiest tool in my shop, hands down it is a router. Vacuum assist on a router is hit or miss, either way it is still messy.
RE: Battery operated tools - MstrCarpenter - 03-13-2025
(03-11-2025, 07:54 PM)Just_Dave Wrote: ....I have a tool problem so there is not much I do not own, or have not used in just about all of the brands.....Sounds like you have plenty of tools. One can never have more than enough; even having just enough tools is a monumental task.
So what's the problem?
RE: Battery operated tools - ajkoontz - 03-14-2025
Is this a post about sanders or battery operated tools or battery operated sanders? Doesn't matter, I have opinions about all 3.
-I agree you don't need a $500 sander to make stuff. That said, I finally bit the bullet and got a Festool ETS/EC 150/5 (and a vac, because you really need a good vac with these sanders) and I can't say anything bad about it other than the cost, which was worth it IMO. It is a sweet machine. I won't go so far to call it a game-changer but it turned sanding from something I loathe to something I don't mind so much. Can't quite force myself to say I enjoy it, but I love my festool sander.
Another new sander I bought is this one. Also recommend it. It's kind of a niche sander but I like it a lot.
[attachment=54006]
A few weeks ago Menards had this on sale for $100 with a battery and I couldn't say no. I like this better than any of the other 5" ROS that I have used. I might have a bit of a tool buying addiction I know.
[attachment=54007]
RE: Battery operated tools - Gary G™ - 03-14-2025
All this talk about dust and tripping over cords—I’m done. Gonna switch to bourbon—it doesn’t have any of those issues.
RE: Battery operated tools - tablesawtom - 03-14-2025
(03-14-2025, 08:18 AM)Gary G™ Wrote: All this talk about dust and tripping over cords—I’m done. Gonna switch to bourbon—it doesn’t have any of those issues.
I agree with you and then the only thing you have to deal with is mellow yellow.
RE: Battery operated tools - fishhh4 - 03-15-2025
I have a lot of sanders!!! My 20-year-old corded Dewalt ROS has always been a dust slinger. I wanted to go cordless, so I pulled the trigger at Christmas time on the Ryobi ROS and mouse combo. So far, I am pleased. I would say I get about 45 minutes with a 4ah battery, and my dust collection is a lot better. My old blue Ryobi mouse bit the dust yesterday. I use it mostly to sand around the edges of picnic tables that I build. I built 80 last year. I have the new green one to take its place. I have three battery platforms. I use Ryobi the most. I do love my m12 platform. A lot easier on the wrists. I wish it had the umph and longevity of my 18 one Ryobi drill. The 1/4 impact driver is not as fast or as quite when driving a gob of 2.5 and 3 inch screws.
I too have ventured into the 40 volt Ryobi offering for outside, and I am happy with them.