1 hour ago, Al B said:

It's nice to be helpful Artie, but there comes a time when you have to put yourself first. Let people know you are busy and tell them they will have to wait to get their projects done. If this upsets them, then they are not the friends you thought they were. As for family, well, they can wait too. #1 should be your first priority. You only have one life to live.

I will argue with you Al when I think you’re wrong. I have turned down quite a few people, but these are the people that have been there for me during some really low points, people that would give me a kidney if I needed one, and theirs matched. So I go to work Saturdays, and sometimes even Sundays. It is winding down, but not fast enough for me. And of course, metal detecting season is about to start  That hobby is fun, and sometimes even profitable. 

1 hour ago, Gene Howe said:

Totally agree. I'll share my time over a beer but, shop time is all mine. And, I'm selfish.

I bet you’re not, going by how helpful you are here.

1 hour ago, Gene Howe said:

Totally agree. I'll share my time over a beer but, shop time is all mine. And, I'm selfish.

I bet you’re not, going by how helpful you are here.

1 hour ago, Artie said:

I will argue with you Al when I think you’re wrong. I have turned down quite a few people, but these are the people that have been there for me during some really low points, people that would give me a kidney if I needed one, and theirs matched. So I go to work Saturdays, and sometimes even Sundays. It is winding down, but not fast enough for me. And of course, metal detecting season is about to start  That hobby is fun, and sometimes even profitable. 

I can't argue with that Artie, but you still have to think of your own welfare. I'm not saying you should end your help. Just saying your first priority has to be in your home. I know you're a very giving individual. If you weren't, you wouldn't have driven about 50 miles (one way) two times to help me, someone you had never met, except on TPW forums.

BTW, I happen to think you're pretty funny. 

4 hours ago, Artie said:

Now I mostly use the cordless tools for my electrical side jobs, which are friends and family, and I don’t get paid,

This will be hard, but for me I just say NO, and then follow that will NO every time.  Selfish?  Yes, foul weather friends and relatives just bring me down not up.  All take and no give.  My 2 cents worth anyway.

Mr. Curtis, that's called self preservation. 

19 hours ago, HandyDan said:

I have never had a drill go bad, Craftsman or other.  It has always been about the battery and the replacement cost.  The lithium ion batteries are a great improvement. 

Exactly, that has been my dilemma as well. It's always the batteries.

I keep about four or five drills at all times. For a while they were all Craftsman and then as they started to not keep a charge or have problems I replaced all of them so they are the same. I’ve been using DeWalt for the past four years, same drills and they have held up fine. But when they start not keeping up with me then I’ll look at what’s available.

Been with Makita lithium since 2008----couldn't be more satisfied---in fact the original 08 batteries still perform very well-----I have a full stable of Makita cordless tools, all which have been used hard and have not failed me-----Works for me

14 hours ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

This will be hard, but for me I just say NO, and then follow that will NO every time.  Selfish?  Yes, foul weather friends and relatives just bring me down not up.  All take and no give.  My 2 cents worth anyway.

I have weeded out the friends who only call me when they need something, but when I call them, no show. No loss. I’m also not saying that I’m out working 7 days a week, just 6   Then factor i9n the stuff the house needs, the Missus needs, and when I’m done with all the other stuff, it’s 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon, I’m tired, I just sit in the easy chair, watch the idiot box for a couple hours, have supper go to bed. It’s coming to an end, just driving me crazy (crazier?). I gots tools, projects, and wood in the basement, calling my name. 

On 5/7/2019 at 2:01 PM, Al B said:

I've had my Ryobi drills for over 2 years now and they have performed very well. Just as good as my old De Walts  which were a lot more expensive.

The topic of "which brand / best" is always good for lots of off the wall info!  However it's really TWO conversations:  hobbyist and professional.  I'm a hobbyerist, happy to leave it at that, but it means that the cheapest tools will work just fine (ok, yes there is some bottom limit:  if the tool falls apart in shipment, I return it) because it takes years to accumulate that much wear.  Professionals have a much harder choice (starting with "are you really a pro, or an amateur with delusions?"!    )    I've been in / around the construction trades since 1963* and came to these conclusions:  everyone has some favorite tool (usually favored on the basis of having paid money for it and reluctant to admit making a mistake?); and no two people ever seem to agree on what that favorite tool should be.   Go HF.

 

 

*ok, yes that's high school, but I was doing surveying

When I wuz working as an electrical contractor, what made the first Rigid tool kit I bought so attractive was it came with a charger that would charge two batteries at the same time. The batteries that came with it had cooling tunnels that ran through them, and the charger had a fan that would blow air through the chambers. This allowed them to charge the batteries fully, in a half hour, when everyone else’s was a full hour. My new kit doesn’t do that, so I’m guessing that idea didn’t work out. I really liked that feature.

51 minutes ago, Artie said:

. My new kit doesn’t do that, so I’m guessing that idea didn’t work out. I really liked that feature.

Too expensive. And don't you wonder why you get to really liking a tool design and battery setup and then the engineers "redesign" it? I have noticed that some of the once good brands are getting cheaper and maybe that is a sign of decline.

24 minutes ago, Gerald said:

Too expensive. And don't you wonder why you get to really liking a tool design and battery setup and then the engineers "redesign" it? I have noticed that some of the once good brands are getting cheaper and maybe that is a sign of decline.

For a hobbyist, or homeowner, waiting for a battery to recharge is probably not that big a deal. On the worksite, it’s a killer. Ya think the spare battery is charged, you find out it’s dead and it’s an hour wait. Cutting that in half was huge for me. Ah well.

If you look closely at some of my "build-alongs"....you will see one cordless drill being used.....a B&D 20v Li, # BCD702 drill.   Battery lasts the 6 hour workdays I put in on the porch builds...Drove a few hundred screws, including tap-cons....no complaints....they run about...$35 to $49 depending on whether you get 1 or two batteries in the "kit".    latest "find" was a "returned" item at Wall E World....someone had a bad battery for their weedwhacker, bought the drill kit with 2 batteries, brought it back with that bad battery from the trimmer....and got a "free" battery, with their money back.  I paid $25....got the drill, 1 battery, and a charger....already had a second battery, and a second charger...works for me.

 

Nuttin Fahncy...

4 hours ago, Artie said:

For a hobbyist, or homeowner, waiting for a battery to recharge is probably not that big a deal. 

I am an American, and it's my Right to not wait for anything.  I got one of those 6-slot wall hung battery monitors.  Appeals to my (self-imposed) sense of importance.  I'd go nuts waiting.

3 hours ago, PeteM said:

I am an American, and it's my Right to not wait for anything.  I got one of those 6-slot wall hung battery monitors.  Appeals to my (self-imposed) sense of importance.  I'd go nuts waiting.

you're sounding like a teenager Pete 

I bought 2 dewalt xrp screw guns used but like new in 1999. For a time the guns sat on trickle charge for a few years.. After awhile the 4 batteries failed. 2 years ago I bought 2 new dewalt batteries at $70 each. Not cheap but working fine again. I did buy a $99 Milwaukee to hold me over till I finally bought the new batteries . Guns are 19 years old,not new tech,but getting it done...

Edited September 20, 20196 yr by BillyJack

On 5/9/2019 at 5:07 PM, Al B said:

It's nice to be helpful Artie, but there comes a time when you have to put yourself first. Let people know you are busy and tell them they will have to wait to get their projects done. If this upsets them, then they are not the friends you thought they were. As for family, well, they can wait too. #1 should be your first priority. You only have one life to live.

For the ones that don't like to wait...