Replies

1. 
   Ray | Mar 29, 2009 05:46pm | #1

   Have you looked at http://www.reconditionedsales.com ?  They have a good selection of Makita tools both recon. & new.

1. 
   danmart | Mar 30, 2009 09:25pm | #3

   Hey Ray

   I looked at the site and they do have some good deals - thanks.

   On the Makita: with amazon you get the same drill and driver and a flashlight -- all new for less than the 2 recon tools of the same kind. So.. I guess I'll go new.

   I like the deal they have on pneumatic floor nailers. Tough to beat that price and the warranty. I am saving that address. It looks like they really like Hitachi. I don't have any thing by Hitachi now. I used the Hitachi sliding compound miter saw years ago and it was a very nicely built tool. I was very impressed with the quality and performance on that one. Think it was the __ 88? Memory is bad.

   Thanks again

   dan

1. 
   Ray | Mar 30, 2009 09:52pm | #4

   Reconditioned sales is a pretty good outfit to deal with, good customer service too.

2. 
   forestgirl | Mar 30, 2009 07:28am | #2

   I got our set at CPO Makita.  They're a little higher than Amazon right now, but the service is excellent.  Love the set!  

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
3. 
   bones | Mar 30, 2009 10:17pm | #5

   I bought this same set a couple months back and love it.  I'd never had an impact driver.  Watch it though, it will jerk your wrist good if it catches and you are not ready.  The torque is excellent.   Its charges rapidly.  If there are any cons at all the charger is a tad noisy due to the fan, but its in my shop and zepplin or who ever is on the radio usually drowns it out.  

   Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
   If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
   And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
   
4. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Mar 30, 2009 11:44pm | #6

   I purchased the Makita 12 v (I think it was 12 v) palm impact driver and drill driver combo just after it came out at IWF last August. I had only had one cordless tool I purchased years ago and my opionion of cordless was kind of rock bottom from that experience until I used it at the Makita booth at IWF.

   I purchased it a week latter and I use the impact driver at least ten times a day. I would like that 18 v but.. the 12 V will drive a 2 1/2 Spax screw and will torque your wrist. And the battery charges in no time as I use the second when charging from the drill-driver. It doesn't slow down until it just dies but you are back in business in minutes with the quck charge Lithium.

   Couldn't reccomend anything more highly... well maybe a Bosch barrel grip jig-saw and etc.. etc.. etc.. ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..

   Regards...

   Sarge..

5. 
   swirt | Mar 31, 2009 04:42pm | #7

   I bought the drill 2 years ago and it is still a great drill. Be careful with the batteries. I just had to replace both of mine after only 26 and 27 charge cycles (there is a chip inside that keeps track of how many times they've been charged..the Makita service center can read the data). Despite what the manual says, don't leave them in the charger for long periods of time. Charge them and pull them out. Also don't run them all the way down in the drill. When the drill starts showing a hint of slowing, recharge. The Lithium Ion Batteries don't give a lot of warning...they go from full strength to flat pretty quickly, so don't push it. Being careful with the batteries they should last over 100 recharges.

   An expensive lesson learned.

   I upgraded to the 3AHr batteries which are a bit bulkier but they run twice as long and charge in 25 minutes.

   --- Timber Framing Hobbyist and still have all my fingers.
1. 
   CalebL | Mar 31, 2009 09:32pm | #8

   The Lithium-Ion battery from Makita has a 2000 charge life span. Prematurely charging your battery cuts into that life cycle. The batteries are made to run until they lose charge to extend the battery use. I agree with not keeping them on the charger though. Even if you have a charged battery and haven't used it in a month, don't recharge it. Use it until it dies then charge it. The battery can hold a charge for up to 8 months with little charge loss.

1. 
   swirt | Apr 01, 2009 12:09am | #9

   I didn't see anywhere near the 2000 duty cycles on mine. I'm just going by what the guy at the Makita Service Center in Buffalo told me. I figure he sees a lot more of them than I do.--- Timber Framing Hobbyist and still have all my fingers.

2. 
   danmart | Apr 01, 2009 03:37am | #10

   Hey C

   This lithium thing is new to me. I have been checking on another forum and the feedback on this 18v makita has been very encouraging. All things considered.. the compact, light weight advantages are very nice.

   I have 3 other guys working with me and several cordless drills in the shop. I put the first makita out last month and everybody is fighting to use it. For use in the shop its a winner. I'm not in the business of being away from a charger. I can put the dead battery in the charger and its done in 12-15 minutes. I can not wear the first battery down in 12 minutes.. not with the work I'm doing.

   The light weight, power, and feel of the tool make it a winner in my shop. I'm not selling Makita drills, just thought I would throw in a kudo for a good tool.

   adios

   dan

   Edited 3/31/2009 8:44 pm ET by danmart

1. 
   CalebL | Apr 01, 2009 05:14am | #13

   Dan, I have used my Makita 18 volt many a day and have not had to charge a battery. These things are amazing. It's usually close to the second day of heavy use that I have to charge one. I have been a die hard Dewalt for many years but I decided to give Makita a try and have not been disappointed since I bought my first almost a year ago.

3. 
   forestgirl | Apr 03, 2009 09:50am | #16

   "Prematurely charging your battery cuts into that life cycle. The batteries are made to run until they lose charge to extend the battery use."  Mmmmmmm, if I remember correctly, the owner's manual instructs to not run the battery all the way down, but to charge when there's a noticeable decrease in performance.  I'll check tomorrow -- too late/cold/rainy to go outside now.

   There's a website, BatteryUniversity.com, that seems to support this approach:  "The battery prefers a partial rather than a full discharge. Frequent full discharges should be avoided when possible. Instead, charge the battery more often or use a larger battery. There is no concern of memory when applying unscheduled charges."forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   CalebL | Apr 03, 2009 06:24pm | #17

   That was written back in 2003. Lots of things have changed with Lithium technology since then. This was taken from the owners manual:SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
   Tips for maintaining maximum battery life
   1. Charge the battery cartridge before completely
   discharged.
   Always stop tool operation and charge the battery
   cartridge when you notice less tool power.
   2. Never recharge a fully charged battery cartridge.
   Overcharging shortens the battery service life.
   3. Charge the battery cartridge with room temperature
   at 10°C - 40°C (50°F - 104°F). Let a hot battery
   cartridge cool down before charging it.Batteries drain unevenly during use. The smart charger will charge every cell independently until each cell is fully charged, so your 18 volt battery will remain 18 volts for its entire life. Other chargers only charge until one cell reaches maximum charge meaning your 18 volt battery may only be a 16 volt then 15 volt and so on over time. You only have so many charges that your battery will take. Prematurely charging them cuts into that.

1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 03, 2009 07:22pm | #18

   Caleb, I think I'm confused about what final statement you are trying to make.  In your first post you say "Prematurely charging your battery cuts into that life cycle. The batteries are made to run until they lose charge to extend the battery use." [emphsis added] 

   Then you go on to direct "Even if you have a charged battery and haven't used it in a month, don't recharge it. Use it until it dies then charge it."  [Emphasis added].  Both of these statements are in direct contradiction to the instructions from the owner's manual you posted, which say "Always stop tool operation and charge the battery cartridge when you notice less tool power."  (Essentially what I stated from memory in my post.)

   I totally agree that you shouldn't charge a long-unused battery without using it first and getting the charge down to the point that it needs to be charged, but I don't understand why you're issuing insructions that completely contradict the manufacturer's guidelines, to use the battery until it dies before recharging.

   Wouldn't be a big deal if these batteries weren't so expensive, but I think all of us who own them want to prolong the battery life to be as long as possible.

    

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

   Edited 4/3/2009 12:39 pm by forestgirl

2. 
   CalebL | Apr 04, 2009 03:01am | #19

   I am not saying use the battery until it absolutely will not turn the drill. The way these batteries are made, it is very obvious when the battery is dead. They go from full strength to nothing VERY QUICKLY which is different than nicad batteries that gradually loose their power. You shouldn't put a battery on the charger just to put it on there. Drain the battery until it is obvious that it needs charging. Otherwise you are prematurely cutting the life of your battery. Sorry I didn't state it more obvious. It made sense to me.

3. 
   forestgirl | Apr 04, 2009 06:23am | #20

   That's a little clearer.  I suspect the word "dies" (as in "use it until it dies") translates for most of us as "stops working."  I definitely hear your caveat to not unnecessarily and prematurely slap the battery on the charger, and appreciate the advice. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   danmart | Apr 01, 2009 03:42am | #11

   Hey Swirt

   Funny thing, I walked in HD a month ago and saw the small battery(1.5) for 34.00 for a pair. Cheapest I could find them on the internet was 90. I bought 2 packs for the shop and we are rolling. I charge a battery and it holds a charge for 2 weeks. This not like my old 18v Dewalt. Happy.

1. 
   swirt | Apr 01, 2009 05:12am | #12

   Wow!! That's a great price for the batteries. There was no such sale when I looked :(--- Timber Framing Hobbyist and still have all my fingers.

1. 
   danmart | Apr 02, 2009 04:20am | #15

   looked again today at hd and they are 39.00  for a 2 pack of the 1,5 size. you might look around. found them on a shelf above the drill bits.

   good searching

   dan

6. 
   brownman | Apr 01, 2009 06:45pm | #14

   Ditto on all the good that's been said about this Makita combo. I've owned Ryobi, Panasonic and Bosch cordless drills in the past and these Makita drill/ drivers are the best so far. I had not used an impact driver until this purchase and I was a little pissed I hadn't discovered them sooner. Now I can drive screws effortlessly with almost never having to predrill a pilot hole.