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Should I cut the cord?

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JPSmit

JPSmit

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In the last week or so I have had two corded tools - an oscilating saw and a circular saw (Craftsman only 40 years old - they don't make them like they used to). At any rate as I ponder replacing them I wonder if it is worth moving to battery powered tools.

any thoughts? I have a DeWalt battery operated drill which I use constantly. But a corded drill for heavy stuff.
 
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As for me, I don’t own/want battery operated tools. I always worry that when I need them the batteries won’t be charged or run out quickly. It probably just me, but I’ll keep the cord.
 
And for the heavy lifting, I still have my dad’s old dependable Rockwell floor drill press from the ‘60’s. Last year I tore it down and refurbished it.
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JPSmit said:
In the last week or so I have had two corded tools - an ascilating saw and a circular saw (Craftsman only 40 years old - they don't make them like they used to). At any rate as I ponder replacing them I wonder if it is worth moving to battery powered tools.

any thoughts? I have a DeWalt battery operated drill which I use constantly. But a corded drill for heavy stuff.
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It depends on how and where you use them... I keep looking at a battery powered hammer drill (all the walls in my apartment concrete) and will probably get one at some point. I have a nice bosch SDS corded hammer drill. It is great for bigger projects but most of the times I use it I really only need a few small holes and half my work time is spent finding the extension cord, putting the extension back.... and then a few minutes actually doing the job. Even the little batteries I have for my cordless drill / impact wrench would be more than enough for that.

As for batteries.... note that the batteries you have for the drill are not large enough for the saw to work properly. To actually work the way they are supposed to you need at least 5 amp batteries.. which is way larger than whatever you have or want for a drill or the saw just won't have enough umph. So add that into the cost. As for battery life, at least on my bosch blue batteries they seem to stay charged for many many months and recharge very quickly - and if I really was that impatient they sell a quick charger complete with a battery cooling fan. Modern batteries don't have the same type of self discharge that older battery types suffered from.
 
A couple of years ago I started switching my Hitachi cordless tools to Ridgid 18 Volt, Li-Ion.
Each tool has a battery and I have four more backups on the shelf.
They seem to hold a full charge for a long time so I don't have to wait for a charge.
None of them were purchased new and I upgrade to newer units when I find a deal.
The collection includes a standard drill, an impact driver, a reciprocating saw, an oscillating tool, a jigsaw and circular saw.
One item I'm sure I'll never use is a tire inflator that came with another purchase.
I would love to find an angle grinder if they make one.
The jigsaw is probably the oldest of the group, it's kind of heavy, and the circular saw sometimes cuts out.
One of these days I'll get the circular saw serviced.
The hammer drill is kind of redundant so I'll trade it out for something along the way.
Same with the two older impact drivers and five chargers.
As far as corded tools I will never get rid of my Hole Hog, but the Sawzall and two Skill Saws are up for grabs.
I don't do as much work as I was doing when I started the switch due to ill health.
That may change as/if I recover.
 
I use both, cordless tools are great for some applications but aren't a replacement for corded tools.
 
I have several battery tools and love them, but I also have several of my same older tools in the corded version, which I have kept just in case the need should arise.
 
I have both, and air tools too. Batteries age great for light work in remote (out of the shop) locations. Corded tools are better for heavier work. Air tools are great for lengthy work because they don't get hot.
 
Love 'em! I have a DeWALT drill and impact wrench - 20 volt - and EGO lawn mower, string trimmer and chain saw. Don't use a circular saw enough at this point, so still have my corded Skilsaw and still have a couple of corded drills, but hardly ever use them. Air compressor and tools don't see much use anymore, but there if I need them.

As far as heavy duty drills go, don't discount cordless impact drills; they've come a LONG way.
 
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I used to be really down on cordless tools because they always seemed to run out too fast, not very powerful, etc.

Battery technology has certainly improved over the last 10-20 years, making cordless tools far more useful as actual tools instead of just a gimmick.

I still like to have my corded tools for when its time to get real serious, but at the same time the cordlesses have proven invaluable when needing to work on something where there is no place to plug in. For basic handyman stuff like hanging a shelf or drilling a few holes the cordless units are so much more convenient. If you're planning a major construction or renovation project, I'd stay on plug in.

The one cordless tool I absolutely want to get is the big impact gun - a true game changer for changing tires. My friend Dave had the Makita 1/2 drive one and it made changing tires on a 1 ton truck effortless (apart from picking them up of course).
 
If you do go cordless, by all means, if the job requires long usage, invest in a spare battery just in case. You can charge spent ones while still able to use the tool.
 
I have both cord and cordless (Milwaukee and Makita) but use a Bluetti portable power station, so my corded power tools are accessible anywhere "off grid" pretty much.
 
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