Got a screw gun last night, noticed something odd.

Jstas

I need a screw gun for the sheetrock in the basement. I'm going to be stuck doing the majority of it myself and figured a cordless screw gun would be easier to handle by myself. So I started looking at deals. Porter Cable has a real nice hammer drill/screw gun for a good price. But, they have a limited selection of other tools. Companies like DeWalt and Milwaukee have a wide range and a wide range of prices. But I figured that it'd be good to go with the same company so I don't need to have 40 different chargers for 40 different tools or something crazy like that.

Milwaukee was pretty crappy back in the late 90's but ever since about 2004/2005, they've been making some pretty nice stuff. I have a circular saw which alot of places rate tops over even some Porter Cable models. I also have a Milwaukee 3/4" drill and it's a beast. I love it, there is nothing it won't punch a hole in! So I decided to go with Milwaukee for the cordless stuff too. But what's odd is this.

Online, the hammerdrill with the battery and charger is $269.99
In the store, it was $312.80 plus tax so it's about $335

The combo kit with 2 batteries, a charger, an impact driver and the same hammerdrill was $229.00 plus tax. So it was about $245

Home Depot kinda paid me almost $100 to take an impact driver and extra battery off their hands.

I grabbed a pretty spiffy impact wrench too because it'd honestly come in handy to have on a long trip in case I have to change a tire or something. That was a bit more than I was expecting for the bare tool and I had to go to a Philly store to get it. But $245 for the drill and driver kit and about $183 for impact wrench isn't too bad really. About $20 more than I was expecting to spend.

Overall though, according to Milwaukee's website, I have about $650 in tools for about $430. About $385 if you take away the sales taxes. Not bad.

Now I can get to doing the sheet rock in the basement.

kharp1

Sweet little deal, nice score!

exalted512

Nice find. I keep my Makita impact with me for long drives as well in case of flats. It will take most of my lug nuts off with a little effort. There's usually one/wheel that I'll have take off by hand. When I'm in my truck, I even keep the adapter for the spare tire that lowers/raises the spare instead of having to crank it by hand. Loosen the lug nuts just enough to where they brake free, jack up the truck, lower the tire, take the wheel the rest of the way off, swap em out, torque it down with the impact, double check it the manual way, throw the flat tire in the bed if there's room, put it on the carrier and hoist it back up in the spare tire carrier with the drill if there's not. Lower the jack, done.

I keep meaning to buy the appropriate size socket and adapter for the spare tire hoist and just keep it in the truck, but I always forget. That way I'd just have to grab the impact and not have to look in my tools or remember to put it back. Only thing about that is I've helped people on the side of the road before change out their tires with it...and having my full socket set came in handy as my normal one wouldn't fit their wheels.

The only issue I've had is breaking the adapter bits. I forgot who now (since I dont use it daily like i used to), but someone makes a bit that I dont have to worry about breaking. I think O'Reilley's is it. The one's I got from Sears would eventually snap. Granted, I'd get them replaced under warranty...but that wouldn't help me if I'm on the side of the road.
-Cody

Jstas

exalted512 wrote: »

Nice find. I keep my Makita impact with me for long drives as well in case of flats. It will take most of my lug nuts off with a little effort. There's usually one/wheel that I'll have take off by hand. When I'm in my truck, I even keep the adapter for the spare tire that lowers/raises the spare instead of having to crank it by hand. Loosen the lug nuts just enough to where they brake free, jack up the truck, lower the tire, take the wheel the rest of the way off, swap em out, torque it down with the impact, double check it the manual way, throw the flat tire in the bed if there's room, put it on the carrier and hoist it back up in the spare tire carrier with the drill if there's not. Lower the jack, done.

I keep meaning to buy the appropriate size socket and adapter for the spare tire hoist and just keep it in the truck, but I always forget. That way I'd just have to grab the impact and not have to look in my tools or remember to put it back. Only thing about that is I've helped people on the side of the road before change out their tires with it...and having my full socket set came in handy as my normal one wouldn't fit their wheels.

The only issue I've had is breaking the adapter bits. I forgot who now (since I dont use it daily like i used to), but someone makes a bit that I dont have to worry about breaking. I think O'Reilley's is it. The one's I got from Sears would eventually snap. Granted, I'd get them replaced under warranty...but that wouldn't help me if I'm on the side of the road.
-Cody

Are you using impact sockets and adapters or regular chromed steel?

'Cause the chromed steel will break. The impact stuff won't.

If you want adapters and extensions and stuff for impact guns that you can afford, go to Harbor Freight. Stuff is warrantied for life too and honestly, it's made by the same tool company in China that makes Craftsman stuff and several other consumer level sets. So it's pretty much the same, you're just not paying for a brand name. Normally I'd be all "BUY 'MURICAN!" but it's rare to see anything like that stamped "Made in the USA" anymore. So might as well save yourself the coin since the American brand name is the only thing American about it anymore.

Drenis

Nice deal. I really need to replace my cordless drill that died with something newer and better.