SwampNut

I don't know the answers. I understand electricity very well, and I can envision a few ways that this makes sense, but I don't know exactly how they work out in the real world. One of the simple things I can see is the concept of ground loops or ground differentials. You see two "grounds" can have varying actual potentials. If you put a house ground in the front yard which happens to have rich soil, and another in the back yard which has rocky terrain, they are going to have different voltage potentials. Same with the mess of rebar in a foundation. Having a specific length of an isolated material in there connected to ground would neutralize that. Ground variances can be a big problem because although the voltage differential is small, the potential current is HUGE. With a nearby lightning strike you could actually fry someone standing on a wet bathroom floor with one foot closer to the "low" potential and one closer to the "high" potential. I'm not making this up, it's documented. For example, if a power pole falls near you, you should not walk away from it, you should hop with your feet together to eliminate this problem. Seriously.

:shock: Wow, what an education on this stuff, great post. It's amazing the breadth of knowledge we have here.

Yup, I've always thought B&D was mostly crap. But lately I've been thinking differently. I bought one of their top-grade drills about 12 years ago because I needed it on a Sunday night and Wal-mart was the only place open. I've abused the fuck out of it, still working. I tried to replace/update it a couple weeks ago (am I the only one that considers upgrading perfectly good tools just because?), looked at DeWalt...and see it's the EXACT same fucking drill! Then Joe clues me in that B&D owns them. And obviously at least some of the Craftsman stuff is made by the same people, because that same drill is also available with that name. My Craftsman Pro 9.6v drill from years ago is another that's also available with the B&D name on it. So I went and tried a bunch of tools at places that keep them charged, like Sears. Also my tile guy showed up with the same drill I just bought, has been using it to drill tile, and it's fine. He let me use it, and I liked it. So, what else can I say? Works great, and at least one has survived professional tile work, so it can't be complete shit. I think it's like anything else, quality costs money. B&D has $25 tools and $120 tools. I picked their most expensive drill/driver, probably isn't complete junk. What gets me most about using this stuff (has nothing to do with durability), is the ergonomics. It's nicer in the hand, and to use, than most of the other models I tried. You know, if I had to buy a new drill every two years (warranty period), but it was the nicest-working drill, I think I'd still consider that a good buy. Yesterday I spent 11 hours doing a network/phone wiring and move project in a new building. I used most of the new tools. That sort of job, for that many hours, would suck with tools that you don't love to use.

I picked up one of these kits: It sells for $299 in all the major stores. There are also some variations on the kit with slightly different components, but this one seemed the best group. It contains: FSD182 drill/driver CRS180B reciprocating saw CS180B circular saw SPV180F hand vacuum BDL100S laser level/stud finder FSL18 flashlight Workmate 375 PowerPak bag Slow charger Two batteries (everything is 18 volt) The drill/driver has one great feature, the reason I was attracted to B&D to begin with. The chuck is removable, and there's a screwdriver bit (or any other 2" quick-disconnect bit) behind it. So you can have a drill in the chuck, make a hole, pop off the chuck and drive a screw, pop it back on for the next hole, etc... Extremely useful. I am very annoyed with swapping bits all the time. The best use I've found so far is to chuck my countersink kit, and a shortened large behind behind it. I drill the small hole/countersink with the kit, pull the chuck and drill the large hole for the screw shank, then re-chuck and flip the countersink kit to drive. Very useful. Power is phenomenal. I know this sounds like a stretch, but it seems to have more power than my electric drill. At least in drilling stone, it does. Using a carbide bit while drilling stone, tile, and cement board, it didn't slow down at all on the high speed/low torque gear setting. Very impressive. On the low speed/high torque setting, you can really control screwdriving speed/depth exceptionally well. It will respond smoothly to trigger input. The electric brake means it will stop on a dime when you get to your desired screw depth/torque. Of course, it has a clutch, and it's a great one. 23-position plus "locked" for hard drilling. Other features include an electronic level indicator, excellent handle ergonomics, and good balance. The circular saw is nice for light work. It has decent power, though of course it uses a small 5 3/8" blade. Design is good, with a line guage and a sight window to see the actual blade cutting. It will bevel 0-45 degrees and depth is adjustable of course. The blade changing tool, a standanrd Allen wrench, is securely stored onboard (I hate tools that require other tools but don't store them onboard). Again, ergonomics are excellent. The reciprocating saw is a big mofo, with power to spare. I haven't found anything that needed cutting that would be really challenging for it. Just plasterboard so far. Obviously it just rips through that like crazy. It's got a no-tool blade change (button on the side), pivoting foot, and a very nice rubbery grip. The hand vac...well, it's a hand vac. Works well, has a couple useful attachments. I thought it was a useless addition in the kit at first, but not any longer. I find myself holding it under drilling/cutting areas in the house all the time to avoid making a mess. Dragging in the shop vac would be too annoying, so normally I'd just make a mess and clean it up "later." Seems so basic, but it's an appreciated addition now. Laser level/stud finder is a pretty innovative piece of gear, though it seems oddly big. You put it on the wall, and it auto-levels and projects lines to both sides at a perfect level. Nice for shelves or anything else that requires multiple holes/cutting across a level line. Unfortunately, it can't do anything vertical. It features different bases and some pins for mounting it on the wall as you use it. The pins are thin enough to stick into a good wall and not leave a mark. The bases give different line lengths and one allows you to mark through it. The stud sensor is one of the best--clear and 100& reliable. Works right at the edge of the stud reliably. Has multiple LED's so you can tell if there's something else back there, like plumbing, instead of a stud. The flashlight...um, ok, that's just a flashlight. Cheap and basic. Does what I'd expect from a $2 flashlight. I guess the plus is that it uses the same battery packs, and will stand by itself. But angle is fixed at slightly above 90 degrees from level. The Workmate folding table works as that and a rolling carrier for the bag. Its design, execution, and overall quality is excellent. It is strong and put together well, nothing flimsy about it. You can open/close it one-handed. Once opened, the wheels are automatically retracted and it sits on big non-slip feet. In addition there are two big flats to put your feet on if you want the table to really stay in place while you crank down on some work. You grab a handle and pull up to close it while stepping on the foot pads to close it one-handed. Of course, it has clamping ability between the two table halves. The PowerPak bag is a heavy duty Cordura bag with strong zippers and a place to hold a power strip. The power cord raps around the strip easily and securely. What can I say, it's a very convenient way to carry the tool kit, blades/accessories, and have a convenient power cord/power strip. The way it all fits together into a rolling kit that instantly turns into a work table is really nice. The charger is the only let-down. It's a slow charger with NO intelligence. Takes "up to" 6 hours to charge a dead battery. It has no auto shutoff, so you need to remember to pull it off to prevent overcharging. A smart 1-hour charger can be purchased online for about $28. One of the other variations of this kit has a radio/charger unit that is fast and intelligent. However, it omits other more-useful tools. The radio/charger idea is cool, but don't think I'd use, and $28 for the fast charger is much cheaper than the tools you lose when getting the radio/charger.

Post 'em. I'll get a tissue and some lube ready.

The little Harbor Freight machine is one of the ones I looked at. Yeah, I'm sure those have some serious limitations. I don't have the budget for a big machine, and space would be a mild problem. I don't think I'd be making much serious stuff. I'd like the ability to machine small things. For example, for the bath remodel I had some aluminum or chrome brackets for glass shelves in mind, but couldn't find a pre-made one anywhere. I can't imagine that would be a challenge even for the most "mini" machines. This is the sort of thing I've often wanted to make. Mick, your info was excellent and most useful. Brings me to ask about blades though. I assume, like router blades, that there is a variety of bits/blades that you'd have around for different cuts? Are they ridiculously expensive? Are they carbide, or what? Do they last? :shock: :worship: What's your closest airport, and can you give me a ride? I'll bring beer and drawings.

Strange. Does that rebar connect to "ground" somehow, or just float in the concrete horizontally? It would make sense if it was vertical, or connected to a vertical metal object sunk in the ground deeply.

Ridgid is Home Depot's house brand. As far as I can tell it's made in the Orient strictly for Home Depot. I haven't found any matches for their tools like I did between DeWalt/B&D/Craftsman. Their new pro line of tools is quite impressive. I don't know anyone with experience with Ridgid, but just touching and using them in the store, they do impress. Also, right now as an introductory promo they are giving a LIFETIME warranty on power tools! :shock: On the zero clearance plate, I just ordered one made from phenolic. Though that may have been a poor move since I am pretty sure I want to dump the DeWalt saw and get something else. It was $22, and seeing the complexity of the adjustment screws for it, I didn't think I could do a good job. On the splintering, I also deserve a big "DUH" for myself. I've been using an "all purpose" blade. I should have been using a fine woodworking blade. I happened to find DeWalt's "Woodworker series" Fine Crosscut blades on clearance at Home Depot. I bet that's going to be a huge help.

Nice stuff. "S & M Machinery Sales" Hmm. Didn't know they made machines for that, I just go to Mistress Helga.

$133. I do not shitteth. Don't need any of the other stuff in there really, except maybe the vac for the bench and to use when I do a cable box at a customer's office. It was supposed to be a little more, I negotiated a "meet half way" deal with the manager, but the cashier put in the lower price. I didn't notice until this morning when I was scanning the receipt to file it.

Damn. So much for that one. I spent some time at Sears. Haven't been there in a while, impressive selection. They had my saw right next to a Craftsman Pro that looks more like what I want. Also checked out a Delta that looks very industrial. Didn't come home with a table saw, but came home with this at a very significant discount after some haggling and then a pricing mistake by the cashier: 18 volt cordless tool kit. My ancient 9.6v drill/driver was getting rather long in tooth, and needed new batteries. Two batteries cost nearly what I paid for the damn kit.

I get the impression they are mid-line, which is probably good for home use. Also, Campbell-Hausfeld has just come out with a new "pro" line which got some good reviews. No idea on pricing. Oh yeah, and don't forget to check eBay, even for something that big.

Hehe, or "rent" from a place with a liberal return policy... :twisted: I don't really do that, but wish my ethics were liberal enough to allow me to. I just found out B&D owns DeWalt. That explains a lot. Wow. Looks like eBay price on my saw is nearly $400. DeWalt is sending me a $179 free tool. And I paid half price for it. I'm gonna make a killing and get the Ryobi.

That's a damn good idea. I might just do that. I bet I can get a bunch of cash for it. Plus they have a promo now where I'm getting a $179 nail gun free for buying the saw. I'll sell that to, and end up with a nearly free saw.

I'm happy to be the front man for group discounts and such. However, I don't think there's much demand, and I can't very well go ask for a group buy for a couple people. We'll see if the poll turns out differently, but I doubt many will want to buy these.

My $500 (retail) table saw said all the adjustments were pre-set from the factory. So I went to using it, and had some troubles. More splintering than I expected, and some not-so-clean cuts on hardwoods. I put it down to my own inability. I've never actually owned a good table saw, so I am not sure what it should be able to do. Stupid me. Later I read a "troubleshooting" article on the net somewhere which said some of my problems related to adjustment. I go check. Well, every fucking thing on the saw that should be adjusted--wasn't. Blade parallelism, fence parallelism, nothing. No wonder I had problems. As I try to adjust it, I find a bolt that just won't fit any sockets. WTF? Am I missing a weird size? Finally I try a metric socket. Aha. So much for American made... And having to use both SAE and metric to adjust one tool??? What the hell were they thinking?? Yesterday I was checking out some drills, not real seriously, but thinking about replacing my 12 year old Craftsman Industrial standard plug-in drill, which is also sold under the Black & Decker Pro label. I assume that means it is below DeWalt's standards. As I'm holding the drill, it seems eerily familiar. Hmm...it's EXACTLY THE SAME DRILL. Albeit in a bright yellow case with "DeWalt" on the labels and a big price tag to go along with it. So much for American made, and apparently DeWalt just buys shit and rebrands it just like everyone else. Next I look at a Ryobi table saw, just because it's got some cool features. For the most part the specs are the same as my saw, except the include a slide-out extension table which the fence rides on, a slide-out runout support, a self-folding set of legs attached to the saw, and attached wheels. When you grab one end and lift, the legs fold up and you end up on wheels. Very nice. Mine has none of these. A hard-to-use runout extension is $100 and there are no extension table options. The only thing lacking is the geared fence the DeWalt has, but even that has not worked as well as I expected. If I hadn't ended up with a ridiculously low price for mine, I'd take it back and get the Ryobi. Mine is definitely not work the $500 MSRP. The Ryobi is $269. Why is this important? Well, stupid me, I was going under the assumption that I could safely make quality assumptions based on the name. I guess there really is no such thing any more. It's just hard to take home 2 or 3 tools at a time to compare them. I wish there was a place where you could actually go use some of these things and see what you think.

Weird. I've known lots of people who really dropped cholesterol by being low-carb. Do you know what your count was before the diet?

Me too. And I miss being able to fart. You just lose all those lovely bacteria when you're low-carb. I had Thai food yesterday, with about 75g of carbs in rice. Dropped some good hangers at Lowe's in the power tool dept. I know those guys can appreciate it.

Try Harbor Freight, they're having some serious sales right now. I would not go oil-free. I have that now, the noise is pissing me off. Remember that SCFM is NOT equal to actual real usable CFM. My SCFM is higher than I need, yet some continuous-duty tools, like sanders, run me out of air. Run yourself two output lines. A coiled one for convenience and a real hose on a reel for the bigger work (the coiled hoses are restrictive on airflow). Harbor Freight has a very nice reel marked down from $25 to $10 right now. And bronze fitting kits on sale for $2.50 (coupler with five connetors). For something that big, consider a dedicated circuit. I've been running mine on a shared circuit and sometimes pop the breaker. Having the table saw, miter, big lights, or washing machine going at the same time is too much for a little 20a circuit. Also, even when it doesn't pop a breaker, it's running on low voltage which is a huge stress on the motor. On the tools, cheap stuff is fine for some things that don't need to be precise. Air chisel, grinder/cutoff, brad nailer, etc. On stuff like ratchets and impacts, mid-line is good, but cheap is really bad (so I've learned from experience). Harbor Freight has a nice brad nailer on sale right now for $13(!) that does a good job with up to 1 5/8 nails.

Good point. I think he was talking about infrequent use for days of indulgence, though. Used two times a month, let's say for example, you think there could be long term effects? And what you're saying is that they really do work? How much (IE, what ratio is blocked)?

I don't know if there's any real difference, but I've been using standard diesel to clean parts since I was a kid.

Thanks again guys. So, was it too anal of me to build my own TP dispenser and light sconce because the ones available in stores didn't meet my standards...? (The mirror backlighting is good mood light for a shower or having a dump, but insufficient for shaving or picking splinters out of my fingers, so I added a halogen 500w above the door.)

Yeah, we need pics. I've been looking at a garage addition, but don't know if it would be too close to the property line. Your way of approaching it is a good one. I think sometimes we do a better job than pros because we take care to follow every little step. Every pro job I've ever seen had shortcuts in it. My house's framing, for example, is a clusterfuck.

Mick had posted some pics of his metalworking tools and some nice shots of his work. I've had access to a few such tools in the distant past, but never really learned how to use all of them. I don't even really understand the details of lathing vs. milling, though I have the very basic concepts. I looked at both yesterday (BIG CASH) and see a mill looks like a drill press with a complex and accurate sliding table arrangement. The lathe of course holds a bar and cutters engage it. Now...what do you do with each... Mick, if you've got some time, how about talking about some metal basics. For example, basic tools (you mentioned some in the other thread), and things you can make with them. Also what quality/feature levels are really necessary? Saw combo drill/mill machines for $250-600, and dedicated mills for $300-1000. Lathes from $200-1000. Also, any reason these can't also work with wood? IE, you buy a metal lathe, can it be used with wood?

Reminds me of the people I met at my first--and last--Mensa meeting.