Wrenches Reviews

The jointer bed is too small for this to be the perfect machine. The planer is excellent, but the total length of the infeed and outfeed bed is very short and makes it difficult to accurately joint long pieces of wood. The first thing that I did after buying this was to buy a 71" powermatic jointer. It is not the most economical way to go.

The exhaust tends to get plugged in both the planer and the jointer with wood chips.

The blades for the P12RA are what in trade referred to as "specialized" blades because they have custom slots and holes. Consequently, you are tied into the manufacturer for blades.

Despite reports to the contrary and the failure of these blades to appear in the documentation as parts or accessories, Hitachi does offer carbide blades for P12RA planer and the jointer. The Hitachi part numbers are: planer - 200001 and jointer - 401000. I just ordered both sets from an authorized Hitachi parts supplier, be ready for sticker shock, the MFG list price for the blades are $448.71 for the planer and $224.35 for the jointer as of April 7, 2006. The vendor I purchased from discounted my price to 80% of the list price.

The toll free number to Hitachi Power Tools Customer Service is 800-706-7337.

I've had my Hitachi P12RA planer for 8 years and couldn't be happier. Originally, I wanted to buy their F1000A cast iron planer/jointer but discovered Hitachi no longer exports it to the USA. Since the F1000A is SOOOOOOOOOOOO remarkable, I took the chance on this "little brother" and was very pleased- with the planer.

The quality of cut is outstanding, and boards come out dead accurate. In fact, I go to this planer over my 2 year old Jet 15" stationary planer almost every time. The Jet is a workhorse so that should tell ya something! Setup is simple. The knives are really beefy and all the other parts (castings, chains, bearings, adjusting screws) are heavy and well made. I get "slick-as-glass" results even on ebony. Since most of the components are aluminum alloy or stainless steel, I don't even have to fight rust.

Though the jointer is powerful and gives a fantastic finish to the wood, it's just too simplistic. There isn't a way to align the infeed and outfeed tables, which makes getting a flat board almost impossible. They are fixed except to adjust the depth of cut. In fact, holding a straight edge to the length of the jointer bed reveals both tables angle away from the cutterhead. Since I make guitars, this sort of thing drives me bananas. I actually sent the jointer portion back to the dealer for a partial refund.

My advice is to buy the planer portion only. Spent the money for the dust hood too. It's well put together and very effective. This planer has been featured in several books and magazine articles over the years, and for a good reason. You will be amazed with the results!

One of my all-time favorite tools. The variable speed is perfect, as it always is on Hitachi tools. At slower speeds the unit will tighten precisely one click at a time, giving you perfect control over setting screw depth/torque. Hitachi cordless tools use rare-earth magnets in their motors giving them a performance advantage over the competition, more lightweight, quieter, and more powerful. It will easily break driver tips and screw heads! Plenty of power but if you want to drive 3"+ deck screws without drilling pilot holes (I ALWAYS drill pilot holes) then I would suggest the 18 volt model, it will really slam them in fast.
The convenient belt hook/light and the minimal weight of just over 3 pounds make this tool extremely portable and handy at your side.
The 2.0ah batteries, quick charger, exclusive belt hook/light, compact carrying case and overall quality product make this a steal at under $200. The carrying case is a great no-frustration rigid plastic case in which all items are easily retrieved and stored. You will really like it!

I have used several of these impacts on job sites and have been wanting one for some time. I have had it for about a month I guess and although I don't use it every day I am still useing the first battery I put in when it got here. That was kind of unexpected because the other ones I have used went through their charges a little quicker than this one, cool! I just can't say enough about this tool. Its the only thing I have found that does a nice job on tapcons into concrete, and does it without twisting your wrist off, try that with your 18 volt dewalt. It is light to work with so it doesn't wear out your arm, the hook is very handy especially when on a ladder, and the built in light is just as handy. I have had people come up to me to see what the noise is that they are hearing, ussually they want to try it out and are immediatly sold on it, which brings me to the only drawback that I have found with this tool, everybody is always borrowing it.

This is a great tool. It is compact, well balanced, powerful and long lasting. The light and the belt hook are great features. Works better than the other impact drivers that I have used.

I use my ratchet on a daily basis, and it is the best all around. The anti-kickback feature is the best part of this ratchet not to mention it's relative quiet operation as compared to other ratchets on the market.

An excellent product that works exactly as stated: no more busted knuckles. With some things you get what you pay for, this product is one of those items. The price from Amazon made it even more attractive as a co-worker paid over $170 for the identical model.

I bought three 3/8" air rachets to try them side-by-side:
Ingersoll Rand IR111
Husky H4003
Campbell Hausfelt TL1001

Ingersoll Rand - The quietest of the group by a fair margin. Its motor is apparently different than the others so the high pitched whine is absent. The reactionless feature is apparent because it changes to a hammer mode (although it is still low torque) when the torque becomes too high. Most expensive. Made in Japan.

Husky - Typical air tool whine. When the nut runs up, the wrench just stops, no impact. Realistically, I can't see this torque being enough to smash any fingers. It has a nice rubber handle grip that the others lack. Half the cost of the Ingersoll Rand. Made in Taiwan.

Campbell Hausfelt - No rubber handle and slight styling differences, but operation is identical to Husky. Half the cost of the Husky. Made in Taiwan.

Conclusion: My logical side says to keep the Campbell Hausfelt because it the best value. The tool collector in me that drools over exotic tools wants to keep the Ingersoll Rand because it is the best tool, even if the difference is awfully small for four times the cost. I'm talking myself into keeping the IR because of the lower noise, but I still wonder whether my choice is discriminating or just dumb.

The Makita 14.4-volt impact driver is the best tool of it's kind I've ever used. It's lighter and better balanced than the Dewalt inpact driver. The handle is also more comfortable for a smaller hand, like mine, unlike most other drivers. My whole crew owns and uses this tool. A great buy!

We've tried almost every variety of cordless drill to install 5/16th head self-tapping screws in aircraft hanger construction. Nothing worked including a new Dewalt 18v, although my wrist would tell you it tried really hard. I was hesitant to buy another cordless driver that might not due the job, but working with extension cords 30 feet off the ground is such a constant irratation that I decided to try the Makita.

Wow, this thing really drives screws, end of my problems, and my arms and wrist hardly know it's there. Battery life is amazing considering that each screw we drive requires quite a bit of energy and we're getting about 100-150 screws per battery. It's only about 75% as fast as a corded screw gun (not drill) so if you have an entire wall to screw down, I would still suggest a corded screw gun. This really shines on piece work, electrical conduit hangers, HVAC, etc. It may not be cheap, but you won't be disapointed. Also, one more thing to mention, I've dropped it three times from 20+' onto concrete and other than case scuffs, no problems.

I love this tool. I was working on a remodel where I had to raise a bunch of headers over doorways and didn't have the compressor and nail gun available. This building had old growth Douglas Fir framing that was tight grained and hard which made toe nailing on a ladder difficult to say the least. The electrician who was working on the same job was using a Makita 12V impact driver ot install his boxes and he had an extra one he let me use. The very first screw I drove into that rock hard fir made me giggle like a little girl. It was amazing to watch big fat 3 inch wood screws just melt into the wood with no strain or pushing on the back of the driver. The very next day I went down to K119 tools to check out the available models. I checked out the Hitachi, Panasonic and Makita and they all seemed equally good. The Panasonic 12V has two torque setting and the best battery. I considered the 12V models but after holding both the 12's and 14's side by side the weight difference seemed minimal so I went with the extra power of the 14.4V. Since the Makita 14V was cheaper than the Hitachi 14V and both brands have excellent reputaions I went with the Makita since that was the brand I had been using and it has a better battery. The following monday me and my coworker hung 35 sheets of sound insulating board on the ceiling. He used a 18V DeWalt drill/driver and I used the Makita 14V impact driver with a dry wall nipple bit. By lunch time my coworker's arm was tired from holding the 18V over head but I was still going strong with the light weight compact impact driver. I can't praise this tool enough it's just incredible how easy screws sink. Once while showing off for a friend I drove a 2 inch pan head screw all the way through a 4 by 4 redwood post and out the other side... it's just amazing! Where has this tool been on my life! Since then I've use it to hang cabinets and install new windows. What's really great is just how small and light yet powerful it is. Oh and the L.E.D light on the front is great when your driving screws inside kitchen cabinets. I just can't say enough about this little powerhouse... Buy one now you won't regret it.

Read this knowing I haven't used any other impect drivers. None the less, I have spent a lot of time with my Makita 14v Drill and have put in many screws. That said, this is one of the Best Tools I've Ever Purchased. I would venture to say there is no substitute for driving screws. Unless you determine that you need the clutch, there's no reason to grab the regular drill for screws. I should also note that there is a considerable amount of trigger control so that you can do fairly delicate work (hinge screws in cabinet doors). Works awesome on lag bolts as well. Much more compact than a 12v Makita Drill.

When I first saw one of these "impact drivers" I was watching a contractor installing a kitchen cabinet and noticed the sound it made. I asked him what it was,and he asked me if I wanted to try it. I went out that day and bought one. I knew it had to be good if it was a Makita tool because I have owned a few of their drills and a framing nailer for years. I have had this impact driver for about three and a half years. I use it for everything from making furniture to screwing studwalls together. I also use it to install nuts and bolts with a 1/4 inch drive adaptor. I even used it to remove a frozen chuck on my Milwaukee drill that no one could get off.( I put a 1/4 inch hex bit in the chuck and used the Makita in reverse to impact it off ).I never use any of my drills to install screws any more.Once you use one of these neither will you.It will drive a three and a half inch screw all the way thru a treated 4x4 with one hand. I also like the fact that it is very compact in length and gets into tight places. I strip alot fewer screws eventhough it has alot more power. The only drayback is that I have broken or stripped a few Phillips head bits so now I buy harden tipped bits instead. You can use it to drill with hex type mandrills but a regular drill is better and you wont break as many drilling thru hard woods. I love good quality tools and this impact driver is one. I wouldn't want to be without it ,and if I needed to I would buy another one in a minute.

I have had this drill for only a few weeks and am very happy. If you are new to impact drivers it takes a little practice to put in screws without breaking them (you have to pulsate the trigger rather than allow endless torque to build as you drill), but once you get the feel, it's the best tool around.

One reason I picked this drill was because the current rebate offer is that Makita will mail you a regular cordless drill in addition to the impact driver. But now I wonder whether I will even use the regular drill when it comes. I have used this drill for nuts and bolts, drilling wholes, and driving screws and find it phenonamal at all tasks. It spins faster, with more torque available, and is much lighter than regular drills. I purchased the Hitachi 25 bit quick change drill-bit set to take care of many common drilling (rather than "driving") needs until the new Makita drill arrives. These bits have the hex shape to simply lock in to the driver. I also bought a Makita 763097-7A 3/8" Keyless Chuck at Home Depo (cheaper at Amazon.com) which is a "conversion kit for impact drivers". It allows me to efforlessly use all my regualar round drill bits in the driver. Just drop in a bit, hold the keyless chuck for a moment while running the drill to tighten the chuck, and drill. Drill bits run perfectly straight whether they are hex bits in the hex drive, or regular bits in the Makita keyless chuck.

The case the drill comes in is large enough for both drills, two batteries, and all of your bits. The drill's built-in flash light is very useful in any low light situation.

This drill is new and not yet available at local stores. I assume they focus on running out of current inventories before ordering the latest model. Very impressive Makita!

Milwaukee always represents quality and this set is no exception. Well worth the expenditure.

If you want good, really really good, drill bits - GET THESE! The differance between these and cheap ones is unbelievable. Worth every penny. Accurately sized, finely machined, SHARP, properly ground angle, and somewhat larger sized index case with size markings that are easy to read. I first used these to drill some holes in metal for tapping. Granted I was using a drill press but I hardly felt any resistance at all in the handle. A perfect clean hole.

Good drill bits are getting harder and harder to find! These are the fastest and smoothest bits I've found for drilling metal hands down.

For me, the main reason to purchase this tool set was to build the Costco SUNRAY playground playset in my backyard.

As a new homeowner myself, I did not have any tools. And this is the list of the Required tools from Costco for building the playset:

Tape measure, Carpenters level, Claw hammer, Wood clamp,
Standard cordless drill with medium Phillips bit,
1/4" and 3/8" ratchet,
1/4", 7/16", 1/8" drill bit,
7/16", 1/2", 9/16" deep well socket,
9/16" box wrench.

I expected to spend two hundred dollars in Homedepot to have the complete set. Luckily I checked Amazon first and found the Allied 39025 tool set.
Sixty dollars and three days later, I have almost every tools I need.

I am no expert on tools, but after three days of intensive use, I feel this tool set is very solid, especially taking consideration of the value.
The drill is very powerful too.

If there is anything more I'd hope for, it would be an extra battery. But with the current price, I have no complain.

...SO if you are paid to put wooden things together, fix plastic things or do any of that jazz on a daily basis, then you should know better. Much better.

For someone like me, however, who occasionally puts cupboards and wardrobes from Ikea together, this kit is simply the best value for money I could find online and offline.

I've had it for about 3 months and it still performs as new. The drill doesn't come with diamond crystalized drill bits to break into safes; it comes with bits to drill holes into dry wall and brick wall. And it does a great job.

The plastic casing supporting the tools/holding them in place, feels a bit cheap but that's about the only problem I can identify.

Here's why I was interested in this tool set and why it's pretty much perfect.

a) Hated having to search through a giant toolbox over & over on every project because everything is tossed on top of each other. EVERY tool, component, etc has its own slot and it's a nice tight fit so if you drop it, the 178 pieces do not fall into one giant heap of tools, sockets, etc ...

b) While quality is important, if tools are just tools to you and you don't need/want a $1,000 tool set - these might not last three generations but they are all solid and work great and at a price where I don't have to worry about if people might make off with some tiny wrench.

c) No real compromises on what you get. Unlike other sets, it not missing some main tool. This one has a screwdriver, wrench, plier, crescent wrench set, hammer, saw, etc, etc ... not to mention the cordless drill. Look at the ZOOM photo - and unlike other sets where 100 screws count as part of a "115-set" tool kit, 99.5% of what you get are actual tools or actual attachments to tools. (there are $1,000 tool sets without a hammer!)

d) the box is nice. It's not pretty but it's solid heavy plastic and the pieces require effort to get in each slot - again, that's actually a good thing as I've had sets that look pretty in the picture but if you drop the tool kit, all the pieces fall in a heap and no one really likes to pick through 50 socket heads to put everything back or the 'holder' is some flimsy plastic that yellows, cracks or just gives up the ghost. This is very solid.

There's even a little extra room in the middle when it's closed that you can keep gloves and a towel there.

About the only thing missing is that if the bolt is very long, the crescent wrench does not have an extender and you can't really reach the nut but that's pretty obscure - not to confuse anyone - there is an extender if the nut is merely a ways from your hand but not if the bolt is exessively long.

Other than that, finally a set that will serve 99.9% of your average home, car and even some computer repair use (it has torx and even a tool/magnet retriever if you drop a screw somewhere) - ALL solidly built in a solidly built case with a slot for EVERYTHING. And of course, a great price also! It's excellent!

I received this wrench as a gift and was initially skeptical that I'd be able to use it with my small air compressor (a Hitachi EC12 rated at 4.2cfm@90psi). While I wouldn't recommend this combination for an auto shop, I've found that for occasional use around the house, it works great. I've used it for removing things like lawnmower blade bolts, frozen nuts from plumbing fixtures, lug nuts, etc. with no problems at all. I was a little disappointed, however, to see that the wrench was made in China. I figured with a brand like Ingersoll-Rand it'd be a pretty safe bet that I'd be getting a US-made tool, but that was not the case. If I had bought the tool myself I would probably have bought a different brand for this reason alone. However, the tool works well and the build quality seems good, so I can't really complain.

After acquiring a small pancake compressor, I decided it was time to get an impact wrench. I bought one of the cheap, Chinese made "250 ft/lb" impact wrenches from a traveling tool show. What a mistake. It could not loosen hand-tightened lug nuts. I then happened on a well used 231 at a pawn shop. It has never failed to loosen whatever I have put it on. This includes lug nuts, an axle nut, rusted nuts and bolts, and an anti-corrosion anode on a 15 year old water heater. This tool works wonders on fasteners which would drive a sane person mad if he tried to loosen them with hand wrenches or a ratchet. I would like to get a IR2131, but the old 231 won't let me justify replacing it.

This is the ONLY 1/2" impact wrench I would ever recommend. It's relatively lightweight. The knurled knob allows you to change the impact force and direction, even with very greasy hands.
I used this for 5 years when I turned wrench, and gave it a good workout. I have dropped it, kicked it, forgotten it in the rain (once), and it keeps working. The only thing I was always sure to do was keep it well oiled and cleaned at the beginning and end of each day. At the end of the 5-year period turning wrench, I bought the rebuild kit (another nice feature, available in the 90's for about {$$$}), which restored all of its original power.
Also, check out the I.R. impact sockets. Value priced at less than ($$$) for the deep socket set, and I have never broken one. Fine tools at reasonable prices!

I received the Makita 3612CX1 from Amazon a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I have cut a few half-blind dove tails with it on a PorterCable Omnijig. It feels well, cuts well and is loaded with nice features such as the soft start and electronic brake. These 2 features enhance the router's utility in combination with templates and machines such as the Omnijig.

The router is also fairly quiet and is lacking that high pitch scream that other routers have. This makes it a lot easier on the ears. This router is going to serve 100% above the table, while my other 2 routers are being dedicated to the router lifts.

I strongly recommend this router, especially if you are only going to have one general purpose router.

Pros:

1) Same as 3612C, but packaged differently for $40 less.
2) Low pitch noise and quieter than my 10-year old single speed Makita 3612 router.
3) Soft start which keeps it from jumping off of jigs.
4) Eletric brake shuts down faster so it can be removed from jigs quicker without taking a bite out of them. Makes multiple cuts faster.

Cons:

1) The coupon for the router bit set is an inconvenience. Amazon should ship the bitset with the router or supply it themselves. Have to find another vendor to order the bit set from.

You can like different routers for different reasons. I had two of the fixed speed version of this router. One got stolen, I replaced it with the variable speed version and I love it for these reasons:
1. It is very quiet even at highest speed for a 3-1/4HP router. In fact it is much quieter than the fixed speed version of the same router at the same speed.
2. It is relatively small and light for its power. It is not a light router, you will have to use with two hands always. But I can do delicate edge treatments with small bits with no issues. It is powerful enough to mount under the table when you need to. That's why I think this is a very versatile router.
3. Plunge action is very smooth and capacity is good. 3 step debt gauge works fine although I use it rarely since the router is powerful enough to do most cuts in one pass.
4. Fit and finish is great. You can tell it is a well-made tool when you hold it. Power cord is long and soft - does not stay coiled when you are using it.
5. You can lock it down using the height adjustment mechanism - not the plunge lever- and it acts like a fixed based router. Therefore you do not have to change bases from fixed to plunge. You always have both at your fingertips. That's why prefer this over the multiple base combo kits.. another reason why I call this a very versatile router.
6. Also the 3-piece door bit set came with the router, not a coupon. The bits are very high quality. Thick carbide tips, nice bearings. Nice wooden box.


Here are some negatives you should consider- but these are not enough for me to give it a lower rating:
1. The plunge lock lever is metal and you have to push it down with the side of your index OR middle finger. With lengthy use, this may hurt your finger. I screwed a small bent extension to mine so that I push it down with tips of my two fingers and it works wonderfully.
2. It does not have a case.

If I lose one of my routers, I would buy a another one of these without a question.

The router is great and works great just like ones i've had before. There was a great sale on it when i got it. I was a bit dissapointed to found out that the router bits that are supposed to come with it, and there was just a coupon for them. You must have to try and get them from a local dealer or somewere else ? rather inconvienent .....

Great idea, bad design. Although the pockets are neat and convenient, the back pack is uncomfortable. The weight of the drill and hardware case (when full) pulls the pack down and away from you. In addition, the shoulder straps are cheap and not well designed. It would help to have a chest strap to clip the two shoulder straps together like on the hiking packs. The pack is also too big and bulky. Back problems have occured. Im going back to my $40.00 NorthFace pack. Much more confy.

The Custom LeatherCraft 1132 75-Pocket Tool Backpack was requested by one of my employees. He has used this product at previous places of employement and finds it very useful.
I used the internet to price this item at several loctions. I found Amazon.com to be the best value.

I am a Communications Tech, and this back pack is awsome. I can have all the tools I could possibly need for any job all in one bag. Including my 18volt Drill. I just put it on my back and it leaves my hands free to carry all the other stuff I need, like boxes of wire. saves me trips back and forth to my truck. It is great. Although you may have to customise the pockets a little for some tools. This is the perfect tool bag!