Power Tools Reviews

It may cost more than those cheap lathes you see at Menards, but it is worth every penny. I've had my midi lathe for over two years now and have subjected it to all types of turning abuse. To date it still works perfectly and I have never had any problems with it.

One of my favorite features of the lathe is its very sturdy construction. Even on flimsy surfaces it is heavy enough to stop most vibrations from affecting the piece. I know Delta's name has come to mean less and less over the years, but if you can find one of these used somewhere, it would definately be worth it.

On the down side, I've used the tiny chisel set maybe 3 times. And they are TINY. Even turning things as small as 2" tops makes me feel like some of them might break. Don't use these as an excuse not to go get real lathe tools.

I use this rest for turning french rolling pins and legs for my hand made Windsor chairs. It saves set up time. Simple design that works great.Dave

I received the VP saw package on the 18th of December; one day earlier than estimated. All of the contents arrived as advertised in the value pack. Nice saw, plus the extra's are nice, especially the tool-belt and tape measure!! I took the saw out of the box and checked squareness of the blade, fence, etc. All were close enough for the job I was doing. Only adjustment I needed to make was a little more depth of cut when cross-cutting a 2 x 6. It was quick and simple to adjust. I used the saw to frame and constuct a new wooden fence (85 linear feet-a 2 day job). It made short work of cross-cutting the 2 x 4's and the 2 x 6's. The saw breezed through even the 2 x 6 treated lumber. It was worth the purchase just on the 1 job I did so far. It seems to be very solidly built. It's not light, but I'll take the little extra weight to get rigidity and durabilty. The only negative was the degree markings are printed on a sheet metal scale. I'd have prefered them to be raised cast letters that were part of the table. However, after 1 job I can't tell I've even used the saw. It should last me a lifetime. I like the numerous preset angles as well. Looking forward to making some more sawdust. I plan on building 2 decks before summer. This should really give it a work-out. I'm please with the results I received from this saw. Good value vs. price.

DeWalt D24000 10" wet tile saw

One reviewer called this tool a "game changer" in the wet saw business. I agree. Having done tile work for years using mostly MK brand tile saws, when this saw came on the market, its benefits were obvious. Here's an analogy. At a car show when mini-vans were still fairly new, a salesman was showing his model, which had a sliding door on one side. Next to his display was a competing mini-van with sliding doors on both sides. He knew immediately that his mini-van was an obsolete design.

Compared to this wet saw, every other model near this price point is an old-design.

Here's why:

1. DeWalt made this a LARGE capacity saw, but light enough for one person to carry. Although the tool is only 70 lbs., you never have to lift that much. DeWalt advertises "two trips" to transport the tool:

Trip 1: Tub (water trays, miter and table extension, stored inside) and the fold-up tool stand.

Trip 2: Saw assembly with rolling table locked in place, and water pump. (54 lbs., total).

Rather than carrying an awkwardly shaped 54 pounds, I transport the tool in three trips:

Trip 1: Saw assembly minus the pump and sliding table. (44 lbs., total.)

Trip 2: Tub (with water trays stored inside) and a 5-gallon bucket holding the water pump, table extension, and miter gauge. The water pump is supposed to be secured to a slotted "mini-table" on the saw-assembly when being transported. Instead, a quick-release connector on the water line of my saw allows removal of the 3 lb. water pump. Click on customer photos.

Trip 3: Custom made tool stand and a customer-made wooden carrying case with the 7 pound rolling table. The table has three sets of double rollers which could be damaged if it's dropped. The case protects the table when it's being stored or transported. Again, click on customer photos.

2. The team that designed the water-containment system must have been told they'd get 50 lashes if it didn't work, because it's very effective. Other large wet saws regularly spray lots of water to the front, and drip water off the sides. Consequently, they make a mess of the areas surrounding the saw. Install the forward and right drip trays on this saw and nearly all water is trapped and routed back into the tub, with only minor dripping. (The trays are not as robust as they should be, so you have to be careful not to break the tabs that hold them on.) Most water spray is actually caught at the cutting point by the excellent rubber apron on the back side of the blade guard.

There are, however, two cases where all water will not be contained. One is when the motor is tilted to cut tiles at an angle; in this case, some water will be sprayed to the left of the machine. Also, if cutting very large tiles that extend beyond the right extension tray, some water will run across the top of the tile and drip on the right side of the machine; you can stop most of this, while cutting, by skimming your hand on that tile to scoop the water back into a tray.

3. This saw does plunge cuts; e.g., for electrical outlets or registers. Without this feature, about the only way to cut a square in the middle of a large tile was to use a portable (e.g., 4.5") wet saw. With this DeWalt, loosen the plunge lock, align the tile under the blade, and lower the blade as it cuts. Do this four times, once per side of the square/rectangle, on each side of the tile, and you've got a clean hole.

4. Powerful direct drive motor. It is loud, but it's also a work-horse. DeWalt made it 15 amps, probably so it can be plugged into virtually any 110v outlet without blowing a breaker. Direct drive means there are no gears to wear out, which why my previous wet saw died.

5. Huge capacity for a saw in this price range and weight. 24 inch rip and 18 inch on the diagonal. You may not need that much on every job, but it's great to not be limited by the tool. Impressive to be able to cut 24 inch square slate. Most amazing thing is cutting a 3.5" thick concrete paver in one pass. I've cut slate pieces so heavy, I could hardly lift them onto the table. I've also ripped a 36 inch long, inch and a half thick, slate paver, by setting one end on top of the table stop and cutting half the paver's length, then flipping the slate end over end to complete the cut. There is 13" between the blade and the motor support, so you can cut up to 13" from the side of a tile.

6. The motor easily tilts and locks at 45 or 22.5 (degrees), so cuts are possible without using an accessory cart block. These are the only angles mentioned by DeWalt, because the table has slots to receive the blades for these angles. However, you can actually cut any angle (e.g., on half-inch thick material) between 0 and 45 degrees if you lift the blade and tile above the table so the blade misses those slots.

7. The rolling table has thick rubber bonded to the top, to prevent slipping tiles. A great innovation. The table can be put onto the saw assembly, or removed, quickly and easily. The table has a slide-lock to keep it from coming off the saw and can be "locked" into two other positions, for transporting on the saw assembly.

8. Saw comes with a reversible 45 degree miter which clamps to the table and works well.

9. The excellent water pump is rated at 170 gallons per hour, which is more than adequate. Search on "little giant 518200" via Amazon or Google [Froogle, actually], for more details.

The DW24001 tool stand is designed specifically for this tool. The tub bottom has four molded sections that fit into the stand top. Since I'm tall and wanted the wet saw higher than the DW24001 allows, I designed my own stand.

The tool has adjustable rollers to align the table for sliding smoothness and squareness to the blade. My tool needed no adjustements.

As with any wet saw, cleaning is no fun. I put all the parts on the grass and use a hose at low water pressure to rinse of the various parts, being careful to keep water out of the motor. Also run water backward through the water pump to clean out the insides.

The box this thing comes in is huge. It's very well packed and protected, and there was zero delivery damage to the tool.


DeWalt DW861W Wet/Dry Masonry Saw

This tool appeared on Amazon.com in September 2005, but DeWalt first made it available in February 2006, which is when I bought one. It was worth the wait...

Pros:

- Unusually powerful motor for a small saw (12.5 amps)
- Blade spins at 11,500 RPMs for efficient cutting
- 4.5" blade included with saw is excellent. Described as extended performance (XP) "450x longer life than abrasive blades", suitable for "tile, porcelain, and other masonry products", part number 626708-00. Retail price is about $30.
- Two-pronged rubber electric cord has a built-in GFCI, is 13' long, and is soft/pliable rubber.
- 1/4" clear water line has built-in 5-PSI regulator (at house pressure, water line would burst or pop off the water "manifold"), is 13' long, and is clear & pliable. Water regulator has female threads to receive male end of a garden hose.
- Manifold has valve to control water-volume spray onto both sides of blade, and is blued brass. Setup keeps the blade very wet.
- Cuts 0 to 45 degrees, just like a wood-working circular saw
- Comfortable handle with no sharp spots; fits my large hand
- Tool is easy to control
- Push-button option to lock switch to the ON position for long cuts
- Steel sole-plate has thick zinc-plating
- Suitable for production use at a stone/granite/slate fabrication shop; with the proper blade, can cut the hardest stone-like materials: concrete, concrete-stucco, patio-pavers, brick, porcelain, marble, granite, or any tile.

Cons:

- Does not include a carrying case, probably to keep the price lower. Unfortunately, if you transport or store this tool, it really needs one. Portable wet saws have no blade guard, as it would obstruct the water manifold. Even with the blade fully raised, it still extends past the sole-plate by about 1/8", so you have to be careful setting the tool down so as to not damage the blade. Also, 13' water & electric lines, with a bulky GFCI and regulator on their ends, make the tool a bit unwieldy to carry. I made a carrying case out of wood.

Other:

- My saw has no serial number. The spot on the tool after the words "serial number", is blank?
- The saw is loud; no doubt due to the very high RPMs.

Summary:

The Makita 4101RH is also a professional-brand portable wet saw, but it:

- costs $100 more
- has a cheap-looking plastic water "manifold", vs. brass on the DeWalt
- has less powerful motor (7.9 amps vs. 12.5 amps for the DeWalt)
- comes with a cheaper blade than the DeWalt

The DeWalt DW861W is a fine choice for the professional tile-setter, or the serious Do-It-Yourselfer.

I have wanted a combo cordless bundle for a long time and although it is more than I need it is rugged and I plan on it lasting for a long time. The drill has plenty of power to drive a 2" screw into a solid block of pine with no flinching. The variable tourque settings save many a stripped head on the driven screw! The circular saw zips through a 2x4 with no hesitation with angle and depth options not always available. The flash light has a broad - bright beam and the recip saw is good to go.

What a great purchase. I have been wanting this kit for a long time and finally found a great price on Amazon. Since purchasing this kit, I have built birdhouses, toy boxes for the grandkids, and set of Adirondack chairs for my patio. Great tools at a great price. I ordered them on a Wednesday and received them on Saturday.

i have a new best friend. this nail gun has blown away my expectations. it has everything that i would want in a finish gun: it's 16-gauge which produce smaller nail holes, it's angled which allow for nailing in tighter spaces and it's cordless. this is probably one of the most convenient and time saving power tools i will ever own. i've already gone through 1,000 nails or so and no jams. if you're in the remodeling business don't even think twice...buy it...you can't go wrong.

This is a great nailer for the price its great for home projects. Whats nice is that you can use your 14.4 v batteries from your other tools with out purchasing any more batteries. Do not use super saver sipping it can take up to 10 days just to ship, go with regular shipping.

Makes little tasks simple ands big tasks manageable. I've always purchased more conventional Black and Decker tolls. De Walt is well designed, sturdy, easy to use. And yes, the cordless feature is a great plus. Convenient storage case and a great value!

The Dewalt kit arrived ahead of schedual, and in good condition. The price was right, and included a rebate of an added 18v battery. No complaints.

excellent replacement drill. Didn't need case, charger, batteries. Nice to be able to get what you need without buying it all. Shipped quick, nuf said.