DeWalt Reviews

The drill, reciprocating saw, and light all work great. The circular saw is a piece of junk. Even at full chrage, it can't make it's way through a piece of plywood or 2X4 without burning/ struggling through. I have had the set for 2 years now and one of the batteries just failed a couple months ago. I would recommend it especially at $329. I think I paid $400.

All tools I received was good, only reciprocating saw has scratches and some marks from repair. All tool works and i recomend to buy them.

The tools work great. You can't even tell that they have been reconditioned. My kids love playing with the flashlight. It's proven already to be very durable. I love the drill. I have been using it almost everyday since I bought it. I haven't had a chance to use the two saws yet. The delivery time was exceptional. I recieved the tools in 3 days using standard shipping.

I purchased several of these a couple years ago, they fit well, but as noted by other reviewers you can't use your splitter and gaurd when using these inserts. Plus if you cut a lot of dadoes, you need one for each size. About 6-8 months ago I discovered Betterly Tru Cut inserts. These are made from high quality machined aluminum, made to fit your saw. The blade section has a removable phenolic insert. While the main insert cost's twice what the Leecraft does, you only buy it once. The phenolic inserts come two to a pkg and cost half what the Leecraft does, so if you need a lot of inserts, I do, then you come out money ahead with this system. The winning part of this system for me, was that you can still use your blade gaurd and splitter, as the insert is milled to fit your specific saw. Therefor it is grooved to accept the factory guard and splitter. It has enough adjustments on it to keep even the most [...] level nut happy and locks into the saw table with compression. It is very solid. The fit and finish are excellent. Changing inserts is a breeze and you don't have to go thru the leveling routine every time you change an insert. If you only need one insert then the Leecraft is probably a good deal, but if ya need more go with the Tru Cut.

I just picked one of these up and gave it a few spins around the shop. This is really a nice product - can't believe I waited so long to get it.

First of all, it is MUCH easier to adjust than the factory insert. This insert has four height adjustment screws so you can get it dead-flat with the tabletop. It also has two side screws -- one on the right side and one on the front. This allows you to tighten the insert in the throat so there's absolutely no slop. The insert stays rock-solid in place.

I can't really speak to durability since it's only had one day of use, but this thing feels really solid. It is surprisingly heavy and there's no flex at all. Nice slick surface also seems durable. I have no concerns so far with construction.

It is true that you can't use the factory splitter and blade guard. I frankly don't see that as a huge issue. I installed the MicroJig splitter on this insert and that seems to work fine.

One of the other reviewers mentioned the Tru-Cut system and said that if you need a bunch of inserts that might be cheaper. I did the math and figured out that if I needed EIGHT of these things, the Tru-Cut would be cheaper. Needless to say, I didn't see that as a great money-saving option. The Tru-Cut does let you use the factory splitter, though, if that is important to you.

I had previously made my own ZCIs and it's unlikely that I'll do that again soon. These are frankly a lot better than I could do on my own, and at this price it's not worth my time to fuss with it. I'll certainly buy a couple more -- one for a wide dado and one for a narrow dado.

I know it's strange to be this excited about a zero-clearance insert, but the other reviewers are right -- this is a GREAT accessory for the money. My Dewalt table saw needs the cast-iron wings and a new miter gauge too, but you have to spend real money on those. This throat plate will have just as big an impact on the quality of your work, and doesn't cost much at all. Highly recommended.

I bought this insert to use in my DeWalt 746 tablesaw and have found it to be a very high quality accessory. When my insert plate arrived I was pleased to note that it was dead flat! Installation was very easy - using the four leveling screws I was able to bring this insert perfectly level with my saw table all the way around. Once adjusted, the side-to-side and front-to-back adjustment screws took all of the play out of this insert. I also appreciate the smooth surface which allows my stock to glide across it with little effort. The finger hole allows easy and quick removal for blade changes, etc. My only complaint is that I wish it were yellow. Mine is bright orange, but I can live with that!

Several people have complained about losing the ability to use their splitter with this insert. I noted in the instructions that if you are installing this on a DW746 saw, all you need to do is bandsaw a small kerf in the rear edge of the plate (in line with the table saw blade kerf) and you will have a slot to mount your splitter through. This should not be too difficult to accomplish for a woodworker...

All in all I was thrilled with the performance and level of quality found in this design and I would highly recommend it to anyone with the DeWalt 746 saw.

Amazon website indicates the item usually ships with 24-hours. Ordered enough for free-shipping thresehold, twice. Been trying to order/receive since 6 Feb - still waiting. Ordered again a few weeks later, 3 Mar and was advised the disks would ship in about 10 days. 9 Mar received a delay email, estimated ship date was sometime between 18 & 25 Mar, Probably a good product at a good price - but I think Amazon may have over sold the item, the vendor cannot supply, or the extended handling time associated with Amazon's "free shipping" may be the hold up. Plan to give it a couple more days, then cancel the order, and try to find a vendor who has them in stock and just pay the shipping! This is NOT the first item I've had this experience with at Amazon!!!

I have purchased every grit of Mirka sanding disks from Amazon, and I find them to be good quality. The price per disc works out to be a great value if you purchase them in packs of 50.

I used these disks on my Bosch random-orbit sander. The hook-and-loop backing is strong and holds on through rough sanding. The aluminum oxide sanding material lasts for a good amount of time. I've used them on a variety of wood surfaces, and I have used them to remove paint, and they last long enough to take down a lot of material. I have bought other brands of sanding discs that do last longer, but the Mirka discs definitely hold up well.

The discs are packaged in a sturdy box with a cover, which makes it easy to dispense them as needed. Also, having them stored in a box keeps them clean, which helps the hook-and-loop function. This actually helps out a lot in the shop. Other brands come wrapped in plastic, and you have to find a container for them, or let them sit on a shelf and get full of sawdust. I appreciate this extra touch.

The paper stock is somewhat thin, but this does not really affect their use. Since they are stored in a box, they stay flat. Other brands, which are stored in bags, get curled up on the edges.

Bottom line: these are good quality sanding discs that last for a good amount of time, are a good value for the money, and are packaged in a convenient way.

First of all I have to say that the reason why I happen to be writing this review is because I was on Amazon ordering another box of these sanding discs! There is no higher praise in my book than a return customer!

Now for the review: I have to agree with the other positive reviews and say that I have long been a fan of these Mirka sanding disks. I am a home woodworker whose projects range from DIY stuff around the house, to refinishing, to building fine furniture projects. I have been using these discs for years (in every grit from 80 to 220) and could not be more pleased with the smooth surfaces they produce with my rather inexpensive sander.

I completely agree with the assessment that although these are not the absolute best hook and loop discs on the market, they have performed every task I have asked of them. Overall, I would give this product an A- for quality/performance, and an A+ for value.

If you really want a cheap set of tools, buy a Ryobi 18V kit. They may not be the greatest in the world but they get the job done even in a contracting setting (a couple guys I work with have them). The same cannot be said for B&D in my experience (not very reliable, and very cheap).

Personally I can't stand cheap tools (thus I own a $600 18V Dewalt set) but if you aren't willing to pay that much, than I recommend Ryobi.

I bought an old house that I'm remodeling and started from scratch with nil for power tools. Picked up this kit for the value. I've re done a kitchen and now deep into the second project. Working with 100 yr old timbers and other challenges and these tools have perfomed great. No issues with the drill chucks and the circular saw is a great little trim saw. As with most things now the casings on these tools is plastic. Every one in my seven tool kit has been dropped and dropped on several times, and I can tell you they are tough enough. This may not be a kit for a profesional contractor or commercial application, but for most of us average Joe's out there doing home projects, I would highly recommend.

As with most things, you generally get what you pay for with power tools. It is annoying when reviews appear to have some ax to grind. Black and Decker is a decent brand, but people I know who happen to be contractors or in the "tool business" will tend to turn up their noses and say Dewalt or some comparable brand is the only thing they will touch. So be it...if I were them, I'd probably feel the same way. If you are a professional and use tools for a living, you probably want to invest in something more substantial. If you need something to drive a screw or cut something in half around the house, it seems a bit stupid to pay $400-$600 (or more) for a combo set. I bought a set similar to the above for around $150 and all the tools have turned out to be very effective.

I would only recommend this tool to someone who uses it for home. I am a contractor whom owns numerous Dewalt cordless tools and am disappointed in most. I own the 14v and the 12v impacts, and in a matter of 6 months of daily use they have both burned up arbors. The batteries will not keep a charge close to origional. B&D service centers have repaired both under warrenty, but they will not admit to any design flaw. "Heavy Duty", I don't think so.

this dewalt impact drill spins faster and has more power for driving screws into concrete or steel but the batteries last only half the time as my makita 12 volt impact.so i use my makita mostly cause i dont have time to be changing batteries every 15 minutes..

I've used the DeWalt 18 volt driver/hammer drill for years, and I really have thought it was a good product. I once dropped my drill from a second story and after it bounced a few times it still worked, so I've been convinced that the DeWalt product was a decent brand.

I recently got this 14.4 impact and have loved using it. It's lighter than the 18 volt I'm used to and easy to handle. It drives long screws no problem. There are no dials to turn, no speeds to set and the battery seems to last a long time. I've used it for setting electrical finish, which takes a light touch, to drilling holes in stucco with a masonary bit (doing what I normally would have used the "hammer drill" function for).

I do know carpenters that swear by the Makita impact driver, so I can't compare brand to brand, but if you've always used a normal driver drill and haven't yet tried out the impact driver, you're in for a treat. It really does a much better job.

And to think, I used a Yankee back in the day, and I'm not that old,,,,,well ok, I'm pushing forty, but still, I cut my teeth with a Yankee screwdriver,,,,,how far things have come.

Like the other reviewers, I'm having problems with the dust bag falling off the sander. Unlike the other guys, mine seems to stay put for only a minute or two before the vibration combined with the air pressure starts to work it loose.

As a sander, it works great and does it's job. However, the dust bag attachment is poorly engineered and should have a latch or detent to prevent the slippage.

Since I've only had this sander for a couple of weeks, I'm going to return it rather than deal with what will be an ongoing problem. It's too bad, because I normally like DeWalt tools.

I received this sander about 3 years ago as a promo (when I bought a 12" Dewalt miter saw). Overall I like it A LOT! I use it for the last three grits of sandpaper prior to finishing. No issues with pads coming off etc... (I've heard of it happening with the PC brand). A real workhorse. Yeah, it has no case, but I just keep it in the box it came in...works for me (and has lasted 3+ years now!).

Only gripe: The sanding bag clicks into a plastic fitting, that then SLIDES onto the unit. After a few hours of sanding (i.e. dust starting to clog the fabric, causing more pressure inside the bag), the thing shoots off, blowing fines everywhere. I just deal with it because I really like the sander regardless.

I purchased this sander over five years ago. It performed exceptionally over the years and produces swirl free finishes. I never had a problem with it gouging material and always had a flat surface afterwards. The only two complaints that I have are: the backing of the hook n loop pad has deteriorated and crumbled off its mount ($25.00 replacement cost); and the plastic dust canister split in two though it appears dewalt provides a canvas dust collector now. When this sander (which is still going strong) needs to be replaced I will probably look to its newer version.

I bought this kit mainly for the offset base to be able to route counter top faces close into inside corners. After looking at PC and other kits I chose the Dewalt because it included the bearing guide. The bearing guide is much better than using bearing guided router bits. The router bit's bearing will gum up with contact cement when routing glued laminate, and if the bit's bearing does not spin freely, it may burn the laminate. The bearing guide on the base turns only at the speed you advance the base, so I have not had it collect glue yet. It's adjustable in relationship to the cutting bit, so you can gap the difference between the cutter and the bearing to account for angles that are not perfect 90 degree angles, which could scalp the laminate. The unit seems powerful enough. Right after purchasing it, I had to use it to cut a sink hole in a post-formed counter top (the offset base was the only way I could think of to cut close to the attached backsplash) -- so through Formica and 3/4" particle board with a straight carbide bit and the task was done. The plastic case is OK, but I wish you could pack the bases in the case with the options (like the bearing guide) attached to the base. As it is, you must remove the bearing guide from the base or the case will not close.

I investigated all the different brands of laminate trimmers and the dewalt seems to be the one with the most accesories. Most people think that the old PC 310 is the best one, but you can't get any bases for it anymore. Since I needed the offset base for some tight spaces I went ahead with the Dewalt.
Like some other reviews the standard base wasn't square - probably off by 15 degrees - so I called dewalt and they shipped me a new one right away. This one is almost square which is close enough for me.
With the replacement base it works fine. Some people might be upset that the kit came with a machining defect - but now days with prices being so low and everything made off shore you need to expect these things to happen. I'm pleased that Dewalt made it right without any fuss. So I give it four stars.

I had this trimmer now for about 5 years and I do like it. I still haven't used the angle base but I have used the other bases. It is powerful and I sometimes use it for routing jobs where a larger router would be better. That said, I wish it came with a seaming kit. Also, dewalt tools seem to be a little on the loud side. I use power tools almost everyday and I appreciate a quieter tool. (I once brought a dewalt jigsaw only to exchange it two days later for a bosch jigsaw) That's why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5.

DeWalt makes good tools I'm a General Contractor and my tools have been to hell and back.However the price of the 18v battery
is to high.
You can by a lot of tools for the price of one battery!

I have 8 diffrent dewalt tool that I use, no abuse every day. Serveral of my batteries are 4 years old and are just starting to not hold a charge. They get left in the truck in the winter.
I just use them in the flashlight. For just a little more than the price of two batteries, you can get a new drill charger and batteries. batteries weak hows the tool?

These batteries are fabulous and perform admirably under all kinds of conditions. They also give at least 30% + over the traditional XR. My only complaint is that these things are so expensive!! I wish I knew if they cost that much to manufacture or if we are getting ripped off. I love Dewalt products - that is the only tool I buy.

I'm a contractor & install a lot of cabinets. A corded drill is a pain and doesn't give the control you need for countersinking screw holes and screwing cabinets together. After reading a lot of the reviews I disagree with the problem of battery life if you use the drill for its intended use. A RA drill is not for drilling 2 bys and a 14.4 v will never last for the day in that application. That's what I use my 18v for. But for drilling & screwing up to 2-1/2" screws in tight quarters this drill will last most of the day and works great. I do have to admit that not having an extra battery is a slight downer and Dewalt should consider supplying one in the kit. That would definitely warrant 5 stars.

I've been using this drill for about 9 months and for close quarters; it's great for that. I must agree with the other reviews about the battery life - it does seem to run down sooner than the Milwakee I also use regularly. It's aggrivated by the fact that DeWalt only ships one battery with the unit. If you need it for some close quarter drilling and don't need it to last all day, you'll be pleased with the purchase. Easy chuck opperation and is supprisingly well balanced and powerful. One real plus in my book is that it's the only drill my wife enjoys using, because, she says, the added leverage from the way it is held keeps it from twisting her wrist like the pistol grips will.

Ok guys, if you are in the cabinet business or any other finishing business this tools is a must......other reviewers gave it a bum rating as far as battery life. well let me tell you this. it is not suppose to drill holes in studs.....buy a hole shooter if that is what you want. this is a fine tool for working in tight places, but it is not intended for framing work. i mean a few holes is fine........btu a hole hawg it is not......or intended......with the right applications you will love this tool

I purchased one of this Model and it didn't have the quality that most of my Dewalt tools have. It wouldn't cut well as the blade shaft was misaligned and I kept the batteries and sold the saw in a yard sale. I really felt let down on this saw. I called customer service and got absolutely no help on the problem! The Customer Service was Dewalt and not Amazon. Amazon has always been great on any problems!
Live and learn!
BJ

I bought this to replace and old craftsman jig saw. I have quite a few cordless Dewalt tools and like them all. This tool was no exception. I found the cuts smooth and quick. I got it mid way through my woodworking season. I used it to cut out a hole in plywood for a utility sink, make some angle cuts and some scroll work for shelf brackets. I am impressed by how easy it is to use. It is a bit heavy with the battery but nicely balanced. I thought the tool-free blade change was slick and never had problems with the blade popping out. It is a bit expensive and I knocked a star off for that reason.

I'm reviewing the DeWalt European 18v version (ELU) of this jig saw and I must say that it is truly a versatile and very powerful cordless jig saw but the trade-off, in my opinion, is that you can't ask this particular saw to do what -- say a Bosch 1584AVS -- corded jig saw can do. If you can live with certain limitations (a pronounced tendency to veer or wander especially if you try to follow a guide or push it along, an almost annoying plastic cutting guide that vibrates off repeatedly in operation, limited cutting power especially in thick materials like MDF, and some above-average vibration in thinner materials) then this jig saw warrants a much closer look. I'm a firm believer in buying items that fulfill their intended purpose, i.e. don't try to train a cat to bark like a dog, and so the portability, convenience and overall power more than offset this saw's shortcomings. If you a serious jig saw user, then you really should opt for a corded model with more power and better overall performance.