DeWalt Reviews

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.

I bought my dewalt about 2 yrs ago. Having problems with the
motor stops and then I have to tap on it to get it to run.
For the money the quality is not there and I am a big dewalt buyer and fan. Not sure if after I try to get it serviced if I will purchase another dewalt saw or not.

This is my first reciprocating saw and I was not disappointed. I really like the fact that the blade can be used in any position (up, down, left, right) and is very easy to change. The blade quick change system is great and easy to use, just lift the lever and insert the blade. It has a variable speed trigger. The tool is also very comfortable to hold and is not too heavy. It comes with a carrying case that allows you to store the tool with the blade inserted (you don't have to remove it). The case has plenty of room for extra storage.

This saw is great! I got it for my husband for his birthday and he loved it. Great buy.

My favorite tool out of this combo is the 18V drill. It is built to last and has some serious torque to it that comes in handy when you're slamming lag bolts through a 2X4 into concrete! But I also am impressed with all the other tools in the kit. The cordless reciprocating saw sees more action than my plug in saw simply because of the convenience of not having a get-caught-on-everything extention cord getting in my way. The flexible floodlight comes in handy when you need some light but don't have any hands left to hold a flashlight while you're working. It's bright and can be set up in just about any position to illuminate your workspace. The convenience of having a wireless jigsaw comes in quite handy too, especially when you're cutting a lot of angles and curves... There's no wire getting in your cutting path! Now I get to the circular saw... It's got good power to it, but it definitely doesn't see as much action as my plug-in circular saw. Sure it'll cut a 5/8" sheet of plywood, but it splinters the wood and doesn't rip through as fast as a good old plug-in circular saw. If there's something small to cut that doesn't necessarily need a clean cut (free of splinters), then this saw will do, but it simply doesn't cut clean enough for my tastes. Back panels on lower kitchen cabinets could be cut with this saw, but when it comes to making a straight cut at length, you really are better off using a plug-in circular. So if you are looking for a combo kit, I'd recommend getting one with everything this kit has but without the circular saw! Save your money on that portion of the kit and buy a DeWalt plug-in to finish off your combo... Oh, and the 18V battery lasts a good long time and will get you through most projects without a recharge!

My partner and I are very busy general contractors in Los Angeles County, CA. Our company specializes in repair and renovation. Recently we switched from another brand to "test" the Dewalt products. We purchased two box sets. We literally beat the He** out these tools. We abused them. They seemed to enjoy it. The drill damn near broke my wrist when I decided to try it out as a torque wrench. The saw cuts double stack 5/8 ply (thats two sheets) like paper, over and over. The batteries have unbelievable life (we burn them non-stop). No panzy set down, we deliberately drop/toss the tools from the knee. They are professional grade, no-nonsense machines. For dirt loving, lumber chewing contractors or the weekend remodeler, these tools ROCK!

Way to go Dewalt. You've earned our dollars, and more importantly, our respect. Keep em' coming and we promise to beat them up.

My partner and I are very busy general contractors in Los Angeles County, CA. Our company specializes in repair and renovation. Recently we switched from another brand to "test" the Dewalt products. We purchased two box sets. We literally beat the He** out these tools. We abused them. They seemed to enjoy it. The drill damn near broke my wrist when I decided to try it out as a torque wrench. The saw cuts double stack 5/8 ply (thats two sheets) like paper, over and over. The batteries have unbelievable life (we burn them non-stop). No panzy set down, we deliberately drop/toss the tools from the knee. They are professional grade, no-nonsense machines. For dirt loving, lumber chewing contractors or the weekend remodeler, these tools ROCK!

Way to go Dewalt. You've earned our dollars, and more importantly, our respect. Keep em' coming and we promise to beat them up.

I bought this Dewalt router to replace a Craftsman that must be 20 years old at least. The pre-Ryobi Craftsman, which I bought almost like new at a yard sale for $13, uses no-longer-available brushes and I was afraid it would quit mid-job so I looked for a new state-of-the-art replacment. Hah! If there is such an animal, it's not the Dewalt.

The Craftsman has a nice bright work light built in (so nice), a "trigger" on/off switch on the handle (so convenient), and a one-wrench bit changing system (not great, but I like it). Rated at only 8 amps, it nonetheless has plenty of power.

The Dewalt has none of these wonderful features (except the power - but not much more that I can notice), and I can't see that any advances have been made since that old Craftsman was made. Yeah, it's nice having the plunge base, but I know how to do plunges without that if I have to. And the Dewalt surely will last for years...but so what? I don't like the thing. It just wasn't designed with the care and forethought of my old Craftsman.

I'm gonna use the Craftsman until its brushes give out, and then I guess I'll have to, unhapplily, get used to the Dewalt.

I was in the market for a new router after a failed attempt at using RotoZip (Junk: Broke after using the first bit). I gave my Sears router that I had since college to another college kid who lived across the street, so I was looking for the very best router I can find to replace it. After reading the reviews, I settled on DW618PK, but I didn't like its feel, so I exchanged it with this one. This seems smoother than DW618 but it might only be my perception. There's only 1 amp difference (DW618 12A, DW616 11A) between the two motors, and I can't tell the difference in power. Now this thing rocks. I'm getting a free D handle base as a promotion, and with it I have a finger trigger (something you can't normally have with a multi-based router because the handle is separate from the motor) made possible due to removable power cord for this router. I also purchased the edge guide, and the case which some people say is too big is just right because there's a place to keep this edge guide in it with even a clip on the lid to hold the bars. There's also a place to hold both 1/4" and 1/2" router bits, and I also can fit a circular cut jig in the case as well. Now when I need a router, all I need to do is just grab this case, because everything I need is in it (!). Plunge base comes with a vacuum attachment and accepts a 3/4" hose (it also comes with a centering jig for alignment). You'll need an adapter for most shop vac (1 1/2" to 3/4") to interface with this base. Edge guide also has vacuum attachment and for this I didn't need any adapters.

This is a complete system, and for me it was perfect. I'll be using the fixed base for a router table, D handle base to do the edges (with edge guide), and a plunge base to cut holes. Each setup can be used with dust collection system (fixed base on the router table will have vacuum on the fence) which alliviated the mountain of dust that spread everywhere when I was using my old router. Highly recommended.

I have Porter also, and this DeWalt one works as well if not better. Very easy to change the motor, adjust, etc.

power of this saw is very week,it is very importent!
If u dont have secend battery,dont be disapointet if u stop in the midle of your job.It really called "TRIM SAW" for a smal peace of wood! If you tryaing use TRIM SAW to cat wood 2x2, or 2x4 or plywood for longer time ,battery will dead very soon.

I bought this in 2004 as part of the drill/saw kit mainly because I needed another drill. I thought that the saw wouldn' t see much use. Turns out, I use this saw more than I thought I would. I have used it to trim off door bottoms, cut in foundation vents, trim off roof decking, cutting out hvac register vents, corner boards, fence work.....the list goes on. Keep the blade sharp, have a backup battery and go. The safety is a pain, but it does keep you on your toes. Great saw.

I replaced a 'made in china' with this trim saw.
It's a trim saw and does exactly what it's designed to do. i.e. make easy ,quick cuts in cabinetry,plywood,and or up to 2"x3"s
Need a framing saw,buy that.

this drill has a good balance of being lighter than the 18v and powerful enough, to do about as well as the 18v.

I generally like the drill for getting into tight spaces. One draw back is the reversing switch is in a very awkward place. When I'm in a tight space and need to reverse direction on the drill I end up removing the entire drill to activate the reverse switch.

I highly recommend this drill, it is a great product.

I have been a " DeWalt" user for years, and have been happy the entire time. That is until I purchased the 5 peice kit. It was purchased in September of '02 and I have had to replace the entire kit with the exeption of the recip saw. I doubt i will be making any more DeWalt cordless purchases. There ARE better kits at better prices.

Tough call deciding to buy this DeWalt kit. At the time I did not need the reciprocating saw and if another manufacturer offered similar kit with cordless planer in its place then I would have bought the competitor instead. Good thing that it was also possible to purchase a 230V charger. Some things you don't think you will need until you have it, now every item has been used except the in vehicle charger. Tools are stored indoors and when taking tools to a job I would have to assess the job and decide what to bring for the day. Space is limited by a small stationwagon, as up to recently the tools only served for a home enthusiast, now they have to work for a living. Yesterday, didn't think I needed the mains Bosch reciprocating saw so it stayed at home. Trouble was there were wooden rail sleepers to saw up on site. None of the blades from the DeWalt kit would cut deep enough. Nevermind. Used the circular saw to saw cuts top and bottom. Finish off with the recrirocating saw what the circular saw did not reach. Well I was impressed. Or course it required a few changes of battery so good job I bought one extra on top of the supplied 3 batteries. Still have not used the vechicle charger yet. Next optional extras on the shopping list would be longer blades for the reciprocating saw if there is one, smaller cases to ease loading and unloading to the car.90% of the time I am only using the drill, jig-saw, and charger. I pray that DeWalt will come up with a cordless planer before I have to choose between Bosch or DeWalt. Better hurry up DeWalt because so far you are winning because you have an in car charger. Bosch has the tools I want although not collected into a kit form yet. But in all seriousness I would only need a planer 5% of the time and anyone getting this DeWalt kit won't be disappointed. Just like a well known advert, I never leave home without DeWalt.

I have been looking for an affordable but durable tool kit for a while, and this was well worth the money. The tools are made to work hard and definately help you get any job done right the first time. My first project used every single tool in the kit, and what a pleasure it is to swap tools/batteries in an instant. The round saw cut through 2x8's like butter, and the jigsaw made precision cuts for all of my trim work. The Drill is the best tool in the kit, because of the versatility in speed settings and high RPM which allowed me to drill right into concrete over and over again.
I highly recommend this kit to anyone looking for a great all-in-one package, and rest asure this kit will last for years...

I have never understood how any manufacturer who creates products for buyer assembly have never ever tried to assemble their own products! I'd love to give the CEO, Board of Directors and their Design Teams their own individual Scroll Stand Saws to assemble! I am certain that the product would be redesigned within hours and it would then be a snap(hint,hint)to quickly assemble and then bolt together!

Went together easy and is very sturdy. My saw operates very smooth on top of this stand. I rate dewalt tools very high.

I ordered the recondioned model and I am very happy. I received the item in less than a week. It went together like a charm. It only took 1 hour to put together and to mount the scrollsaw.

We are a contracting company and have tried to stick to one brand of rechargeable tool at the same voltage so that the batteries are interchangable. This gets four stars because they do not last under heavy use conditions...the best we have managed is 11 months. We are carefull to fully discharge and fully recharge but they start to not a charge as long then will not charge at all. The other reason for the four stars is that they are way too expensive. It would not be so bad if it lasted for 24-30 months. We have 5 tools, each with 2 batteries and are replacing them about once a year.
Bring down the price and it would be a 5 star!

I purchased my DeWalt 14.4 volt half inch hammer/drill in 1996 at Lowe's in Lake Charles, LA and am still using the original two batteries which were included in the purchase price. While the batteries are 6 years old, they still work for me but don't have the run life they had when new (that is to be expected!). I keep one battery in the drill and the other in the charger which is plugged in all the time. I have not kept a record of the number of recharges but I estimate it has been two to three times a month. I have always run the battery pack down fully before recharging. One note, don't store them in the cold because they seem to not hold the charge as long as a battery stored in a warm place. I use the drill for home repair, remodeling, and hobby projects. I will order two more sometime in the future.

I am a General Contractor and we use these batteries primarily for 14.4 and 12 volt drills (you can break off the tabs and they work fine in the DeWalt 12 volt drills -- have done it for 5 years with no adverse affects on the drill). We also use the batteries for a 5" cutoff saw.

I highly recommend these batteries; however, you have to watch how and when you charge them. One reviewer rated them low; however, admitted that he "always topped them off." To get the longest life, you have to run them down or their memory will tell them to only hold a small charge at a time. I have had two for over four years. They still work, but must be recharged more often. With the fast chargers, they will charge in an hour. With two chargers on-site, two drills, and four batteries, we never wait for a recharge. I tried Firestorm based on sales rep recommendation at Home Depot (have the same connections to DeWalt tools). They charged a few times and will not hold a charge if left in storage for a week or two. A waste of money on the Firestorm even though they were half the price.

These DO NOT fit the Porter Cable nailers as he claimed. I guess I should've known better than to rely on people writing reviews.

I am not one to put down any one or any company but why would I look at this product twice when I can get the same size Plain Shank Full Head Framing Nail in a 4000 pack at a one word company that starts with an "L" for $30.00. That's over 3000 extra nails for the same price. It will be interesting to see if this review shows up. I have used this brand and see no difference then other brands for less money such as Grip Rite. I have looked at the (review guidelines) I do not own stock in any home building supply company but I would like to see my fellow tool users get the most value for there money. Price, quantity and quality go hand and hand with any product. My name is Scott I am a tool addict. Thanks for letting me share.

Nails work great. Will order more!