# Starter tool kits



## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

I am in the process of purchasing a house that will end up with quite a bit of DIY work once it is all said and done and I am looking into a good starter tool kit to make life easier on myself. 

I have been looking at kits that include a hammer drill and sawzall but past that I don't really know what I should be looking for. A light of some sort would be nice as would a circular and jig saw but those aren't quite as high on my list. I see a lot of the kits also come with an impact wrench. Is that something worth getting? My tool know-how isn't super high and the only thing I know of using them for is changing lugs on tires - so I could be missing out.

Skimming through DeWalt's webpage I see 36V kits, 24V kits, 18V kits and 14V kits. Is there any particular advantage to a 36V versus an 18V, other than having more power available to the tool? I would think that for most work I would be doing that would just be overkill. 

I am not tied to any particular brand. I have used DeWalt tools in the past and been happy with them. I have read a lot of good things about Makita tools but have never used them. 

Thanks


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

an impact is a must have, you will find you use it for EVERYTHING. The small voltage impacts will take screwdriver bits, nut setters etc. Once you use them, you will be hooked.

Personally, I am a Makita fan I own tons of their stuff, and it has never disappointed, but for the average homeowner you will probably be happy with just about any national brandname. Stay away from the brands you never heard of, they are $29.00 for a reason.

Good luck with the new place


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

Make sure you know the difference between an impact driver and impact wrench. Everybody will have their preference will the brands. I have Makita and Milwaukee. The Milwaukee are great tools but the batteries were terrible. I had them rebuilt and have been very happy with them.


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

cellophane, Welcome to the Forum

 I would recommend an 18V Lithium-Ion kit from any of the 'Name' tool companies.

36V tools are powerful but heavy expensive tools, used mostly by the trades.

Tools 14.4V and less are light and more powerful than most assume but not as common in a full bore kit with both Saws. Batteries are the single biggest expense in a Kit and since none of the tool brand batteries are interchangeable, it is better to start out IMO with an 18V Kit

I have not seen a Kit with a Jig saw as most folks use a corded Jig Saw.

There are hundreds of internet sources on Kits (new or refurbished) plus some occasional good buys from the Big Box stores. Buying on the net has to be factored with the shipping and whether or not local sales taxes are applicable.

A source I’ve found with good deals is:

http://www.tylertool.com/

and also: http://www.coastaltool.com/

coupons for Coastal: http://www.coupons2grab.com/coastal_tool-discount-coupons
.


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

jerryh3 said:


> Make sure you know the difference between an impact driver and impact wrench.


Good point, but i have never seen a multi tool set include a wrench, if they include an impact, you can rest assured it will be a driver


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

Mr Chips said:


> Good point, but i have never seen a multi tool set include a wrench, if they include an impact, you can rest assured it will be a driver


True. But, I just wanted to make the terminology was correct. The OP mentioned something about changing the lugs on tires and wanted to point out the difference. BTW, Dewalt offers a nine tool kit that includes an impact wrench and not a driver.


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## Highlander (Mar 2, 2009)

Unless you are planning to use the tools hard, get any name-brand 18 v set on the market, even Craftsman, Ryobi, or Porter Cable.

Do you really need a hammer drill? If you really need a hammer drill, I would recommend a corded version to get the extra power. Do not restrict your choice by insisting on a hammer drill.

Check torque of the drill. You want one which is 350 in-lbs or higher. I only say this because 18 months ago I saw a real deal on a B&D 18v drill, but looking closely noticed it was only 200 in-lbs.

I have a cordless jig saw and never use it. It is probably the only cordless tool that I don't go to before using the corded version.

I love the cordless circular saw. It feels safer and easier to handle than my corded saw. It is great if you only need to do a couple of cuts, much more convienient.


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## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

thanks for the info so far. i actually didnt realize the difference between the impact wrench and driver so its nice to have the clarification.


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## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

Highlander said:


> Check torque of the drill. You want one which is 350 in-lbs or higher. I only say this because 18 months ago I saw a real deal on a B&D 18v drill, but looking closely noticed it was only 200 in-lbs.


where do i find the in-lbs numbers for the drills? i am looking through dewalt's site and they list the watts available but not the in-lbs (that is torque right?) this is actually a question asked on the drill's page and not answered anywhere that i can find. my math-fu isnt quite what it used to be and i dont remember how to convert this stuff around :blush:

http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=19391
http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=20735#BVQAWidgetID


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

cellophane said:


> where do i find the in-lbs numbers for the drills?


 
Honestly, this is what I *hate* about DeWalt, they always seem to try to hide and confuse the numbers, so it makes it difficult to compare their stuff to others. IMO, they are a great marketing company, and a so-so tool company

If you look HERE it looks like the column labeled POWER RATING is for torque, but in realitity torque is just a factor of the power rating they use, according to THIS page


If you do a little searching on the FAQ page, you will find this line of B.S. 
*Why is DEWALT now marketing power instead of torque?*
User loyalty is built by delivering a product that has superior performance (productivity) on the jobsite. Common perception has been that drills with higher torque ratings will complete applications faster. This is not the case. In fact, drills with higher torque ratings are likely to underperform on the jobsite due to the inverse relationship between speed & torque. A drill that has more power (UWO) delivers what the user needs, productivity, while a drill with a high torque rating does not. DEWALT is committed to delivering and marketing what the user needs on the jobsite.
*Will DEWALT advertise torque on any cordless drills?*
No. All packaging, merchandising, literature, etc, will transition over to the power rating (UWO). A torque rating will no longer be displayed.
Torque might be confusing to Johny Homeowner, but guys on the jobsite know that slower speed's give you more torque.

Torque's are CLEARLY listed on Makita website


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## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

Mr Chips said:


> Honestly, this is what I *hate* about DeWalt, they always seem to try to hide and confuse the numbers, so it makes it difficult to compare their stuff to others. IMO, they are a great marketing company, and a so-so tool company
> 
> Torque's are CLEARLY listed on Makita website


yup 

the impact drivers list a torque number, just not the drills. :wallbash:


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## shumakerscott (Jan 11, 2008)

*This is a good combo*

http://www.tylertool.com/makitalxt601.html

This will cover about every job you will encounter. Spend the $$ and avoid problems in the future. dorf dude...


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## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

I have a followup question about all of this - 

Based on readings here and other forum's about the big box stores selling lower spec products would I be better off buying from an independent seller or would the box store lower spec product be sufficient? I am a firm believer in the addage "You get what you pay for" and don't mind paying for quality - I do however recognize that at some point you do reach diminishing returns.

If I do purchase from a non-box store seller who and what should I look for? I have seen Harbor Freight and Tool King linked here numerous times and have no real problems ordering online.


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## shumakerscott (Jan 11, 2008)

*Don't go Lower Spec*

Go with Makita, or similar. Go somewhere you can put them in your hands and check out how they feel. Li-ion battery for shure. No Ni-Cad. dorf dude...


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## Highlander (Mar 2, 2009)

For DIY, big box stores are your best bet. I don't know if you get a lower spec model or not, but it is going to be good enough. If these companies sold lower quality tools at the high turnover places, their reputations would be shot real quick.

Get as much as you can in a kit (or kits). Bare tools tend to cost more. Stick with one brand so the batteries are interchangeable between tools. Go with a brand that sells the tools you want (not everyone sells all the tools), and pick them up and see how they feel.

As I said before, unless you are planning to use the tools hard, get any name-brand 18 v set on the market, even Craftsman, Ryobi, or Porter Cable. Agreed, DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and Hitachi tend to have more prestiege being 'Professional' tools.

I have DeWalt, Ridgid, and Ryobi. I like my Ridgid Drill and Impact and go for them every time. I use my Ryobi tools a lot, because they have such a large selection that use the same battery, I have garden tools, saws, drills, I think I have about 15 different tools for their one+ line. My DeWalt tools are all corded, I like them a lot, but I just didn't see the sense in paying the premium for their cordless tools.

Whichever tool line you get, the batteries are going to go first. Size up the cost of the replacement batteries. the bigger the tool line, the more likely the batteries will be around a long time. NOTE: If you buy Ridgid (new, not Recon), you can register the tool for LSA (lifetime Service Agreement) which will provide replacement batteries.

Stay away from Harbor Freight for anything you want to use for a long time. They are good for cheap tools you would rarely use.


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

If you are comparing 2 exact same model numbers, shouldn't matter where you buy them. Big Box stores are DESPERATE for more contractor business, so they are constantly pushing their vendors for high qualitity and lower prices. IMO, most of the "lower qualitity at big box stores" stories are just rumors put out there to discredit Depot's and Lowes since they have deeply wounded the local supply houses


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## RegeSullivan (Dec 8, 2006)

I'm with Mr. Chips on the big box stores. No manufacturer is going to change the spec on a particular model number just for a big box store customer. That would make tracking warranty claims a nightmare and give all tools with that model number a bad reputation and it is just not a practice you will find in manufacturing. The case or packaging may be different but the tool will be the same.


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