Battery Powered Tools

[Ray,IN]

I send my batteries to a place in Harrison Maine to get rebuilt.I think it may be called the Tool Works,but I'm not positive.I've never had to get one of their rebuilds done again yet,so I don't know how long they will last.It's been years.You get what you pay for,not amazon quality or prices.

Today, Batteries+, inside Interstate battery stores, rebuilds these batteries

 

[Ray,IN]

I've seen where in some places they have motorcycles/scooters set up like this. The battery unit slips right out and you exchange it, this is in countries where many don't have access to power to recharge themselves. E Bikes have a unit like this. In this country we seem to need heated/cooled seats and other luxuries more than basic transportation. If there was a company making an EV equipped like a 60's VW it would be a simpler task and a smaller battery.

But! Those 60's bugs had gasoline heaters. The manifold heating was barely enough to keep you warm on a 60° day..
I really like my Ryboi tools. I have a string trimmer and chainsaw. I bought an extra 6A 40V battery off Amazon. By the time the 2.5A battery for the trimmer is run-down, so am I. I go to the house where we both get recharged for a few hrs., then back to work.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Well I have about a 100 feet of 12gauge extension cord plus another 100 of 14 so that is 200 feet then I have about 60 or so of 1/2 inch air hose along with about 150 foot of small air hose I can reach the road form the shed with small air hose and still have50 left. As for the cords I have juice to each building that I need to work in and the others are close enough to reach with cord from them. At Dad's we can to pretty much the same thing . And I could move the air compressor out of the shed to a remote area if need be and run the welder to power it. Now if beyond that I guess it is the old socket and ratchet. Some things I just pickup and carry up to the power. I hate working out in remote areas of the farm tools get lost and scattered when that has to be done sometimes. Working up by the shed I have a cement apron to work on for the most part and time running for tools is next to nothing. Dad likes to work on a dozen different things at once and has tools scattered then can't find this or that says it was right on the wall or on this shelf. Well then we find it where he was last working.

The problem I have with extension cords is they are something to trip over.
One time I tripped over an extension cord and kissed the concrete patio. OUCH.
Another time I tripped and landed on my butt. Dr couldn't tell if I cracked my butt or it was a pre-existing condition. Ouch agaub

 

[will-max dairy]

Battery grinder with a flap wheel is a great accessory for using a hand scythe. You can carry a whetstone and water with you... or a little battery powered grinder... which is much easier, and it tunes up the blade faster. Combine new tech and old tech... for the win.

 

[will-max dairy]

I honestly can't see how a battery "rebuilder" can rebuild a battery in a cost-effective manner.

New batteries are churned out by automated assembly lines...

And some guy with a soldering iron, a bin full of cells and a screwgun is going to rebuild a battery for the same, or less than new? With a decent level of repeatability? And make a living at it?

I find it possible, but not probable.

 

[will-max dairy]

Sadly, most corded products nowadays are made with cheap insulation on the cords. After a few years, you either electrical tape the cords, or spend about as much on a new cord as a new battery... the planned obsolescence paradigm is deeply embedded in everything that we buy now.... corded or un-corded.

 

[Ultradog MN]

... the planned obsolescence paradigm is deeply embedded in everything that we buy now.

I recently read this somewhere and liked it.
They talked about all the cheap junk we're buying now days and said we have a 'landfill economy".

 

[will-max dairy]

I recently read this somewhere and liked it.
They talked about all the cheap junk we're buying now days and said we have a 'landfill economy".

Ashes to ashes... dust to dust... shipping, marketing, sales tax and landfill... is paid for by us.

lol

 

[kencombs]

I honestly can't see how a battery "rebuilder" can rebuild a battery in a cost-effective manner.

New batteries are churned out by automated assembly lines...

And some guy with a soldering iron, a bin full of cells and a screwgun is going to rebuild a battery for the same, or less than new? With a decent level of repeatability? And make a living at it?

I find it possible, but not probable.

well, he/she may not be using the same quality level cells. Or, most are using old tech cells (Ni-Cad) no longer being used by tool makers and are dirt cheap. I don't know of any that are doing Li-ion for instance.

But on the other side of the ledger,non of the rebuilders are paying for print, internet or TV ads. And that accounts for a lot of the retail price from the OEM sources.

 

[kencombs]

Sadly, most corded products nowadays are made with cheap insulation on the cords. After a few years, you either electrical tape the cords, or spend about as much on a new cord as a new battery... the planned obsolescence paradigm is deeply embedded in everything that we buy now.... corded or un-corded.

I absolutely hate PVC insulated cords. Stiff when cold, crack quickly at stress points and crumble after exposure to too much sunlight.

I have old rubber covered cords that are in good shape and probably 30 years old.

 

[Texgasser1]

I honestly can't see how a battery "rebuilder" can rebuild a battery in a cost-effective manner.

New batteries are churned out by automated assembly lines...

And some guy with a soldering iron, a bin full of cells and a screwgun is going to rebuild a battery for the same, or less than new? With a decent level of repeatability? And make a living at it?

I find it possible, but not probable.

Well it is definitely possible, I have had several rebuilt and they last great and do cost less than new.

 

[showcrop]

I honestly can't see how a battery "rebuilder" can rebuild a battery in a cost-effective manner.

New batteries are churned out by automated assembly lines...

And some guy with a soldering iron, a bin full of cells and a screwgun is going to rebuild a battery for the same, or less than new? With a decent level of repeatability? And make a living at it?

I find it possible, but not probable.

All I know is that it worked well for me and it has kept working, and the price was very reasonable.

 

[will-max dairy]

All I know is that it worked well for me and it has kept working, and the price was very reasonable.

I never say never. It probably depends on the battery and how complex the charge control is.

 

[Keith True]

Many years ago,when I sent my first batteries up to The Tool Works in Harrison Maine,he told me that there was not going to be a huge savings.But,I was going to get a better quality product than the original.Savings were OK,better than he led me to believe,but the end product really lasted much longer than the originals.One time I sent something in that was odd,and he called me and told me that he could do it,but I would need a different charger.He told me where I could buy it,or could buy one from him.My first experience with Li-Ion.He rebuilds them,and has been doing them since they first hit the market.

 

[chuckthin]

I honestly can't see how a battery "rebuilder" can rebuild a battery in a cost-effective manner.

New batteries are churned out by automated assembly lines...

And some guy with a soldering iron, a bin full of cells and a screwgun is going to rebuild a battery for the same, or less than new? With a decent level of repeatability? And make a living at it?

I find it possible, but not probable.

I have rebuilt 2 12 ah batteries so far which retails for $500. I paid $5 apiece X 30 batteries and the secount battery was a lot easier. I bought
same batteries that were in original. I'm happy with them and will keep doing it for myself only.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I watch the sales. Every year during the holidays I add 1-2 new batteries to the arsenal. After a few years I've built up a formidable array of batteries, so if I lose one, it's not a show stopper.

It's rare that a battery fails, but it does happen. It happened more in the past than it does now, which to me indicates that things are improving. I'm also very cognizant of the warranty and replacement policies and procedures. In the past year I've had to warranty a battery. While it took some time it was fairly painless and they sent me a new battery no questions asked. In fact they messed up and sent TWO replacement batteries.

Make sure you register your tools and batteries with the manufacturer as soon as you get them.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

Many years ago,when I sent my first batteries up to The Tool Works in Harrison Maine,he told me that there was not going to be a huge savings.But,I was going to get a better quality product than the original.Savings were OK,better than he led me to believe,but the end product really lasted much longer than the originals.One time I sent something in that was odd,and he called me and told me that he could do it,but I would need a different charger.He told me where I could buy it,or could buy one from him.My first experience with Li-Ion.He rebuilds them,and has been doing them since they first hit the market.

I would like t be able to get in contact with him. Sounds like he knows what he is doing.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I would like t be able to get in contact with him. Sounds like he knows what he is doing.

They still won't last forever.

 

[will-max dairy]

Well I have about a 100 feet of 12gauge extension cord plus another 100 of 14 so that is 200 feet then I have about 60 or so of 1/2 inch air hose along with about 150 foot of small air hose I can reach the road form the shed with small air hose and still have50 left. As for the cords I have juice to each building that I need to work in and the others are close enough to reach with cord from them. At Dad's we can to pretty much the same thing . And I could move the air compressor out of the shed to a remote area if need be and run the welder to power it. Now if beyond that I guess it is the old socket and ratchet. Some things I just pickup and carry up to the power. I hate working out in remote areas of the farm tools get lost and scattered when that has to be done sometimes. Working up by the shed I have a cement apron to work on for the most part and time running for tools is next to nothing. Dad likes to work on a dozen different things at once and has tools scattered then can't find this or that says it was right on the wall or on this shelf. Well then we find it where he was last working.

If you replace extension cords and air hoses according to OSHA rules, it's probably just as expensive as replacing failed batteries.

Unless... you can show me pictures of all of these cords and air hoses, and they are pristine after a few years' worth of use...

 

[Sprint 6]

I'll take my battery tools over any weak air tool. My 8 year old M18 1/2in impact will beat the brakes off any 1/2in air impact power-wise, but with half the noise. If it weren't for the air hammer and tire machine, my shop could get by with a 110V portable air compressor. Milwaukee hasn't come up with an M18 hammer, yet.

The only time the air impact comes out is for nuts on spinning studs (shocks, tie rods, etc.). Air does still shine for these instances because an air impact goes from 0-100 in an instant, where electric spools up a little slow for spinning studs.