Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Tools included:

• R851150 1/2″ VSR Drill/Driver
• R855 6 1/2″ Circular Saw
• R854 Reciprocating Saw
• R859 Work Light
• 24v XLi Battery Charger
• (2) 24 volt Lithium-ion Batteries

Experience:

I like this tool combo so it’s ironic that while I’ve been putting off this lengthy review some of the tools are beginning to fail.

This Ridgid combo replaced my long-dead Dewalt combo. that was offered well before a “cordless” sawzall was available so the Ridgid would be my first cordless reciprocating saw. I have used it extensively along with all the tools in the bag over the past year.

I’m carrying the Ridgid Combo with me unless a job calls for more and I’ve gotten away with quite a few tasks without electricity.

• Cordless Drill/Driver
• Cordless Circular Saw
• Cordless Reciprocating Saw
• Cordless Illumination!

Plus, I’ve added Ridgid’s

• Cordless Planer
• Cordless Jigsaw

I keep a power inverter in the truck for battery charging.

Comments:

I’d like to say the Drill/Driver is as good as my little 15v Panasonic. Hahah, why do I like that wimpy panasonic?

I’d like to say the sawzall is as tough as my corded model. I’d like to say the Circular saw even comes close to a Saw Boss or that the flashlight is bright. Hmm… What can I say?

I can say that Ridgid makes tools that feel good in my hand. They are simple to adjust, with nice thick nobs and levers that operate smoothly. They are user-friendly and orange.

The Drill/Driver is heavy as hell with the 24V battery and it’s not small either. This is a framing, exterior heavy duty drill driver and I like it. It’s a little sloppy on fit and finish but it’s a brute and lasts long on the 24V… provided it’s not cold – more on that in a sec. I recently used this driver on slow speed hammer drill setting to drive in 1/4″ lags and an hour before to install #6 brass screws into fancy cabinet hinges. This is not a gentle driver.

The cordless circular saw is ok. At first I was excited because it outperforms my retired Dewalt but it’s really not all that impressive. A few sheets of plywood or a bunch of 2x and even the 24V battery is shot. It’s not the one for ripping 2x material unless it’s just one length and the other battery is charging but it is fantastic to have. I use it all the time for things like working on fence, out buildings, attics or basements without power and anywhere a couple of cuts will do.

The reciprocating saw got a lot of use over the year. That’s likely why three parts on mine are broken .. with an important pin lost. It still works. I know I should order the part before it doesn’t exist, since Ridgid has already replaced this model. The sawzall is important on my job. I’ve gotten away with a lot from this saw but let’s just say my opinion matches it’s strength.

The flashlight is outdated in this age of much brighter and more efficient LEDs. Imagine what we should have attached to those huge 24V batteries.

Ahh.. the Ridgid 24V Batteries: First I have say, I noticed that one battery costs $100. The combo kit came with two. That’s $200… so I got a charger, drill, flashlight and two saws for $200? I’ll say that a charging indicator on the battery and super-fast charging are fantastic!

The batteries hate the cold winters in New England. Mine did anyway. The both of my batteries couldn’t figure out whether they were charged or not. Sometimes a single cut would set the battery to dead but setting on the charger shows full after 10 seconds. Nothing I can do about the cold and never had this problem with the Porter-Cable drill/driver battery.

Summary:

Having all these tools cordless is liberating. Do I feel forced to stick with Ridgid’s cordless line since I’m already in this deep with 4 batteries and 6 tools? How do we end up with one over the other… My friend had this one, the tools were smooth. I liked the charge indicator and the tools seemed to last a long time on a single charge. I bought it and I’ve been happy to own a kit such as this. My suggestion would be to read up on these combos, consider what it means to have a half-dozen tools relying on a battery system. Research the batteries and if Ridgid batteries have the best record, go for it.

Links:
Ridgid X3 R963 5 Piece 18v Lithium-ion Combo Kit
Ridgid R964- 4 piece 18 volt Lithium Ion Combo Kit

Ridgid 24V 1-Hour Lithium-Ion Battery Charger 140315001
RIDGID 24V/18V Max Select XLi Lithium-Ion Hammer Drill

My second Millers Falls Push Drill on Toolboxblog.com features a wooden handle with a complete set of bits stored beneath it’s removable wooden cap. (See the other one) I’m not precisely sure where I got this Millers Falls Co. Push Drill but it’s been in my ‘abandoned tools’ box for years.

Features:

• Wooden Handle with Screw Cap
• Bit Storage within Handle

Experience:

As I’ve mentioned, I’m far too young to know about using these tools on the job. I do occasionally drill a few holes with a Millers Falls Co. Push Drill. Mostly used for entertainment purposes. It’s easy and fun to use.

This Millers Falls Push Drill is in decent working condition. The handle is marked with a previous owners initials. I think it’s one of the first Millers Falls push drills but we’ll have to see. This one is marked Millers Falls but with no model number or patent ID that I can find.

If you know more about this tool please leave a comment.

Links:

Yankee style push drills on OldToolsnStuff.com – informative page!

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Features:

• rotating cap type drill point storage
• screw chuck
• YANKEE style drill points

Experience:

Well, this is one of the few tools I can say I’m too young to know much about. I’ll bet there are plenty of old-timers who know how to efficiently handle this Yankee style push drill. Of the three push drills like this that I own, this is the one I use.

It’s kind of interesting, I have a drill press, cordless drills, corded drills and other bit spinning motors and still I keep this Millers Falls Push Drill within reach of my workbench. I guess the reason is… I think it’s cool.

The bits are stashed within the tool and the sizes are marked around the handle. Changing bits with the screw-type chuck seems easy enough to me even though the spring-type chuck is considered a design improvement.

I didn’t rate this tool like I do for others on this site simply because I don’t feel qualified to say this is anything other than a five star tool for quality, ease of use, convenient labeled bit storage, stroke length (efficiency). I’m not old enough to know any better.

Links:

Yankee Style Push Drills on OldToolsNStuff.com – informative page.

[View with PicLens]

Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

Features:

• Capacity: 13″
• Chuck: 3/4″ (20mm)
• Manufacture Date: 1997
• 12 Speed
• 340 to 2,800 RPM

Experience:

This week I’m using the drill press to set up adjustable shelving, pre-drilling cabinet sides before assembly. I’ve made a few jigs for the task over the years. I’d guess that’s my most common use for this press. Drilling long rows of holes to a certain depth – over and over. Which reminds me of the hundreds of 1/2″ mahogany plugs I made for a siding job with this press.
I bought the mortising attachment and some bits and tried that once. Yikes, I might as well chisel by hand. It seems best for softer wood since it’s a fairly manual operation and this Reliant doesn’t like to be pulled on hard. The mortising assembly and the bits are collecting dust.

The Delta Sanding Drum Kit has come in handy and creates one of the few times I actually change speeds on this thing.

Comments:

I had to set this Drill Press on rollers so I could move it around to accommodate longer boards. In 12 years, I rarely change speeds. Changing the drill speed is a manual operation. Open the lid, crank a lever loosening the pulleys, read the chart to figure out where the belts go on then close it back up.

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If you don’t have to leave one or two crank handles off they’ll vibrate loose and fall out anyway.

Overall this has a small motor, low-quality fit and finish and a few issues. I think that’s goes with, you get what you pay for – but.. It’s 12 years old. It works for my purposes.. except when things get heavy-duty, then it’s better left for drilling 17/64″ holes down a face of birch ply.

[View with PicLens]

Links:

Here are a few different drill presses at Amazon.com
Grizzly G7944 12 Speed Heavy-Duty 14″ Floor Drill Press
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DELTA 17-950L 16.5-Inch TwinLaser Crosshair Drill Press
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DELTA DP300L 12-Inch TwinLaser Crosshair Drill Press
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Once upon a time I had an ancient drill I kept at home. It seemed to find a lot of use around the house… you know as my homeowner drill. When it died I went looking for an inexpensive 3/8″ drill for around the house and found the Black & Decker Quantum reasonably priced.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Features:

• 3/8″ Keyless Chuck
• 4Amps
• 0-2500RPM Variable Speed

Experience:

Common drilling. This isn’t a poweful drill with it’s 4 Amp motor. It’s not a contractor grade tool despite it’s armor-like plastic housing. When I don’t have a great deal of respect for a tool it takes a lot more abuse. Maybe I’ll just let it fall a little further, drag it by the cord, push it’s motor to the limits and use it beyond my intended purpose. What am I saying about the B&D Quantum? I bought the cheapest drill in the store and given it a lot of use. It’s still working 10 year later. I still think of it as my crappy 3/8″ drill, the one I lend to friends who are just buying a house or want to wire brush some furniture.

Comments:

It’s not the strongest homeowner drill but it’s lasted ten years longer than expected.

Links:

Although it really looks like a piece of crap, it’s only $30… I seriously can’t recommend buying something like this:
Black & Decker DR250B 5.2 amp 3/8-inch VSR Drill/Driver with Storage Bag

Ok, I admit to having no idea what this tool was called until a few minutes ago. The small tool for this week on Toolboxblog.com is the American made L.S. Starrett & Co. No. 162B Pin Vise from Starrett’s Machinists’ Precision Shop Tools. It’s one of my favorite small tools and once you’ve got an assortment of Pin Vise Twist Drill Bits you’ll find it to be an indispensable part of your woodworking shop.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Description:

• 0-.040″ (0-1mm) Range 162A
• .030-.062″ (0.8-1.6mm) Range 162B
• .050-.125″ (1.3-3.2mm) Range 162C
• .115-.187″ (2.9-4.8mm) Range 162D
• Pin Vise Set, Sizes 162A/B/C/D in Protective Vinyl Case S162Z

Experience:

Finger drill, mini drill, tiny drill? Hand drill is closer. My Pin Vise has written on it:

L.S. Starrett Co.
Athol, Mass U.S.A.

I knew it was a Starrett but I didn’t know it was called a pin vise. Here’s the description from Starrett‘s site:

Pin Vises
Starrett pin vises are useful for holding small stock, taps, drills, reamers, scribers, wire, small files, and other tools. The jaws on all are hardened and with a few turns of the binding nut, a firm grip may be obtained. Handles and binding nuts are nickel-plated except for the No. 166 Series.

No. 162 Pin Vises
A hole extends through the full length of the handles so that wires of any length and any diameter up to the full size of the tool can be held. The handles of these pin vises are reduced in size so that they can be rapidly rotated between thumb and finger when filing small work.

I mostly use these ‘pin vises’ as little drills. I love this tool for some common woodworking tasks including installing small hinges in hardwood, predrilling for nails, brads and pins and for making the perfect starter hole for a larger drill bit. I also use my pin vice to hold a scribe point when working with the hardest of woods. Sometimes used in combination with an awl; 1st marking the exact center then drilling with my pin vise. I have a few different manufacturer’s pin vices but the Starrett is the one I use most often due to it’s hollow handle and never failing chuck.

Comments:

I own a few of these tiny drills (Pin Vises) but they are each different and I prefer this Starrett. For instance, one of my little finger drills is just like those micro screwdrivers with the spinning top. The spinning top is great for this finger drilling application but without the bit being able to extend into the hollow handle my bits would break. The bits can be 2″ long but I usually don’t need more than 3/8″ exposed. Starrett & Co. tools, synonymous with quality, are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Links:

No. 162 Series Pin Vises at Starrett.com

Starrett S162Z Pin Vises Set of 4 in Protective Vinyl Case at Amazon.com

With production and distribution companies in over 21 countries Metabowerke GmbH builds the kind of quality tools a contractor wants on his job. I love those German machines but in this day it’s hard to know exactly where a tool was really put together. Am I talking about cars again? No, it’s the Metabo 751 hammer drill and it’s served me well for 14 years.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Features:

The Metabo 751 weighs in at 5.1 bls with a 6.2 Amp variable speed motor.

• Comfortable weight and balance
• Side handle with internal storage and an offset depth guide.
• The large control dials with user-friendly icons. (rabbit and a turtle)
• Ambidextrous forward/reverse switch and trigger lock-on switch
• 8′ power cord and steel carrying case.

Experience:
Replacing a huge Bosch hammer drill that I wore out drilling foundations for countless hold-downs as part of seismic upgrading I needed a new 1/2″ drill and found the Metabo brand at a local hardware store. I could see and feel the quality of this tool on first inspection and I wasn’t wrong. Here we are 14 years later and this pup is still doing my big drilling. I guess I should define ‘big’ drilling because I’m no longer spending my days underneath houses drilling into concrete but I do deal with steel beams, occasional concrete or block walls and lots of drilling into wood.

Modern cordless drills like my 24v Ridgid can repeatedly handle a 2 1/8″ hole-saw through solid-core doors but I’m likely to set up the Metabo if I’m doing more than one. It’s nice to keep the screw tips in a cordless and use the corded for drilling holes.

Comments:
My Metabo 751 has taken a beating and I mean that sincerely. Not long after I bought it, a coworker dropped it off our scaffolding. It landed on concrete, breaking the side-handle. It didn’t show any other signs of damage and ordering a new handle wasn’t too hard. I am just going to keep my comment to: It’s another one of my tools that’s been used frequently for nearly 15 years. What more could you want from your contractor tools? This drill squeels with a high pitched sound. It’s strong enough to hurt your wrist when it binds. With the side handle and good ergonomics I’m certain I chose the right drill. I doubt I’ll need to replace this Metabo for a long time to come.

Links:
Metabo SBE750 at Amazon.com

SBE 750 Hammer Drill at Metabo.com (Similar Product Data)
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The Porter-Cable 878? That’s what’s printed on the side of my drill/driver despite the fact several searches at Porter-Cable come up: “No pages were found.” Still, this 14.4v Porter-Cable Cordless Drill/Driver continues to serve me well.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

FEATURES

• 14.4 Volt, 1.3 Amp-hour batteries
• 1/2″ keyless chuck with 310 in./lbs. maximum torque
• 21 position clutch plus solid lock-up/drill mode
• 2-speed gear box (0-475 & 0-1,450 RPM)
• Standard Equipment: Drill, two battery packs, diagnostic charger, carrying case, double-ended bit tip, and operating manual

Experience:
I received this Porter-Cable Drill/Driver as a gift and immediately put it to use as my ‘work’ screwgun. For a few years I operated exclusively with this 14.4v driver. I’ve left it under a house for 6 months, left it out in the rain, worked in sub-zero temps and 100ºF sweat-drenching days and it’s none-the-worse.

I have 14.4v, 15.6v, 18v and 24v cordless drill/drivers. I prefer the smaller lighter tools like this 14.4v Porter-Cable to the weighty 24v Rigid I’ve added to my box.

Comments:
On the positive side, This screwgun still seems to give 100% and it’s still using the original batteries. (I’ve been through three Apple Powerbook batteries in less time.) The chuck on the Porter-Cable 878 is outdated by current standards, being the kind requiring two hands to adjust. There’s nothing super special about this Porter-Cable drill except that it’s been through so much and it’s still driving in decking screws. It beats my Dewalt hands down for durability and performance but it’s not as smooth or precise as my Panasonic.

DeltaPorterCable.com (Manufacturer’s website)
Porter-Cable 9824 14.4-Volt Cordless Drill/Driver

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Features
3.0 Amp-hr Ni-MH N battery pack delivers 50% longer run time.
Self-diagnostic 45-minute universal charger for both Ni-Cd and Ni-MH battery packs.
Feed-back circuit delivers maximum torque at all speeds.
New duralumin heavy duty 1/2″ keyless chuck.
Variable speed control.
18-stage clutch for more precise torque setting.

Experience:
I have always admired the Panasonic screw guns I’ve used so I bought one of my own. This thing is a beauty. It’s small size and smooth workings set it apart from my regular heavy-duty drill drivers. I’ve kept the Panasonic in my workshop, preferring to enjoy it’s quality on my home projects than subject it to the abuse of my workplace.

Comments:
Probably because I liked tool so much did it suffer the highest fall of any screw gun I’ve dropped. About 16′ above my solid oak flooring is where I let go off this one as my ladder slid out from under me. Once upon my feet, I noticed the my prized Panasonic made a decent dent in the floor before bouncing into an antique, gouging it’s mahogany face. I re-inserted the battery and it worked fine and has for years since.

Wow, The Panasonic cordless drills are expensive! I’ve used one for a few years now and have used many other brands. I have recommended a Panasonic to co-workers, friends and homeowners over any other brand. Whether it’s your first or another drill in your collection, I doubt you’ll be disappointed with this one. It’s one smooth operating tool. It’s not a 32v killer but it is indicative of the smooth workings of a Panasonic cordless drill/driver and it’s not a wimp, touting up to 390 in.lbs. of torque. I love it.

Links:
The EY6432GQKW at Panasonic.com (Product Data)

Panasonic EY6432GQKW 15.6-Volt NiMH 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit at Amazon.