Entry/Mid Level Cordless Tools

[Onoff]

parkside/Einhell/Ozito are the same units rebranded as far as i'm aware.

Parkside battery:

Ozito:

Einhell:

So only Einhell / Ozito Power X Change are the same.

I'm a Makita fan but have an Einhell chainsaw that I've printed 3D adaptors for. Working at the mo on a:

Makita battery to Ferrex tool adapter

&

Ferrex battery to Bosch adapter.

As for adapters. Look at 3D printing them. Search on yeggi and thingiverse for "Parkside Makita".

Anythings doable. I've got a Ryobi battery to JCB tool and Makita to Guild lined up to design next.

 

[Robbie260]

If it comes too occasional use tools i usually go a good brand corded. Usually a good £100 quid or more less than thier cordless counterparts, if you dont use them that often you generally dont need a cordless tool and arent losing much by having corded tools. Keep the batteries for stuff that is of use most often.

Unless they are likely too get damsged or stolen like a set specifically for a work van then just go with any old cheapo brand.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Robbie260 I'm going off grid in the near future, So only really want to use a generator when needed

All my regularly used tools I don't mind spending a little more on

 

[armalites]

@Robbie260 I'm going off grid in the near future, So only really want to use a generator when needed

All my regularly used tools I don't mind spending a little more on

Best buy the same brand as your mates then, at least you can swap your flat batteries for charged ones

 

[Robbie260]

@Robbie260 I'm going off grid in the near future, So only really want to use a generator when needed

All my regularly used tools I don't mind spending a little more on

Ah makes sense. Then would suggest saving up for one of the big brand starter packages like one of these.

https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/brands/dewalt/dewalt-cordless-tool-kits

One of these just take your pick of which brand offers the best deal with the tools that will suit you. The budget brands are ok but in the long run they really dont hold up.

These kits work out a lot cheaper than buying individually and you can just buy bare tools after too fill in the gaps as you will have the platform batteries.

 

[armalites]

These kits work out a lot cheaper than buying individually and you can just buy bare tools after too fill in the gaps as you will have the platform batteries.

This is how the many of the dealers can sell chargers,batteries and bare tools cheaply too. They buy the kits and break them up. As you say an £800 kit would probably be £1200 if bought separately.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Robbie260 I'm already invested in a few battery platforms & I'm not a heavy user, So just going to continue as I go!

Drill & Impact gets the most use on batteries

 

[Ruffian]

Got dewalt in my tool box.

But parkside in the work van. That way if broken into I loose a couple hundred quid not close to a grand.

Brake down.

Impact gun, cordless grinder, cordless circular saw. 2x 4ah 3x 2ah batteries. (£200)

Dewalt impact gun and 2 batterys (£230)
Grinder (£120) circular (150)


Still thinking about a ferrex chainsaw just because but dont think I need another system unless I make adapters.

 

[Al Strachan]

Parkside battery:

View attachment 237111

Ozito:

View attachment 237112
Einhell:

View attachment 237113


So only Einhell / Ozito Power X Change are the same.

I'm a Makita fan but have an Einhell chainsaw that I've printed 3D adaptors for. Working at the mo on a:

Makita battery to Ferrex tool adapter

&

Ferrex battery to Bosch adapter.

As for adapters. Look at 3D printing them. Search on yeggi and thingiverse for "Parkside Makita".

Anythings doable. I've got a Ryobi battery to JCB tool and Makita to Guild lined up to design next.

thanks for clearing that up.

3D printing is probably one hobby too many for me.

not really phased by not being able to swap, but if an adaptor crops up I’ll be sure buy for a reasonable price.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Ruffian This is another thing which crosses my mind

If I were to buy all Milwaukee would be a big investment & I don't have any insurance to cover theft. So just can't justify it

 

[Onoff]

This makes a sobering watch if true for all those interested in and indeed down the rabbit hole of making 3D printed battery adapters (like me):

I keep coming back to the mysterious 3rd pin on batteries / tools and whether you can link the 3rd pin between different makes of battery/tool to give more "protection".

Guess I'll find out the hard way!

 

[ronan]

I was looking at the Makita grinders, if you buy them bare they are not silly money. But how much are the batteries and chargers ?


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Makita-D...842547?hash=item5206c43e33:g:WJAAAOSwYvJe6yj1

 

[Onoff]

I was looking at the Makita grinders, if you buy them bare they are not silly money. But how much are the batteries and chargers ?


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Makita-D...842547?hash=item5206c43e33:g:WJAAAOSwYvJe6yj1

About the same money again for a genuine Makita single charger and genuine 4.0Ah battery.

 

[mpats]

Worth having a look at some of AVE's BOLTR's. He takes apart a lot of tools, high end ones aren't that much better built than mid range. I'm mainly a makita man, but I also have quite a few workzone & ferrex things. I tend to use them when I'm going somewhere to do something for someone.
Makita stuff tends to stay at home for my use. It's not to expensive once you've got your batteries and charger, Bare units and keep an eye for places like FFX etc. Once you pick a color you should be able to pretty much stick with it though.

 

[Onoff]

One thing I'm thinking YOU PROBABLY DO NOT WANT TO DO!

Is try and charge a say Ferrex battery on a Makita charger where the Ferrex battery has an adapter fitted to go onto a Makita tool (or charger).

Maybe, just maybe it'd be a goer if you'd lost a particular charger or one had died. As I mentioned elesewhere I might want to see the "3rd pin" connected through too rather than just the + and -. I would love to know how a Makita charger would view a Ferrex battery if +,- & T were all connected up. Whatever, I'd never leave such a setup unattended.

Thinking too it might invalidate your house insurance!

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Onoff I would probably play it safe personally

 

[armalites]

Battery adapters can be ok as long as you understand their limitations. Dewalt actually did their own adapter to allow old Ni-Mh/Ni-Cad tools to use the new Li-Ion batteries.

I can also see the benefit if you need one particular tool that a brand doesn't do but using them as a way to use cheap batteries on top brands is a fools errand in my opinion.

Whilst the conversion factor may be x2 the reality is a genuine battery for a top brand probably actually only costs £20-30 more than an Aldi/Lidl special. Personally I don't think it's worth the hassle given it will never be 100% and will always look like a bodge. I know you can argue you can have twice as many batteries but modern batteries are so good that even a regular home user will easily get away with 2-3 batteries.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@armalites I'm not keen on adapters either tbh

 

[Onoff]

Battery adapters can be ok as long as you understand their limitations. Dewalt actually did their own adapter to allow old Ni-Mh/Ni-Cad tools to use the new Li-Ion batteries.

My chippy mate bought genuine Dewalt adapters and the trigger/switch on two successive old style drills burnt out on the new Li-ion batteries.

Personally I don't think it's worth the hassle given it will never be 100% and will always look like a bodge.

Take your time and home brew adapters can look very good imo. Right down to the branding!

Plus it's fun.

 

[chris pruteanu]

This sort of debate is similar to why german cars are rubbish nowadays...if people would have not bought cheap koreean cars 10-20 years ago then things would look a lot different. Chinese go on same principle, sell cheap, build quality improves to some extent then major players drop prices and ultimately the quality plummets till the brand dilutes in the sea of cheap tat floating about...then people continue to slag it off...old addage: buy cheap, buy twice...