Screwfix Drill/Impact Driver Twin Pack Bargains - DeWalt vs Makita

[Nickfromwales]

1 minute ago, epsilonGreedy said:

wonderful Makita pulse driver

Oil impulse?

[epsilonGreedy]

4 minutes ago, Onoff said:

Red charging light on, charge bars gone from 1 to 4 but no fan noise at all so far. Charger doesn't feel overly hot.

 

 

My Makita charger purchased 3 years ago looks the same except the model number is DC18RC. Not got the new one out of the case yet.

 

You won't miss the fan when it kicks in.

[Nickfromwales]

It's quiet when new, but does get noisier with life / dirt  / dust ingress. Doesn't bother me tbh, as I'm too busy working to sit there listening to it.  

[epsilonGreedy]

7 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Oil impulse?

 

 

Think so the one with a silly price tag, it was new on the market 3 years ago. I purchased mine online from that dodgy tool retailer in Swansea who supplied my Makita pulse driver in a plain cardboard box and zero Makita paperwork. It is still performing well and I like how controllable it is at low speed or when applying an extra 1/4 turn when a screw is nearly home. When it packs in I won't be able to afford a replacement at the current retail price. I think the first batch were heavy discounted 3 years ago.

[Onoff]

21 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said:

 

My Makita charger purchased 3 years ago looks the same except the model number is DC18RC. Not got the new one out of the case yet.

 

You won't miss the fan when it kicks in.

 

My original DC18RA definitely has a fan in it!

 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

Just now, epsilonGreedy said:

 

Think so the one with a silly price tag, it was new on the market 3 years ago. I purchased mine online from that dodgy tool retailer in Swansea who supplied my Makita pulse driver in a plain cardboard box and zero Makita paperwork. It is still performing well and I like how controllable it is at low speed or when applying an extra 1/4 turn when a screw is nearly home. When it packs in I won't be able to afford a replacement at the current retail price. I think the first batch were heavy discounted 3 years ago.

Yup. The cheap box was to get the uber-cheap price iirc. I paid £150+VAT for my first one, and £249+VAT for the next ( from Screwfix ).

[PeterW]

53 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said:

My Makita charger purchased 3 years ago looks the same except the model number is DC18RC

Thats a rapid charger. The RA is the old version that is standard charge rate 

[Onoff]

15 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Thats a rapid charger. The RA is the old version that is standard charge rate 

 

Does a 3Ah in 20 minutes I think?

[PeterW]

3 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

Does a 3Ah in 20 minutes I think?

Yep but won’t do the newer batteries at full chat as the comms between battery and charger are different. If you have the latest (genuine) batteries they charge much slower. 

[Ferdinand]

23 hours ago, CotswoldDoItUpper said:

I have dewalt and v happy. I bought the drill with 2x 4Ah batteries about 3 months ago and despite lots of screwing (about 1500 70mm size 4s!) only charged the battery once. 
 

good luck!

 

I read that as Cotswold Dolt Upper.

As if the Queen counts dolts like Swans.

 

Well, I make it one outright and one possible, from the three.

 

[Oxbow16]

Hi folks

 

Having asked on another couple of forums, some people elsewhere said you should never buy power tools from places like Toolstation and Screwfix.   The logic being that they are always cheaper elsewhere and they tend to be poorly spec'd/priced cheaply to lure people in to a brand loyalty.  

 

I've already bought the DeWalt set.  Haven't used them yet and am starting to get near to my 30 day return deadline.  Following the above, I've had a look and tried to compare offerings from other sites.  I had to give up in the end.  There are so many different model numbers, and then slight variations to the same numbers...  To compare within one brand would need a degree in power tools.  To do the same for all competing brands would need a PhD!  

 

What I did find is that whilst the Screwfix set seems to be exclusive to SF, the individual tools - DCD778 and DCF787 - are available to buy in a few other shops. Taking the impact driver (DCF787) as an example, the best bare unit I could find was around £70.  Which to my mind makes £160 for impact driver, drill, case, charger and two batteries quite a good deal.  

Does anyone here agree with the above RE buying such tools for SF / TS?  If anyone can find or knows of a comparable set for less money, or a better quality set for around the same money, please do let me know.  I'd love to hear before the deadline to return is reached.  Whilst I am tempted to splash out and go for a more professional better quality and more expensive set (or Milwaukee, etc), I don't think my use would justify it.  I do like to buy well and buy once, but these tools might get used solidly for a week or two, then left for a month.  Once the house is renovated, they'll only see small DIY jobs around the house, and things like fences, wood shelters, etc. outdoors.  But that won't be all the time either.  So I didn't go el cheapo, and not super pro either.  

 

All ears to any suggestions.

 

Cheers

 

PS - even the DeWalt batteries are hard to compare!  Some are block with a yellow button and some the reverse.  Is there more to it than just colour?  Does that signify different quality ranges or something? 

[Onoff]

5 hours ago, Oxbow16 said:

 

 

I have heard rumours that buyers with clout (SF / B&Q all part of the Kingfisher group, the Wickes, TP & TS) get the big names like Makita to make exclusively for them hence the slight product number differences compared to elsewhere. 

 

Again only rumour but they get the price down by fitting say plastic instead of metal gears, chucks etc.

 

How true it is I don't know.

[dpmiller]

certainly SF and B&Q have a habit of providing smaller capacity (Ah) batteries

[Onoff]

Tbh I'd go Makita. The battery system is excellent.

 

Gives you the option to then pair with "Fakita", cheap Chinese clones that take Makita 18V batteries.

 

I've got:

 

Grinder

Multitool

Recip saw

Handheld chainsaw

 

Been good for DIY stuff so far and a quarter of the price of the real thing.

 

 

 

 

[Pocster]

2 hours ago, Onoff said:

Tbh I'd go Makita.

Problem with Makita tools they cause procrastination and you never finish jobs . Dewalt all the way ?

[Onoff]

Whatever you do avoid the Makita G-Series. Only buy LXT stuff.

 

Whoever came up with the evolutionary dead end that is the G-Series needs their head examined. Far less tool options and the battery system is incompatible with the LXT stuff.

[markc]

46 minutes ago, pocster said:

Problem with Makita tools they cause procrastination and you never finish jobs . Dewalt all the way ?

Yep, you have to use a Dewalt straight away … or it will go off and fall apart.

[Pocster]

Just now, markc said:

Yep, you have to use a Dewalt straight away … or it will go off and fall apart.

Yes the user can certainly fall apart 

[epsilonGreedy]

On 08/11/2021 at 12:26, markc said:

Yep, you have to use a Dewalt straight away … or it will go off and fall apart.

 

 

I heard they refuse to start unless the operator is wearing colour coordinated branded Dewalt work trousers.

 

Seriously I could not buy into a tool brand that sells awful trousers.

[epsilonGreedy]

On 08/11/2021 at 07:37, dpmiller said:

certainly SF and B&Q have a habit of providing smaller capacity (Ah) batteries

 

 

I got two 5AH batteries in that recent £150 drill package deal plus another 10% off with that time limited all purchases discount. I picked up another 10% voucher today when spending £50 but cannot think what to buy to save 10%.

 

I have noticed Screwfix tend to pair lower capacity batteries with brushless tools which is logical given their better power efficiency.

[epsilonGreedy]

On 08/11/2021 at 09:01, Onoff said:

I've got:

 

Grinder

Multitool

Recip saw

Handheld chainsaw

 

 

My collection is growing, 100% Makita here:

18 volt:

• Torch
• Pulse Driver
• Wood planer
• Drill
• Circular saw
• Multitool

 

240 volt

• 4 1/4 inch Angle Grinder
• Trim Router

 

Plus my mains Erbuaer compound mitre saw.

 

 

 

 

[ProDave]

14 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said:

picked up another 10% voucher today when spending £50 but cannot think what to buy to save 10%.

Give it to me, I will make good use of it.

[epsilonGreedy]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

Give it to me, I will make good use of it.

 

 

That VAT refund must have been large, anyhow I thought you had finished.

[Onoff]

4 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said:

Erbuaer

 

Is that what's rebranded as Erbauer?

[ProDave]

2 hours ago, epsilonGreedy said:

 

That VAT refund must have been large, anyhow I thought you had finished.

I can always spend more.

 

The house is "complete" but it is not "finished"  You could write a thesis on the difference.