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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsSay hello to my little friend.
I was able to walk today because I think the Gabapentin might be doing its job on my back pain a little, so I decided to go outside for 2 1/2 hours and blow leaves, because I wanted to fuck my back up again further, which I was 100% successful at.
When I remodeled my house in 2015-2016, I spent a bunch of money on all kinds of power tools: Ryobi, Skil, Milwaukee, and Ego.
So this was about 10 years ago, and one of the tools I bought then is shown in the below picture. This leaf blower is a freaking beast. I use it with a 5 amp hour battery as shown in the photo, and I can run it for about 45 minutes before changing batteries. It has a button on the top to goose it up to maximum power.
I don't usually make good purchases, but my tools have all works out great. I've never burned out a Ryobi tool or an Ego tool, but I have burned out many drill and saws with higher end tools like DeWalt. Ryobi critics say thay are not as good as the more expensive brands, but the proof is in the pudding. 10 year old tools that I beat the shit out of, and they are still running fine. I think the Ego tools are going to last forever.
I have 5 Ego batteries that are 10 years old, and they have all lasted for that long time period, except for one battery, which gave up the ghost last week. That's a pretty good run I think. I'm happy for that, because those batteries are hugely expensive.

dweller
(27,638 posts)I was afraid to look for a moment
😳
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I'm laughing.
dweller
(27,638 posts)be starting a contest or something
but curiosity got the better of me , so I was

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LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)I like that!
3catwoman3
(28,333 posts)So was I.
EYESORE 9001
(29,370 posts)Aside from one drill, all my battery-powered tools are Ego.
LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)EYESORE 9001
(29,370 posts)Im happy, considering the dismal performance from other batteries. I have one beef with their weed eater, though. The feed head requires an inordinate amount of attention.
LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)I've only had to take that head apart one time, fortunately. Pain in the ass...took me awhile to figure out how to pry that first piece off.
GiqueCee
(3,117 posts)... and they've served me better than most others. I still have some Makita, Milwaukee, Bosch, and Ryobi tools though. I've got a pretty good selection for a weekend warrior, or gifted amateur. Now if I just had a shop to keep 'em all in, my wife would be greatly relieved.
LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)that holds most everything, but what it doesn't hold goes into a small basement workshop. The box sits in the attached garage. It wasn't too expensive at the time, maybe $600-$700?
If I ever win the lottery, I'm going to relace everything with Makita. those are some really good tools.

I do that to blow grass clippings out of my hair!
Lochloosa
(16,643 posts)I have a wood shop, so they are not weekend warriors, they've been put through the paces.
LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)I have one of those blue detail sanders with the vibrating triangular head.
The thing must me 30 years old? It's still kicking.
I'd like to see your workshop!
dweller
(27,638 posts)My planer is the only Ryobi I own , still planing
Inherited from my Da so its pushing 40+ years
I buy what I find on sale , so no common brands overall
Electric
Craftsman table saw and router
DeWalt drill press and bandsaw
Air compressor and 5 nail guns all Bostich
My first battery tools were a set of B&D Firestorm set with skilsaw, drill , jigsaw , in a nice wheeled carrier . Picked up their blower and weed eater that were pitiful . Down to my last working battery for those, and they are hard to find except on EBay
So last year i bought a Toro leaf blower 60v 4.0 amp , and then the weed eater , both came with battery and charger , So far havent run either battery down fully . And they stayed fully charged sitting over the winter/ spring till I needed them this year .
So many tools , so little time to use them all
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LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)or a handheld electric planer?
I have a corded circular Skilsaw that is nice.
I use that red Porter Cable pancake compressor that is pretty common. I have 5 or 6 nail guns. I have a 15 gauge Rigid nail gun that I love, and that I used when hanging doors. On the other end of the spectrum, I have a Porter Cable 23 gauge pin nailer that I used when refacing the stiles and rails of cabinets. My 16 gauge Porter cable gun got horribly jammed up with a nail, rendering it out of service. My 18 gauge Porter Cable gun has served me well for baseboard installs, etc.
I should take a picture of the contents of my brad nail drawer in my tool chest. I'll never use all of those nails in my lifetime. I'll probably end up selling them.
B&D...I have a little drill made by them that is good for getting into tight spaces.
dweller
(27,638 posts)Looks like this

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LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)asking $212.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/315904469815
dweller
(27,638 posts)I also have a blue Ryobi 10 mitre saw , also inherited from my Da
Older model
My 8 1/4 mitre saw I think is B&D , this one I used to haul around to job sites as needed
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LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)Hitachi, now Metabo, miter saw. I used that thing for about 20 years until I finally burned it out.
I replaced it with a smaller Ryobi one that slides. Maybe a 7 1/4 inch blade? I'd have to go down and look at it again...I like that saw because it is light. It cuts accurately, but the wood chips on the waste cut keep getting caught in the blade groove and I have to take it apart to get them out of there.
LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)I also have a 10 inch delta table saw that is an older version with a cast iron tdeck. I removed the guard a long time ago, and now I can't find it, so I count my fingers after using it. The fence on that table saw sucks because it moves when you try to lock it in.


Lochloosa
(16,643 posts)brutal now.
rsdsharp
(11,634 posts)LuckyCharms
(21,236 posts)I use it mainly for storage, and for cutting up cardboard boxes.
I threw a piece of hardboard over mine because the benchtop was starting to get too scored up from the knife.
rubbersole
(10,933 posts)I've had great success with cordless Milwaukee tools. Not the least expensive, but so far have been cost effective. I'm a retired electrician that loves to tinker and most of my tools are at least 10 years old.
Now, where's my check...?
berniesandersmittens
(12,885 posts)A new charger was damned near as expensive as buying a whole new blower.