Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.
Please feel free to share any quirks or odd things you’ve noticed about your tools. These might include design choices, defects, things you took months or years to notice, or any weird things that have popped up in use.
Two things I only recently noticed about a couple of my DeWalt items pertain to the DCR006 Bluetooth speaker and the DCE100 blower. I was walking the dog yesterday with one of my new FlexVolt batteries powering the speaker only to have the battery come loose a few times. First of all, the FlexVolt batteries are entirely impractical for carrying with the speaker as they throw it way off balance, and frankly anything more than a 12v Max or compact 20v Max battery isn’t needed, but I felt like trying it out. Bearing in mind that the speaker was the first DeWalt item I purchased after buying a number of 12v Max batteries for an average of $9 each, I’m surprised I never noticed that the batteries do not lock in. I tried the smaller batteries as well and no dice. So, with the speaker smaller is better if you’re carrying it around.
I just pulled out the blower and put the same FlexVolt pack on it only to find that it will operate for a couple of seconds and then lose power. The battery works fine with the speaker and the DCBL720 blower, and the smaller blower works fine with other battery packs to include another FlexVolt. It’s just odd that the blower does this, so I’m thinking that the battery is triggering some sort of electronics protection. Anyone have any ideas?
Finally, my last quirk seems to be a known issue. My 2763 impact wrench trigger is faulty, causing it to die and blink an error code if I attempt to slowly pull it. I still need to contact Milwaukee about this and when it first happened I found a number of reports of similar faults.
Other than those things, I haven’t had any major issues or been unaware of any quirks with the tools, so I’m happy with all of the brands I own.
I don’t like large triggers, there’s no need for them. A small trigger leaves more of your hand free to control the tool, but a large trigger means you’ve only got your two smallest fingers plus your thumb to move the drill around. Small trigger with a nicely weighted action is far superior.
Ryobi battery release buttons; they protrude just a tad too much, this means that any pressure on the side of the battery will unclip that side of the pack. Not had one fall out yet, but they need to raise the button surrounds by 1 or 2mm to cure that minor flaw.
My Dewalt 323 flexvolt sds; this has a soft-start that you can’t switch off. On the Bosch 36 Volt sds you have two settings, one for full power, the other for 70% with a slow ramp-up. The DeWalt always starts slowly which is annoying.
I hate the M12 battery release tabs.
BMack37 wrote:
1 hour ago, BMack37 said:I hate the M12 battery release tabs.
I’m glad they’re secure, but they could do with being tweaked by a micron so that they’re easier to release.
I have a Makita Cordless/corded hybrid Fan that my girlfriend tends to use troughout all summer. If you plug it in with the adapter it doesnt switch to the corded adapter. It’ll first drain the battery even it is is plugged in. Stupid !
Tug wrote:
7 hours ago, Tug said:
I’m glad they’re secure, but they could do with being tweaked by a micron so that they’re easier to release.
That and it can be soo stiff that you have to slap it to lock. The m12/m18 radio is really difficult to get the m12 battery out.
BMack37 wrote:
43 minutes ago, BMack37 said:
That and it can be soo stiff that you have to slap it to lock. The m12/m18 radio is really difficult to get the m12 battery out.
Takes a firm shove to get em in the charger too! Still love mi red kit though.
I have a Dewalt DCD796 (Type 1) drill that turns about 1/3 around before locking when you try to loosen the chuck.
The thing for me is the snap action of the brushless drills chuck can sometime loosen and the bit falls out. Because it start/stops so fast it unlocks the chuck.
StrippedScrew wrote:
20 minutes ago, StrippedScrew said:The thing for me is the snap action of the brushless drills chuck can sometime loosen and the bit falls out. Because it start/stops so fast it unlocks the chuck.
I get that, but only on my Milwaukee M28 combi, the brakes are too violent.
Short chucks annoy me, can’t get your whole hand around them.
StrippedScrew wrote:
1 hour ago, StrippedScrew said:The thing for me is the snap action of the brushless drills chuck can sometime loosen and the bit falls out. Because it start/stops so fast it unlocks the chuck.
I also get that on the DCD796
StrippedScrew wrote:
1 hour ago, StrippedScrew said:The thing for me is the snap action of the brushless drills chuck can sometime loosen and the bit falls out. Because it start/stops so fast it unlocks the chuck.
That’s because you do not tighten your chuck correctly. After tightening you have to do 1 click in the opposite direction to ‘ lock the chuck. Try it… Every decent drill has a chuck that works this way
not going to lie, some Milwaukee drill/ impact drivers have the forward/reverse buttons in the worst place……
I’ve been a long time complainer about this quirk; Metabo grips have a gap between each side of the rubber overmold. This is very noticeable without gloves. Their grips also aren’t very ergonomic in shape. If Metabo sorted these things out, I would by more of their tools.
I don’t understand why brands choose the grips they do. It’s very common knowledge that a certain yellow brand has the best. They should all be copying this grip.
Metabo, please change your grip to something like Dewalt, Bosch (new style), or Makita.
,Not mine but my brother in law’s…Ugh… Ridgid Stealth Force…. Forward/reverse too easy to bump and heavy compared to a regular impact. I will say it does sound kinda cool, like a R/C car going over bumps.
DeWalt’s forward/reverse tabs are the worst. They’re too far down the tool and are an annoyance to snap on/off as they tend to stick in neutral mode.
Hitachi’s 2-bar battery indicator on their premium tools. Really? 2 bars?
Bosch IDH182 hog ring is worthless.
DeWalt detent pin doesn’t require a pick (good or bad depending on who you are, I think it’s good)
Metabo battery release button being on the tool is kinda of odd.
Toughsystem radio clock will never work and you get some trippy symbols in the time area. Battery disconnects too easily and doesn’t fit large batteries.
Metabo portaband blades are incredibly difficult to get.