any reason to not buy cordless tools from overseas?

With some of the new cordless models not avaliable in the US popping up on ebay etc., is there any reason (other than premium price) not to buy the bare tool at least?? I understand the chargers would be incompatible.

I would do it….since I still have connection for example to Germany 😛

The only thing is warranty support and parts if things go wrong. That’s the risk you take with grey market tools though.

I’m not sure I’d ever get around to doing it, but the Japanese market has a range of colors available on Makita tools. Some of them are waaay cool…

But yeah, warranty/repair would be a chore…

I wish to have all the cool extra work gadget you have in USA!!!bottle opener,cooling fans,tons of caps…you even got a dewalt go-kart!!!!!

Yeah, it’s very frustrating that othe countries always seem to get tools before the states.

Claudio, you can have the bottle oppeners, fans and caps! I want the good stuff. All those hot off the press tools!!!

Chadlanthier, 99% of the time it seems to be that way… we do get a few things that they dont.. I’m pretty sure it has to do with much looser regulations overseas.. It’s almost like the testing ground for new tools, a way to work the kinks out.. that’s my take anyway

Whoa whoa whoa. Guys. Please. A bottle opener is a mandatory and much needed part of any serious wood shop. I put Milwaukee to the test in an in depth and very scientific approach to the newly (at the time when I reviewed this very serious tool) designed for wood workers and carpenters alike….not to mention grounds keepers, mechanics, janitors, firefighters, pilots (OH YEAH), Priests, Cops, Teachers, refuse technicians…..alcoholics…Bottle Opener. Europeans have every right to get upset. Sure….they get some of the best new tool releases before us….ie. Festool….Milwaukee…Dewalt etc. BUT we got the 48-22-2000! Feel free to find a quiet place to sit, put your feet up, sit in front of the stove, break open the nice cold elixir of youth (or obesity and violence if you will) or Beer and read at your leisure….

http://professional-power-tool-guide.com/power-tool-forum/index.php?/topic/2023-milwaukee-48-22-2000-review-of-a-serious-tool/

BAHAHAHAH!!! yea CHRIS PREACH ON BROTHA!!!

Chris…elixir of youth obesity and violence…great!pro tool in Europe…go-karts in USA!!!lol

Be aware that parts of Europe are on a low amp 220V current, so you have to be sure it’s compatible with 110V US current

ive imported cordless gear from America to Australia. Just gotta take into account the cost of a step-up/down transformer, or a local one….

 

no problems yet.

Chris, you make a good case!  ok, bottle opener makes the cut!!

 

Conductor and Dwain, Im thinking with cordless stuff the only thing that wouldn’t be comparable is the charger.. 18v is 18v, thats my understanding anyway.. buying the bare tools would take care of this      am i right in thinking that i could just use my current makita 18v charger and batteries and not have to deal with anything else?

madman_us wrote:

I would do it….since I still have connection for example to Germany 😛

not fair man!!   

DR99 wrote:

The only thing is warranty support and parts if things go wrong. That’s the risk you take with grey market tools though.

I hear ya on this one!  thats a major downside..      Im not sure if i will even do it, sometimes the temptation is there!  Makita has so many cool new Brushless tools over in Europe now like that badass new impact, jigsaw and circular saw.  i get impatient waiting for them to make it over here.   also there is talk of a new reciprocating saw on the horizon.. that might be what pushes me over the edge if they don’t release it in the US quickly

madman_us wrote:

I would do it….since I still have connection for example to Germany 😛

Careful, man. You may have a bunch of degenerate tool junkies hitting you up for an exotic foreign fix of tools…

LOL

NERemodeling wrote:

Chris, you make a good case!  ok, bottle opener makes the cut!!

 

Conductor and Dwain, Im thinking with cordless stuff the only thing that wouldn’t be comparable is the charger.. 18v is 18v, thats my understanding anyway.. buying the bare tools would take care of this      am i right in thinking that i could just use my current makita 18v charger and batteries and not have to deal with anything else?

 

yep. the tools are identical, only the charger vary. that and the lack of warranty are the downsides.

Like you said NER, make sure its a baretool so you don’t have to mess with incompatible chargers with our electrical outlets

Bare tool it is..      

 

I was really thinking about the makita TD148D brushless impact and the DJV181Z brushless barrel grip jigsaw… but i think i can wait for those

 

the DHS680 brushless circ saw, i will have a harder time waiting for

 

I will Physically not be able to wait more that 1 month for the Supposed new brushless reciprocating saw… if they dont instantly bring that thing to the US i will no doubt buy it from overseas.

The DHS680 Ain’t available yet here.  It’s been announced but there’s always a few good months between announcing a tool and actual release 🙂

If i had to make an educated guess we’ll see the new Brushless Circ Saw in Belgium by February.  That’s just in time for Makita’s new ” Promo Catalog” here in Belgium =)

The jigsaw and new impact totally kick ass tho =D    And I’ll receive the first shipment of the Brushless Angle grinder  for sale in 2-3  weeks. Can’t wait !!

And australia always seems to get everything like 1 or 2 months before Belgium 😀 They seem to be the fastest so importing from australia would be the quickest way of getting new tools =)

that’s nice korno – you have to let us know how you like it

kornomaniac wrote:

And australia always seems to get everything like 1 or 2 months before Belgium 😀 They seem to be the fastest so importing from australia would be the quickest way of getting new tools =)

It also seems like Australias prices are through the roof on tools though.. I wouldn’t mind a small premium if the tool and timing was right but there is a limit..

kornomaniac wrote:

The DHS680 Ain’t available yet here. It’s been announced but there’s always a few good months between announcing a tool and actual release 🙂

If i had to make an educated guess we’ll see the new Brushless Circ Saw in Belgium by February. That’s just in time for Makita’s new ” Promo Catalog” here in Belgium =)

The jigsaw and new impact totally kick ass tho =D And I’ll receive the first shipment of the Brushless Angle grinder for sale in 2-3 weeks. Can’t wait !!

I wonder how and why the US got the BL angle grinder so fast (model XAG03Z or XAG03M here) we have had it for a few weeks at least now.. makes me hopeful that we will start seeing new tools sooner than later in the future also.

That would be nice, I hate waiting a year for a tool to shows its ugly head. I want a dewalt bottl opener, haven’t seen one yet.

ya its kinda annoying when they release a new tool but we in the states have to wait for the item longer than other people

very annoying….

but 2015 gonna be a nice year full of new tools/ models

You might have to wait longer in the USa but you get the tools cheaper =D

And all the kinks worked out I’ve heard…

true – they are cheaper – “some” 😛

Right.. gotta weigh out the time vs cost I guess.

so now might be the time…   i was bummed that Makita only brought  the new brushless top handle jigsaw to the US and not the barrel grip.   I remember that member Samuel L mentioned that the store he works for in Canada, kmstools.com has the barrel grip. 

even after shipping, the US favorable exchange rate makes it cheaper to buy the jigsaw from Canada rather than the US so I’m thinking I’m gonna pop!!

I have been patiently waiting for the new Makita 148 impact to get here for months now and have even looked at the cost to get it from Japan and I finally couldn’t take it anymore and after having to pay $190 for a bare with shipping I finally got one and its a pretty nice and tiny impact.  It definitely tops all of the other ones they have done to date.

Living in the UK. I have always had to import certain tools from the USA in the past as many tools are not sold here.

It seems that many tools are sold in the area they are designed and produced first, it taking time to introduce manufacturing and distribution in another area of the world.

Milwaukee has a few tools in the eu that take a while to get to the USA and the other way around. The Uk still has not got the fuel hole hawg yet for example. Dewalt uk told me they had no intention of selling the XR vac but a year later it was released, probable because a 230v version was finally produced.

I finally broke down and bought the new makita brushless barrel grip jigsaw, cordless planer and updated (from what we have in the US) cordless stick vac.

I’ll let you guys know how the shipping process goes and what I think of them when they arive

Cool 🙂  let us know !

NERemodeling wrote:

I finally broke down and bought the new making brushless barrel grip jigsaw, cordless planer and updated (from what we have in the US) cordless stick vac.

I’ll let you guys know how the shipping process goes and what I think of them when they arive

Wow….nice looking saw there John. I would’ve even consider that one! Wicked cool looking tool!

nice John. keep us informed when you get the stuff

Thanks guys!! I’ll keep you posted, I’m stoked to get them

The planer is the same model as in the us but I was able to save a bunch getting it in Canada

Yeah Chris, I’m really looking forward to the jigsaw.. it looks to be decent competition for the carvex.. I have the corded carvex and love it but don’t have any festool batteries, really want to go cordless and think the makita is a good alternative..

Yeah. I checked the saw out. It’s like $255 shipped here. But….no batteries and no charger to fill the gap. I would really like to look into getting that. It looks like a really solid saw.