Battery powered circular saws

[robertn]

I read some time back that Dodge was working with the military for a TC truck that would have power generation ability. Suppossedly it would have batteries, and could operate on the batteries in "quiet mode".

Suppossedly, they were looking at a takeoff on the idea for a construction work truck. I have no details to back that up though. I think it was in a magazine that got thrown out long ago.

It is a cool idea though... But, it's kinda like having a pto generator on a tractor; your putting hours on your regular engine...

[JohnMiller3]

I'm looking at that package now for $199. @ Home Depot. (and a few friends have the DeWalt pkg. for $389. for basically the same units - without the recip saw)

I've got a number of Ryobi tools and never had a lick of problem with 'um... (well one of my guys kinda cooked (overcharged manually) my 12v. sole battery pack... then I find out the price of one battery alone is almost the cost of a complete new kit... [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

[Spencer]

Gatorboy, I am pretty far along on my pole barn now and I thought I would share my experiences so far.

At first I thought I would pound the nails in by hand. Luckily I came to my senses before I got started nailing and bought a Bostitch NW-88 nailer. This was the best combination of power and fastener availability I could find. I tried running the nailer with my small Ingersoll Rand twin tank compressor. This little compressor just couldn't keep up with the nailer. I need to run the nailer at it's maximum of 120 psi in order to sink the nails through all the treated lumber. If I let the compressor get down below 100 psi they won't be flush. So I had to bring down my larger Ingersoll Rand compressor to run the nail gun. Now the problem I had was that my smaller Honda EU3000i generator couldn't start up the larger compressor. So I had to bring down my larger (7500 watt rated, 10000 watt surge) Dayton generator. So now I have enought power to run my air compressor, 10" dual slide compound saw, and my 7 1/4" worm drive circular saw.

I know you don't want to haul a whole bunch of tools around on your pickup truck everytime you want to work on your barn. You could look into one of those freight containers that they use to transport goods across the ocean. They rent for about $70 to $90 a month around here plus delivery.

So I don't know if you were planning on using a nail gun or not but I would recommend it. I had over 4,000 nails in my barn before I even got started on the roof. If your going to use a nail gun you are going to need a good sized compressor to run it. Those cordless nail guns don't have near the power you will need (execpt for the roof).

[hazmat]

<font color="blue"> At first I thought I would pound the nails in by hand. Luckily I came to my senses before I got started nailing and bought a Bostitch NW-88 nailer.</font color>

Nothing like the right tool for the job [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] Too bad I always have to apply for approval to get it. I feel like I'm in the movie Groundhog day

Home improvement #1
Staple chainlink fence to rail fence to bring it up to code for pool
Me: Honey, we need to buy an air stapler.
Her: Do we really need it or do you just want another toy?
Me: Yes we need it beg, beg,
A couple weeks later I buy one
Do Job, let her use the tool (It was her favorite untill we got a shop vac)
Finish fence, 8,000 staples later.

Her: "Don't know how we could have done that without the stapler"

Home improvement #2
Crown molding in bedroom
Me "We need finish nailer &amp; compound miter saw"
Her "How come you get to get all new toys every job you do"?
Me "Do you want the house to look nice?"
get tools, do job
Her "It looks fantastic, when can you do the downstairs?"

Next was the tablesaw for the wainscotting &amp; hardwoodflooring. You see the pattern. It's even harder for tractor implements. She always forgets the "It looks great / we couldn't have done it without the tool / we saved much $$$$ by doing it ourselves part"

Those cordless nail guns don't have near the power you will need (execpt for the roof).

My last barn I put up, 86x120, was all done with a Paslode cordless nailgun. Very rarely did it not sink the nail all the way in. The only place I had a problem with it that a corded gun would have been better was putting in the oak stalls. On more of them the nail would stick out a little bit. But in the pine and treated wood I had no problems.

[ScottAR]

My cousin has a Paslode cordless and the only problems when building his house we had was for the manufactered beam over the garage opening. The air nailer wouldn't drive them either.
In fact, the only quirks of the Paslode I didn't like was that the battery doesn't seem to last long and the nail shoots out 3/8" or so behind where my air nailer does so one has to watch when "aiming." The next major project, I'm gonna get one with an extra battery. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Yea I agree about the batteries. I've got an extra one.

[bgott]

I was watching a show on TV the other day and they had a guy on that had took an old VW bus and rigged it with batteries and covered the roof with solar collectors. They said it put out 4500 watts, the solar collectors were good for 15 amps. That might be overkill but if you were building yourself a good sized house and barn over a period of time it might be worth it to not hear a generator.

[wingnut]

<font color="blue"> She always forgets the "It looks great / we couldn't have done it without the tool / we saved much $$$$ by doing it ourselves part" </font color>

Hazmat .... next purchase ... tape recorder!

[robertn]

I have the DeWalt combo pack. I always did pretty good with the two batteries, as you said, when I remembered to charge them. I have done some fencing work, cutting 2x4 and 4x4. The batteries lasted fine.

Since I am using the set more out in the field though, I did buy a third battery. I also picked up a 12v charger. That has worked out fine. My brother in law is a plumber, and has been using the same setup for a few years now.

I am curious though, how they get the 18V battery to charge on 12v supply. They must run some sort of charge pump circuit in the charger.