Tools!

[balakay]

Well my 8 year old made-in-not-America Craftsman torque wrench gave out yesterday working on the truck. Guess I'll be picking up one of those new ICON ones next weekend and giving it a go. Might have the craftsman replaced under warranty and give it to my dad. He used it more than me anyway.

 

[Silverback]

Well the reviews of them are great. How did the Craftsman die? Total failure or just not reliable?

 

[balakay]

Well the reviews of them are great. How did the Craftsman die? Total failure or just not reliable?

The adjustment isnt working anymore. I had it at 59 ft-lbs and went to adjust it up to 101 ft-lbs and halfway through it quit clicking while I was turning the handle and now it wont adjust anymore.

 

[Silverback]

Well that sucks.

 

[Oswego]

Not all that impressed with the Milwaukee Fuel Brush-less 1/4" impact I bought (model 2853-20). "The Fastest, Most Compact, and Most Powerful tool in its class" came up short.

It's been a few years since Ive done decking (docks at my moms old marina always needed maintenance), but I never had any issues removing screws with my old ass De-Walt 18v Ni-Cad powdered drill.

Yesterday I'm working on my deck and gave up trying to use the impact to remove 3" deck screws. I built my deck just like the docks (PT yellow pine 2 x 6 w/3" deck screws) so that really was a punch in the gut. New high tech "most powerful" impact can't beat a 15-20 year old drill for torque. Pretty sad.

Ended up having to run a cord and use my Milwaukee Magnum HD 1/2" drill to remove them - same drill I ran the screws in with 10+ years ago. Maybe I got a lemon? IDK, but every time I use this thing it leaves me with as frown on my face and I'm not using small batteries - running the 5.0amp

 

[balakay]

I've never had any use for those 1/4 drivers other than sheetmetal screws in tin. Everything else, I'll grab an impact or a drill.

Thanks to @tx_shooter for the heads up on this wrench/stubby wrench set at HD for $20. Apparently the normal price is only $25 but I'll take the $5 savings anyway. I wish it dropped the 6mm & 7mm wrenches and had a 19mm instead but beggars cant be choosers. Would have also liked a 1/4" stubby. But for $20 I cant complain. They seem much heavier duty than my Kobalt set.

I dont know if its every HD or just the ones I've been to lately but they are always the most unorganized, cluster fucked stores I've ever been to. No one ever knows where shit is and they never have the inventory that their website says they do. They were supposed to have 28 of these sets and they had 1 and it was in the wrong spot buried under all the other clearance items. Guess I'll just start ordering online and picking up so I dont have to spend 30 minutes walking around the store aimlessly looking for what I need.

 

[tx_shooter]

Not all that impressed with the Milwaukee Fuel Brush-less 1/4" impact I bought (model 2853-20). "The Fastest, Most Compact, and Most Powerful tool in its class" came up short.

It's been a few years since Ive done decking (docks at my moms old marina always needed maintenance), but I never had any issues removing screws with my old ass De-Walt 18v Ni-Cad powdered drill.

Yesterday I'm working on my deck and gave up trying to use the impact to remove 3" deck screws. I built my deck just like the docks (PT yellow pine 2 x 6 w/3" deck screws) so that really was a punch in the gut. New high tech "most powerful" impact can't beat a 15-20 year old drill for torque. Pretty sad.

Ended up having to run a cord and use my Milwaukee Magnum HD 1/2" drill to remove them - same drill I ran the screws in with 10+ years ago. Maybe I got a lemon? IDK, but every time I use this thing it leaves me with as frown on my face and I'm not using small batteries - running the 5.0amp

View attachment 20200

That the 12 or 18 volt impact?

 

[Silverback]

That is an 18v version. I've never had an issue with mine. Hell my 12v Fuel version has a shitload of balls.

 

[tx_shooter]

That is surprising then. My 18v has snapped a few screws when they get bound up. I would hit up Milwaukee warranty support on that one .

 

[Anathollo]

Not all that impressed with the Milwaukee Fuel Brush-less 1/4" impact I bought (model 2853-20). "The Fastest, Most Compact, and Most Powerful tool in its class" came up short.

It's been a few years since Ive done decking (docks at my moms old marina always needed maintenance), but I never had any issues removing screws with my old ass De-Walt 18v Ni-Cad powdered drill.

Yesterday I'm working on my deck and gave up trying to use the impact to remove 3" deck screws. I built my deck just like the docks (PT yellow pine 2 x 6 w/3" deck screws) so that really was a punch in the gut. New high tech "most powerful" impact can't beat a 15-20 year old drill for torque. Pretty sad.

Ended up having to run a cord and use my Milwaukee Magnum HD 1/2" drill to remove them - same drill I ran the screws in with 10+ years ago. Maybe I got a lemon? IDK, but every time I use this thing it leaves me with as frown on my face and I'm not using small batteries - running the 5.0amp

View attachment 20200

Sounds like you got a bad impact. The new impacts have too much power now IMHO.

 

[Oswego]

Yea this thing can't even break screws that are 1/2 way rusted through. I had a feeling it was a lemon. When you can't remove a 3" screw from wood that's 90% rotted away - it's pretty sad.

 

[Taco Loco]

Not all that impressed with the Milwaukee Fuel Brush-less 1/4" impact I bought (model 2853-20). "The Fastest, Most Compact, and Most Powerful tool in its class" came up short.

It's been a few years since Ive done decking (docks at my moms old marina always needed maintenance), but I never had any issues removing screws with my old ass De-Walt 18v Ni-Cad powdered drill.

Yesterday I'm working on my deck and gave up trying to use the impact to remove 3" deck screws. I built my deck just like the docks (PT yellow pine 2 x 6 w/3" deck screws) so that really was a punch in the gut. New high tech "most powerful" impact can't beat a 15-20 year old drill for torque. Pretty sad.

Ended up having to run a cord and use my Milwaukee Magnum HD 1/2" drill to remove them - same drill I ran the screws in with 10+ years ago. Maybe I got a lemon? IDK, but every time I use this thing it leaves me with as frown on my face and I'm not using small batteries - running the 5.0amp

View attachment 20200

Sounds like you got a bad impact. The new impacts have too much power now IMHO.

that’s what I thought too.

even my Makita impact will do an entire 5lb box of 3” screws off 1 battery.

 

[Anathollo]

Yea this thing can't even break screws that are 1/2 way rusted through. I had a feeling it was a lemon. When you can't remove a 3" screw from wood that's 90% rotted away - it's pretty sad.

Has it been 90 days since you bought it from Homeless Despot?

 

[Oswego]

Has it been 90 days since you bought it from Homeless Despot?

I'm sure it has been. I put it on my credit card and that usually doubles the warranty. Ill have to look into it and if they don't honor the warranty at least the drill is so new of a model Ill get a new one with my plan B campfire story.

 

[Anathollo]

I'm sure it has been. I put it on my credit card and that usually doubles the warranty. Ill have to look into it and if they don't honor the warranty at least the drill is so new of a model Ill get a new one with my plan B campfire story.

Or you just buy a new drill, swap em out and return it

 

[Oswego]

Or you just buy a new drill, swap em out and return it

Thats my campfire story - just didn't want to put it in writing but screw it

 

[Oswego]

I took receipt of the impact on July 8th so this will be an uphill battle if they only have a 90 day warranty. Ill look into it tonight.

 

[tx_shooter]

I took receipt of the impact on July 8th so this will be an uphill battle if they only have a 90 day warranty. Ill look into it tonight.

I am pretty sure it is 90 day in store and 3 year with Milwaukee. I had a driver go bad well after my 90 days and the local store still let me swap it there.

 

[CowboyTaco]

So I've asked about vises in here before. Before you get all excited and think hookers and blow....I'm talking bench vises.

I decided to hold out and just retrieve my grandpa's old vise that I had in my garage in TX. Well...the tenants somehow managed to break it. I didn't get a picture, but it isn't very useful anymore.

So with that being said, I'm back in the market. I don't need anything that is fancy and used daily by a professional who's job depends on it and needs it to be 1000x stronger than any material made by NASA. I do want something that is going to last a lifetime though and be perfectly good for the majority of tasks and maybe one day pass it on to someone younger than me who is pissed that the quality of tools made in China sucks compared to what they used to be...ok, maybe that's going to far. I just want one that is good for whatever I'm going to throw at it and don't want to have buyers remorse.

So is the consensus that I need to spring for a Wilton? Home Depot has several of them in the "show price in cart" category, but I still don't really want to spend that much.

Wilton 4 in. Mechanics Vise with Swivel Base, 3-7/16 in. Throat Depth-21300 - The Home Depot - $205
Wilton 5 in. Mechanics Vise with Swivel Base, 3-3/4 in. Throat Depth-21400 - The Home Depot - $216
Wilton Reversible Mechanics Vise 6-1/2 in. Jaw with Swivel Base-14600 - The Home Depot - $229
Wilton 6 in. Mechanics Vise with Swivel Base, 4-2/16 in. Throat Depth-21500 - The Home Depot - $276

or would I be just as happy with one of these sub-$100 vises?
WEN 5 in. Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Bench Vise with Swivel Base-455BV - The Home Depot - $46
WEN 4 in. Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Bench Vise with Swivel Base-454BV - The Home Depot - $41
WEN 3 in. Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Bench Vise with Swivel Base-453BV - The Home Depot - $19
BESSEY 4 in. Heavy-Duty Bench Vise with Swivel Base-BV-HD40 - The Home Depot - $68
BESSEY 5 in. Multi-Purpose Rotating Pipe and Bench Vise with Swivel Base-BV-MPV5 - The Home Depot - $95
DEWALT 4.5 in. Heavy-Duty Workshop Bench Vise with Swivel Base-DXCMWSV4 - The Home Depot - $52

I'm kind of leaning toward the 5" WEN, the 4.5" DeWalt, or the 5" Bessey. Thoughts?

 

[Silverback]

Yep.. not a sub-100 Wilton. Upper end or find an old one at an estate sale (good luck). I like my Rigid (made in Germany and 70,000 psi forging). Someone posted a photo and link (IIRC) to one similar to the Rigid that was 80,000 psi forging. I would not buy one of those HD Sub $100 vises.. I've had two break.