Those are handy as can be for smaller jobs---no cord to deal with--I like them for the littler jobs.

If you have some serious demolition work, they are to under powered--so when you get to a job that is to big for the battery one---treat yourself to a corded Sawsall---

 

I have both corded and cordless and use both for differant reasons.
If I have to go up on a roof to cut a hole for a vent, why would I want a cord to deal with for one hole?
One or two rusted bolts to cut off, I'd go with the cordless.
But for jobs like demo work, cutting off old rusted foundation bolts, I use the corded saw so I do not have to keep changing batterys.

 

I've got a DeWalt 18v cordless (similar) and it's very handy. I made quite a lot of use of it when I bought it for helping demolish a bathroom for renovation. It has enough power for the places you'd expect to be using it. Just be sure to purchase more than one battery pack. I've got two chargers (other DeWalt 18v gear) and always end up keeping batteries in rotation through them.

I've also made use of it while building our new house. Most often to deal with the excess of nails the framers drove where I needed to run some holes for low voltage cables (tv, computer, etc).

Now, where you really need corded power is if you're going to drill larger holes. The 18v cordless are just not up to snuff for putting 1-3/8" or 2-1/2" holes through framing. A wired drill is so much better for that. Just be sure to get tough bits that can deal with the occasional nail.

 

I've got a DeWalt 18v cordless (similar) and it's very handy. I made quite a lot of use of it when I bought it for helping demolish a bathroom for renovation. It has enough power for the places you'd expect to be using it. Just be sure to purchase more than one battery pack. I've got two chargers (other DeWalt 18v gear) and always end up keeping batteries in rotation through them.

Get the XRP batteries. They last twice as long. I have the same saw.

 

I have an 18V Ryobi... let me list a few of the ways I've used it recently...

- Cut some thicker branches on trees without wearing out my arms...
- Cut small tree/bush/ivy trunks prior to pulling them out...
- Cut PVC for burying my downspouts
- Cut the tops off the vertical support rails of a metal bench that was too tall for the space

Anytime I need to hack the end off something--filling a bagster with oversized items the cordless recip. came in very handy... and there are lots of different blades you can get to make it pretty versatile.

I have the corded version which was absolutely required when I was doing indoor demo--the cordless could do lots of single cuts, but going through 1950's 2x4's I couldn't get more then 15-20 mins from it.

 

Well my sawzall came with two batteries, I need to find someone who can put a blade holder on it.

 

Agreed on the old 2x4's, Bubbler. Ours was built circa 1950 and they were tough. They just laughed at my clapped out old (corded) circular saw. I had to pickup a new heavier duty one. No chance of the 18v recip saw from getting anywhere. But it was handy at separating a fair bit of other materials and to hack off the leg-gouging nails sticking out from everything. Had to use a corded grinder for the metal lathe/screen in the wall cement bed though.

One other use... using a tree saw blade when you go out to the Christmas tree farm to cut down a live one for the holidays. No more getting my side and knees all muddy whacking away at it with a hand saw... Upside was renting it for $5 a pop to three different guys on the way back to the farmhouse... One guy made the offer and the rest bought into the idea. I'd have let them use it for free, being the holiday season and all, but I'm not gonna turn down people volunteering money!

 

This is a perfect example of why one needs to make sure when they choose cordless tools, they all use the same battery.

I think the Ryobi 18v set is the only one that offers pretty much every power tool all using the same battery.....even the weed eater uses the same bettery.

I use the dog crap out of my cordless Ryobi sawzall.....but it goes in spurts....

 

All my DeWalt 18v stuff uses the same battery. Now, they do make newer ones that use 20v, but they're all the same 20v battery. I think this is true of most vendors. Were I buying new today I'd probably go for the 20v, if only to get more torque from the cordless drill/driver units. An 18v doesn't quite has enough toque to operate a hole saw, for example.

 

CJ what brand and model??---some are easy to replace by yourself,others are best sent to the repair shop---

 

Its a milwaukee 6516-02 Mike, I know where to get the part but I can't put it on.

 

correct, your best bet is to talk to a milwaukee service center..

unlike what dawg mentioned about the bigget selection of tools that run off one battery. Makita is the hands down winner for this. they have over 50 tools that run off the same battery

 

50? Now, I'm as big of fan as anybody about collecting tools, but that'd be crazy. Is there a list of them all online? Just how many are variations on the same thing? I mean, there's only 'so many' kinds of a drill the average person would use. I've got a hammer, VSR and a right-angle (which is VERY handy). I could see having more if I was using a lot of bits at the same time (instead of swapping them). But to get to 50?

Did come across a list of some: http://makitatools.com/en-us/Modules/Tools/Default.aspx?CatID=11

Certainly an impressive array of gizmos.

 

Sorry http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78275 read post number 3. There are no power tool co. left that is made here. Porter Cable I believe it was, was the last to go.

 

that list doesnt even show everything.. i dont see the impact drivers,, the hammer drills, or drill/drivers, the jigsaw, circ saw, recip saw, sds hammer, either of the vacuums

 

I had a cordless reciprocating saw (blue) from Harbor Freight, and it was absolute trash. Underpowered, and the charge lasted all of 3 minutes.

I have a corded version (maroon) from them which is great - easy blade change, rotating body - and it's been going strong for me for over 2 years.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-amp-reciprocating-saw-with-rotating-handle-65570.html

 

I had a cordless reciprocating saw (blue) from Harbor Freight, and it was absolute trash. Underpowered, and the charge lasted all of 3 minutes.

I have a corded version (maroon) from them which is great - easy blade change, rotating body - and it's been going strong for me for over 2 years.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-amp-reciprocating-saw-with-rotating-handle-65570.html

I just looked at your link. That damn thing is on sale for 20 bucks. How in heck do they do it?

 

I have owned several reciprocating saws. None of them were cordless. I bought an 18 Volt Milwaukee cordless circular saw which now has a dead battery after a very short life. The saw is now a door stop, because I will not pay 60 or 70 dollars for a new battery.

The best reciprocating saw I have owned, by far, was my Corded Rockwell Tiger saw., but that was about 30 years ago. The dual action lever which allows you to select straight in and out action, or elliptical action makes all the difference in the world when you are doing demolition work, and this thing would not stop, even when cutting through asphalt shingles.

In my opinion, if you are usually in a setting where AC is available, it is a foolish waste of money to buy a cordless reciprocating saw. Even if you are not, I would pick up a small generator and plug in my saw.

Batteries are OK for drills. For everything else they are BS. I see guys using battery drills to drive screws on roofs and I shudder. Give me a 2300 RPM corded screwgun with a versa-clutch, and I will outdrive them 5 screws to 1.

 

I just kicked over to another forum and found that even Milwaukee is now made in China.

Fast forward about 20 years and we will be seiing the guys on American pickers going "Holy Crap, A Sawsall Made in the USA" I can get 600 bucks for this, even if it dosent run! Wait, let me wipe the bird dung off it, and dry it out cause it was sitting in water for two years...............

HOLY CRAP, IT STILL RUNS!........................................................

 

guys are already doing that with worm drive circ saws on contractor talk.. they find them on ebay

 

Remember when "Made in Japan" meant junk.....now, some of the best electronics comes from Japan?

Then it was "Made in Korea"....

Now we are saying "Made in China" means junk....give it a few more years....then we will be saying "Made in India" or "Made in Brazil"

 

Well your point is well taken, but its not just where it is assembled, its what went into the assembly that matters, and also, when it was made by Mike, or Bob, or Carl, these were guys that worked in this country, that lived in the houses that were built by guys that used the saws they made. Full circle. Now the circle has a big hole in the bottom, Kapisch?

 

I really don't think I need a sawzall now.

 

Lets get something straight. Everyone who does any kind of construction work must have a sawsall, its not optional, its just a matter of which one you get. :huh:

 

the xrp batteries have longer run time but a shorter overall life

 

simple, its mass produced crap that gets rebranded 20x sold in countless different stores.. such as kobalt tools also being known as mastercraft maximum

 

I prefer not to by good produced in China because you are feeding the economy of a country that does not like us and would like to see our country fail.

 

Our country failing would be the worst possible result for the people of China.

 

It's a saw that can prune trees and cut a car in half. How could you not need/want one?

 

You guys done got off topic, what does your answers got to do with a cordless sawzall?

 

You are correct.

Cordless: Forget it, buy corded.