# Power Tools: Battery or Pneumatic?



## adanvjr (Mar 30, 2012)

Good afternoon,

What's yall's input on all these Lithium Battery powered tools?

I've been noticing that there's pretty much now a cordless lithium battery-powered alternative for almost every pneumatic-powered tool out there?

It would be pretty cool to have cordless tools, but if I have to sacrifice something big in exchange to go cordless, I would re-think it again.


----------



## mfnlonewolf (Aug 27, 2009)

Love my Makita 18v set. I have pneumatic tools also, but always pull out battery powered tools.:texasflag


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

mfnlonewolf said:


> Love my Makita 18v set. I have pneumatic tools also, but always pull out battery powered tools.:texasflag


Me too.Have both and Makita is my best.


----------



## jordanmills (Jan 8, 2009)

Love them. Most of them don't seem to have the power or durability of pneumatic, but that only seems to come into play if you're giving them continual professional use.


----------



## GoneSouth (Jun 4, 2010)

The nice thing about lithium is you get full power and when the battery is exhaused it just dies. And lithium last longer than the previous NiCad. Now for air and lithium it depends on how big your compressor is. If it wont keep up with your tool then you will have to wait between air charges. It depends on what you are doing. I would say that air tends to be more heavy duty. But with modern batteries and power tools that is not always the case. I have been doing some heavy metal sawing and drilling with my dewalt lithium tools. But i like air for my impact wrench and for high speed bur tool I have. Good Luck.


----------



## wakeupluis (Feb 16, 2006)

I have the milwalkee m12 battery ratchet, impact and drill. Love them. I have not picked up my air tools in ages. Now I do have to use my big impact from time to time and that does require my compressor.


----------



## Fritzcoinc (Dec 23, 2008)

wakeupluis said:


> I have the milwalkee m12 battery ratchet, impact and drill. Love them. I have not picked up my air tools in ages. Now I do have to use my big impact from time to time and that does require my compressor.


+1
I swore I would never go cordless, but I'm glad I did. Milwaukee is the best!!
The Milwaukee repair center is on TC Jester and 34th in NW Houston. They always have re-conditioned tools for way off retail and they will sell to anyone. Get the LED flashlight.


----------



## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

Bout all my compressor is used for is Blow air& fill tires...18v lithium pretty well took its place


----------



## maskale (Sep 19, 2014)

dewalt 20v, does just about everything.. 

I'll pull out the big air hose when I need to run the 3/4" impact


----------



## Mouse52 (Jun 15, 2015)

I have several battery tools with the best being an 18v. Milwalke impact wrench, over 1100 lbs torque. Great not to have to drag an airhose for air impact wrenches. If you have old batteries Battery Plus bulbs can rebuild them. The cost isn't a big savings over getting them from the stores but they can rebuild old batteries you can't find. Also their rebuilt batteries are much better than the standard batteries.


----------



## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Has anyone ever tried to rebuild Li battery pack?


----------



## FishinDude1973 (Oct 3, 2012)

Battery tools are great for the weekend warrior, pneumatic is for big jobs or the pros. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## gater (May 25, 2004)

*Batteries*



FishinDude1973 said:


> Battery tools are great for the weekend warrior, pneumatic is for big jobs or the pros.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Pretty much go all battery powered now and I'm not a weekend warrior. Tools have come a long way and I'm partial to Dewalt but all brands are making good tools now


----------



## nbell (Aug 18, 2010)

I have auto repair and boat repair business . The only place we use air is at the tire station . DeWalet , Makita,Snap on, Doesn't seem to matter. we do have an 1/2 battery impact that hits harder than than the air but it cant handle being used 50 times a day


----------



## gotmuddy (Dec 19, 2013)

I am a big cordless tool guy. I have a snap on mg725 that gets used once every 3 months(once a month when I mechaniced for a living). If your using your tools to make money spend the coin and get snap on. Their 3/8 and `1/2 impacts cannot be beaten. a close second is the milwaukee m18. If your using tools for more than just mechanic work i would get the milwaukee stuff. 5 yr warranty, and great build quality.


----------



## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

The really big stuff we use air at work. All other stuff we have gone to milwaukee 18. They have about 50 impacts and 50 drills in milwaukee and doing away with dewault. All milwaukee including portable band saws.


----------



## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

The downside of the battery tools is that the replacement batteries are expensive, close to $100 each. The Texas heat kills them if you work outdoors or leave your tools in your locked up truck a lot. Some brands like Rigid come with a battery lifetime replacement plan. It's worth it if you make your living with your tools.


----------



## woody7 (May 28, 2004)

I have 2 crews and we use Milwuakee M18. I have bought aftermarket batteries, and most have done as well as factory, and have the same guarantee. I take my broken tools to Fastenall, and they send them off for repair. Milwuakee has a 5 year warranty on tools, and after a couple of times back to the shop they give you a new or refurbished one. We are hell on tools, and the average guy will never burn them up like we do. Shop Ebay. Amazon, and register at Tool Up .com. acme tools, and CPO tools. Then sit back and wait for the right day, and coupon sale, and either buy bare tools for cheap, or buy a set.


----------



## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Just my 2 cents. I am retired, but do a lot of woodworking, not mechanical stuff. I have three 12v Dewalt lithium Ion tools - drill, driver, and impact driver. They work great and have for the past several years. Batteries last a long time. 

I also have a Dewalt 18 volt drill. This past year, I bought a new charger for it (came with an XRP battery). The charger will also charge the lithium batteries. And now, DeWalt has come out with a Lithium battery for the 18V. Good idea, but expensive.

Saying all that, we have built about 70 cabinets and numerous other projects which include drilling many, many pocket holes, driving screws, etc.

I can't think of the last time I used my corded drills. :-(

BTW, those little 12 volt tools are light weight and handy. My sweetie (cabinet installer) likes them also.


----------



## sleepersilverado (Jun 27, 2011)

You guys that say batteries are expensive. Price some quality 100' extension cords. Most of the time we are lucky if a cord survives one project.


----------

