# Makita 18 V Lithium



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Just bought this combo kit . Impact driver , 1/2" drill/hammer drill , sawzall and of course ,,, flashlight .

$399. Comes with a mail in for another tool FREE ,,getting the 6 3/8" circular saw.

Will update as I test them .

Have been a Dewalt guy for years. My batteries are dying FAST . Instead of buying a bunch of new ones ,,, Just thought i'd try something with new technology and a little lighter .

We'll see  . I'll be :furious::furious: if i wasted my $$.

Cal


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

You wont, its a pretty good combo set. All though I like the AVT Makita electric sawzall better than the battery pack, but all together its a great buy.


----------



## Scott K (Oct 12, 2008)

Makita ain't bad in their 18 V lithium Ion. I really like the low gear (300 RPM's) on their 3 speed transmission'd drill. Makes a lot of sense - easier on drill and battery, amplifies torque better, perfect for bigger bits, etc. 

I don't know what I would do without my 28 Volt Lithium Ion set. 

Only thing I can not stand about the Makita's is how virtually everything in their set is made in China (mind you what isn't - I guess some of my set is made in China too). Also I really really like the battery charge indiactor on my 28 Volt. It's a must have in my opinion for any battery powered tool from now on.


----------



## Jaret (Mar 4, 2009)

I wil only use hilti, makita, or hitachi when it comes to cordless. I find they are very streamlined and proper weight distribution. dewalt is a low end product in my eyes. i dont own nor will I ever own a dewalt product. personal prefrence only.

You made a good purchase. Makati has vast line of products that are compatible with their batteries.


----------



## Jaret (Mar 4, 2009)

Makita power adapter

By the way, you can get these things. Will add life to your batteries. If you are using you equipment within range of an outlet, this is the way to go. There are others, for under $100, I dont have time at the moment to find them. 

http://www.aircraftdynamics.com/162.htm?parentid=78

J.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

How is that set holding up?


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> How is that set holding up?


 Had it over a week now and am PRETTY HAPPY !!:thumbsup: The little Impact driver is ALL THAT !!!! I think I made the right choice . Been using my 18V Dewalt in conjunction with the new Makita and am realizing HOW FAST THE BATTERIES have been wearing out ! 

Cal


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Ok I went and got a set myself, paid $350, this one came with two 3.0 AH LXT Lithium Batteries, Hammer Drill, Sawsall, Circ Saw, Flashlight. No mail in offers. :thumbsup:


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Sweet !!! Get the impact wrench too ! You'll love it !


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Yea the batteries are awesome, Used the flashlight today, it is very bright, got home threw it on the charger and it was only on there for less the 2 and it came fully charged in no time.


----------



## Scott K (Oct 12, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Yea the batteries are awesome, Used the flashlight today, it is very bright, got home threw it on the charger and it was only on there for less the 2 and it came fully charged in no time.


Ron,

You're not sleeping with your Makita set are you?


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Scott K said:


> Ron,
> 
> You're not sleeping with your Makita set are you?


 HEY -- Let a brother try something new !!:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Hey Cal,

Did you get your circ saw yet?

It cuts 2 x 4's like it was butter. :yes:


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Not yet . Several weeks


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I ordered the Makita BTD141 LXT 18V 18 Volt Impact Driver Li-ion!
off e-bay brand new for $82, that will complete my set.

It sells for $260.00 at the local stores so I got a good deal.


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> I ordered the Makita BTD141 LXT 18V 18 Volt Impact Driver Li-ion!
> off e-bay brand new for $82, that will complete my set.
> 
> It sells for $260.00 at the local stores so I got a good deal.


You certainly did !!!! :thumbup::thumbup: You will LOVE it !!

Badddddeeeesssstttttt little dude on the market !

Cal


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

It will drive screws allot better then trying to use the hammer drill.  Hope to have it by the end of next week.


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Oh GOD YES IT WILL !! We were driving 3" screws with mine the other day just for fun .

Great tool !


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I'll have the impact driver on Friday, won't be here but it gets delivered on that day, have to leave a message to UPS to leave it inside the door.


----------



## Double-A (Aug 17, 2008)

I've had a Bosch 18V set for about 5 years. Its NiCad or NiMH, not LIon, and the batteries finally wore out. 

The drill/driver is a hammer drill, which is why I bought it. I have used the snot out of this set and this year I had to replace the battery charger and the two batteries. I would recommend this set to anyone that works their tools hard. 

Countless remodels and additions, repipes and they just keep ticking. You can keep the yeller stuff. Gimme my Bosch, thank you very much.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Got the impact driver today, sweet, drives them screws in with no problems at all. Very light, not a heavy tool, loved how compact it is.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Hay Cal,

How are those holding up for you?
So far mine are still worth what I paid for them.


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Hay Cal,
> 
> How are those holding up for you?
> So far mine are still worth what I paid for them.


 My God Ron ,,, these are REALLY worth every penny !! I always want to be charging them ( being Dewalt trained :whistling2: ) But the Makitas never seem to need it !!

We had some of those 4" or 4 1/2" screws on the job a few weeks back -- Even on a weak charge the little Impact driver was BURYING them :thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## Scott K (Oct 12, 2008)

I'm waiting to see what Makita does with their 36 volt lithium Ion line-up.


----------



## rich72963 (Jun 3, 2009)

*no good*



Cal said:


> Just bought this combo kit . Impact driver , 1/2" drill/hammer drill , sawzall and of course ,,, flashlight .
> 
> $399. Comes with a mail in for another tool FREE ,,getting the 6 3/8" circular saw.
> 
> ...


 dont buy1/2 inch drill gears went,now on 4th 18 volt bulb and charger fan is grinding,power wasnt that great either


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

So far mine are just great, no problems.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I am having no issues with my set. There still going strong. I'm glad I bought the set.


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Mine too !!! These are REALLY good !!


----------



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

I thought about buying the Makita awhile back. But I bought the ridgid set instead. The only reason I did is cuz the batteries were covered under the lifetime. Otherwise I would have gone makita. I had the old makita 9.6 drill back from the 90's and that thing lasted forever. It has fallen off 8 foot ladders several times and never broke.


----------



## azzcrack (Aug 7, 2009)

lol I have also dropped my new makita plenty of times and its still trucking!


----------



## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

You work at Makita. You are not a plumber. Correct?

Why are you here?


----------



## Mega Smash (Oct 9, 2009)

I can't believe I just saw this thread... I bought my Makita LiOn kit earlier this year, and I can't tell you how happy i've been.

The clear cover on the case sucks though. Things travel from compartment to compartment, and it cracks easily.

I bought the flourscent trouble/flash light as well. It's great for working in cabinets and crawlspaces. The jobsite radio is next on the list...

A buddy and I were modifying a large workbench, and we both had to drive about 2 dozen long wood screws. He was raving about his Milwaukee impact driver - and then he tried using the Makita. As tough as he says the Milwaukee is, it's a heavy, cumbersome, slow, piece of crap compared to the little Makita.

I have done some online researching and thought i'd post some good info on these batteries:

- They aren't meant to be continuously drained completely. Not like NiCads. They're meant to run down to a certain point, and then be on the charger. Charge them after every use if you want.

- The internal chip in the batteries always draws energy from 2 of the 6 cells. From what i've read, prolonged sitting (months upon months) will "kill" a battery, as 2/6 cells will be dead, and the charger will identify the battery as "broken". So if you're gonna let your tools sit for a while, it's a good idea to put the batteries on charge every once in a while.

- There's an Ebay store called "Imax Expert"... and they sell unbranded replacement batteries. They look the exact same, with no Makita sticker. I've asked a few people who have bought them, and they have given very positive reviews. Apparently they use the same internal cells (Panasonic/Sanyo) as the OEM Makita stuff. A pair of batteries are just over $100. I'm gonna pick up a pair and try them out.

Info pulled from here: http://www.fixya.com/support/t933600-problem_charging_makita_batteries_18v


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

Mega Smash said:


> I bought my Makita LiOn kit earlier this year, and I can't tell you how happy i've been.


Mine is a month and a half old now and I'm very, very happy with it. 

I do LOTS of renovations and drive tons of #8 x 3" screws (can't nail those rock hard old studs without popping all the screws on the other side of the wall). The impact driver is super light and compact and torques those babies in effortlessly.


----------



## Mega Smash (Oct 9, 2009)

Have you ever tried using the screw function on the drill? I thought it was weird that it engages the clutch and clicks instead of locking it up.

So actually, it drives screws better in the drill mode.


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

Mega Smash said:


> Have you ever tried using the screw function on the drill? I thought it was weird that it engages the clutch and clicks instead of locking it up.
> 
> So actually, it drives screws better in the drill mode.


I use it in screw mode all the time. Works fine. The clutch is normal. Crank it up if it's slipping too much for the screws you're using.

I ran a Milwaukee 14.4 nicad and a couple Craftsman cheapies before this and before that I briefly used an unbelievably crappy DeWalt (total garbage) and before that a many-many-years-long string of various Makitas. All worked the same, clutchwise (except the old Makitas, which had no clutch). 

So I guess I don't understand what you mean. Driving screws in drill mode will probably discharge your batteries pretty fast, but will work fine.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

My kit is still going strong


----------



## Mega Smash (Oct 9, 2009)

Just bought the radio as a late Christmas gift to myself. It's the tradesman's equivalent to the Bose Wave radio - it sounds awesome.

Would also be great at the drive-in!


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Cal,

Almost one year how is that set holding up?

Mine still strong, only bought one battery do to me destroying it submerged in water.


----------



## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

How's the Makita sawzall? I use my Dewalt a ton and it's close to being fried. Not overly impressed with Dewalts set, (18v nicad), but I have to admit I've been very impressed with their batteries, I have some that are 5-6 years old and still about 80% of what they were new.

My first cordless tool is a Dewalt 12v drill from mid 90's and BOTH original batteries still work. Not a 100% but good enough to do my deck a few years ago.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I have no complaints with the sawsall, it works like it did the 1st time.


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Cal,
> 
> Almost one year how is that set holding up?
> 
> Mine still strong, only bought one battery do to me destroying it submerged in water.


 Same here Ron !! :thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## ranman (Jan 24, 2010)

i have 2 years of commercial work on my impact and many drops off a 10' ladder.


i`m a makita man


----------



## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

H.D. has the 6 peace piece set one closeout for $399.


----------



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

you know the makita chargers can play tunes when the battery is done. i dont have mine set like that cuz its annoying.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Cal,

How the kit holding up, my is still doing great. :thumbup:


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Ron said:


> Cal,
> 
> How the kit holding up, my is still doing great. :thumbup:


Doing GREAT !


----------



## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

I know this is an OLD thread but how are your drills holding up Ron and Cal? My beat to crap Dewalt gave up the ghost completely yesterday when it nearly caught on fire.  I had just finished charging the only good battery and when I stuck it the drill I started to hear this sizzling noize. First I thought it was water leaking everywhere so I looked all over in the w/h room I was working in and then looked down at the drill in my hand and the battery was bubbling and smoking.  Needless to say, I pulled the battery out and haven't tried it since. 

I'm looking for a good drill to replace it with and I'm real concerned with the batteries. I saw Ridgid is still offering the lifetime warranty but haven't heard real good reviews on the tools themselves. It sounds like everybody loves the Makita's. I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and go Hilti or what. 








Paul


----------



## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

rocksteady said:


> It sounds like everybody loves the Makita's. I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and go Hilti or what.



The Hilti cordless stuff isn't real superior performance wise to most others, the money you are paying is for the warranty and the service, and the service is wholly dependent on the rep in your area.

That being said I rarely used cordless tools when I was in the trade, most of the work I did was far easier with corded tools.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

rocksteady said:


> I know this is an OLD thread but how are your drills holding up Ron and Cal? My beat to crap Dewalt gave up the ghost completely yesterday when it nearly caught on fire.  I had just finished charging the only good battery and when I stuck it the drill I started to hear this sizzling noize. First I thought it was water leaking everywhere so I looked all over in the w/h room I was working in and then looked down at the drill in my hand and the battery was bubbling and smoking.  Needless to say, I pulled the battery out and haven't tried it since.
> 
> I'm looking for a good drill to replace it with and I'm real concerned with the batteries. I saw Ridgid is still offering the lifetime warranty but haven't heard real good reviews on the tools themselves. It sounds like everybody loves the Makita's. I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and go Hilti or what.
> 
> ...


Mine still doing great, had to replace one batt only cause it got water in it. Right now mine sit idle, working at the U of O, we are not allowed to take or use any personnel tools that we own on campus.

Merry Christmas Paul.


----------



## Maximumplumbing (Nov 6, 2010)

I too have had great luck with the Makita cordless stuff. I started with the four piece kit now I have nine or ten with maybe 14 or 15 batteries. I've had mine for 3-4 years now. Awesome tools.


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Rock , Mine is just GREAT still ! The sawzall was never really good but i use a corded one anyway . If you can get the drill / impact combo only ,,, HIGHLY recommend !!


----------



## bizzybeeplumbin (Jul 19, 2011)

I burned through Makita and Dewalt. I went with milwakee 12 and 18 volt. love the drill, 1/2" hammer drill. 

I am very pleased with Milwakee led flashlight, dropped it time and time again, never broke it. only thing that broke on it was the button to turn it on and off.

So far, pleased with Milwakee. 

I tried Ridgid, bought a top of the line drill from them and had it about 8months. I don't do warranties very well because I need my tool when I need it. I sent a Dewalt away once under warranty, took forever to get it back and I told myself I wouldn't mess with warranties again.


----------



## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

The thing that has me thinking about Milwaukee is that I could get the M18 pex tool somewhere down the road and it'd fit in with the batteries and charger for the drill. 



I think I'm down to 3 options. Makita, Milwaukee or Hilti.





Paul


----------



## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

bizzybeeplumbin said:


> I burned through Makita and Dewalt. I went with milwakee 12 and 18 volt. love the drill, 1/2" hammer drill.
> 
> I am very pleased with Milwakee led flashlight, dropped it time and time again, never broke it. only thing that broke on it was the button to turn it on and off.
> 
> ...


I roll with Milwakee as well.
Im very happy so far. I have had them for 3 years.


----------



## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

Well, I broke down and bought the Makita LXT drill/impact kit today. I have to say it is nice but I haven't had a chance to mess with it yet. Is there recip. saw worth buying? I like having the cordless Dewalt recip but I'll never give up my corded Porter Cable. How about the flashlight? I'm not really interested in any other cordless tools unless they show up on Ebay or CL cheap. 





Paul


----------



## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

About 6-7 months with my Makita set...sawzall, drill/hammer, impact, flashlight and skill saw. I'm very pleased with the sawzall...so far so good.


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

AlbacoreShuffle said:


> I roll with Milwakee as well.
> Im very happy so far. I have had them for 3 years.


 I've had the V18 and the V28 kits since they first came out -- I have duplicates of everything but the Rotohammers -- Everyone was having a fire sale when the M18 and M28 tool lines came out, so I took advantage of the tool only deals and picked up most of the spares for under 30 bucks each, brand new.

I really like the forethought that goes into Milwaukee's backwards compatibility policy with batteries.


----------



## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

Makita's impact drill is the best in the business:thumbup:


----------



## Mega Smash (Oct 9, 2009)

rocksteady said:


> How about the flashlight? I'm not really interested in any other cordless tools unless they show up on Ebay or CL cheap.


I bought this Makita florescent light off of Ebay - brand new sealed in the factory package. (Cheaper than a big box store)

I've been really happy with it in the 2+ years I've had it. It's great for lighting up cabinets, crawlspaces, any dark area really. One of the best things about it, is when the battery starts to die, the light shuts off. You can turn it back on for about 1-2 minutes, which is usually long enough to see your way out of an unlit basement or crawlspace.

It also beats, hands down, any camping lantern. :thumbup:


----------



## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

Mega Smash said:


> I bought this Makita florescent light off of Ebay - brand new sealed in the factory package. (Cheaper than a big box store)
> 
> I've been really happy with it in the 2+ years I've had it. It's great for lighting up cabinets, crawlspaces, any dark area really. One of the best things about it, is when the battery starts to die, the light shuts off. You can turn it back on for about 1-2 minutes, which is usually long enough to see your way out of an unlit basement or crawlspace.
> 
> It also beats, hands down, any camping lantern. :thumbup:


How long does it last between charges ?


----------



## DaJaFa (Jan 3, 2012)

Just got the 4 piece Makita set (Sawzall, flashlight, hammer drill and impact drill) for $399 plus the circular saw for free! hoping to have as much use out of it as you guys are! One of my bosses has the Milwaukee set, I was tempted to go for that, but after feeling the weight difference, and the free extra tool, I decided on Makita. I bought a box of Milwaukee bits though, since this is my first set of power tools, because I was told that the Milwaukee bits are FAR superior to Makita bits. I will see, lol.


----------



## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

DaJaFa said:


> Just got the 4 piece Makita set (Sawzall, flashlight, hammer drill and impact drill) for $399 plus the circular saw for free! hoping to have as much use out of it as you guys are! One of my bosses has the Milwaukee set, I was tempted to go for that, but after feeling the weight difference, and the free extra tool, I decided on Makita. I bought a box of Milwaukee bits though, since this is my first set of power tools, because I was told that the Milwaukee bits are FAR superior to Makita bits. I will see, lol.


That's the kit I bought and I'm really liking it so far. It replaced a Milwaukee kit.


----------



## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

Well, my Makita drill lasted exactly one month before literaly going up in smoke. I was drilling 1 3/8" holes with a Lenox one tooth hole saw and it was very low on power. Charged the batteries up and tried again. The power didn't really improve but it started billowing smoke from the vents. I took it back to HD but they didn't have the drill/impact kit so I just got the bigger hammer drill instead. I'll probably get the impact later. Hopefully this one will last longer.



Paul


----------



## MagicJeff13 (Feb 9, 2012)

How is it so far, I was considering the same set. Thanks.


----------

