It's the Makita............."FLEET!!"....and a couple others

[67Dart273]

All righty, then..............back when I could actually work, all/ any of my rechargeable tools were the old Makita 9.6 "long handled" stuff, and a couple drills were the long handled 12V had the bulge at the bottom. But you cannot really buy batteries for them (nicad) anymore

Weeks ago I found at a thrift store, a kit with a 1/2" drill/ driver and 1/4" hex impact driver, bad batteries, and a few days later a 3/8 drill / driver, all three the same 14.4 Ni-metal hydride, bad batteries. And I found that almost nobody stocks the NiMH because I guess they were an interim stepping stone to LI-Ion I ended up buying (the red ones) egag import batteries for them, and they are a POOR deal!!

So then I found a pretty good buy on a Li-Ion 18V Makita 1/2" drill and 1/4 hex impact, and not long after, ended up buying a 3/8 sq drive impact wrench on Egag at a fair price.

Then I endeavored to convert the older tools to USE THESE Makita 18V Li-Ion batteries.
Photos did not appear in desired order. Here is one of the Egag battery bases, I have found 3 different ones, vary in price from about 6.00US to about 8.00 US

Below an idea of the different battery bases. One of them in particular wastes a lot of height, bulky

Below, the 3 14.4V Ni-MH tools, at top left is an Egag adapter for Ni-MH 18V from 18V Li-Ion, which I sawed a bit off the front to fit these 14.4 tools

The red is one of the egag poor batteries in the tool, and a dead one I sawed apart to experiment with mounting an adapter

Below is the start of converting the 14.4 --1/4 hex driver to Li-Ion. I made some saw cuts in the front of the old battery well, and will mount this new Egag battery base in there. It will become a native fit then, 18V Li-Ion vs original 14.4V

Below, 2 of the old long handle 9.6 tools. They are too difficult to convert and will not be used much, but I did want the functionality of the recip saw and the angle drill. Took an old battery, some wire, and one of the Egag bases, and now they will run on 18v

 

[67Dart273]

Conversions. At left is an old 19V Nicad angle drill. Sawed off the front of the drill base so it more fit the 18V battery base, easy. To right, a 12V Nicad drill I bought new, have not been used much. The batteries are long gone. Again, a Egag battery adapter/ base, some hacking, and now it's Li-Ion

Below, a china no-name air compressor which I bought for SIX BUCKS. I wanted to use it in the basement to blow dust out of equipment, without firing up a compressor. It used a completly oddball and worthless 18-20V Li-Ion so THAT was an easy decision!!

Again, some hacking, and we have a Li-Ion Makita mount. Works GREAT

Showing the start of a Makita 14.4 to Li-Ion 18v adaptation.

Cut out the front area of the battery well, will have two screws from the tool base into the battery holder, an one screw inwards from the rear of the tool and into the new base

 

[67Dart273]

The new Li-Ion stuff Blue are the 1/2" drill driver and 1/4 hex impact driver I originally bought, with the 3/8 impact at left. The two black/ white tools were a GIFT FROM THE NEIGHBOR!! 1/2" drill driver and 1/4 hex impact

Below, in the course of all this, the nice bag at left from the neighbor, and the bag at right came with part of the rest of it.

I got two decent 1.8AH batteries with the first of it, and 1 good and 1 bad 1.8 AH from the neighbor. Someone a bit north hand two brand new 5AH batteries at a good price with charger, and now I have 1 slow charger, 1 older fast charger, and a newer, improved fast charger.

 

[67Dart273]

Also, I don't have that much "use" for the hex drivers. I would much prefer 3/8 drive impacts. I am working on trying to identify compatible parts. The one 14.4 hex driver, I found the compatible 3/8 square anvil to replace the hex driver one, BUT THAT PART IS OBSOLETE LOLOL

I'm hoping I can do the same to at least one of the other hex drivers

 

[toolmanmike]

Makita was really good for years and Milwaulkee and Dewalt took over the market. Isold them for many years. I think I tossed all my old Makita cordless. The Nicad was bad. The NiMiH was better but the competition took over with the Lithium.

 

[67Dart273]

Makita was really good for years and Milwaulkee and Dewalt took over the market. Isold them for many years. I think I tossed all my old Makita cordless. The Nicad was bad. The NiMiH was better but the competition took over with the Lithium.

Yeh, if I was in this "big" and young, still working, I might have gone otherwise. This stuff here is gonna last me until i'm not able, or gone. I'm also thinking that the 18V batteries will be around awhile if I need another.

 

[harrisonm]

I really like my Dewalt stuff. Most recent acquisition is this cool 3" Metal cutting saw.

 

[67Dart273]

I'm sure you do. The object of this is, I'm old, won't be at this forever, and don't need a lot. And keep it within a fairly low budget.

 

[Commando66]

I've got all Makita 18V Li-Ion tools. I personally like them over the Dewalt and Milwaukee tools that my carpenters use. Just personal preference I guess.

 

[YY1]

I've been down that road a couple of times.

I've decided it's not worth my time and/or effort.

My latest set is 20v Porter-Cable.

I LOVE them, however as of about 2 years ago, like almost always...no one carries them.

 

[67Dart273]

The BIG problem with Li-Ion or lithium, "anything" is that they are nearly impossible to rebuild. You really are not supposed to solder them. Spot weld The cells must be balanced within tenths of volts or the management hardware will not play. I've read on the WWW that the newer Makita batteries with the "star" on the battery will brick the board if you try to rebuild them. I've also read there are replacement boards (china of course) avail. So I HOPE these batteries are avail until I'm too old or worse.

The one good thing about Li batteries is that they
seem to be less fussy about being left around not fully charged, and don't discharge as badly as the older tech.

 

[oldkimmer]

Wow Del, you’re a busy guy. Keep on keeping on. Kim