Hercules beats DeWALT ?!?

On Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 5:03:15 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
=20
> Festool turnaround time is relatively quick. IIRC there=20
> is only one servicing location for warranty repairs and they promise in=
=20
> and out in 2~3 days.

I seem to remember reading in more than one place that the quick turnaround=
is a Festool feature. They are brilliant at recognizing their market. I =
would guess a privileged woodworker that simply won't wait for long repairs=
, and probably their vast client group is the guys that rely on their Festo=
ol tools for a living that simply can't be without them.
>=20
=20
> Yeah when the repair man gets paid much more than the builder.....and I=
=20
> am sure this is in the manufacturers business plan, to encourage buying=
=20
> new vs repairing. =20

I have absolutely no doubt you are right. Planned obsolescence has been a =
hallmark of American manufacturing for decades now.

> I think if the off brand tools are indeed being built by the name brand=
=20
> manufacturers that is a good move. It insures that the factory stays=20
> busy and that they do not loose a sale to the cheaper priced=20
> competition. When Budweiser manufactured more beer than they could sell=
=20
> under that name the rest filled the less expensive Bush cans.

Not ready to accept the "Built in America" tag that has "with global materi=
als" in 20% the size of their BiA tag. While I am enormously happy to see =
some American jobs come back here (and hope they stay!) but I would really =
like to know how much of their product line parting is made overseas and s=
imply screwed together here.

No doubt that if it wasn't a good move for DeWalt, there would be no manufa=
cturing or assembly here. Those guys and plenty others left out shores bec=
ause they simply couldn't compete. They wouldn't be moving back unless the=
dollars worked for them.

Robert

On 8/1/2017 2:41 PM, [email protected] wrote:
> On Monday, July 31, 2017 at 2:51:08 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
>
>> If you compare just the silhouette of the two drills I would not be
>> surprised if DeWalt makes the Hercules, maybe with more plastic parts.
>
> If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? One thing that keeps me reaching for my Ryobi tools is their similar feel to my DeWalts. To me DeWalt has always had a great feel in the hand. I would be surprised if DeWalt's newest offerings that are much cheaper than they have ever been don't include parts from others.
>
> The comparison by HF to DW tools has already caused some hurt feelings as well as other hurt parts. I followed the links provided by SW, and then a few more in the video department. There are action videos that compare HF to DW as well as Milwaukee. In each case, the new HF acquits itself quite well.
>
> As home reviewers, they don't recognize how much the difference in battery size makes, or the difference between brushed and brushless. After one reviewer was clearly annoyed that the HF did so well against his DW, he finally compared it to the top line 20v, //brushless// impact driver with a FIVE amp battery ($100 for battery alone) and the DW won the day over the stock HF Hercules. But not by much. He sounded relieved.

Now that is funny.


>
> You have to look at all the features, too. The HF comes with a couple of drivers, and a hard case. I am sick of the soft cases as the are actually harder to transport and offer no protection for the tools. In the low end price range of DW tools (which don't spec the same)they compare this HF to on the net, you have to remember that a DeWalt case, if available, is about $40.
>
> As far as the warranty goes, you can buy up in the store and the costs are pretty reasonable. At one time they had problems (years ago...) honoring their warranties, but I have had a tool die within their 90 day warranty/satisfaction period and they simply handed me another one in the store. I think DW is still doing that as well. It is my understanding that if you buy the extended warranty from HF in the store they will replace rather than repair, if the tool is under $300 cost from them.
>
> I have heard back and forth from my contractor buddies about the DW warranties and what it takes to get DW to honor them, but I don't have any factual info. They aren't happy at the policy, or the costs they faced "under warranty". We only have one authorized shop here in San Antonio for DW warranty work, and their service sucks, the people suck, the prices are stunningly high, and their turnaround on something like a contractor duty hammer drill s about month. YMMV, it could just be a local thing.

No, I have seen the slooooooow repair times too, although I have not had
to have a tool repaired in quite a while. I have never worn a tool out
during warranty but did send my Domino in early on, 9-10 years ago, for
calibration. Festool turnaround time is relatively quick. IIRC there
is only one servicing location for warranty repairs and they promise in
and out in 2~3 days.

>
> One thing I have found that is true at the Milwaukee repair center, the Bosch/Bostitch repair center, and the DW repair center is that if they find that it isn't under warranty they charge you a bench fee of $65 to $75 bucks. Kinda tough to look at when you have a $100 tool. To be fair, at all three places you get a chance to talk to a technician of some sort before you commit, and they ALL tell you it is cheaper to buy than repair if it isn't under warranty. The Milwaukee folks told me that if the tool was over a year to year and a half old, they never recommend repair for the lower end products if they have been in moderate use. So, truly disposable tools.

Yeah when the repair man gets paid much more than the builder.....and I
am sure this is in the manufacturers business plan, to encourage buying
new vs repairing. Reminds me of bank tellers reminding me that you can
use the ATM in the lobby so that you can put them out of a job or their
misery. ;!)


>
> I think the Hercules line is just a sign of the things to come.

I think if the off brand tools are indeed being built by the name brand
manufacturers that is a good move. It insures that the factory stays
busy and that they do not loose a sale to the cheaper priced
competition. When Budweiser manufactured more beer than they could sell
under that name the rest filled the less expensive Bush cans.


>
> Can't wait for all the YouTube videos where people are comparing them to their own tools, no matter how unequal the comparisons will be.


LOL Yeah!

On 7/31/2017 10:10 AM, Spalted Walt wrote:
> It appears Harbor Freight is finally trying to enter the 21st century with
> it's new 20v Li-ion offerings, making some pretty bold claims:
>
> https://images.harborfreight.com/hftweb/newitems/63381_Hercules_NewItems_070717_02.jpg

If you compare just the silhouette of the two drills I would not be
surprised if DeWalt makes the Hercules, maybe with more plastic parts.

On Monday, July 31, 2017 at 2:51:08 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
=20
> If you compare just the silhouette of the two drills I would not be=20
> surprised if DeWalt makes the Hercules, maybe with more plastic parts.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? One thing that keeps me reaching f=
or my Ryobi tools is their similar feel to my DeWalts. To me DeWalt has al=
ways had a great feel in the hand. I would be surprised if DeWalt's newest =
offerings that are much cheaper than they have ever been don't include part=
s from others.

The comparison by HF to DW tools has already caused some hurt feelings as w=
ell as other hurt parts. I followed the links provided by SW, and then a f=
ew more in the video department. There are action videos that compare HF t=
o DW as well as Milwaukee. In each case, the new HF acquits itself quite w=
ell.

As home reviewers, they don't recognize how much the difference in battery =
size makes, or the difference between brushed and brushless. After one rev=
iewer was clearly annoyed that the HF did so well against his DW, he finall=
y compared it to the top line 20v, //brushless// impact driver with a FIVE =
amp battery ($100 for battery alone) and the DW won the day over the stock =
HF Hercules. But not by much. He sounded relieved.

You have to look at all the features, too. The HF comes with a couple of d=
rivers, and a hard case. I am sick of the soft cases as the are actually h=
arder to transport and offer no protection for the tools. In the low end p=
rice range of DW tools (which don't spec the same)they compare this HF to o=
n the net, you have to remember that a DeWalt case, if available, is about =
$40. =20

As far as the warranty goes, you can buy up in the store and the costs are =
pretty reasonable. At one time they had problems (years ago...) honoring th=
eir warranties, but I have had a tool die within their 90 day warranty/sati=
sfaction period and they simply handed me another one in the store. I think=
DW is still doing that as well. It is my understanding that if you buy th=
e extended warranty from HF in the store they will replace rather than repa=
ir, if the tool is under $300 cost from them.

I have heard back and forth from my contractor buddies about the DW warrant=
ies and what it takes to get DW to honor them, but I don't have any factual=
info. They aren't happy at the policy, or the costs they faced "under warr=
anty". We only have one authorized shop here in San Antonio for DW warrant=
y work, and their service sucks, the people suck, the prices are stunningly=
high, and their turnaround on something like a contractor duty hammer dril=
l s about month. YMMV, it could just be a local thing.

One thing I have found that is true at the Milwaukee repair center, the Bos=
ch/Bostitch repair center, and the DW repair center is that if they find th=
at it isn't under warranty they charge you a bench fee of $65 to $75 bucks.=
Kinda tough to look at when you have a $100 tool. To be fair, at all thr=
ee places you get a chance to talk to a technician of some sort before you =
commit, and they ALL tell you it is cheaper to buy than repair if it isn't =
under warranty. The Milwaukee folks told me that if the tool was over a ye=
ar to year and a half old, they never recommend repair for the lower end pr=
oducts if they have been in moderate use. So, truly disposable tools.

I think the Hercules line is just a sign of the things to come.

Can't wait for all the YouTube videos where people are comparing them to th=
eir own tools, no matter how unequal the comparisons will be.

Robert

Robert

On 7/31/2017 3:50 PM, Leon wrote:
> On 7/31/2017 10:10 AM, Spalted Walt wrote:
>> It appears Harbor Freight is finally trying to enter the 21st century
>> with
>> it's new 20v Li-ion offerings, making some pretty bold claims:
>>
>> https://images.harborfreight.com/hftweb/newitems/63381_Hercules_NewItems_070717_02.jpg
>>
>
> If you compare just the silhouette of the two drills I would not be
> surprised if DeWalt makes the Hercules, maybe with more plastic parts.
>
>
>
>
I don't think Dewally makes it.
I think the plant in China that was making Dewally(now back in the US),
is making these to suplant their sales that they lost when Dewally came
back here.

--
Jeff

WOOPS!
> Hercules 1/4" Compact Impact Driver Kit $110
> https://www.harborfreight.com/20v-lithium-cordless-14-in-hex-compact-impact-driver-kit-63380.htm

Corect link:
https://www.harborfreight.com/20v-lithium-cordless-14-in-hex-compact-impact-driver-kit-63380.html

On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 15:10:58 +0000
Spalted Walt <[email protected]> wrote:

> It appears Harbor Freight is finally trying to enter the 21st century
> with it's new 20v Li-ion offerings, making some pretty bold claims:

looked at a hf catalog and have not in a while but it seemed to me that
their prices have crept up

anyone else notice that

Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Mon, 31 Jul 2017 15:10:58 +0000
> Spalted Walt <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > It appears Harbor Freight is finally trying to enter the 21st century
> > with it's new 20v Li-ion offerings, making some pretty bold claims:
>
> looked at a hf catalog and have not in a while but it seemed to me that
> their prices have crept up
>
> anyone else notice that

Their crappy/cheap/disposable NiCd drill & impact drivers are still
$15 ea. w/20% coupon. Same price for several yrs.

https://www.harborfreight.com/18-volt-38-in-cordless-drilldriver-with-keyless-chuck-21-clutch-settings-62868.html
https://www.harborfreight.com/18-volt-14-in-cordless-impact-driver-62874.html