Texas | steve c-il - 1/2/2026 21:56
I'll show my age now. While working as an Automotive machinist most Power Tools came from Sioux and Milwaukee. Great quality but priced to high for any one that didn't need them in a Production enviorment. Black and Decker had an Industrial Line that also sold as Sears Industrial. B & D seemed to be the first to come out with lower cost versions with plastic housings and potmetal gearing. Remember the Clay colored Home Owner tools and the Orange colored Pro ones ? Cheap enough everyone could afford but poor quality really drug the company down. Have been told that is where the Dewalt Brand came from. Company needed a New Identity to stay in the market. IIRC, Makita was the first Company to bring in a line of " Comercial Grade " Cordless Tools with Ni-cad batteries . Every one else had to play catch up from there. Look at what's available now.
My recollection only. Worth what you paid for it.
I do remember black and decker , good stuff them .
Soux used to make valve grinders ( showing my age too now ) .
I dont think B-D is still around now ?
Had a friend at JB that used makita , he got along fine with their stuff .
I personally think Dewalt stuff is ok . Just stay with milwalkee , got 3 chargers . Lots of batteries .
My snap -on dealer pretty much quit carrying air 3/8” and 1/2 “ impacts . They might have one on the truck now .
Air is just not used hardly at all now in professional shops .
Good corldless stuff was a total game changer for us .
The part that killed air is the milwalkee ,is way stronger . That is important in a truck shop .
I think my 2 half inch milwalkees are at least as strong as a good 3/4” air .
Some guys went to a 1” milealkee tire gun , They seemed not to hold up good . But thats been 5 years ago . |
I wonder how milwalkee did it ?
