www.slashgear.com: Let nobody say that owning and operating a toolbox, whether for personal crafting endeavors or professional contracting work, is cheap. Stocking your cabinet with name-brand tools like Makita is appealing from a functionality perspective, but as with pretty much any other business sector, name brands mean hefty price tags.
3 comments:
In this informative article the author discusses the usage of high quality Makita Batteries on cheaper, harbor freight tools. I think it’s interesting that the author goes to great lengths to highlight just how expensive it is to own and maintain a set of tools, citing the real prices that modern day companies charge for their products, which are especially high when it comes to manufacturers that specialize in high quality items such as Makita. After skirting around the main point of the article for a couple of paragraphs, the author admits that it is not possible to use makita batteries on harbor freight tools. I expected the rest of the article to include work-arounds for this problem, but the author instead spends the rest of the piece explaining why all existing work-arounds would result in net negatives for product users. Though there are third-party converters available for consumer purchase, these often override the electronic hardware built into the high-end Makita batteries and would cancel out the desired effect of using a nice, expensive battery by making them less efficient and more prone to failing or damaging the tool they’re used with. I think the idea that proprietary batteries can’t be used except with their native tools is a little short-sighted. The existence of 3rd party solutions, though flawed, is evidence of the fact that many want a solution to this problem, and that many people want to be able to mix and match their tools, batteries, and equipment to varying degrees of quality. This article, by explaining how unfeasible a solution is using current hardware, has made me believe that universal battery terminals and connectors would be a great development for everyone who has a want or need for these tools.
We all know that power tools and their battery packs aren't the cheapest items on the market. But as a designer or someone working with these tools, it makes sense to buy higher-end, well-known tools like Makita compared to the store brand. But this does lead to issues, which is what the article comes to address. The issue of universal batteries between power tools is due to the various connectors and power terminals each company uses. I think part of the reason is that the companies want to make the most money from their products rather than make it convenient for their users. When working in a scenic shop and having equipment that comes from varying companies, it can be hard to buy multiple battery packs that go into the specific terminal. I think if these companies collectively agree on changing the terminals and connectors that it would benefit the overall users of these products. Though an adapter can help to make these batteries compatible with other companies' equipment, creating a universal battery would ultimately make it easier for the users.
It makes a lot of sense why people would want to have interchangeable batteries for their tools. It sucks that the system we have kind of forces us to choose between expensive and inexpensive. I used to work for a guy who used Milwaukee tools, and he had a huge battery-powered Milwaukee SDS hammer drill that he only used once a year, if that. It seems like tool manufacturers should offer a middle ground, a less expensive and lesser quality version of the tools they make, so that you can spend your money more appropriately. Of course, it sounds dumb on paper, but it would be nice to buy a cheap tool for a job you do once a year, but not have to worry about the battery for it. I’ve seen people mix batteries and tools, and there are a lot of tools now that are just made by 3rd party companies entirely, like battery powered lights or fans. I’m pretty sure that there’s two brands, maybe Dewalt and Milwaukee, that can interchange batteries even without an adapter.
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