DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

Ran across DeWalt's new 36V line of cordless tools. Click Here .

That is a heck of a lot of battery power. I use their 18V tools, and have tried their 24V line. My only reaction was disbelief. Hard to imagine having more voltage.

I dunno...would you buy these tools?

And, any robotic applications you can think of for high-power DeWalts?

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

Absolutely not. I'm sure they are way overpriced and the average user like me has absolutely nothing to gain from them. My several year old 18V Ryobi tools serve me quite nicely.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

I was looking through their very nice website for the 36v line, and i was rather disappointed no rock video showing the extreme use of the flashlight.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

Forget electric-car research, the way DeWalt is going they will be able to make their own all-electric cars soon. Lol. I think these tools could be very useful. However, I'd imagine it's main market will be construction (since these things are way heavy duty) and battery life is always an issue with stuff like this being used in the field for extended periods. I think something like this could be a nice addition to many workshops though (for DIYers and FIRSTers alike) because it allows you to easily work on things out in the yard or away from other things without the issue of power cables. These things are at the point where they can efficiently power these massive tools that you would want to plug in in the past (i.e. circular saws). If I did more DIY work (considering I'm in an apartment I don't tend to go building things that require tools like that lol) I think something like this would be a nice thing to have if the price was right.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

My greatest disapointment is DeWalt's marketing with this stuff. A123Systems claims it can recharge these batteries to 90% in only 5 minutes, with 10X the longivity of other types of batteries. I think that DeWalt should either mention this, or should have delayed release until it was actually possible. Their one hour charger isn't that special, many batteries can charge in half that time.

Also, these cordless devises are getting quite heavy, though that's really not an avoidable problem at this point.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

yes but the 36 volt batteries are lithium not nickel, which will make them considerably lighter.

personally i think just holding on to one of the drills and not breaking your wrist will be a challenge with that much power.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

the battery voltage is irrelavant

the real question is the HP of the motor with the trigger pulled in all the way?

A 1 HP drill is a 1HP drill, whether its designed to run on 36V or 3V, or 120 VAC.

This sounds like a engineering decision driven by the sales and marketing guys "36 VOLTS sounds way better than 24V!"

from the Dewalt 36V website it looks like maybe building a new headquarters for FIRST?

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

The right tool for the job. If you were an electrician drilling 1-1/2 holes through 2x4 studs or a carpenter cutting rafters all day long you might appreciate the torque and battery life of a 36-volt tool. I agree that they look like overkill for robot construction.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

Well, not exactly. It's easier to move power around wires at higher voltages. I agree, of course, that the bottom line is the power of the motor, the design of the transmission, and the battery life. At the right price...

I still wouldn't mind having one of those new cordless circular saws...

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

Ok lets look at this from the practical standpoint, 36 volts is definetly useful sometimes, but it's way tooooo heavy to use on your average task, 18 volts are often too heavy for your average robot work. If your drilling and screwing, and doing basic fabrication like that, get a 14.4 volt drill, it's lighter and cheaper, which will lead to less fatigue and more productivity. If you are worried about battery life, take the money you saved and buy another battery! The 36 volts does give you some good applications, like with the Impact Wrench and Rotary Hammer, but come on people, what are we drilling that requires a 36 volt Drill?

What's next? They give you a car battery, with a Cim straped to a DeWalt Transmission? 18 Amps baby! It even shifts on the fly! Take that Makita!

Two things I would like to get my hands on though, are the Transmission that they got on the 36 Volt Drill and the Impact Wrench, that could lead to some good fun.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

Ive thought about this all day

I could use a new cordless hammer drill

but I think I will hold off until the 37V version comes out

when you are drilling with a 36V cordless drill, and you need just a little push to get you over the top, what can you do?

nothing

but with 37V, you get 1 more

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

I don't know the advantages of the 37V are nice but I mean I really would hold out for the 38V, for the times when even 37V can't get it done.

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

In a couple of years DeWalt will come out with a 120V drill, I can see it already... :p

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

a 38Volt cordless drill?

Thats INSANE!

You'd break both wrists for sure

Re: DeWalt: 36 Volt Tools!!
 

ha ha you would essentially need to mount it like a drill press to avoid spinning in circles while trying to drill something...or to prevent yourself from breaking your wrist.