Porter-Cable 18-Volt NiCad 2-Tool Combo Kit - $109 at Lowes

What are you planing to do with the circular saw?

I’m on my second mini circ saw, the first was part of a B&D set I received as a gift and the second was part of a Ryobi set I bought for myself.

I used the B&D once to cut up a pallet and then gave the entire kit to my sister – it probably would have been easier to use a hand saw.

I’m remodeling/restoring my house, and I thought the mini circ saw would at least be useful when demolishing some ceiling and wall paneling, but it really isn’t – I find myself reaching for my corded circ saw every time.

In my experience the mini circ saw is as useful as my Rotozip! Maybe the PC is a better saw.

When you buy the kit with the saw it only cost $10 more than the drill kit without the saw.

-- DaveH - Boise, Idaho - “How hard can it be? It's only wood!”

The best thing that can be done for a battery powered circular saw is to replace the blade with a good carbide blade.

I have a 9.6v Makita and 6-1/2” DeWalt. With new blades, they might as well be different tools. The battery life at least quadrupled when the saws were equipped with $20 carbide blades.

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

Dave, I’m not familiar with those particular tools, but I’ve never heard of Porter-Cable making any real c**p. It looks like a great deal to me.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I should point out that Porter-Cable is the new Black and Decker.

no pc in not the new black and decker. PC has traditionally been a router maker, delta was the fixed tool maker. PC, delta, and black and decker are all owned by dewalt. All of delta’s and PC’s tools are still made in Jackson, Tn at the same plant they have been made at for years. The difference in price and durability come from how they are made and how long they are supposed to last. Dewalt is a heavy duty construction quality to go from job site to jobsite. Delta and pc are more for professionals, cabinet maker, furniture makers, trim carpenters. B&D is for the occasional home woodworker.
Alot of the cost nowadays in cordless tools is from the cost of the battery. The actual tools are not expensive to make.

-- Joey, Magee, Ms http://woodnwaresms.com

Actually I think it is Black and Decker who is the owner.

-- DaveH - Boise, Idaho - “How hard can it be? It's only wood!”

We used a lot of PC tools in prison industries and they held up well. I also work at Lowes part time and think this is a good price.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

Porter Cable is NOT what it used to be…

I’ve heard PC has been repositioned as the “serious homeowner” brand in the corporate lineup or hand power tools.

Top = DeWalt
Middle = PC
Bottom = B&D

Glen Huey wrote about this in PopWood a few months back, and it was confirmed by my local independent tool pusher, Coastal Tool.

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Our lowes store had a 4 piece porter cable set for sale for $159 you get a 18v light,saws all, drill,circular saw
looks like a great deal!

-- Jim Ohio

I just bought this 4 pc. set today for $159. You really cant beat the price, with a similar set from Dewalt retailing for over $600.00. The tools seem pretty light weight, but I actually bought it as a back-up set anyway. I figure, the drill alone is worth this much ( I paid $199.00 for my 14.4 v Dewalt), and if I get a years use out of these tools they are well worth $159.00. It comes with circ. saw, recip. saw, flashlight, 1/2” drill w/ metal chuck, 1 saw- zall blade, 1 circ. saw blade, and soft bag. The tools are labeled Jackson TN, but are actually manufactured in China. Better China than Taiwan, I guess. Anyway, after I try ‘em out I’ll post some feedback.

I also noticed this past weekend. I would tend to agree that PC is geared for the serious homeowner. They used to make a 19.2 volt and that is what norm uses. We most all agree that their routers are awesome. I think I am at 6 at last count plus the 2 I bought for school last year and 2 more are on the PO list this year. I really think they are trying to compete with HD’s hold on Ryobi. They are the same price and kits as Ryobi. I would buy PC over Ryobi, although I have had good luck with Ryobi. Just the name PC and the fact that they are still made here (I think, if what I was told is correct)

On the flip side, I was able to get some ryobi 18v drill, charger 2 battery kits in June on a fathers day sale for $39 each. Can’t beat that price.

I own both Dewalt and Ryobi cordless. There is no comparison between my Dewalt circ saw and the ryobi. The ryobi is only a 5.5 blade, the dewalt is a 6.5. I have ripped a 2×4 down the middle to make 2×2s with my dewalt. the ryobi is only good for cutting plywood for the most part. The only thing that I havent’ been able to do with my dewalt is cut stair stringers out of treated wood for decks. not that it won’t, just the charger can’t keep up with the batteries when going though that tough and wet material.

Some of my dewalt batteris are starting to go. I think instead of buying new batteries at $80 each, I might start the transition to PC for the price. I am only doing woodworking now. I used to teach vocational ed and needed the pro tools.

Also I think there is some gear/torque ratio difference in the tools. I have a buddy who has the Ryobi set and I have the dewalt. We were both assembling hinges on his cabinet doors for his garage using our impact drivers. His wife stepped out to see how it was going. She asked if the voltage was the same on our tools. We asked why? She said I was putting in screws faster than he was. We simply said it was blue vs yellow (ryobi vs dewalt)

I sell tools at lowes and during our little presentation about this new line of PC tools, it was clear that it is a line for the serious, entry level, DIY home user. They are not even trying to pretend it is contractor grade. However it is just a better version of the B&D firestorm line. I use the firestorm line and so far it has worked very well but i wouldnt want to build a house with them :D It is one great deal if you need to start your battery power tool collection, but beyond that i would go with a better mid-grade cordless tool company such as hitachi.

and just for clarity, B&D bought dewalt, porter cable, delta and i’ve heard from the vine that a buyout of makita may be on the way.

-- www.jonboon.info - more crap coming soon!

A big difference is the battery. The new Porter-Cable battery( Nicad) is an 18 volt 1.5 AH battery. The DeWalt is an 18 volt 2.4 AH battery. A lot more battery swaps with the Porter-Cable. You can buy new 18 volt DeWalt batteries for $60 apiece on the web. Amazon has 2 batteries for $110 with free shipping. You can also buy DeWalt tools without the battery or charger on at Amazon between $75 and $110. I just bought a new 18 volt impact, and a 2nd drill. Once you have the batteries new DeWalt tools are not that expensive. You can also by the new Dewalt Lithium battery as replacement for the older 18 volt XRP batteries.

-- DaveH - Boise, Idaho - “How hard can it be? It's only wood!”

“Better China than Taiwan, I guess.”

Most folks would feel the opposite.

My experience is that Taiwan sourced stuff is usually better made.

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My old 14.4 V PC (originally bought as a reconditioned drill) is on the fritz, so may be in the market sometime soon. For those that have the lithium battery setups, it the price difference worth it? I understand that the litiums last longer and are either on or off…is that good? Thanks,

-- Don, San Antonio, TX

I personally don’t feel the cost of the lithium is worth the extra money for the typical DIY kind of guy. I can buy 18 volt Nicads for $60 each. The DeWalt 18 volt lithium cost $149 each. True, the lithium are litter lighter but to me, there’s not return value.

-- DaveH - Boise, Idaho - “How hard can it be? It's only wood!”

Black and Decker has tried to realign their brands the past couple years. The miter saws have all gone to the Dewalt label,while the blades for them are converting to the Delta label. For the serious woodworker/carpenter they have the big shop tools with the Delta name, the contractor tools with DeWalt and smaller woodworking tools (routers etc..) with the PC name. There are some duplications of course, to keep those contractors happy that have to have the yellow tools. (haha) An example is the sanders. The PC sanders and the DeWalt sanders look almost identical (same shell) P/C 342k and DeWalt D26441K

I have also seen the B&D name on some low price point tools that were traditional with the Delta (Shopmaster) label. There is an orange table saw and miter saw out right now.

Yesterday was the first that I had seen the P/C 18V tools when I stopped into a Lowes. Now I have an email into my rep to find out why I don’t have them in my store! I thought they might be exclusive to Lowes, but can find them on Amazon and a few other sites. They will be great for the homeowner that just want something cordless to do some small jobs, however I would caution the tradesman on these. You do get what you pay for. If you are going to be framing a house, stick with a good DeWalt circ.

OK, that was my first post. Looks like some serious tool talkers here. Glad I found the forum!

-Scott

-- Things today are a lot more like they are now than they ever were before.

For what it’s worth, I own rental property and use Porter-Cable cordless tools and have been EXTREMELY happy with their performance. I can’t speak in comparison to how they work vs DeWalt or Ryobi but I have done everything from cut out plaster with the 6-1/2 in circular saw and the concrete/masonry blade as well as using the included Porter-Cable blade to cut 2×12s to rebuild a floor to do demo work with the reciprocating saw to put in a dryer vent. I love the drill and have used the snot out of them too… to include mixing cake batter by putting a wisp in the chuck (best chocolate cake ever). I can’t say that I go through batteries all that rapidly either. Maybe 2 a day in an 8 hour work day on the high end. I am extremely satisfied with the tools and hope they continue to expand the line. I’d like to see Porter-Cable be to Lowe’s what Ryobi is to Home Depot. Tough economic times, so who knows if that will happen but I am a HUGE fan of Porter-Cable now.

If you wiki Black and Decker, DeWalt or Porter-Cable, you’ll get the history on the tool makers, very interesting really.

I would jump at that especially with the cheap battery pack if it were here I like porter cable and find it’s stuff very good.Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

I heard Harbor freight bought Laguna LOL probably would have better service

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Scott, you have “an e-mail in to your rep?” If he’s anything like my Rep, 20 something that would not know what direction to put a saw blade on nor could he find the switch…good luck!

The next PC/Delta/Dewalt/B&D do-boy that comes through my door with a business card that still has wet ink on it will AGAIN….be shown the door!

-- http://www.federalsaw.com

I agree with everyone about the quality of PC powertools. I have their big biscuit jointer, a 2 belt sanders and several other RO sanders and the kick butt! I purchased all of them from independent tool dealers. I also have sworn by DeWalt cordless tools and have a ton of 18v drills, drivers, right angle drills…. you name it we use in the shop and onsite. All are awesome and all purchased from a dealer. Recently though I found a deal at HD on an 18v dewalt combo kit that I couldn’t pass up. The drill in it is a P.O.S!!! The chuck constantly comes loose (its even a Jacobs!) the plastic even seems thinner than my other drills, and once you engage the hammer clutch it won’t disengage. I asked the owner of Harris Tool, a local DeWalt dealer, he said that since B&D took over DeWalt, Delta and Porter Cable that they have begun to sell two levels of tools. One to authorized dealers and the lesser quality one to big box stores. So in my opinion it pays to go to a dealer and spend a bit extra for the quality tool I expect. Unfortunately Harris Tool went under recently because of the economy. Just my two cents.

Pickles, does anyone remember when Makita had red tools at HD? About 10-12 years ago and what was made for HD had plastic gears etc.. where steel was used in the “blue bodies” the industrial distributors offered.

One can only be beat up so much by the purchasing dept. at the the likes of big box before they dumb down what is offered.

See my avatar? THAT….is a tool !

-- http://www.federalsaw.com

Yeah i hear ya! Well I will still purchase Dewalt and PC but it wont be at Lowes or Home Depot. I might as well buy a Ryobi or B&D drill with gel grips and night lights on it. I have my fathers Skilsaw and it is a powerfully geared up timber cutting machine and now they make dainty screw drivers and power scissors!

Dainty as in those 4. nothing volt plug in to the wall things that “make great mothers day gifts?” Yeah right. what exactly are those things made to screw or unscrew other than childrens toys.

-- http://www.federalsaw.com

All of my PC stuff is at least 7 yrs old, and most are older. Has been good stuff, but the new items I’ve seen are somewhat suspect. Hate to see the great PC name diminished in quality. My PC cir. saw is a real winner, and the venerable 690 router has done super duty.
Mergers are sure making the choices in EVERYTHING a lot more difficult.
Bill

Sure are Bill. I have the 1st 18V system PC came out with and I’ll tell ya, the drill will crack your wrist. It’s powerful. I have not seen nor have customers said they have noticed any differance in the 690 router. The 7519 3 1/4HP seems to work the same as well.

Soon as I figure out how to post pics around here, I’ll put up some of my collectibles.

-- http://www.federalsaw.com

I just bought the drill and saw combo and i think it works great for the price.I drilled through 1/8 in thick steel with no problem. on a commercial construction site it works great for me.