# Bauer Model 1791C-B1 20V vs. Rigid Gen X Brushless 18V Model R86009



## ralbuck

I have had both excellent and terrible electric tools from H-F. Their lowend 5 speed bench top drill press is just plain JUNK! The tiny lathe I bought is a great little machine for the $!

I use H-F belts on my Jet belt sander and they are excellent- easily last as well as the twice the cost name brand ones and sand the same too.


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## Rayne

When AvE says one of their product is Skookum, you know HF is turning a corner with the quality of their products. HF is a gold mine if you do your research and know what you're looking at. Great review on the Bauer vs Ridgid. I fear my Craftsman C3 line of tools will give way soon unless Stanley really does change the name around and I stick around; otherwise, I don't mind looking at HF as a cheaper alternative for replacement.


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## Tennessee

Rayne, I wonder about the Craftsman line of tools. Since Sears sold that off to Stanley/Black & Decker, I look at them more now like some of that B&D stuff I see in places like Walmart. And I think Walmart also carries Stanley hand tools which have also gotten much cheaper in quality, so how long before they cheapen up the Craftsman line even more and put it in Walmart and run on the name?

I know my local Ace Hardware carries Craftsman, and is proud of it. But money talks, and after Christmas, my local Walmarts had a LOT of B&D tool sets on clearance when they didn't sell for the holidays. I think people know quality when they see it, and those orange B&D power tools are not there.

Thanks on complimenting on the review.


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## waho6o9

Thanks for the good review.


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## Rayne

> Rayne, I wonder about the Craftsman line of tools. Since Sears sold that off to Stanley/Black & Decker, I look at them more now like some of that B&D stuff I see in places like Walmart. And I think Walmart also carries Stanley hand tools which have also gotten much cheaper in quality, so how long before they cheapen up the Craftsman line even more and put it in Walmart and run on the name?
> 
> I know my local Ace Hardware carries Craftsman, and is proud of it. But money talks, and after Christmas, my local Walmarts had a LOT of B&D tool sets on clearance when they didn t sell for the holidays. I think people know quality when they see it, and those orange B&D power tools are not there.
> 
> Thanks on complimenting on the review.
> 
> - Tennessee


It's all about how Stanley B&D wants to revive the brand. Remember, they also own Lenox, Dewalt, Bostitch, Porter Cable and Mac Tools (among many more), so if they want to make it a great brand, they definitely can.


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## MrRon

I'm very happy with my 18 Volt XLT Dewalt drill. I have had it for about 8 years and it is a fine drill, never a problem. BUT, tools may be good one year and all of a sudden go south in quality, usually when companies change management, or lines get sold off. Dewalt has (so far) been a quality tool, but I'm not so sure of their present line. I bought a HF 12 Volt drill and it turned out to be junk. I may take a chance and try one of the Bauer drills. Thanks for the review.


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## jonah

The HF drill is not 20V, it's 18V. They do the same thing Dewalt does - rate it by the "maximum" voltage rather than the sustained use voltage. Suffice it to say that every cordless drill on the market is either 10.8V, 18V, or 24V. The 10.8V are sold as "12V", and brands differ on the 18V tools.


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## Tennessee

Ah, jonah, should have caught that.
Ni cells are nominal 1.2 volts, so 10.8V would be 9 cells, 18V would be 15 cells, and 24V would be 20 cells.

20V, you cannot divide 1.2 into that without a fraction, so it cannot be a true 20V.

Got it…
They do that a lot in the motorcycle industry, for instance my Indian 111 Cu. Inch, which should be 1818 CC, (give or take a portion of a CC), is actually I believe a 1811 CC engine, a bit short. They always round up.


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## dhazelton

I went Dewalt because there are so many things that all can take the same 20 volt battery, including a hedge trimmer and a string trimmer! If Harbor Freight just had ONE lithium online line that used the same battery (including their cordless lawn maintenance stuff) then they would merit consideration from me. They have stepped up their game but it's all over the place with too many quality levels and 'brand' names.


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## Tennessee

Well, you have to at least give them chops for trying!

The comparisons they are doing in their ads on some of their products, eh, some OK, some not so much. Please, HF, don't try to compare your 12" miter saw with laser to any other miter saw as a great tool for less money - I own one and it was a full two hour setup before I cut my first true 90' piece of wood. OK now, but I still don't trust it for much more than an overgrown chop saw. Segmented turnings? Forget about it…
But you gotta admit, they sell a boatload of them and the 10" units. I give them credit for that.

Other things, like their welding helmets, I own two, and they both work great. Why give someone like Hobart $150 when I can have the same technology for about $40?
And I have lost count of the HF blue clamps I see in YouTube woodworking videos. I own about 50-60 of them myself, both 6" and 12".

But at least they seem to be developing two levels in their stores, the cheapo Central Machinery line, and all these other higher end lines. Maybe some day, they will tie it all together.

And I used my Bauer and Rigid both today, working in my shop, and still marvel at the quality of that little red drill with two batteries for a bit under $80.


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## dhazelton

Only thing - when I need a new Dewalt battery it is NOT $19.95. So long term cost of ownership is a huge consideration.


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## Tennessee

That was the exact thing that caused me to look into the Bauer. Looked at the price of replacing those little 12V batteries for my little Rigids…Nope, Nada, Not going there…


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