Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

" I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated.

I beg your pardon I just got a 9.6v because it is what I need, outdated my
aunt fannie.

Ryobi is a "good" brand going down hill fast. I have an older ryobi trim
router and just lost my old ryobi driver (9.6v thank you) and both were/are
good tools. I know of several other older ryobi tools that are in
simicommercial use and holding up well. (older being 10+years). The new
roybi tools that I have seen and used are about on or under par with most of
the cheaper Wal-Mart tools. When roybi went with Sears they seemed to have
lost a lot of quality, and for the price are not a good buy. JMHO.

On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 08:08:02 -0600, "Sweet Sawdust"
wrote:

A Ryobi 16/32 drum sander sold for $200 at an auction site (not Ebay). I too was
puzzle, so I did a search on Ryobi's drum sander and could find anything about
it. Anyone using a Ryobi drum sander?


" I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated.

I beg your pardon I just got a 9.6v because it is what I need, outdated my
aunt fannie.

Ryobi is a "good" brand going down hill fast. I have an older ryobi trim
router and just lost my old ryobi driver (9.6v thank you) and both were/are
good tools. I know of several other older ryobi tools that are in
simicommercial use and holding up well. (older being 10+years). The new
roybi tools that I have seen and used are about on or under par with most of
the cheaper Wal-Mart tools. When roybi went with Sears they seemed to have
lost a lot of quality, and for the price are not a good buy. JMHO.

I meant 12V is outdated by marketing standards, not that they're no
longer useful. Same idea as last year's 2.4 GHz Pentium IV being
"outdated" by the current generation of processors. Both will run
day-to-day tasks like a champ, but somehow you now need 3.0GHz to
browse the web or burn a DVD. At least that's what they want you to
think.

Marketing?? Is that the same as BS?

I bought a Ryobi 12v battery powered drill from HD some time back.
Exactly 1 year from my purchase date (h'mmm) the batteries would no
longer hold a charge longer than about 4 hours. They worked great, buy
you had to leave the a battery in the charger all the time.

This tells me the batteries were shot. Buying two new batteries cost
more than the drill so I threw it out as junk.

I bought a Makita 12V at HD for $20 more than the Ryobi (it was a
closeout special ; ) and have had it for several years and it is
great. The batteries are always in the state of charge that I left
them in.

So, to be honest I would really shy away from anything Ryobi in the
future.

You get what you pays for and you pay for what you get is my motto.
Chris

I bought a Ryobi 12v battery powered drill from HD some time back.
Exactly 1 year from my purchase date (h'mmm) the batteries would no
longer hold a charge longer than about 4 hours. They worked great, buy
you had to leave the a battery in the charger all the time.

I have a 14.4 Ryobi drill, vintage 2000. The drill is used almost daily, and
the batteries still have about 3/4 of their capacity. It's only an ok drill,
but the battery life I've gotten out of it is far better than any of the
other name-brand tools I have.

Same here. Kids bought me a 14.4v Ryobi trim saw/drill combo for Father's
Day a few years ago. I took the saw (less than a year old at the time) and
two fully charged batteries to a local place where I buy baltic birch. I
needed to rip 2 sheets of 1/2" baltic so they would fit in the SUV. I am
not making this up - the trim saw cut exactly 2 feet on each battery before
dying. A sheet of baltic is 5' long. Fortunately, the yard had a hand saw
that I could finish the cut with.

I was at the same yard two days ago with my almost new Milwaukee 18v trim
saw and two batteries. I bought four sheets of 1/2" baltic. The Milwaukee
breezed right through all four cuts with plenty of battery to spare.

It boils down to buying quality tools. A used quality tool is better than a
new, cheap tool.

I still have the Ryobi set and will let it go for a song.




wrote in message
ups.com...
I bought a Ryobi 12v battery powered drill from HD some time back.
Exactly 1 year from my purchase date (h'mmm) the batteries would no
longer hold a charge longer than about 4 hours. They worked great, buy
you had to leave the a battery in the charger all the time.

This tells me the batteries were shot. Buying two new batteries cost
more than the drill so I threw it out as junk.

I bought a Makita 12V at HD for $20 more than the Ryobi (it was a
closeout special ; ) and have had it for several years and it is
great. The batteries are always in the state of charge that I left
them in.

So, to be honest I would really shy away from anything Ryobi in the
future.

You get what you pays for and you pay for what you get is my motto.
Chris

"bob" wrote:

Same here. Kids bought me a 14.4v Ryobi trim saw/drill combo for
Father's Day a few years ago. I took the saw (less than a year old at
the time) and two fully charged batteries to a local place where I buy
baltic birch. I needed to rip 2 sheets of 1/2" baltic so they would
fit in the SUV. I am not making this up - the trim saw cut exactly 2
feet on each battery before dying. A sheet of baltic is 5' long.
Fortunately, the yard had a hand saw that I could finish the cut with.

I was at the same yard two days ago with my almost new Milwaukee 18v
trim saw and two batteries. I bought four sheets of 1/2" baltic. The
Milwaukee breezed right through all four cuts with plenty of battery
to spare.

It boils down to buying quality tools. A used quality tool is better
than a new, cheap tool.

I still have the Ryobi set and will let it go for a song.



When I think back on all the crap I’ve learned in highschool
It’s a wonder I can think at all
Though my lack of education hasn’t hurt me much
I can read the writings on the walls

Chorus:
Kodachrome, they give us those nice bright colours
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a nikon camera, I love to take a photograph
So mama don’t take my kodachrome away

If you took all the girls I knew when I was single
Brought ’em all together for one night
I know they’d never match my sweet imagination
Everything looks better in black and white

Chorus

Mama don’t take my kodachrome away, mama don’t take my kodachrome away
Mama don’t take my kodachrome away

Mama don’t take my kodachrome, mama don’t take my kodachrome
Mama don’t take my kodachrome away
Mama don’t take my kodachrome and leave your boy so far from home
Mama don’t take my kodachrome away
Mama don’t take my kodachrome, whew whew, mama don’t take my kodachrome
away

Will pay shipping. Remove dot mapson for e-mail.

"Lobby Dosser" wrote in message
news:wmNDd.490$hc7.36@trnddc08...
I still have the Ryobi set and will let it go for a song.



When I think back on all the crap I've learned in highschool
It's a wonder I can think at all
Though my lack of education hasn't hurt me much
I can read the writings on the walls


Snip


sorry, not a song. simply lyrics... ;~)

"Leon" wrote:


"Lobby Dosser" wrote in message
news:wmNDd.490$hc7.36@trnddc08...
I still have the Ryobi set and will let it go for a song.



When I think back on all the crap I've learned in highschool
It's a wonder I can think at all
Though my lack of education hasn't hurt me much
I can read the writings on the walls


Snip


sorry, not a song. simply lyrics... ;~)

DANG!

I went through the same thing with the same Ryobi drill about 4 years
ago. I bought a Dewalt for the same price as two replacement ryobi
batteries and it's still going strong!

-Keith

On 7 Jan 2005 06:30:12 -0800, wrote:

I bought a Ryobi 12v battery powered drill from HD some time back.
Exactly 1 year from my purchase date (h'mmm) the batteries would no
longer hold a charge longer than about 4 hours. They worked great, buy
you had to leave the a battery in the charger all the time.

This tells me the batteries were shot. Buying two new batteries cost
more than the drill so I threw it out as junk.

I bought a Makita 12V at HD for $20 more than the Ryobi (it was a
closeout special ; ) and have had it for several years and it is
great. The batteries are always in the state of charge that I left
them in.

So, to be honest I would really shy away from anything Ryobi in the
future.

You get what you pays for and you pay for what you get is my motto.
Chris

"Andrew" wrote in message
oups.com...
Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.


Many years ago, ummm late 1980's it was pretty good. Since then it has
basically gone the route of B&D. I would not put it above B&D IMHO.
Probably good for the price but you know what they say about the price.


But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze.

If you work with a tool all day long, you start to appreciate the
differences.

You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

Some do.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated.

I would venture to say that 90% of purchasers are buying large voltage
cordless drills for the same reason the 60 year old neighbor just traded in
his 4 door sedan for a new Corvette. Typically a 9.6 or 12 volt will do
what 90% of larger voltage drill owners end up using their drills for with
less weight and typically longer battery life. I have been using 9.6 volt
drills for 14 + years and have only recently moved up to 12 volt.

Leon wrote:

"Andrew" wrote in message
....
You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

Some do.
....

That's what keeps the Walmarts of the world happy at night...they know
the bulk of the buying public is interested in initial cost only...

Manufacturers trying for a piece of that market have to try to produce
product at a price point often actually mandated to them by the retailer
and hope they can keep enough quality to not be total junk. For those
who want to target the higher end amateur and the professional market as
well as the cost-conscious market, this becomes a losing battle--one
either has to have the resources to support two product lines or give up
and chase the low-ball market.

IMO, $0.02, etc...

I would venture to say that 90% of purchasers are buying large voltage
cordless drills for the same reason the 60 year old neighbor just traded in
his 4 door sedan for a new Corvette. Typically a 9.6 or 12 volt will do
what 90% of larger voltage drill owners end up using their drills for with
less weight and typically longer battery life. I have been using 9.6 volt
drills for 14 + years and have only recently moved up to 12 volt.

Gosh.... I just turned 61 a few weeks ago...
Life in the fast lane is not over once you turn 60... I can tell you
tat for sure...

But to be honest getting the ok from my wife to add another Corvette
to the "fleet" in the garage may be a little difficult... not really
lol !

I personally like 14.4 V drills etc... hell at my age I do not have
the strenght to lift them heavy 18 V monsters...

Bob
68 SS 396 Chevelle
61 64 72 76 & 95 Corvettes

"Bob G." wrote in message
...

I would venture to say that 90% of purchasers are buying large voltage
cordless drills for the same reason the 60 year old neighbor just traded
in
his 4 door sedan for a new Corvette. Typically a 9.6 or 12 volt will do
what 90% of larger voltage drill owners end up using their drills for with
less weight and typically longer battery life. I have been using 9.6 volt
drills for 14 + years and have only recently moved up to 12 volt.

Gosh.... I just turned 61 a few weeks ago...
Life in the fast lane is not over once you turn 60... I can tell you
tat for sure...

I was picturing my neighbor that just bought in the last 3 or 4 years, a
30th anniversary Trans Am, a 50 commemorative Burgundy Corvette, and a few
months ago 1 new Lexus SUV, the big one. He traded in to 2 Crown Vic's.
It is a scream watching him crawl in and out of either car and he cannot
turn the wheel on either with out stopping and repositioning his hands for
each 5 or 6 inches of movement of the wheel. He also just got a 18 volt B&D
Drill. LOL


But to be honest getting the ok from my wife to add another Corvette
to the "fleet" in the garage may be a little difficult... not really
lol !

I personally like 14.4 V drills etc... hell at my age I do not have
the strenght to lift them heavy 18 V monsters...

Exactly.. I am no wimp and about 11 years behind you but 9-12 volts are
plenty heavy for me. LOL..



Bob
68 SS 396 Chevelle
61 64 72 76 & 95 Corvettes

Now out of all those Corvettes, why do you keep the 76??? IIRC the HP on
those years was pretty skinny. 165 ish..

Now out of all those Corvettes, why do you keep the 76??? IIRC the HP on
those years was pretty skinny. 165 ish..


============
Easy....

Stock HP was only 180 ...(It is a L48 not the 210 HP L-82) and
it always could lay rubber in 1st,2nd,3rd and chirp the tires in
4th...

BUT it is NOWHERE near stock anymore... AND
I get lots of smiles per mile out of it and that is all that counts...

Bob

"Bob G." wrote in message
...


Now out of all those Corvettes, why do you keep the 76??? IIRC the HP on
those years was pretty skinny. 165 ish..


============
Easy....

Stock HP was only 180 ...(It is a L48 not the 210 HP L-82) and
it always could lay rubber in 1st,2nd,3rd and chirp the tires in
4th...

Heck my old 72 Vega would chirp the tires going into 3rd. I have an old
friend that I grew up with. When we were in our late teens he had a 70
Firebird. We tinkered with it a bit. Oddly a 3 speed floor shift. He
broke his leg so he used his crutch to push on the gas and right foot on the
clutch to get going from a stop. After that he use his right foot on the
gas and could the tires loose shifting into 2nd and top gear with out the
clutch.

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 14:04:41 -0500, Bob G.
wrote:



Now out of all those Corvettes, why do you keep the 76??? IIRC the HP on
those years was pretty skinny. 165 ish..


===============
Opps almost forgot....
The 76 was the last Corvette to Carry the "word" Stingray
on her fenders....
Bob

"Bob G." wrote:
....
Bob
68 SS 396 Chevelle
61 64 72 76 & 95 Corvettes

Now you need a 69 Camaro RS...

Andrew wrote:
Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for
way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries
+
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it
and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

I own 2 Ryobi tools ( 16" scrollsaw & bench drill press ) and am happy
with both. Ryobi is a GOOD brand in my book.
Incidentally, I bought both on ebay.

Joe








Andrew wrote:
Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

Um, we're discussing cordless Ryobi tools.......


"Joe_Stein" wrote in message
k.net...
I own 2 Ryobi tools ( 16" scrollsaw & bench drill press ) and am happy with
both. Ryobi is a GOOD brand in my book.
Incidentally, I bought both on ebay.

Joe








Andrew wrote:
Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

"Andrew" wrote in message
oups.com...
Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.
snip

I have some 18 volt Ryobi tools, the batteries go flat with very little use.
Using the drill to drive screws is frustrating, you get about 20 in and
start to lose power. Switch to the second battery, it goes down just as fast
and the first is nowhere near re-charged. Using the accompanying circular
saw is a joke, no power at all. The set has been in its case for six
months, don't know what I'll do with them, but, as a gift from my wife, I
keep them around.

"Lee K" wrote in
:

I have some 18 volt Ryobi tools, the batteries go flat with very
little use. Using the drill to drive screws is frustrating, you get
about 20 in and start to lose power. Switch to the second battery, it
goes down just as fast and the first is nowhere near re-charged.
Using the accompanying circular saw is a joke, no power at all. The
set has been in its case for six months, don't know what I'll do with
them, but, as a gift from my wife, I keep them around.

Think this is a case of YMMV... I've had the set w/ the
drill/circsaw/recipsaw for a couple of years now, and it's still going
strong. I use the drill all the time, and I've been using the circ saw a
good deal too. It works great for cutting down plywood/MDF (I've done up to
3/4" stock thus far), especially if you put a plywood cutting blade in it.
I think the trick is not to expect it to have the same capabilities of a
larger saw -- but it's worked great for my purposes.

Of course there's always exceptions, and maybe I'm one of them... but I
have no complaints so far.
-Richard

IMHO, way too many people are hung up on name brands and brand image.
Most of the time, there is no reason for a homeowner or light DIYer to
buy the same top quality tools that professionals need.

Ryobi and many other brands that people turn their nose up at offer
excellent value for the less than full time user. You can get a
Craftsman 19.2 volt combo with 2 batteries, a 1/2" drill, a circular
saw and a bonus flourescent light for $159. Lowes sells the same combo
with the Dewalt brand (which is only 18 volts), minus the light for
$349.99. And if you are willing to go with the lower voltages, the
bargains can be even more amazing.

And let's face it, most home users are never going to actually wear the
tool out before the batteries die and that's where they really get you.
A Craftsman 19.2 volt battery is $59.99 but Lowes sells a Porter Cable
battery for $86.67. For the price of 2 PC baterries you can buy an
entirely new Craftsman kit. I am not too proud to by a Ryobi or a
Craftsman for tools that I know I am not going to use a lot.
Just my 2 cents worth...
Chuck

I've got 2 decent Ryobi tools; the OSS and the 3x21 belt sander that
looks similar to a Bosch. I've had the belt sander for over 12 years and
it still works fine. I've had the OSS about 6-8 months, IIRC.

OTOH, their 4-1/2" ROS is a POS, IMHO.

David

Andrew wrote:

Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

"Andrew" wrote in message
oups.com...

But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze.

I can't remember where I saw the reviews but most people who are serious
about their tools would rather pay extra for metal gears intead of plastic
gears in their cordless drills. I think that principal applies across the
board. The Dewalt, PC, etc. are actually cheaper in the long run, IMHO.

Bob

On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 19:48:45 GMT, "BillyBob"
calmly ranted:

"Andrew" wrote in message
roups.com...

But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze.

I can't remember where I saw the reviews but most people who are serious
about their tools would rather pay extra for metal gears intead of plastic
gears in their cordless drills. I think that principal applies across the
board. The Dewalt, PC, etc. are actually cheaper in the long run, IMHO.

I've beat the crap out of the 14.4v Ryobi drill motor for the past 3
years, almost daily use, and it's still going strong. The only
fallouts I've had are the batteries. Replacements are $35, less than
half what DeWally gets. I'm still satisfied with my $112 purchase.
(Ryobi drill motor, charger, 2 batteries, cordless skil saw, and a
ratty, blowmold, plastic case for $99.95 + s/h from the Borg.)

--
Remember: Every silver lining has a cloud.
----
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

****
I bought a Ryobi reciprocating saw at a flea market and when I got home, I
discovered the trigger on-off switch didn't work. After finding their address
on Google, I sent them an email giving them the model and serial number and
asking for ordering instructions. They responded with an email that this model
and serial number qualified it for free replacement of parts. I gave them my
mailing address and they sent me not only the switch but a new case, didn't even
charge me shipping. Now you can't beat that with a stick. The main thing I
like about it is the blade holder which is easy to use and reliable.

Bill

Nikota is the brand name I meant to say. My fingers got twisted.

Bill

--
http://home.earthlink.net/~billbernice1/
Includes "Poems of the Sea"
"Bill Orr" wrote in message
news


Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

****
I bought a Ryobi reciprocating saw at a flea market and when I got home, I
discovered the trigger on-off switch didn't work. After finding their address
on Google, I sent them an email giving them the model and serial number and
asking for ordering instructions. They responded with an email that this
model
and serial number qualified it for free replacement of parts. I gave them my
mailing address and they sent me not only the switch but a new case, didn't
even
charge me shipping. Now you can't beat that with a stick. The main thing I
like about it is the blade holder which is easy to use and reliable.

Bill

I dunno. I bought a Ryobi 3/8" corded drill -- a refurb, no less -- at one
of those travelling tool sales. I got it to replace a highly-rated Bosch
that died after about a year. The Ryobi has been going strong for eight or
ten years now, despite some pretty serious tool abuse. At the same sale, I
got a 3X21 Ryobi belt sander. It's still going strong, too. I recently
bought a Ryobi 5" random orbital sander. Doesn't orbit any more, and has
only seen limited use. Maybe there's some truth to the notion that Ryobi ten
years ago was a better brand than it is today. My limited experience
suggests that.
Lewis


"Andrew" wrote in message
oups.com...
Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

Lewis wrote:

....
... Maybe there's some truth to the notion that Ryobi ten
years ago was a better brand than it is today. My limited experience
suggests that.

As does mine (and a fair amount of hearsay, as well)...

On 7 Jan 2005 05:51:21 -0800, "Andrew" wrote:

Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy

I think that is my philosophy--get the highest quality tool possible
or don't buy at all. Actually I have one Ryobi power tool that has
stood the test of time, a 3x21" belt sander now on its 18th year of
use that just won't quit. The flat top allows it to rest on the bench
to easily sand small pieces and the ends of dowels. It also has a
speed control. I would not buy a Ryobi drill, saw, or other Ryobi
cordless tool that I have seen as I've seen much better choices. But,
brands can (and do) change quality over time.

Well, I would rather have a used Dewalt, PC, Milwaukee than a new Ryobi
anyday. It goes back to buying quality, something Ryobi is not known for.


"Andrew" wrote in message
oups.com...
Looking over Ebay auctions, I noiced that Ryobi tools are going for way
less than other brands and most don't have any bids. I've always
thought Ryobi to be a decent DYI brand, good for the price at least.
Perhaps a step above B&D, on par with Skil, but definitely below PC.
But it looks like people are actually avoiding Ryobi at the (IMHO)
decent prices and paying 2-3x for a Dewalt. Personally I don't
understand the Dewalt craze. You'd think at least frugal woodworkers
like myself would rather have a cheapie Ryobi than no tool at all.

I bring this up because I got a used 12V 3/8" drill kit (2 batteries +
charger) for $30, which I thought was an okay price, at a local shop.
I'm very happy with it even though 12V is now outdated. I started
looking up other Ryobi tools and realized few people talk about it and
even fewer places sell it. Do many fellow woodworkers follow the
all-or-nothing philosophy? Get the best you can afford or don't get
it??
Andy