so, i currently have a dewalt 1/2" 18v drill/driver (more or less this, i believe mine has been replaced by the "heavy duty" series which is a bit nicerhttp://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=8780) and i've only got one functional battery for it.

given that a new battery is ~100$ and most of the tools are not a lot more than that and often come with 2 batteries, i'm thinkign of getting a new shiny.

i have a corded circ, and corded saber saw, and tend towards a diverse range of projects.

i've been pondering a cordless reciprocating saw, or impact driver for a while (a hammer drill or dedicated driver are a little too specialized for me usually) since they're tools i don't have something similar to, but would like some tool using public input. thoughts on the 18V family? http://www.dewalt.com/us/cordless/cordless_systems/tool_detail_listing.asp?voltage=18

I have that drill and it's awesome.

I never use my recriprocating saw... it's been at a buddy's house for over a year.

I'd get the caulk gun. It'd be good for big maker projects, and for caulking around the house -- my hand gets tired with the manual guns, and I start getting sloppy.

Only problem, it's pricy! $200 for the fancy one, on Amazon. My hand doesn't get THAT tired.

I think I found another (old?) battery for it today, in the garage, while I was looking around for a drill.

ya that one won't hold a charge. the 9.6v gen 1 dewalt used to work, but may be dead. it's transmission was spotty (they recalled it, but that was years before i got it for free)

Also: Don't forget to buy a black shirt.

The Dewalt is just fine. Use it a lot. I like the Ryobi a bit better as far as the Drill.

Ok a reciprocating saw is fine and the Dewalt is good I have had one for years, but it is really only a light duty tool. If you really plan to use it for any major Demo get a corded.

As far as I'm concerned any saw should be corded. They just eat charge. Now on a roof or a ladder a cordless is nice but I know going in that it better be a small number of cuts.

Now the flashlights are great.

oh i don't disagree that a saw should be corded, but having a corded saber and circ, the other options for a tool that id *use* i think are recrip or impact wrench, but i'm really leaning towards recrip, int that it's tree triming, or junk yard bolt removal, or a few minutes of demo.

and dewalt, because i've not managed to break one of their tools yet. they *used* to do a repeated 3 story drop onto concrete with samples from the production line for durability testing. dunno if they still do. (and i have one tool for it, charger, and battery, seems silly to get another battery that doesn't play with it)