@@clydeg4274 Clyde G the consensus online seems to be he has run or owned mining operations and was a mining/ metallurgical engineer, but with his extensive electrical engineering knowledge too, who knows. He's a genius man of mystery.
AvE you called it. Techtronic was using the Ridgid line to test out this style of mechanism before they moved it to Milwaukee. There's now a Milwaukee version of this impact called the "Surge" series at Homeless Despot.
Jonathan Robertson it will be interesting how long these will last, my guess is not more then a few years. In the mill were were constantly rebuilding or replacing pumps with daily use. These pumps are the most expensive part of the impact but they are not as tough as the industrial one we rebuilt.
Awesome thanks AvE . I have one ive been using for around five years almost daily ,never a problem out of it , and i cant say that i have noticed any reduction in power. Even compared to a newer one i have had about a year now . they both feel the same to me . I cant wait to see the rest of this teardown , and hope to see more ridgid teardowns in the future . Thanks again ,I appreciate ya.
Love the vids. Homegamer here. Regarding your comments at 1:30 in the vid, I have a bunch of RIDGID 18V stuff and a 12V "JobMax" that I bought (with a spare battery) in 05-2012 (that's over 5 years ago). The spare battery failed and wasn't covered under the lifetime warranty - that's the one annoyance I have with the warranty, it only covers batteries from "kits" where the tool "console", charger, and battery are sold together. So, fast forward to today. I was on the phone checking up on item I registered earlier in July and remembered that the old 12V that ORIGINALLY came with the JobMax kit was blinking as "DEFECTIVE" in the charger. Slapped it in the tool and - FAILURE TO CHOOCH!!! Previously, I had to take the tool, charger, and battery to Home Despot and wait around while they did a ton of paperwork and paging of managers and nonsense - but NOT ANYMORE! I asked the lady on the phone (sounded like she was from Kentucky, not India, BTW) about it and she said it was "easy" - just grab the battery and charger and she'd step me through it. I ran downstairs, grabbed both, and she had me plug in the charger and tell her what light indications were on it (to prove it was working). She had me read the serial number on the battery to her. Then we stuck the battery in the charger. First the lights started blinking "EVALUATE"... then "CHARGING"... then "DEFECTIVE". That's all it took. She said "Lucky for you, you're in Columbus, OH - that's where our distribution center is". I'll probably have my replacement tomorrow or the next day. No muss. No fuss. Just called them up and they're dropping a new battery in the mail for a 5 year old product. It'd cost me $40 (at least) to get one from Amazon. When it arrives, I need to call them on the phone and tell them the serial on the new battery - it will be covered under the Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA) too. I haven't found any other company that covers warranty replacements under the original warranty - period. So 5 years in the process has only gotten easier. Sure, there are probably a bunch of goofballs who can't be bothered to type a few serial numbers into the RIDGID site whenever they buy a new tool - but they're just throwing money away IMHO. At 7:45 in the HILTI Drill video (th-cam.com/video/mwX6qLIoj3s/w-d-xo.html) AvE talks about how HILTI does "fleet maintenance" so "if you have a problem with the drill, they take it back and fix it". That's exactly how the LSA has worked for me - except I didn't have to pay the HILTI brand premium for that level of service.
@@16vSciroccoboi dc is direct current, idk what you mean by your comment. DC comes out of the batt, it just gets switched by logic to drive what's basically a little induction motor.
@@ctdieselnut I know ... People hear DC and immediately feel comfortable assuming it means direct current. They have no reason to think "DC brushless definitely can't mean direct current brushless"
Heck, I even got a free replacement battery for my Ryobi drill from the Home Dept. when I went in just to see. No shipping costs, no nothing. Then again, I'm in the US, so things are probably different for you up there.
LazerLord10 Ryobi probably has a better return and exchange program. I had a Rigid 18v hammer drill, it went tits up shortly after I bought it. The trigger failed and took a battery with it. I tried to exchange it at Home Depot, it was only two weeks after I bought it, they sent me to the rigid service center. That process took 20 weeks to get the tool repaired and the battery replaced. I ended up buying a Milwaukee 14.4v drill to get me by during the wait. Turned out the little Milwaukee was a hell of a lot better tool, it lasted for years. I ended up selling the Rigid within a couple of weeks of getting it back. Now using Hilti (after using the little Milwaukee for twelve years). Hilti is the ducks guts. Fantastic tool.
I never leave YT comments but I just have to say this video and your knowledge of everything involved in the creation of this tool is faking amazing. Seen several videos of people who I thought were technical experts but you just made them seem like amateurs. Not only a very entertaining video but full of actual technical knowledge. Well freaking done sir. Very impressed. I know this is a old video but just had to express my positive reaction to this clip.
Ave, Is there a chance you could do a video of the tools you recommend? Like a cordless drill, impact driver etc. You sure know a lot about tools. I'd love to hear what you recommend.
@Chad WilkinsI agree. He thinks all the cordless tools are junk. I have never heard so much conspiracy theory bullshit in my life. He probably thinks space aliens are living in his toilet. I would not be surprised if he wears a tinfoil hat when he sleeps. All the Makita tools I have owned are junk.
Had a chuckle about the battery return issues, because a friend of mine had this issue with the Australian version (AEG) and he kicked up such a stink they changed their policy on returns.
lol can confirm. The only reason why I know what a Wankel is, is because everyone I know is an auto mechanic. If i didn't I would've thought you guys are making up words now lol
***** It did look an awful lot like you could've just grabbed the flats to begin with though... Also how do you know its cavitation causing the noise? You can have plenty of noise (think water hammers) without any cavitation at all. Saying it won't last seems premature.
Ridgid Stealth Force, amazing technology and it works. I already had a Milwaukee impact driver and I bought the Stealth Force. It's much quieter and easily twice as fast driving screws or lags. This one is best in class!
Saw this tool on a 18v showdown, couldnt believe it performed so well. I had never heard of an "oil impact". Good point about TTI testing this tech before branding it w the Milwaukee logo. Great vid
I have never had an issue with the Service issue. We do have a local shop that does it so no shipping for ma. You do have to register the new batteries within 30 days of getting them to keep the service agreement up.
The ground wire on the gearbox is likely to protect against 'bearing current'. Since the motor is an AC induction motor, you get induced magnetic fields in the rotor shaft. This magnetic field in results in current flow through the rotor, through the bearings and back through the rotor. Current flowing through the bearings results in pitting and then the bearings are RS. Bearing currents require special attention on large AC motors with VVVF control.
I worked at the HD, I just swapped it right off the shelf. Why? Because I promised the customer we would replace the tool and the battery. It says it on the box. I backed it up and did what I did because it was the right thing to do. Many happy customers, the vendor would cry a bit, but in actuality, we sold more tools than any other HD in the region anyway. Fucking over people for the sake of fine print is wrong. I hated that shit. Register your tools and you shouldn't have an issue. Generally, even if you didn't I just swapped it off the shelf and sent it back as a manufacturer defect.
Cavitation kills ANY material over time. But that's some real deep insight you're giving us! Thanks so far, keep up the great work and hopefully more viewers will join in!
Was going to say the same thing ... mind you, I can't say I'm surprised that Ridgid decided to call this "Stealth Force" rather than a "Wankel Driver" ;)
The thing with the UK and special offers is we have awesome consumer protection laws, and a LOT of companies don't seem to realize their legal obligations... what you say about home despot not taking things back, and the companies requiring you to pay postage and stuff... that won't fly here at ALL. Companies HATE when you stand in the store and go on your phone and say 'let's look up the sale of goods act, shall we?'
@@jugganaut33 But as I pointed out, they're not legally ALLOWED to limit a warranty. They may not limit your statutory rights. They WILL be made to replace stuff
Couple of things; it sounds like the sintered parts are the MIM (Metal Injected Moulding) parts that got gun guys' panties all twisted. And for a real life warranty (although it's not AvE's choice of subjects) Dillon Manufacturing publically declares it as "No bullshit warranty", and it's true. Great channel! I've done a little through Patreon and ordered a ruler. Thanks!
I am in awe. A shoutout to Connections. I will assume the show by James Burke, yes? I've never heard anyone else mention it, but it and The Day the Universe Changed are my absolute favorites and I watch them at least once a year.
I know in northern Ontario you just bring it to the registered service provider for ridgid and they fix it or order you a new one. I get no shipping wank myself. I've been pretty happy with these I mentioned you reviewing rigid about eight or ten months ago I'm so happy to see you do it wanted to get in there without wrecking my money makers.
I'll keep clicking. Man you have a lot of contained knowledge. Wish you were my neighbor. I'm smart about a lot of things like this, but you sir blow me out of the water. amazingly gifted and I'm sure well earned skill sweet you have.
Great episode eh? Discovered you through Reddit where your episode where you took apart your TH-cam award was featured. This video is equally awesome. Love the information reference the companies. I'm gonna be the smartest guy at my next deck building party thanks to you.
So I'm with AvE on the suggestion that it was built to test such a mechanism. Its an outstanding mechanism, there won't be cavitation issues (more on that later), but they had to make sure it doesn't beat out the competing tool they release in a higher market next. So one thing I noticed which really stood out, the battery. That is a 2000mAh battery. My phone has nearly twice the battery power of that tool. Adding a better component really wouldn't be difficult or expensive, but just small aspects like that you absolutely know aren't due to incompetence or poor design choices, but purposefully limiting the tool. Something which it shouldn't need to do considering it has no competition unless they will be adding competition later. Anyway I made a comment on the cavitation elsewhere. I came up with a huge list of reasons, but two of the easiest to explain are here. Firstly the cavitation is only a risk on the front face of the T shaped device. However it is the side face which needs damage to let any oil seep past. Thus any cavitation damage really isn't going to reduce the device's effectiveness. Secondly cavitation is an incredibly slow process. Whilst a machine in use 24/7 might see cavitation damage over the space of a year or more, this is a tool which is in use and on for a fraction of the day at most, and even then the low-pressure cavitation-risk wave is well below 10% of the time, likely closer to 2%. Now quite frankly I don't believe cavitation will ever happen in the first place, it simply doesn't have the power and the pressure wave is spread out in a sinusoidal-like shape rather than an instantaneous pressure drop, but even if cavitation was as common as AvE believes there is absolutely no risk of it reducing the device's power. It will certainly crap out on you through a more conventional means before it loses even 1% of its capability through cavitation damage.
2000mAh at 18v is more powerful than a phone's 4000mAh at 3.7v. An easy way to calculate actual power capacity is multiplying the amp-hours by watts to get 'watt-hours'.
The insight on cavitation you gave is similar to what I was thinking. I learned all about cavitation while studying for my boiler's license, and from what I understood was that cavitation take longer than a couple seconds to really damage anything. You'd have to run this thing non-stop for quite a while for it to have an effect similar to pipe cavitation and whatnot in a loop.
You can't compare a cell phone battery designed for energy density to a power tool battery designed for power. The cells are built differently and have different chemistry's. You will never get the amperage or c rate from a cell phone battery that a power tool one will get . Cell phone battery's are typically a single cell , a power tool has multiple cells strung in series.( Some in parallel to increase amperage or capacity). The mAh of the cells in parallel or single cells rating and the voltage in series is needed to calculate the wh available for the pack . Your cell phone has no where near the power or the wh capacity of the battery pack in this tool.
I have one of these and I use it in my lawn equipment business and they are pretty good they hold up fairly decent compared to other ones that I've had thank you for the videos Man❤
Hey buddy -- are we gonna be getting the electrical vid soon? I don't know if I just missed it or what, but I'm definitely interested in checking it out. Thank you, sir =)
Granted I'm a bit late to the draw, but I've been running my ridged impact and drill mon-fri. Installing air conditioners. Absolutely love these impacts and drills. Love the vids ave
The Cummins 855 diesel engines of the mid 70's had bad cavitation problems of the wet liners. There would be a vertical line of holes and some would go all the through the liner.
+Donald D'Egidio Can vouch for that. Our old NTC 350 filled the sump with water on one occasion. The pitting/electrolysis/cavitation was on the outside of the liner. The mechanic stated it was a bad earth strap that caused the problem. After a rebuild and tune up, 400 horses were unleashed from the old beast. Had very little trouble with it after that.
I'd be really interested in seeing you do a full tear-down and review of the newer 18 volt Milwaukee Fuel tools. The drills/impacts are now on Gen-2, and the newest ones even feature bluetooth customization.
when he talked about the hydraulic pump cavitating in the video and the fluid vaporizing during the lack of pressure sequence of the revolution, the only thing i could think of is what if there was absolutely no air in the chamber that the pump system resides. also i know you cant compress fluids but what if it was also pressurized inside the chamber were the pump resides. then there may not be enough lack of pressure for the fluid to vaporize. just some thoughts.
Cavitation is not an air bubble. Basically a cavitation bubble is actually a bubble of vacuum, an empty void of nothing that forms. Well, liquids boil when they are exposed to vacuums so the liquid around the bubble boils instantly and fills the bubble up. So now you have a bubble of nothing with liquid and gas rushing into it, when the liquids and gasses meet in the middle they slam into each other hard and if that point of impact is on or near a surface it acts like a small explosion and damages that surface. So cavitation doesn't require air or any gas, all it requires is a liquid and rapidly changing pressures.
Dalton Michaels You don't need air (or any vapor present in your flow) for cavitation to occur. Like AvE said, it is caused by a phase change to a vapor, which creates a bubble that then collapses and releases energy (the implosion). Have you ever seen those pistol shrimp that shoot bubbles to stun their prey? It basically works like that.
Another nice vijio. One piece of advice when you come up on the inner assembly the doesn't unscrew, it' threadlocker and you just need a little heat to make disassembly easier.
Just had to go through the process of getting 2 batteries replace from when I originally bought my 5 piece set in 2011. I had gone through the process of registering the tools on their web site after creating an account. Had no problem with the warranty process on the batteries and they showed up the next day for me (I happen to live in the same city as one of the distributors).
The word skookum is used in British Columbia because logging is/was the biggest industry here, and some of the blocks used for hi lead logging are called 'Skookum' blocks which are the best of course. No that is not where the word came from traditionally, but that why it's used in so much in BC(my family from eastern Canada don't know what the fuck skookum is)
I wonder if a manufacturing team has watched a video you have done on their product. I used to work at a large heavy equipment manufacturer in IT and it would be interesting to watch the faces of the engineering teams as you break down their tools.
Ave is big on Makita angle grinders. If you're a cheap ass or don't plan to give it a hot supper, the Harbor Freight cheapo will be do you fine as well. When it comes to impacts and drills, Dewalt and Milwaukee appear to be making the best stuff for serious home gamers, but it's all mostly the same anymore, made in china, or with chinese components; so whatever your nearest home-improvement store is selling that has a lifetime replacement plan may be as good an option as any. For automotive uses I've been very happy with my M18 Milwaukee tools. Torque-y as most peoples air tools, and a hell of a lot more portable. But your mileage may vary.
All three's current lineups are primarily made in china now with globally sourced components, with a few exceptions here and there. None of them are at all what they were ten years ago. My take-away from AvE's videos on the three's current stuff is each tool is better and worse in specific ways than the competitors; there are very few cases where there's a clear winner. You'll take a trade-off in torque, battery capacity, overall metallurgy and bearing skookumness, good plastics and ergos, and reasonable cost somewhere.
Nice rant on slippage. One time at an Army base in Alaska I saw a pile of new blenders in the trash can at the PX. Turns out the blender package was the perfect package for a big jug of Jack Daniels. The native americans on the base would buy a blender, discard the blender, stuff the package with a jug of booze and mail to to grandma in the "dry" village. People do some crazy things for hidden motives.
A ridgid salesman at Home Depot let me try one. I was shocked at how quick, smooth and quiet it was. I have milwaukee 12 volt and corded tools, seriously considering going to ridgid for 18v because of this impact.
Kevin Côté it will be interesting how long these will last, my guess is not more then a few years. In the mill were were constantly rebuilding or replacing pumps with daily use.
zack9912000 you seem to be assuming Milwaukee just pumps out tools without testing... All of their tools are tested for much more than most of us put them thru and for much more abuse in a shorter time. They test them to failure to improve on design. It's 2018 and there's no redesign.. what does that tell you? I wonder what the failure rate actually is on the surge? I just bought one and it's the 2nd best driver I own to only my og M12 fuel drill/driver (that thing is perfect for every small/medium screw application).. but honestly I think when Ave refers to this style driver not lasting, that's merely speculation as we haven't seen one fail yet on TH-cam.
+Eric Schluter I took a sample while a vid played so my cellphone has his voice as my ringtone. The part that goes "The ol'd smellphone" or something like that. Once when going through a security line they pulled me aside after they heard that. Must be his natural charm as I'd never been pulled aside in that line before or since.
I've had a ridgid set for 5 years and have had 0 issues with the tools. I have been very rugged on them. I've used the lifetime warranty 2 times for the batteries. Absolutely great customer service. No fees. No postage. No agreements. All they need are the serial numbers on the batteries.
FIY the design/brand is the same as AEG (Germany) it's also part of the same package as Ridgid... and so on. I've the battery and charger at hand and can confirm it's exactly the same. Although in my particular case I've got the cordless drill not the impact. Regarding the review it's pretty good, but I don't agree with 2 small details. Opposite to what you say the reversing button is pretty robust and could even be more smooth. I apply regularly a small amount of silicone spray in it. I appreciate that smooth action when stretching/balancing on the top of a ladder and need to reverse the rotation. The front bearing od/id allows for more small balls, so more support points and as such smoother action. Radical example try to lay on a nail bed made of, let's say 10 nails. Next to impossible. Increase it to 1000 nails in the same area and becomes much easier. Guess I need a coffee after this example. LOL Be well thanks for sharing. ;-)
To this day, Connections is at the top of my list for an educational history series. The way James Burke could stitch together seemingly diverse and unrelated stories and events into a single linear and cohesive story was nothing short of phenomenal. I sometimes describe the hours I occasionally lose to Wikipedia in terms of Connections because of the many odd topics, all ultimately related to one another, I seem to end up exploring even though they would seemingly have no apparent connection to the topic that originally piqued my interest!
If the failure mode is reduced torque, and the torque cannot be measured/ advertised, how can you do a warranty swap? It still spins so it must be working!
i love these videos , fascinating , but mentioning the surprise to not find those quality parts in the milwaukee had me searching for the milwaukee teardown … as usual i came up short .
All these technichal terms and all and then comes things like "Spinnamathing" and "no touchie tochie, bunie burnie".😂 Love your videos and your dialect and jokes are awesome.:D Also, for some eason I just feel like the dialect you have fits so perfectly withnthe jokes you make. Anyways, you make great videos.:D
just for reference ridgid power tools are serviced by TTI reps at home depot stores but they are not made by TTI. Ryobi and Milwaukee tools are made by TTI.
"This detent isn't sturdy at all" *slams it on the table* "Ok it didn't actually change BUT STILL it's not sturdy at all" C'mon credit where credit is due "Impact resistant selector switch"
As for those stubborn "serialized" battery warranty claims (and those not minding a slight gray area dance with el diablo)... a couple security screws, a simple plastic shell casing swap and... Bob's your uncle! That's all that's needed to circumvent and play the "serialized" battery warranty claims game. (Example provided, is of course, for educational purposes only:)
Their stickers they use on the side of the packs run along the seams and they are very sticky foil like stickers, you cant take them off without signs of tampering, also the safety screws they use are all aluminum so the second you touch a hardened bit to them there is visible damage to the screws, these are things they would scrutinize to get out of the warranty so not only will you be out on shipping the pack the them but they would probably charge you to ship it back as well, shipping alone puts you about 80% of the cost of a new battery. If you know how to use a soldering iron just buy new 18650 cells, preferably samsung 30q.
All that schmoo all over the place -- this is why it's so much better to watch you taking stuff apart rather than doing it myself (and I LOVE taking things apart, they so very rarely go back together 'working' again afterwards).
+mordechaimordechai Thanks mate. I do a few tool reviews here and there, so figured i would make a video on it, i will let you know when I get it upload it so you can check it out
Hey newer subscriber here and gotta say I'm loving your videos. if you do a tear down of another one of these smaller impact drivers I'd love to get one! I have a tiny house project coming up with a shipping container. For the tldr love your stuff keep it up can't wait for more teardowns!
Just imagine how amazing the world would be if all young men had teachers like AvE from a young age. Instead we teach them to question their gender in Canada lol.
I wouldn't say Ridgid relies on slippage alone to offer the warranty. Registering the Ridgid Combo kit was on the complicated side of things, but the Home Depot employee who persuaded my dad to buy it walked him through the registration process. He clearly stated that every tool and battery in the kit was covered by the lifetime service agreement but not additional batteries purchased outside the kit as well as how to get service. As for other ways they can pay for warranty claims, if you look up the prices, Ridgid cordless tools aren't exactly cheap but that some of the parts like the direction button are. I can easily find a Makita, Bosch, or Milwaukee combo kit that often has higher amp hour batteries in it for around the same price my dad paid for the Ridgid combo kit. Also, I'm getting the impression that Ridgid cordless tools are being marketed more towards DIYers than professional users which may reduce warranty claims.
long story short, my glove got caught at the tip of this baby at work while screwing, spinning fingers and wrist.... 2 fingers broken. My brain lag released the trigger after 3 or 4 impacts.
Laughed out loud at "if you reach for a bigger hammer and that doesn't fix it, your problem's electrical"
Considering getting that saying as a tattoo.
The aircraft variation is "hit it with a chock. If no joy call Specialist Flight."
Bahaha we say this at work
Accurate :)
Lol me too
Dude your insight into the ENTIRE manufacturing/marketing process is awesome. Another awesome AVE vid thanks man.
+1 on this. My most visited subscription out of all
@@clydeg4274 Clyde G the consensus online seems to be he has run or owned mining operations and was a mining/ metallurgical engineer, but with his extensive electrical engineering knowledge too, who knows. He's a genius man of mystery.
Clyde G engineer for mining company.
God, AVE, you're too smart to be on TH-cam. Talking physics, chemistry, and electrical engineering to us like you made the damn things.
Fascinating teardown as always. Did not expect that hammer mechanism. I'd love to see one that's been through some use.
Practical Engineering does fail within a year of heavy use b
hercules71185 Yes it does
Francisco Quiñones been through 2. Going back to the regular impact now.
hercules71185 what exactly failed on your surge?
Mine lasted about 3 months
AvE is the only TH-cam tool reviewer guy I watch who isn't afraid to completely shit on tool brands that are completely shit.
Lucas Foreman Ghana the first 5 Main St, Pittsfield, NH 03263
AvE you called it. Techtronic was using the Ridgid line to test out this style of mechanism before they moved it to Milwaukee. There's now a Milwaukee version of this impact called the "Surge" series at Homeless Despot.
Jonathan Robertson it will be interesting how long these will last, my guess is not more then a few years. In the mill were were constantly rebuilding or replacing pumps with daily use. These pumps are the most expensive part of the impact but they are not as tough as the industrial one we rebuilt.
The Milwaukee version is a completely different design.
The ridgid one doesn't last, from experience. AVE called it; it quickly becomes weaker and weaker with use.
Awesome thanks AvE . I have one ive been using for around five years almost daily ,never a problem out of it , and i cant say that i have noticed any reduction in power. Even compared to a newer one i have had about a year now . they both feel the same to me . I cant wait to see the rest of this teardown , and hope to see more ridgid teardowns in the future . Thanks again ,I appreciate ya.
Do you use it heavily or just with small screws usually ?
Love the vids. Homegamer here. Regarding your comments at 1:30 in the vid, I have a bunch of RIDGID 18V stuff and a 12V "JobMax" that I bought (with a spare battery) in 05-2012 (that's over 5 years ago). The spare battery failed and wasn't covered under the lifetime warranty - that's the one annoyance I have with the warranty, it only covers batteries from "kits" where the tool "console", charger, and battery are sold together.
So, fast forward to today. I was on the phone checking up on item I registered earlier in July and remembered that the old 12V that ORIGINALLY came with the JobMax kit was blinking as "DEFECTIVE" in the charger. Slapped it in the tool and - FAILURE TO CHOOCH!!!
Previously, I had to take the tool, charger, and battery to Home Despot and wait around while they did a ton of paperwork and paging of managers and nonsense - but NOT ANYMORE!
I asked the lady on the phone (sounded like she was from Kentucky, not India, BTW) about it and she said it was "easy" - just grab the battery and charger and she'd step me through it.
I ran downstairs, grabbed both, and she had me plug in the charger and tell her what light indications were on it (to prove it was working). She had me read the serial number on the battery to her. Then we stuck the battery in the charger. First the lights started blinking "EVALUATE"... then "CHARGING"... then "DEFECTIVE".
That's all it took. She said "Lucky for you, you're in Columbus, OH - that's where our distribution center is". I'll probably have my replacement tomorrow or the next day. No muss. No fuss. Just called them up and they're dropping a new battery in the mail for a 5 year old product. It'd cost me $40 (at least) to get one from Amazon.
When it arrives, I need to call them on the phone and tell them the serial on the new battery - it will be covered under the Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA) too. I haven't found any other company that covers warranty replacements under the original warranty - period.
So 5 years in the process has only gotten easier.
Sure, there are probably a bunch of goofballs who can't be bothered to type a few serial numbers into the RIDGID site whenever they buy a new tool - but they're just throwing money away IMHO.
At 7:45 in the HILTI Drill video (th-cam.com/video/mwX6qLIoj3s/w-d-xo.html) AvE talks about how HILTI does "fleet maintenance" so "if you have a problem with the drill, they take it back and fix it". That's exactly how the LSA has worked for me - except I didn't have to pay the HILTI brand premium for that level of service.
I came for sharing a laugh in the shop. I stayed for the multinational corporate conspiracies.
I think you're the first person on youtube I have heard acknowledge that a "DC Brushless" motor is actually an AC motor.
Because people think DC is direct current. Why would they assume otherwise.
@@16vSciroccoboi dc is direct current, idk what you mean by your comment. DC comes out of the batt, it just gets switched by logic to drive what's basically a little induction motor.
@@ctdieselnut I know ... People hear DC and immediately feel comfortable assuming it means direct current. They have no reason to think "DC brushless definitely can't mean direct current brushless"
Heck, I even got a free replacement battery for my Ryobi drill from the Home Dept. when I went in just to see. No shipping costs, no nothing. Then again, I'm in the US, so things are probably different for you up there.
LazerLord10 Ryobi probably has a better return and exchange program. I had a Rigid 18v hammer drill, it went tits up shortly after I bought it. The trigger failed and took a battery with it. I tried to exchange it at Home Depot, it was only two weeks after I bought it, they sent me to the rigid service center. That process took 20 weeks to get the tool repaired and the battery replaced. I ended up buying a Milwaukee 14.4v drill to get me by during the wait. Turned out the little Milwaukee was a hell of a lot better tool, it lasted for years. I ended up selling the Rigid within a couple of weeks of getting it back. Now using Hilti (after using the little Milwaukee for twelve years). Hilti is the ducks guts. Fantastic tool.
I never leave YT comments but I just have to say this video and your knowledge of everything involved in the creation of this tool is faking amazing. Seen several videos of people who I thought were technical experts but you just made them seem like amateurs. Not only a very entertaining video but full of actual technical knowledge. Well freaking done sir. Very impressed. I know this is a old video but just had to express my positive reaction to this clip.
Ave, Is there a chance you could do a video of the tools you recommend? Like a cordless drill, impact driver etc. You sure know a lot about tools. I'd love to hear what you recommend.
I'm sure that's his retirement plan.
Seems to me that he prefers Makita for the most part
Settle down there, Chad
Chad Wilkins 😂
@Chad WilkinsI agree. He thinks all the cordless tools are junk. I have never heard so much conspiracy theory bullshit in my life. He probably thinks space aliens are living in his toilet. I would not be surprised if he wears a tinfoil hat when he sleeps. All the Makita tools I have owned are junk.
Just...this guy... REMARKABLE. every time. His mastery of language and novel expression continues to delight.
Had a chuckle about the battery return issues, because a friend of mine had this issue with the Australian version (AEG) and he kicked up such a stink they changed their policy on returns.
I still come back to watch this. its got that thing
They put a tiny rotary engine inside a impact drill?
+Zeet and for people that are not into cars, they will just think you're talking aveese
lol can confirm. The only reason why I know what a Wankel is, is because everyone I know is an auto mechanic. If i didn't I would've thought you guys are making up words now lol
30m views and 200k subscriber with in a few thousand of each other. A mighty fine reason to have a beer my good man. Congratulations, much deserved.
that vice on that heatsink made me cry
***** It did look an awful lot like you could've just grabbed the flats to begin with though...
Also how do you know its cavitation causing the noise? You can have plenty of noise (think water hammers) without any cavitation at all. Saying it won't last seems premature.
***** I feel ya
Just a couple pieces of wood with shallow half circles.
Adam .Reeder did ave delete his response ?
Ridgid Stealth Force, amazing technology and it works. I already had a Milwaukee impact driver and I bought the Stealth Force. It's much quieter and easily twice as fast driving screws or lags. This one is best in class!
Cool to see the inside on this one...thanks!
Real Tool Reviews for
you get outta here before he has your head in the vise!!
It would be very interesting to see you tear down down different kinds of engines and review them or compare them. Thanks for all the great videos!
how cool would it be if one of the engineers that designed the torque mechanism posted their reasons here?
Saw this tool on a 18v showdown, couldnt believe it performed so well. I had never heard of an "oil impact". Good point about TTI testing this tech before branding it w the Milwaukee logo. Great vid
Tons of useful information in the beginning. Didn't know the corporate structure.
I am so glad we discovered your channel. These videos are amazing, informative and freaking funny! So glad you're a fellow hoser. Keep it up eh!
Most of the power tools are losses, they make it back in the insane 400% markup on batteries and accessories
I have never had an issue with the Service issue. We do have a local shop that does it so no shipping for ma. You do have to register the new batteries within 30 days of getting them to keep the service agreement up.
The ground wire on the gearbox is likely to protect against 'bearing current'. Since the motor is an AC induction motor, you get induced magnetic fields in the rotor shaft. This magnetic field in results in current flow through the rotor, through the bearings and back through the rotor. Current flowing through the bearings results in pitting and then the bearings are RS. Bearing currents require special attention on large AC motors with VVVF control.
Nick's Woodshop If it is brushless motor it will be like a 3 (or whatever) pole induction motor
Nick's Woodshop by the way that's a very cool turtle on that picture. I always wanted one when I was a kid
I barely understand what you're talking about. But for some reason I really enjoy listening to you.
I worked at the HD, I just swapped it right off the shelf. Why? Because I promised the customer we would replace the tool and the battery. It says it on the box. I backed it up and did what I did because it was the right thing to do. Many happy customers, the vendor would cry a bit, but in actuality, we sold more tools than any other HD in the region anyway.
Fucking over people for the sake of fine print is wrong. I hated that shit. Register your tools and you shouldn't have an issue. Generally, even if you didn't I just swapped it off the shelf and sent it back as a manufacturer defect.
I've never had a problem with the LSA but I heard a lot of people complain about it though.
Cavitation kills ANY material over time. But that's some real deep insight you're giving us! Thanks so far, keep up the great work and hopefully more viewers will join in!
The way that hydraulic pump works reminds me of a Wankel rotary engine and how it makes compression.
Was going to say the same thing ... mind you, I can't say I'm surprised that Ridgid decided to call this "Stealth Force" rather than a "Wankel Driver" ;)
Thumbs up for taking the hydraulic section apart. Learned a lot in this vid.
The thing with the UK and special offers is we have awesome consumer protection laws, and a LOT of companies don't seem to realize their legal obligations... what you say about home despot not taking things back, and the companies requiring you to pay postage and stuff... that won't fly here at ALL. Companies HATE when you stand in the store and go on your phone and say 'let's look up the sale of goods act, shall we?'
Which is why major tool companies offer 5 years warranty in the US and 3 years limited warranty in the U.K.
@@jugganaut33 But as I pointed out, they're not legally ALLOWED to limit a warranty. They may not limit your statutory rights. They WILL be made to replace stuff
Couple of things; it sounds like the sintered parts are the MIM (Metal Injected Moulding) parts that got gun guys' panties all twisted. And for a real life warranty (although it's not AvE's choice of subjects) Dillon Manufacturing publically declares it as "No bullshit warranty", and it's true. Great channel! I've done a little through Patreon and ordered a ruler. Thanks!
"Connections-wise. Best show ever"
Connections is the best show ever!
I am in awe. A shoutout to Connections. I will assume the show by James Burke, yes? I've never heard anyone else mention it, but it and The Day the Universe Changed are my absolute favorites and I watch them at least once a year.
PerfectTangent Dan Carlin has done a couple of interviews with James Burke including one within the last month.
Ridgid is called AEG here in Australia
thanks
In germany as well
In all of Europe it is called AEG, AEG the brand is owned by Electrolux and licensed much like the Ryobi brand.
I know in northern Ontario you just bring it to the registered service provider for ridgid and they fix it or order you a new one. I get no shipping wank myself. I've been pretty happy with these I mentioned you reviewing rigid about eight or ten months ago I'm so happy to see you do it wanted to get in there without wrecking my money makers.
I fucking love this guy.
thanks for tweeting it out.. i love this guy now!!!
Barnacules Nerdgasm this is a christan serveer, no swearing
Hey, Barnacules shows up here too! Awesome! :)
Fuckin A
I'll keep clicking. Man you have a lot of contained knowledge. Wish you were my neighbor. I'm smart about a lot of things like this, but you sir blow me out of the water. amazingly gifted and I'm sure well earned skill sweet you have.
Cavitation is pretty well understood. I'd be surprised if any effects weren't ironed out in the design stage.
agt155 all hydraulic systems have this issue, hence why oil changes and rebuilding of them is required.
19:15 Where is this promised follow-up vijeo? I'm curious how these things stack up against a mechanical hammer mechanism.
For real
Probably couldn't put it back together🤣
You're a highly knowledgeable guy! Respect
Great episode eh? Discovered you through Reddit where your episode where you took apart your TH-cam award was featured. This video is equally awesome. Love the information reference the companies. I'm gonna be the smartest guy at my next deck building party thanks to you.
So I'm with AvE on the suggestion that it was built to test such a mechanism. Its an outstanding mechanism, there won't be cavitation issues (more on that later), but they had to make sure it doesn't beat out the competing tool they release in a higher market next. So one thing I noticed which really stood out, the battery. That is a 2000mAh battery. My phone has nearly twice the battery power of that tool. Adding a better component really wouldn't be difficult or expensive, but just small aspects like that you absolutely know aren't due to incompetence or poor design choices, but purposefully limiting the tool. Something which it shouldn't need to do considering it has no competition unless they will be adding competition later.
Anyway I made a comment on the cavitation elsewhere. I came up with a huge list of reasons, but two of the easiest to explain are here. Firstly the cavitation is only a risk on the front face of the T shaped device. However it is the side face which needs damage to let any oil seep past. Thus any cavitation damage really isn't going to reduce the device's effectiveness. Secondly cavitation is an incredibly slow process. Whilst a machine in use 24/7 might see cavitation damage over the space of a year or more, this is a tool which is in use and on for a fraction of the day at most, and even then the low-pressure cavitation-risk wave is well below 10% of the time, likely closer to 2%. Now quite frankly I don't believe cavitation will ever happen in the first place, it simply doesn't have the power and the pressure wave is spread out in a sinusoidal-like shape rather than an instantaneous pressure drop, but even if cavitation was as common as AvE believes there is absolutely no risk of it reducing the device's power. It will certainly crap out on you through a more conventional means before it loses even 1% of its capability through cavitation damage.
Olivia Lambert such a smart and beautiful girl ☺
2000mAh at 18v is more powerful than a phone's 4000mAh at 3.7v. An easy way to calculate actual power capacity is multiplying the amp-hours by watts to get 'watt-hours'.
+Olivia Lambert ...
Are you AvE's daughter? If no, are you single?
The insight on cavitation you gave is similar to what I was thinking. I learned all about cavitation while studying for my boiler's license, and from what I understood was that cavitation take longer than a couple seconds to really damage anything. You'd have to run this thing non-stop for quite a while for it to have an effect similar to pipe cavitation and whatnot in a loop.
You can't compare a cell phone battery designed for energy density to a power tool battery designed for power. The cells are built differently and have different chemistry's. You will never get the amperage or c rate from a cell phone battery that a power tool one will get . Cell phone battery's are typically a single cell , a power tool has multiple cells strung in series.( Some in parallel to increase amperage or capacity). The mAh of the cells in parallel or single cells rating and the voltage in series is needed to calculate the wh available for the pack . Your cell phone has no where near the power or the wh capacity of the battery pack in this tool.
I have one of these and I use it in my lawn equipment business and they are pretty good they hold up fairly decent compared to other ones that I've had thank you for the videos Man❤
You must listen to Under the Influence on the CBC!!
SEASON 11 BABY!!
Wow this man is INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT, I feel fortunate to have found his channel...
Hey buddy -- are we gonna be getting the electrical vid soon? I don't know if I just missed it or what, but I'm definitely interested in checking it out.
Thank you, sir =)
I was asking myself the same question
I thought I was missing something....
Here's to us getting it soon.
So many POS tools, so little time. What we need is 100 clones of +AvE.
Granted I'm a bit late to the draw, but I've been running my ridged impact and drill mon-fri. Installing air conditioners. Absolutely love these impacts and drills. Love the vids ave
The Cummins 855 diesel engines of the mid 70's had bad cavitation problems of the wet liners. There would be a vertical line of holes and some would go all the through the liner.
+Donald D'Egidio Can vouch for that. Our old NTC 350 filled the sump with water on one occasion. The pitting/electrolysis/cavitation was on the outside of the liner. The mechanic stated it was a bad earth strap that caused the problem. After a rebuild and tune up, 400 horses were unleashed from the old beast. Had very little trouble with it after that.
I use the Australian AEG version. Been using them for over 10 years. Only ever cracked a shell once. Our warranty isnt lifetime either.
I love them.
The oil model you've been using a lot ?
7 months and no followup? I'm guessing you hooped it and it no longer skooches.
I'd be really interested in seeing you do a full tear-down and review of the newer 18 volt Milwaukee Fuel tools. The drills/impacts are now on Gen-2, and the newest ones even feature bluetooth customization.
Guess what I just saw at the homeless despot?
A Milwaukie hydraulic impact.
I guess it worked pretty well in the ridgid
congratulations on 200k subs and 30,000,000 views. may there be many more to come.
you still didn't put it together?
You messed up the vertical slip on alooomeenium thing on the vise and can't and wont put it back together ey?
ya think he fucked it up?
when he talked about the hydraulic pump cavitating in the video and the fluid vaporizing during the lack of pressure sequence of the revolution, the only thing i could think of is what if there was absolutely no air in the chamber that the pump system resides. also i know you cant compress fluids but what if it was also pressurized inside the chamber were the pump resides. then there may not be enough lack of pressure for the fluid to vaporize. just some thoughts.
Cavitation is not an air bubble. Basically a cavitation bubble is actually a bubble of vacuum, an empty void of nothing that forms. Well, liquids boil when they are exposed to vacuums so the liquid around the bubble boils instantly and fills the bubble up. So now you have a bubble of nothing with liquid and gas rushing into it, when the liquids and gasses meet in the middle they slam into each other hard and if that point of impact is on or near a surface it acts like a small explosion and damages that surface. So cavitation doesn't require air or any gas, all it requires is a liquid and rapidly changing pressures.
Dalton Michaels
You don't need air (or any vapor present in your flow) for cavitation to occur. Like AvE said, it is caused by a phase change to a vapor, which creates a bubble that then collapses and releases energy (the implosion).
Have you ever seen those pistol shrimp that shoot bubbles to stun their prey? It basically works like that.
Another nice vijio. One piece of advice when you come up on the inner assembly the doesn't unscrew, it' threadlocker and you just need a little heat to make disassembly easier.
I'd love to see this thing after like a year of use or some hard use in a short time to show us what u were talking about with it eroding
Just had to go through the process of getting 2 batteries replace from when I originally bought my 5 piece set in 2011. I had gone through the process of registering the tools on their web site after creating an account. Had no problem with the warranty process on the batteries and they showed up the next day for me (I happen to live in the same city as one of the distributors).
The word skookum is used in British Columbia because logging is/was the biggest industry here, and some of the blocks used for hi lead logging are called 'Skookum' blocks which are the best of course. No that is not where the word came from traditionally, but that why it's used in so much in BC(my family from eastern Canada don't know what the fuck skookum is)
Thanks for the origins story, I suspect I was not alone in wondering what the term's origins were since it seemed to be a very regional thing.
I wonder if a manufacturing team has watched a video you have done on their product. I used to work at a large heavy equipment manufacturer in IT and it would be interesting to watch the faces of the engineering teams as you break down their tools.
Do you have a recommended tools list? I am a nub.
Ave is big on Makita angle grinders. If you're a cheap ass or don't plan to give it a hot supper, the Harbor Freight cheapo will be do you fine as well.
When it comes to impacts and drills, Dewalt and Milwaukee appear to be making the best stuff for serious home gamers, but it's all mostly the same anymore, made in china, or with chinese components; so whatever your nearest home-improvement store is selling that has a lifetime replacement plan may be as good an option as any.
For automotive uses I've been very happy with my M18 Milwaukee tools. Torque-y as most peoples air tools, and a hell of a lot more portable. But your mileage may vary.
Zorn101 agree.. he needs a list. this is way more honest than consumer reports best of 2016. :)
All three's current lineups are primarily made in china now with globally sourced components, with a few exceptions here and there. None of them are at all what they were ten years ago.
My take-away from AvE's videos on the three's current stuff is each tool is better and worse in specific ways than the competitors; there are very few cases where there's a clear winner. You'll take a trade-off in torque, battery capacity, overall metallurgy and bearing skookumness, good plastics and ergos, and reasonable cost somewhere.
Nice rant on slippage. One time at an Army base in Alaska I saw a pile of new blenders in the trash can at the PX. Turns out the blender package was the perfect package for a big jug of Jack Daniels. The native americans on the base would buy a blender, discard the blender, stuff the package with a jug of booze and mail to to grandma in the "dry" village. People do some crazy things for hidden motives.
where is the second video?
I'm like a giddy school girl when I see a new AvE video. Aww yeah.
wow it's not often I can get away with watching one of these with my wife in the room. lmao
I have absolutely no idea, none what so ever, what you are talking about. But it was very fun to watch!
"Slippage" also made me poop my pants. Thanks for clarifying
lol ave dose sort of what i did as a kid except the understanding and the putting it back together bit and it working even putting it back together
I wonder how long it will take to put that back together. This vise fetish could get very painful. So anyway thanks for the video.
A ridgid salesman at Home Depot let me try one. I was shocked at how quick, smooth and quiet it was. I have milwaukee 12 volt and corded tools, seriously considering going to ridgid for 18v because of this impact.
Holly cow you predicted it!!!! Milwaukee just announced its new quieter hydraulic ¼ hex. Omg 😲 your awesome 👏
Kevin Côté it will be interesting how long these will last, my guess is not more then a few years. In the mill were were constantly rebuilding or replacing pumps with daily use.
zack9912000 so far, mine has lasted a year of heavy use and it's still chooching good.
zack9912000 you seem to be assuming Milwaukee just pumps out tools without testing... All of their tools are tested for much more than most of us put them thru and for much more abuse in a shorter time. They test them to failure to improve on design. It's 2018 and there's no redesign.. what does that tell you? I wonder what the failure rate actually is on the surge? I just bought one and it's the 2nd best driver I own to only my og M12 fuel drill/driver (that thing is perfect for every small/medium screw application).. but honestly I think when Ave refers to this style driver not lasting, that's merely speculation as we haven't seen one fail yet on TH-cam.
This is a top 3 favorite channel for me -- I'd literally pay to watch this $hit. Another awesome vid my man.
I love your vids Ave!! except I keep saying 'chooch' and 'skookum' at work... in Florida...
+Eric Schluter I use those words too, and I'm a Brit
+Eric Schluter I took a sample while a vid played so my cellphone has his voice as my ringtone. The part that goes "The ol'd smellphone" or something like that. Once when going through a security line they pulled me aside after they heard that. Must be his natural charm as I'd never been pulled aside in that line before or since.
+Eric Schluter I get some blank stares here in Norway too.
I've had a ridgid set for 5 years and have had 0 issues with the tools. I have been very rugged on them. I've used the lifetime warranty 2 times for the batteries. Absolutely great customer service. No fees. No postage. No agreements. All they need are the serial numbers on the batteries.
I get giddy like a schoolgirl every time i see a new AvE vid on the home page!!! FRIG' YEAH!
FIY the design/brand is the same as AEG (Germany) it's also part of the same package as Ridgid... and so on. I've the battery and charger at hand and can confirm it's exactly the same. Although in my particular case I've got the cordless drill not the impact.
Regarding the review it's pretty good, but I don't agree with 2 small details. Opposite to what you say the reversing button is pretty robust and could even be more smooth. I apply regularly a small amount of silicone spray in it. I appreciate that smooth action when stretching/balancing on the top of a ladder and need to reverse the rotation.
The front bearing od/id allows for more small balls, so more support points and as such smoother action. Radical example try to lay on a nail bed made of, let's say 10 nails. Next to impossible. Increase it to 1000 nails in the same area and becomes much easier. Guess I need a coffee after this example. LOL Be well thanks for sharing. ;-)
AvE with a Connections reference? Maximum chooch factor.
To this day, Connections is at the top of my list for an educational history series. The way James Burke could stitch together seemingly diverse and unrelated stories and events into a single linear and cohesive story was nothing short of phenomenal. I sometimes describe the hours I occasionally lose to Wikipedia in terms of Connections because of the many odd topics, all ultimately related to one another, I seem to end up exploring even though they would seemingly have no apparent connection to the topic that originally piqued my interest!
This was a very gently unboxing AVE.
If the failure mode is reduced torque, and the torque cannot be measured/ advertised, how can you do a warranty swap?
It still spins so it must be working!
i love these videos , fascinating , but mentioning the surprise to not find those quality parts in the milwaukee had me searching for the milwaukee teardown … as usual i came up short .
All these technichal terms and all and then comes things like "Spinnamathing" and "no touchie tochie, bunie burnie".😂
Love your videos and your dialect and jokes are awesome.:D Also, for some eason I just feel like the dialect you have fits so perfectly withnthe jokes you make. Anyways, you make great videos.:D
just for reference ridgid power tools are serviced by TTI reps at home depot stores but they are not made by TTI. Ryobi and Milwaukee tools are made by TTI.
"This detent isn't sturdy at all"
*slams it on the table*
"Ok it didn't actually change BUT STILL it's not sturdy at all"
C'mon credit where credit is due
"Impact resistant selector switch"
ridgid is AEG in australia, all the control electronics, battery managment etc is ryobi, but twice the price.
As for those stubborn "serialized" battery warranty claims (and those not minding a slight gray area dance with el diablo)... a couple security screws, a simple plastic shell casing swap and... Bob's your uncle! That's all that's needed to circumvent and play the "serialized" battery warranty claims game. (Example provided, is of course, for educational purposes only:)
+WJK You sound like the kind of man whose retail swapped a RROD XBlox!
icepick method - Nope... I open those up and fix 'em myself. If only modern battery packs were as easy and as inexpensive ;)
At least they probably won't catch on fire like me DeWilts did a few crow years ago, so something to cheer about.
Their stickers they use on the side of the packs run along the seams and they are very sticky foil like stickers, you cant take them off without signs of tampering, also the safety screws they use are all aluminum so the second you touch a hardened bit to them there is visible damage to the screws, these are things they would scrutinize to get out of the warranty so not only will you be out on shipping the pack the them but they would probably charge you to ship it back as well, shipping alone puts you about 80% of the cost of a new battery. If you know how to use a soldering iron just buy new 18650 cells, preferably samsung 30q.
All that schmoo all over the place -- this is why it's so much better to watch you taking stuff apart rather than doing it myself (and I LOVE taking things apart, they so very rarely go back together 'working' again afterwards).
That's gonna be a bear to reassemble. Good luck.
My dad brought his battery back for his ridgid drill to Home Depot in Massachusetts, US. No problem, instant replacement.
funny you posted this, i just bought one of these and was going to do a video review of it on my channel!
fuck your channel,mate
+mordechaimordechai Thanks mate. I do a few tool reviews here and there, so figured i would make a video on it, i will let you know when I get it upload it so you can check it out
+🔥Ramsey Customs - turbocobra ahaahahah Lol! You won. I will check it out
Holy moly, my mind is blown over how you're going to get that cavitation chamber put back together.
Do you record then remove the audio and add the voice over in editing?
+Joshua Nicoll noticed dat too
+Joshua Nicoll From about a minute on the audio changes
Hey newer subscriber here and gotta say I'm loving your videos. if you do a tear down of another one of these smaller impact drivers I'd love to get one! I have a tiny house project coming up with a shipping container. For the tldr love your stuff keep it up can't wait for more teardowns!
My fancy BS from a ginormous accredited university did not give me an intuitive understanding of cavitation in the way this video did in 45".
Just imagine how amazing the world would be if all young men had teachers like AvE from a young age. Instead we teach them to question their gender in Canada lol.
I wouldn't say Ridgid relies on slippage alone to offer the warranty. Registering the Ridgid Combo kit was on the complicated side of things, but the Home Depot employee who persuaded my dad to buy it walked him through the registration process. He clearly stated that every tool and battery in the kit was covered by the lifetime service agreement but not additional batteries purchased outside the kit as well as how to get service.
As for other ways they can pay for warranty claims, if you look up the prices, Ridgid cordless tools aren't exactly cheap but that some of the parts like the direction button are. I can easily find a Makita, Bosch, or Milwaukee combo kit that often has higher amp hour batteries in it for around the same price my dad paid for the Ridgid combo kit. Also, I'm getting the impression that Ridgid cordless tools are being marketed more towards DIYers than professional users which may reduce warranty claims.
long story short, my glove got caught at the tip of this baby at work while screwing, spinning fingers and wrist.... 2 fingers broken. My brain lag released the trigger after 3 or 4 impacts.
Awesome man. Been waiting for a BOLTR of some ridgid stuff for awhile.