When we first learned about the new Dewalt Atomic cordless power tools, I was a little confused about how the new tools would be placed within the Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tool lineup.
We’ve learned more about the tools, but there are still some things that aren’t perfectly clear to me. The new Dewalt Atomic drill and impact driver look to be entry-priced brushless motor models, perhaps iterative versions of their DCD777 and DCF787 tools, which are attractively priced especially around holiday seasons.
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There’s also the new Dewalt Atomic cordless circular saw, which seems to be more fitting of the “compact” theme behind the Atomic branding.
We don’t have imagery of the reciprocating saw yet. I have seen an image of the Dewalt Atomic series oscillating multi-tool, and from what was visible, it’s identical to their existing cordless multi-tool, but without the XR branding.
Last Fall, Dewalt had a $99 Black Friday and holiday season special buy, which was unusual because Dewalt’s XR brushless cordless power tools are typically bundled with their higher capacity battery packs.
But, back to the point, the introductory pricing on the Dewalt Atomic cordless power tools seemed off.
Home Depot’s introductory pricing:
- DCD708B bare tool Atomic drill: $119
- DCD708C2 Atomic drill 2-battery kit: $159
- DCF809B bare tool Atomic impact driver: $119
- DCF809C1 Atomic impact driver 1-battery kit : $149
- DCF809C2 Atomic impact driver 2-battery kit: $159
- DCK278C2 Atomic drill and impact driver combo kit: $229
In my first post about the tools, I wrote:
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Dewalt’s entry-level brushless drill and impact driver kits tend to have a cyclic pattern. At holiday seasons, such as in Q4 and for Father’s Day, we might see the 2-battery drill kit sell for $99, and the 1-battery impact driver kit sell for $99.
If I had to make an educated guess, I would think that this is what we’ll see come May and June – $99 kit pricing on the drill and impact driver kits, and maybe $149 kit pricing on the 2-tool combo. That’d be fine.
I was checking something at Acme Tools’ website today, and saw a banner announcing their listings for the new Dewalt Atomic series cordless power tools. Here are their prices:
- DCD708C2 Atomic drill 2-battery kit:
$159$99 - DCF809C1 Atomic impact driver 1-battery kit :
$149$99 - DCF809C2 Atomic impact driver 2-battery kit:
$159$129 - DCK278C2 Atomic drill and impact driver combo kit:
$229$179
Buy Now(via Acme Tools)
Acme Tools expects for the Dewalt Atomic cordless tool kits to start shipping around May 10th, 2019.
I love being right. I was off-base on the combo kit pricing, but it turns out I was right about the drill kit and impact driver kits hitting that magical $99 price point.
I felt the need to quote “dropped in price” in the title. Is it really a price drop if it was predictable?
Additionally, Home Depot had described the new Dewalt Atomic power tools as their “exclusive,” but it seems that this exclusivity might have only been for a very limited time.
Stanley Black & Decker also recently introduced the Atomic tool lineup to investors, describing it as “a range of tools that combines performance and durability in a compact format.”
They also describe the Atomic series as an augmentation to their existing line of 20V Max cordless power tools, which was said to be “the largest professional cordless power tool system in the world, with well over 200 products.”
To me, it seems that the Dewalt Atomic series of cordless power tools will be two different things. Some tools are looking to be affordably entry into the Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tool platform. Others look more to be compact tools that offer complementary capabilities to larger full-size offerings. Maybe the tools could be both, but official marketing materials do not play the value card at all.
At the moment, the Dewalt Atomic series still seems to lack strong congruity between the tools, but I expect that this will change if the compact cordless power tool continues to be expanded upon. I think we will likely see greater cohesion, at least once a couple of more tools are added to the new cordless power tool family, which as a reminder is a part of the 20V Max system.
For me, it’s partly the context of other Dewalt tools, such as the DCD777 cordless drill/driver, that are throwing me off. But, it’s also that context that led me to predict the $99 pricing for the drill and impact driver kits.
Dewalt Atomic power tool developments will be very interesting to follow, speaking both as a user and from an editorial standpoint.
Altan
I want DeWALT to make a new seri of tools, a grade higher than the current tools, does not matter if the prices would be higher (people buy Festool, don’t they?!) Current DeWALT tools compete with Makita, Bosch, Metabo and Milwaukee mostly, but not with Festool or Fein or even Hilti, Recently Festool announced their new cordless oscillating tool, which looks very professional, they have a lot of attachments for their Jigsaws and Oscillating tool, DeWALT should also make something in this category with the current batteries, battery compability is important.
Altan
Sorry compatibility
Altan
I would like DeWALT to come up with a new cordless planer similar to Festool corded planer but Cordless version, We don’t have that quality planer in cordless version at all, so that would be something completely new.
Altan
Also I would like to see a cordless drill driver (not an impact driver) with 1/4″ E6.3 collet and not with a chuck!
I would also like to see a quick change 1/4″ E6.3 collet for SDS+ hammer drills, they have two versions of this by now, one for SDS+ drill bits and the other one is a keyless chuck, this would be the third option and can be sold separately or with the SDS+ hammer drills
glenn
These can be bought from Ebay. Also Makita supply one with their CXT rotary hammer kit which possibly may be available separately. You could try contacting Makita to find out if you can get one.
I have a cheapie ebay one as well as the Makita and rarely use them as I find it quicker to use a drill driver alongside the rotary hammer.
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=sds+1%2F4+hex+adaptor&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_odkw=ryobi+18v+planer&LH_TitleDesc=0
Altan
Thanks Glenn, I have the one you mentioned in the link, what I expect is something like mixture of these two links :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trend-SNAP-QCSDS-Snappy-Silver/dp/B004MJQ9GO
or
(https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DeWalt-1-2-Drive-to-1-4-Hex-Extreme-Impact-Adaptor-Socket-Screwdriver-Bits-/223019278603?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10)
(just imagine this adapter with different base to be compatible with DeWALT SDS+ hammer drills that have interchangeable chucks, this has to be made by DeWALT as that locking system is just for DeWALT SDS+ hammer drills and you can not use any other brands’ adapters )
with this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DeWalt-SDS-Quick-Change-Chuck-DCH254-DCH274-DCH364-D25415K-D25414K-DCH214-/401523954146
or
(https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DEWALT-QUICK-CHANGE-SDS-DRILL-CHUCK-D25114-D25314-PART-496244-00-/302919665652?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10)
to use with this:
https://www.toucantools.co.uk/dewalt_dch274p2-gb_18v_xr_brushless_sds_drill_and_quick_change_chuck.html
or similar DeWALT SDS+ hammer drills.
So basically you would have three different chucks, this is to reduce the length, but with adding another adapter on that the total length increases also.
Altan
I want to see a DeWALT Toughsystem Caddy (similar to TSTAK Caddy) or even a better option would be a DS200 or DS170 Toughsystem case with a specially made insert foam inside it for their accessory cases. Two different type of foams for small and large accessory cases.
Altan
Monsieur DeWALT,
When the 120V Flexvolt Vacuum Cleaner/Dust Collector is going to be available in the market?
Altan
I want to see some of the DeWALT Toughsystem boxes in yellow colour also or at least with yellow handles.
Altan
I would also like to see a platform (something similar to a big chopping board) which is connectable to Toughsystem toolboxes using their interlocking latches to be stable on two columns of Toughsystem boxes to use as a working bench, this is something extremely basic but very useful and does not take too much space also, just imagine a chopping board something like 30″ x 40″ (1″ thickness).
I noticed you Americans made me get used to ” or ‘ which I never tend to use at all 🙂
When you Americans are going to switch to Metric to be more international like others?!
Evadman
My speedometer better be in furlongs per fortnight. No government will ever take that from me!
Altan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication#/media/File:Metrication.svg
Mike
Dude, that ship sailed in the 70’s 🙁 A big opportunity missed.
Pants
I find out much easier to use 51mm instead of two inches and a twenty fifth of an inch. Surely metric had the capability to be more accurate or am I wrong?
Curtis
I think more of us than you might think are familiar with the metric system. I’m 50 now and the metric system is something I’ve used since grade school. I still prefer imperial measure however. Although I’m reasonably fluent in metric, imperial is still my native tongue.
But if you were to tell me someone is 185cm tall or the store is 3km away or it’s 25 degrees outside I’d know exactly what you meant and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in that.
Altan
I would not mind to use imperial system in door measurement like 29″ or 31″ or whatever, but when I see drill bits size 9/64″ I really get annoyed to calculate it in metric, in small sizes metric is more understandable I think, other than that everything is OK, I already know mile is roughly 1/5 km and pint is almost half a litre or 1 sq metre is a bit more than 10 sq feet.
When you buy a basic metric drill bit set you will see the sizes in mm like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, but you know how imperial one starts, 1/16″, 5/64″,…. which one is more smooth?!
Altan
DeWALT needs to make the Toughsystem insert foams available for all of their tools and if some of the tools are a bit bigger than these boxes they need to design a bit larger version of these cases, probably a bit longer just.
JoeM
Altan? I love you man, and I hope you take this for the funny that I do…
You sound like a little kid, sitting on Santa’s Lap, asking for a Pony or F1 Race Car for Christmas.
Altan
You made me laugh a lot and my daughters were laughing also with me 🙂
Sometimes I get fed up of waiting for DeWALT to come up with proper things. Tool boxes are not something complicated and for companies like DeWALT are something very basic to make, I don’t understand the logic in making TSTAK Caddy and not Toughsystem Caddy?! Is it something so complicated or difficult for DeWALT? Everybody is asking for Toughsystem Dust Collector and DeWALT makes it for just TSTAK boxes. Kind of the ones who are in Toughsystem platform are sh*t. So today I decided to just complain to DeWALT 🙂 ….
But this little kid you mentioned is going to pay money for their gifts, not pay with kisses just…
Corey Moore
I assume the challenge in making a tough system caddy is that the dimensions of the tough system footprint would be very prone to tipping over compared to tstak’s relatively square shape. I’m also a fan of my dolly lol
Altan
It might be the case, that is why I wanted DeWALT to make New versions of Toughsystem boxes named DS170 and DS200 (a bit bigger than DS150) so they can fit their accessory cases in them the way they do with the caddy plus having a waterproof lid, the idea of having Toughsystem cases is to have a waterproof box and lock the box when you feel it is needed.
Stuart
My thoughts are that a ToughSystem vac might be too large to be portable. At that size,users might want wheels, on-board hose storage, and a more powerful motor, and engineering and marketing obstacles start adding up.
Altan
Yes, I do agree, but a lot of people who are with Toughsystem platform are non stop asking for a compatible vacuum/ dust collector. We don’t mind if we get a large vac, something similar to Festool design:
http://www.healystool.co.uk/Festool-Dust-Extractor-CTL-SYS-GB-240v-575284-id72383.aspx?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjb20moz-4QIVCJ3VCh3QjQokEAQYAyABEgLpQvD_BwE
The hose and accessories like nuzzle should be stored in another case, it is annoying in the site to look for nuzzle, so anything is not organised well is gonna be useless basically, because you will not find it on time and then you will give up and use something different which would make other problems and that tool would not have the right performance. so It is extremely important to find the things in the right and specific place. I don’t like to see any vac which does not have a place to store the wire in and when you don’t need to use the vac that wire will hang out floating on concrete, getting damaged and useless, it would just make me crazy basically.
They can make the Toughsystem version of this as wheels:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DEWALT-TSTAK-Carrier-Base-/202656663344?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10
Some might need to have it in a corner and not move it at all.
They can come up with a 60V version of this first and next step would be the 120V Flexvolt version. I think they should be corded and cordless together.
JoeM
I wholeheartedly agree with you, Altan! There are some different things I want from DeWALT as well, and I am often completely flattened by the sheer weight of the things they release in the wrong direction.
I, too, want some more pure Metric options. More 8V family LIGHTING options, more systems integration between FlexVOLT sized tools, and the two Container systems. I want more Multi-System Chargers, and I want to see the standardization of the Bluetooth tech into the whole lineup, from 8V Max to FlexVOLT, and everything in between.
We have a very connected world now, and it’s time DeWALT embraced that integration, since they’re one of the world leaders in building the actual infrastructure that contains all that newly integrated tech.
And for the love of ice cream, they need to fire their Marketing division, or at least take away whatever wacky concoction they’ve been consuming while telling all of us these crazy decisions they’ve made. Day-And-Date releases in press would be good! AND Day-And-Date EQUAL Release in CANADA would be near ESSENTIAL!
Just… Instead of adding to your “Santa-Please?” list like this… I HAD to have a laugh at what we were about to do… We’re asking DeWALT/Santa for everything we’ve ever wished for, and to the outside eye, we look like kids wanting to be spoiled… But we KNOW that DeWALT has pitched the company in the wrong direction, and we’re getting pretty desperate for them to see the big, gaping distances between where they’ve pitched something, and where the Target Audiences are.
Altan
Sometimes I feel I should take a long long breaktime and sit and learn some designing programs properly and design some cool things and send them to DeWALT, if I get pissed off waiting for long time I would probably do.
Most of the things I asked today are made of just plastic, nothing complicated, even Ben has done some awesome design for jigsaw blades which fits DeWALT toughcase(+) accessory cases and some others also for Craftsman accessory cases which I have seen in other websites, if a person with limited resources can do this, then I would say DeWALT is playing around, not doing their homework 🙂 I am not gonna treat DeWALT Santa as you said with pleases, I give a time for every tool I expect from them, if you read the previous list I made for DeWALT for some tool I stated the launch date for them :))) I don’t use please when I pay money 🙂 I just say my expectations, I can see they do listen sometimes, as much as I remember I was the only one who asked DeWALT to make a Flexvolt wall chaser in this blog and now I see they have listened to me, I am sure this tool will have a big selling success and we will see that, tbh I did not expect them to make it at all and they did it much better than what I was expecting that DeWALT would do, I am not trying to rule DeWALT, I am just trying to make them understand they are quite slow in making new tools, necessary tools, and as you mentioned they are in wrong direction sometimes.
I wish all tool brands would agree on a standard battery platform which fits tools from all brands, something like 1/5V AAA battery which is standard for all brands, and they can put their time to develop new tools not batteries.
Boggsy
The 18v adapter is just a few obnoxious twerks away from working with ryobi… Since their tools don’t talk back to the batteries. And it seems the glue gun company Surebonder tried to end this bs with a ryobi to Dewalt/Milwaukee (apparently in-one) adapter. Almost all traces of the product has been removed from sites that once sold them. Obviously, it looks like Tyrants trying to keep us from “realizing” that the whole world is universal… But, there was also word that if you drain any adapted battery all the way down, it can die. Forever. Which is when you simply have to sigh, lift that hot glue gun up to your head, and pull the trigger. *extension cord got unplugged*
Honestly, it’s like your flip-phone friend that uses an electric toothbrush that ONLY runs on AC power. What do you even get that person for Christmas? A bathtub toaster floaty.
Altan
You are right, I have seen that glue gun working with DeWALT batteries, there are more tools from Stanley which work with DeWALT batteries, like Rivet guns, I did recently send the links, If you look at the new Makita Cordless tools model numbers you can see there is a similarity with DeWALT ones, before Makita cordless planer had a model number as BKP180 then they made a new model called DKP180, they assumed “D” stands for “Developed” as DKP180 can accept 4Ah battery which the other one does not. but I can assume “D” can stand for DeWALT in the new model, Both DeWALT and Makita use three letters and three numbers for the model number of their cordless tools, Do you see any other brands following this path? I feel more competition between DeWALT and Milwaukee than between DeWALT and Makita in the air. these all makes me think…
I would not be surprised if DeWALT and Makita join together by 2025.
Sunny
I’m very competent with solidworks if you have a design send it to me at [email protected] and i could turn it into something that an injection mold could do.
Altan
OK, I will send you an email, let’s see what you can do.
Altan
I actually wanted to just write more comments and ask and ask for new things from DeWALT then I thought I should stop before Stuart blocks me from his blog 🙂
But if Stuart is OK I can continue to ask for more, a bit in complainy way…
Stuart
Honestly, I had to check to see if there was a problem with the back-end somehow automatically giving all comments the same. As long as it doesn’t become a habit, I have no objections. If it does become a habit, I could figure out a way or place for it, to avoid throwing comment or discussion paths off-course.
A string of comments isn’t unusual, but on the same post from the first commentor? That might just be a first. =)
Maybe we need a 2019 update to this post: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-new-tool-wishlist-2016/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Altan
So today we had a new record 🙂
I call it complaining policy, complain complain and complain until DeWALT makes all the tools you need just to get rid of you 🙂 you does not mean specifically you, means any of us individually, I am getting fed up waiting and waiting for ages, some should say DeWALT to hurry up, I can see the amount of annoyed people regarding this issue is increasing.
Yes, definitely we need a update for that post but lets not call it wish list please. I don’t want uncle Santa DeWALT to think we are begging for new tools (but we want new tools) as Joe mentioned also with saying please please like kids, lets be a bit pushy towards DeWALT! A company that claims that 50 % of the tools sold in the world is DeWALT branded tools should perform better I think, having updates quickly as Makita does, having different categories of tools and definitely accessories in terms of quality, I can give some examples, DeWALT has previously produced two types of cordless biscuit joiners as much as I know, 14.4V and 18V versions, they have updated I think all of their tools to the new battery platform except this tool. I would like to ask DeWALT why DeWALT’s insight forum is not active any more. Maybe you can get some answers from them for us regarding this things. We keep asking them to make some tools (wish list) they do make some of them and some they don’t, so I would like to know what is the reason behind it that they don’t make these tools, not in a few words, in a few pages at least for each tool, and also I would want them to try to discuss further with us about them so we do convince each other at the end, if we give up from asking for a new tool we have to be convinced also that it is not worth it, otherwise there is no point to discuss, it would look like we try to grow a tree and put a lot of time to make fruits and just before the fruits are going to be ripened we leave the tree alone with no care.
JoeM
Umm… Altan? I think we might have had a miscommunication… Since I grew up with a mixed heritage, Native and Jewish, with two older siblings from a previous marriage my Mother had… We tended not to use the traditional “Wishlist” or “Holiday” whatever… To blend all our cultures together, we called it a “Santa-Please?” list… We were literally asking the whole family for these things, and saying please to be polite…
The way you were rolling off all these tools and desires from DeWALT, I was just making fun of it. I didn’t mean to make it sound like you were begging, just listing, and I thought it was funny and cute the way a spoiled kid asks a Mall Santa for things they can’t have. I, by NO MEANS, thought you were asking anything unreasonable, I just thought it was funny and cute. I’m sorry if we got our wires crossed there. ‘Cause I totally agree with you that we need DeWALT to release more, and copy-and-paste less. It’s not worth holding a press conference over more batteries or battery tech. We do need to fill out the 20 Volt, 12 Volt, and 8 Volt families with more varieties. We do need the tools you mention, and many others as well. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was lessening your impact, or belittling what you were doing. You’re very articulate with what you want, and I agree with what you want. Just… I also wanted it to be a little fun too, and I think the words I used were just biased in how I was raised, when I should have used more common phrases.
We definitely were NOT, as Tool Users, asking nicely for DeWALT to fulfill our dreams. We have genuine complaints about how they’re doing things, and it should be noted that, despite my joke, we’re actually serious about it.
Sorry Altan. Didn’t mean to change your message. Dialect error got in the way.
Altan
No Joe, there was no miscommunication at all, don’t worry, I know you were joking and making fun of it 🙂 but I noticed we (not just me and you, all tool users here) kind of beg for new DeWALT tools. You were asking the family for free gifts but we don’t ask it for free from DeWALT:) Do we?!
I come from a region that is in the middle of the world and everybody (Mongols, Greek, Armenian, Turks, Caucasians, Persians, Romans, Jewish, Assyrians and even a bit of Slavic traces) has spat :))) a bit of genes in there throughout the history, I have found a map about this and you could see genes from all around the world in my region 🙂 My wife is Polish-Latvian and a bit of others, so kids are mixture of everything, I am agno-atheist (I don’t have a measuring tool for this to see how many percent agnostic or how many percent atheist I am as I have read Brad Pitt was claiming that he is 20% Atheist and 80% Agnostic, if there is a tool like that I would buy one and if not lets beg DeWALT again to make a cordless Agnometer 🙂 ) and do not celebrate religious days at all, so I don’t make a wish list also, I normally don’t discuss religion with strangers but somehow people always feel it in the air after two days working with me, maybe I have become a bit Anglicised as English are good with showing their thoughts with no need to say a word 🙂 all this together with living within a few different cultures, giving me the option to compare have shaped my character to look a bit strict I am afraid 🙂 that is why when I get fed up waiting for new DeWALT tools I can use a strict language, kind of. But when they come up with a good tool I can thank hundred times, I like to keep criticizing alive always but together with respect for a good work, just criticizing would not give a motivation to go further, when I criticize something I always try to think if we do something wrong so how we would do it correctly. I remember I was criticizing a lot ten years ago and a friend of mine complained to me that you are just criticizing, we all know these problems, what are the solutions? He told me to come up with a solution when you want to criticize or just shut up 🙂 That is why I want DeWALT to discuss these issues with us further in details, so at the end we come to a conclusion, maybe we are expecting too much from them, I would like DeWALT to have an active representative here in this blog, our discussion is kind of dead I mostly feel, for example, we can do something different here, we can do something like voting, let’s ask the guys here that how many of them wants to have a Toughsystem Vac and how many TSTAK Vac in 60v platform, that should give us a clue already that there is enough demand for Toughsystem version also or not. It is not difficult to make it in Toughsystem version, at least they can just make the plastic body of the existing TSTAK version a bit longer to be Toughsystem compatible and later they can develop a better version also. I can write pages about this but I need to eat something now.
JoeM
I’d LIKE to agree with you there Altan, I deeply respect you, and you have always been helpful in guiding me through some strange questions I’ve had about the industry. THAT said… I’ve spent some time on the DeWALT Facebook page in the past, and the kind of dialogue we want from them doesn’t exist. They aren’t allowed to have that conversation. There’s always a media representative, rather than a technical support representative, to fence in how questions get redirected toward the DeWALT way of thinking.
In a lot of ways, they try to control the spin of a question, rather than genuinely engage their customer base. When a genuine problem comes up, they are quick to sweep it away to their troubleshooting experts at their call centers, rather than have those representatives help them openly, and transparently. As such, MANY Tool forums lack the heart and soul of ToolGuyd here. When one of us has a question, problem, or suggestion, do we get swept away to private messaging on the ToolTalk forum? No. We get open, experienced advice from every user, staff member, and otherwise knowledgeable person who can help with the problem. When someone with a similar problem shows up, their answers are staring them in the face, and we get a phantom “Thank You” out of nowhere. Just someone else we’ve helped.
This is not something DeWALT is keen to do. Having to answer why they made X and Y mistake, when the person they assign to such interactions is only associated with DeWALT as a buffer to reassure us they’re still worth buying, really results in a lot more of the thing we are fighting against the most. DeWALT’s endless excuses for their missteps and mistakes. In a lot of ways, it’s like dropping the lawsuit paperwork on the desk of a Doctor’s Secretary or Assistant, whose only participation in your care is filing your paper work, making your appointment show up in the schedule, and greet you when you show up, suddenly the target of your wrath due to your Doctor’s mistakes. Yes, we should get angry that our doctor cut off a toe, when we asked to have our Septum fixed, or left a tool lodged in our spleen when we went in to have a knife wound stitched closed. But as long as YOU know your Doctor is in trouble, and your DOCTOR knows they’re in trouble, the Secretary is the only link between you and your Doctor. And THAT is who they’re going to send to ToolGuyd if we want to talk to DeWALT. A Regional or National Marketing Manager, or Customer Service Agent… Not the Vice President of Product Development, or Assistant Senior Engineer of Product Design… They’re going to send someone who is armed with talking points, and meaningless jargon to soothe our outraged nerves with pointless affirmations, not answer the technical questions of their Development downfalls. In fact, they will do anything, and everything, just to keep the general public separated from the people who design and engineer the tools, just so that they can’t stop the Marketing and Executive divisions within the company from straying from the path SBD board members, and DeWALT Executive Financial Managers have set for the Brand. If these totally-detached-from-reality executives are forced to answer questions, they’re not qualified. They’ll show weakness, and that will result in the stock dropping, regardless of sales. If we get them to give in to our requirements, even a little, then it may result in the wacky ideas the Marketing Executives came up with being made irrelevant. Their “Optics”, AKA The Image they’re trying to make everyone believe about them, would be something they couldn’t control, and in no uncertain terms, can they allow for that possibility resulting in anything but what they TELL us becoming untrue. They have to keep their mottos and slogans sacred, or they might actually have to go by their product’s virtues alone. That would negate the ENTIRE Marketing department as a whole, and result in the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Design teams getting to run the place, rather than the people with Yachts and 8-Bedroom Houses.
I know I sound paranoid, like this is some conspiracy theory. But, Conspiracy theories assume that there are no flaws in the theory, that there is an answer to every little error. But, what I have said is merely an observation of their output in tools, versus the wide variety of shut-outs they’ve done on public questions toward them. Even their assumed plan has errors in it, for one that we can see it is what they’re obviously doing to us, that’s a gaping hole in it. For another, that the person “Revealing it” such as I qualify (barely) as doing, is a devout DeWALT buyer and believer. I’ve fallen for their marketing tricks, despite being upset by them. That pokes a hole in the theory as well. So, I would take this as an approximate guess based on results, rather than a conspiracy theory.
But, as much as we want them to answer us… I don’t hold my breath that they will send anyone USEFUL to do so. Therefore… I think it’s more efficient if we just let you go on with your roll of demands. Chances are good there’s a LOT of us who want some or all of what you do. And, as Stuart put it, as long as it’s not a regular thing, that you do this once in a while without malice, or disruption, I gotta say… I agree that you SHOULD voice this. Because you’re just voicing what we’re all thinking anyways.
Altan
There are always ways to do these things, we can start a campaign that if they don’t listen to us we will leave to another brand, at the end we are the users and more importantly the BUYERS who pay money, we can decide how to spend our money, we can have our own communities to make decisions about these things, it is all depends on us.
I have tried to talk to DeWALT on facebook and they don’t answer at all almost. I have called DeWALT directly on the phone and asked some questions that their brain was boiling, they told me (a lot of times) that they will call me back with an answer which they never do but I call them always a few times, not giving up quickly (I call it legal annoying), it works sometimes, depends how much stubborn you are, the reason I changed my surname to “BERK” in the UK was the meaning of it, “Berk” in Turkish means “Hard/Strong” but only in my city we use it as “Stubborn” and that was the point, I wanted to be stubborn by the surname also. If someone says please to me asking for something it might work, but the second please would definitely would make me more stubborn in “No” direction. I remember ages ago one of my cousins was writing to me asking to forgive him for three years and no success and in some point he called me OverBritish, kind of more feelingless than British themselves in their point of view. He made that comment to make me angry or upset but actually made me laugh. Changes need this kind of mentality, I believe. I have seen a movie in Iran which I wish you could see that movie, there was a 10 years old boy who was good with art, living in a small village asking his dad to send him to city to be a painter, his dad told him he can not pay for the expenses and he said he will work himself and make money, the dad said you will work but you will not get your money, even as an adult I have worked for some and could not get my money, the son asked who was the one that has not paid your money and dad told him the man who runs the only off licence of the village, then the boy went to that man and asked for his dad’s money, the man said he doesn’t remember anything, the boy left but came back the day after, asking again for his dad’s money, this time the man got angry and slapped the boy on the face, the boy left and came back the next day again sitting outside on the opposite side of the off licence and staring at that man through the open door of the off licence from morning till night, he did this for one month, villagers started to look at the man in a strange way and finally he gave up, came with anger to the boy and gave him the money and shouted at him to just leave him alone. I have personally experienced this in my life a lot and specially if I am right I don’t give up.
I don’t want DeWALT to tell me why they have done mistakes, I want them to discuss the future with us as users.
I am armed with talking points also and I know how to squeeze to get the answer, I just need that person in front of me in a conversation :))) then wee will see who is going to end answerless!
I just smile when DeWALT claims they have over 200 different cordless tools leading brand in the cordless industry WHEN I see almost half of their cordless tools are Drills and Impact Drivers. If I were DeWALT I would not motivate myself this way and I would not follow policies that would let another BERK to have comments like this 🙂 (British know what I meant with the last BERK)
JoeM
Altan, this is why I love you so much. I agree with you, and you teach me a lot.
Truthfully, I would support this 100%. And as BERK as you may be, I’d rather drag you in front of them physically, and unleash you on them. Direct for the jugular, I’ve found, is the best way of such things. But you need someone who is adept at it, smooth as to leave a clean wound in them, and careful and cunning enough to be agreeable to some sense of things.
Although I don’t believe we would want a representative here at ToolGuyd, safe and secure behind a screen somewhere that we can’t actually stare them down, I do think letting someone like you loose in their board room on our behalf would actually get things done. You don’t need violence, you just need a presence, and someone like yourself would really be a step ahead of what we’re trying to get from them.
Altan
Thanks Joe 🙂 but I am against violence, I can do this with smile, this is something you can develop it by time if you really want it, how to squeeze with smile and also I don’t like to be in front of the line always like a representative for a community, all members of the community should be able to do the same and put time, so if I do represent something once I would expect others to be in the line for the coming representations, any community that relies on one or a few is brittle I believe, I don’t like when some countries believe if their leader is gone the country is finished, countries with 80 million, 140 million population should have the capacity to replace their leader when it is needed not just rely on one person, I don’t give name for these countries as the numbers would create some ideas already. Some can claim that if the whole country believe in that way then there is a problem with IQ level of the country, right?! I don’t think in UK if the Prime Minster is replaced with another the country is going to have a problem, because UK has a lot of good politicians raised, ready for the duty.
I don’t want to go into politics a lot or at all, We want tools from DeWALT and we have to concentrate on that.
AngryDrumGuy
It appears the Atomic series was designed to compete with Milwaukee’s Non-Fuel Brushless line, no?
Stuart
I don’t think so, but it’s possible.
Mike (the other one)
Might be a good option for limited space, or a backup set to keep in the truck.
I agree that SBD needs to think about higher end Dewalt lines, to compete with Hilti, etc. I feel like offering so many entry-level tools is creating alot of overlap between DeWalt, Craftsman, and Porter-Cable. Looks to me like Porter-Cable may not be around much longer.
Mike
I’m hoping for decent bare tool prices. I really don’t need yet another cheap charger and i try to stick with batteries that have a gauge, which has meant 2.0ah or bigger
Altan
Porter Cable was a good brand making good quality wood working tools, they don’t invest properly on that brand it seems, you are right.
Matt J
These prices make a lot more sense. I get the drill. I still really don’t get the impact driver. Dimensionally it seems identical to their “full-size” impact drivers (which are by nature pretty compact tools).
I’ve come around on Makita’s subcompact impact driver, even though it’s longer than their regular impacts, mostly because it feels substantially lighter. Is that the same thing that’s going on here?
framer
179 for a set with the cheap worthless black batteries. why would i buy this when i can buy the better 3 speed impact and metal cased drill with 2.0ah batteries for 199 or 219 on sale at many places?
Stuart
The better brushless impact and drill combo kit typically runs $260-$299, depending on the retailer and time of year. The other budget kit is usually $179.
framer
yes, but that kit can be found easily on sale for 199-219 though, even in stores.
fm2176
These tools look okay for the consumer or tradesman who wants newer technology for not a lot of money. I generally give away the 1.5Ah batteries I acquire, though, and even if I needed more tools (I definitely don’t) I would probably pass these over–that is, of course, unless I found them on deep clearance. I picked up two of the Milwaukee brushless drills for $60 apiece a while back, primarily because they came with 2.0Ah batteries (previously I only had 5.0Ah M18 packs.
Jody Tackett
I would like to see a DeWalt cordless coffee pot, solder gun, glue guns and 3/8 cordless ratchet. Also pretty perturbed that DeWalt has an upper line of Tough System And lower line of T-stack and all the cool tools like the dust collector are T-stack. The only thing I know of is the Power Supply that is Tough System….wtf?