Makita DK1052DL 18-Volt NiMH Cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit

Amazon Sales Rank: #26052 in Home ImprovementBrand: MakitaModel: DK1052DLMForce 1/2" Cordless Driver-Drill (6347D)New two-piece D-31 motor delivers power, efficiency and serviceability in a more compact size.Dual ball bearings, precision balancing and a refined high-grade field magnet guarantees maximum performance.All Metal Gear Transmission (0-400 / 0-1,300 RPM) - features a rugged 3-stage, 13-planetary gear system providing smooth, efficient power for the most demanding applications and extended durability.Exclusive Shift Lock Drive enables one-touch, quick shifting from "drill" to "driver" mode for increased operator efficiency

Most helpful customer reviews30 of 30 people found the following review helpful.Overall...Pleased with the purchase.By Kyle WengerI bought this kit after comparing Ridgid, Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Craftsman, (and of course, the lower priced kit from Black/Decker, Ryobi, Bosch, Skil, etc., but those kits I found in my area shyed me away because of longevity versus price.)I found the Makita 6-1/2" circ. saw the best on the market. The safety button is definitly the easiest to use while holding it at any angle. The saw is very well balanced. Height, angle, and rip fence settings are very easy to do. On-board allen wrench storage makes for quick and easy blade changes. One drawback is the lack of a dust exhaust chute, causing the cut line to get covered (directly in front of the saw) after about 5 feet of ripping a 4x8 sheet.The recip-saw is a well balanced saw also. It features tool-less blade and rest-shoe changes. The motors for both of these saws provide plenty of cutting power. The safety button for the recip-saw isn't as superior as the circ-saw is, as it can be more difficult to engage at certain angles. Being able to depress it from either the left or the right is about its only savior in those situations.The drill is excellent. Very well balanced, and light weight for an 18 volt, (versus others I compared). Powerful, but slightly in need of a little more torque. Drove 3-1/2 and 4 inch screws easily while I was framing a house, but I did find it to have less torque than the Dewalt counterpart we were also using, but not enough that I would throw the Makita away and replace it with a Dewalt. Drill/Driver clutch lock-out and speed settings very easy to engage. Foward/Reverse switch easily located at the side of the trigger, (not like the Makita 9.6V stick battery drill I have).The flashlight....well, it's a flashlight. What do you want ? At first I thought of removing it from my kit altogether, but it does come in handy when crawling into the dark voids of someones attic.The case is nicely made, holding all the tools tightly in their spots, (even while rolling down the hill). Storage for recip and circ blades, as well as a (1) battery molded in. The other battery is stored by leaving it in the drill or the saws, but not the flashlight. Spot for the charger also, as well as some driver bits and a quick change coupler. A little extra room also allowed me to store small drill bit kits inside.It would have been nice if Makita would put a third or even a fourth battery in the kit, but no other manufacturer I found does either. The 2 batteries are powerful, and long lasting though. Two should get you through a days work.UPDATE: 2 batteries should be enough for a day if you are not constantly using the tools all day long. Recommend charging them at the end of the day to be ready for the next day, but not always necessary. If you are framing a house or something like that, you'll probably charge them once or twice (using 3 to 6 batteries a day, but that's the drill and both saws humming along). Consider getting another drill kit or something that is also 18V(2.6ah at least). I bought another 6347D drill kit, as it came with 2 more batteries and another charger. Better deal than buying everything separately.Also, the drill that came in this 4 piece kit was made in Feb. 2003, as per the date code on it (date code is 03.02). I have had no problems with this drill what so ever. The date of the drill that was purchased separately is Nov. 2003 (03.11), and I have found that Makita had a bad batch produced during the end of 2003. I know of 3 other people that bought theirs at the same time I did, and had the same failure I did. Transmission broke. To be honest, the transmission probably had a flaw, but it broke when a co-worker was mixing (dry powder type) thin-set. He should have used a corded, heavy duty drill.Next....If you're like me, and just couldn't stand the safety button on the recip-saw any longer, remove the lock and spring from inside the trigger housing area. Remove the retaining screws on the back "half" and the housing will come apart easily. I also took a Dremel grinder to the area where the battery is inserted, to make battery removal easier. A little too much plastic in that area when it was molded, and made battery removal difficult. An alternative is to loosen the 2 screws closest to the battery opening a little bit.A note on the circ-saw...use a plywood/veneer blade (I think mine is 100 or 140 tooth) backwards to cut vinyl siding. Works great. Just put a scrap board underneath for support.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.Makita quality has slippedBy M. OBrienI bought this kit some time ago based upon previous good experience with AC powered Makita tools. I am sorry I did and should have bought Dewalt or Milwaukee. The saw is under powered. The Recip saw required repair and the drill is only okay. As far as I am concerned, the flashlight is the only really good tool, and the optional hand blower I also picked up, which I use almost daily. Buying this kit cured me of considering Makita in the future. I have a big horse ranch, use a lot of tools, and need a brand I can depend upon, which isn't Makita!See all 2 customer reviews...