Any Ridgid tool owners in the house?

[Columbia,SC.]

I just bought an 8 pc. ultimate combo kit tonight, this was not a door buster intended purchase but it did turn out that way. K bought it for me this evening while she was in town working.
I have been looking for a new 18V drill for 3 weeks but putting it off till the old one totaly died.
Yesterday at the folks house for Thanksgiving I was reading the paper (we don't pay for it here we get theirs a day or two later, I am cheap) and I saw an ad in the Home Depot flyer for this combo deal.
It has a hammer drill, saws-all, skill-saw, jig saw, impact driver,
18v caulking gun , 9.6 pivoting screw driver, flashlight, charger with 2-18V and one 9.6v batts., and a real nice heavy duty carry bag that K has already taken away from me for library books.

I got it for $499.00 plus a little something for the Governor of our state.
I know/think I got a deal and the tools are realy well built I think/feel. Plus all Rigid tools come with a limited lifetime warrenty that covers all repairs for life for everything, including the batteries. You have to take fair care of the stuff but I always do better than that.
My question is this, does anyone out there have any tools made by Ridgid and do you like them? I have had Dewalt, Delta, Hitachi, it goes on and on but always the best I could afford. These are my first of this brand.
Any input would be helpfull, thanks in advance.

[woodsrunner]

I worked as a plumber nearly 20 years ago. Back then Ridgid was pretty much a trade only tool maker. I have a pile of Ridgid tools from back then. Other than cutter wheels on tubing cutters, and pipe threading dies, I can't recall ever wearing any of them out.

The newer stuff I can't vouch for.

[Ed Norman]

The only Ridgid I have is an oscillating sander that has either a belt sander or spindle sanders with 4 different drum sizes. It is 10 years old with zero problems and has made lots of longbows and other things. I like it alot.

[Columbia,SC.]

Thanks for the fast reply, I hope they hold up as well as yours has, that would be a bonus.
I have bought the combo deals in the past, Dewalt 18v hammer drill, skill saw, saws-all and light, I got it brand new for $500 8 years ago
Hitachi (3 years ago) was the same set up only a drill w/o hammer option, and got it all for $200. all of the tools outlasted the batterys but the darn batterys cost $90 each so I have some great tools laying in the dust.
Ridgid says they will replace old batts for free + shipping, so this is a new direction for my tool replacement outlook.

[Ross]

I have 2 18v drills, the 9.6v screwdriver (awesome tool) a See Snake Micro (a must have) and lots of plumbing tools flaring tools etc. Excellent quality and very user friendly you'll do well with them.

[swamp man]

I've got the 18v cordless drill that I use mostly for mounting sprinkler control clocks. In the rush of cleaning up jobsites, tossing tools in the truck to get on to the next job, I've been guilty plenty of times of leaving the poor girl out in the rain. The case collects and holds water, and on more than one occasion, I've found it nearly submerged, takin' a bath in it's own case.The only problem I've had was the mechanism that tightens up on the bit getting rusted in place, easily handled by a squirt of wd-40. One contractor I do lots of work for has evidently found a source of bricks composed mainly of diamonds or something, as they're the hardest dang bricks I've ever come across. It's asking her to go way above and beyond the call of duty to drill into 'em, but she does it, even though I've thought she was gettin' cooked in the process.......never a hiccup.
Yep, I need a hammer drill, and it'll be a Rigid product.

[farminghandyman]

the Basic Ridgid electric tools are not up to the quality of the Ridgid plumbing tools,

With that said, it is not saying that there not good tools, but they are not the Rock solid industrial line as in the pluming tools, there high end home owner or general quality pro tools.

at one time "Ridgid" or the parent company made the Sears electric tools, and then Sears, dumped the Emerson electric line, for the most part, then Emerson made a deal with Home Depot to sell there line, and the First Ridgid were the old sears line of hand power tools, and stationary power tools I do believe they have evolved since then, from what I can find many of the tools are now made by TTI industries.

Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. is a world-class supplier of superior home improvement and construction tools with a powerful portfolio of trusted brands and a strong commitment to innovation and quality. TTI's portfolio includes a full line of power equipment products, floor care appliances, laser and electronic products. Our brands include Milwaukee®, AEG® and Ryobi® power tools and accessories, Ryobi® and Homelite® outdoor power equipment and Royal®, Dirt Devil®, Regina® and Vax® floor care appliances.

Also there this a wood working and pluming forum sponsored by Ridgid,

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/index.php

And the Good the Bad and Ugly is expressed on this board about Ridgid tools

[crafty2002]

I don't have any now but had many in the past that either grew legs and walked to the hired helps home or I had to sale them when I fell to keep the house afloat.
The only thing I ever had to replace was cutter wheels and blades. One of the best brand of tools I ever owned but very costly which makes me wonder.
That price doesn't sound like Ridgid prices. Are they still made in America, or are they Jap or Chinese now.
I hadn't seen anything about them out sourcing yet but it wouldn't surprice me if I did.
Most people don't know it but DeWalt tools are made by B&D. They are just a heavier duty line than the home owners specials.
If they are still made in America, I would say you got a heck of a good deal. If not, I have no idea.
IMHO
Dennis

[agmantoo]

Columbia,SC.
You are aware that there are a number of places that rebuild your old batteries using new cells? The rebuild is in the $20+ range.

[fordson major]

ridgid compound mitre saw and a 14 inch metal cutting chop saw.

[farminghandyman]

the original Dewalt line was jsut the industrial/commercial line of Black and Decker, in yellow,

I think if you could trace it many of the components if not the entire tools of many many lines are now out sourced to over seas manufactures.

[Columbia,SC.]

Thanks for all of the replies! I got this combo deal at Home Depot as a door buster deal and my wife got the last box set they had. I filled out the warrenty thing online lastnight and got the comfermation today as to my limited lifetime warrenty.

My 5 y/o son and I went out today and built a small bike ramp, take off-level-landing ramp. It is shaped like this /---\ he has been asking for one from toy's r us. So he and I went out this afternoon and built it in under an hour useing my new toys.
I used the skill saw, impact driver for screws, and caulking gun. I used the caulking gun to glue the joints with construction adesieve just to say I used it. Everything worked great, I was a little thrown off by the impact driver going dat-dat-dat, but it sank the screws well. The skill saw ran fine and cut real easy feeling. I also used the saws-all for something else and was very happy with it as well. The hammer drill can be set for hammer or not, I used it to drill 3 holes in some 5/8" partical board with a 3" hole saw, the hole saw is semi dull but the drill cut strong. I did all of the skill saw cutting, saws-all work (very little) and drilling on the same battery and it did not let me down. I do like the fact that it recharges the batts in 30 mins, fast turn around time for a dead battery. All of my old chargers took an hour and that could be a time killer on the job site!

Agmantoo,
I will look into getting my Dewalt batts rebuilt also, for that price those where some pretty strong tools.

I have to say that out of the mikita, ryobi, dewalt, hitachi cordless hand tools, I think I like the feel of these best. They feel better in my hands, they feel stronger and I like the fast recharge time. I will have to see if they hold a charge as long as I am used to working with the others. I wish I could have thought of a reason to use the jig saw,, but I will look for one in the morning! I will use the same battery just for testing.

Thanks for the ideas and stories about everyones.