[Woodworkers] Another Ridgid Tale

[Joe Johns via Woodworkers]

Somewhere 'round first part of August 2015 I began noticin' the batteries
powering the shop's 18-volt Ridgid tools were giving up their ghosts.  By
saying that I mean, once charged they didn't last long in the tool or last
long on the shelf after being charged.

If I were to pursue it, I'd be a shoe-in for the Supreme Poster Child of
cordless tools; I use them constantly and almost every day.  Granted, I
don't use the recip, circular saw or flashlight all that often but I can
tell you the drills and impact driver are like air to me - without them I'd
die.  They are in my hands all the damn time and, more often than not, all
three are on the bench at the same time.

Ten years ago this past November 1st Lauri and I were at Home Depot in
Missoula.  Our purpose there was varied but my primary mission was to get
another cordless drill.  Don't get me wrong, the one I had was working
perfectly - it was a simple fact I absolutely needed two drills.  Two years
prior (2003) I got the Ridgid 14.4-volt drill - just the drill, nothing but
the drill, so help me Zeus.  Now it's two years later (2005) and I'm in
there discovering they no longer have the 14.4-volt variety and have taken
the 18-volt road.

I'm standing there looking at and fondling the drill, nothing but the drill
(shut up Dave!) and Lauri, bless her buttons, is off somewhere else and
notices Home Depot has a cordless kit on sale.  So, she wheels over and
sees me looking at the drill, and fondling nothing but the drill, nods her
head indicating behind her and says, "Come with me."

We get over there and she flings her arm theatrically saying, "Lookee
here...hardly $200 more and you get this whole kit with all these other
tools plus two extra batteries!"

At that precise moment there was no doubt in my mind believing the mold
making her was destroyed the second after she was born.

Now let us walk down the path of time passing to November 9, 2015, which
was ten years and eight days after that day inside Home Depot.  I'm in the
shop working on a piece of furniture and the final straw of me dealing with
them batteries was laid on my shoulder; I couldn't bare the load any
longer.  I came home, called the Ridgid service center up in Kalispell and
told Frank to expect a box being delivered to him the next morning.  In
that box was also a letter detailing the problem, along with the Lifetime
Warranty registration information on the tools and batteries and a
statement saying the batteries needed to be replaced.

A buddy of mine was going up there the next morning so I sent the box with
him.  Instant *Saved Postage* award achieved!  "Jeff,"  I said handing the
piece of paper to him like it was the Terms of Surrender we gave to the
Japanese, "Be sure whoever you give the box to in that shop signs this
receipt...since it ain't going USPS this is the only way I can prove they
got the goods."

"Ummm, Joey, since I'm the one dropping it off then I think I can bare
witness to that fact."

"Yessss, ordinarily that would be sufficient but I have to consider the
possibility of you stopping at Wendy's afterward and choking to death on a
french fry."

"Hummm...yes, I can see how that would be very disturbing for ya."

"I know!  I don't wanna buy another cordless tool arrangement."

Now we're at the point where a little fun math can be done.

The entire kit was $379.00 (flashlight, recip, 1/2" drill ((with hammer
drill capability)) an impact driver, circular saw AND three batteries.  If
we take ten years and eight days then that comes to 3658 days, which
ciphers out to a tad bit over .10 cents a day.  I know a lot of people who
have and swear by DeWalt and Makita and Bosch and all the others hawking
cordless tools but I can easily and confidently stand on the cheesiest soap
box and proclaim Ridgid to be the boss.  And, before you wonder and to save
you from asking, I'll tell you now.  Yes, except for Milwaukee, I have
owned all the major brands and they, collectively, pale in comparison.

It would be fun to get their new kit (same five tools but only 2 batteries
and the flashlight is now LED but, other than that, it still has the same
$379 price tag) with the lithium-ion feature but that is hard for me to
justify when the ones I have are 12 and 10 years old and are still going at
it like bunnies - well...bunnies with new batteries.

Ohhh, yeah, I nearly forgot.  Frank?  The guy at the tool repair center?
Well, Jeff told me Frank stood right there in front of him and stated, "The
only power tools anyone should ever buy are Ridgid."

I am honor bound to agree with him.  So, once again, I am advising anyone
here contemplating a cordless tool purchase to seriously give Ridgid your
nod of approval, just be certain you register your tool(s) online with
Ridgid.

The new batteries arrived today and along with them was a statement that I
must re-register the new batteries in order to continue...yes, continue the
clearly outstanding warranty.

That is all.

-- 
Joe,
The Twisted Knot Woodshop, "There's never been a classier joint"
Visit the Twisted Knot Woodshop - http://www.twistedknotwoodshop.com
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