Junkyard sawsall question

57larry · January 08, 2012, 08:45:25 PM

I would like to take my electric sawsall to the junkyard to use to cut some stuff. I could take a generator but is there an easier way to run the electric tool? I don't have a battery powered saw. thanks

BFS57 · January 08, 2012, 08:57:19 PM

Hello;
This one kind of answers itself! You either gotta have a generator or a super long cord! Or find someone with a battery powered saw and borrow theirs or maybe rent one!

Bruce

river1 · January 08, 2012, 09:02:43 PM

i'd purchase a battery powered saw.

i have one and use it a lot.

i find i use my battery powered tools over the corded version quite a bit. they are so much more convenient.

later jim

wayne petty · January 08, 2012, 09:41:33 PM

wagon... or hand truck...

car battery..

2000 watt inverter... or larger...

extension cord..

corded saw..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

computer back up UPS.. over 2000 watts..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

got an old inverter from that old camper that got scrapped out..

that will probably handle the loads... still need a battery and a wagon to haul it around..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

last option... dewalt and others sell 18 volt saws without batteries for about 100 bucks... got 18 volts.. 2 12 volt batteries.. and some creative wiring.. or a 6 and a 12 volt car battery..

1800guy · January 08, 2012, 09:48:33 PM

Get a battery-powered saw for sure. Look for a sale on a combo at a big-box store. You'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner - at least that's the way I felt. My 18v DeWalt killed it's battery within a few months (okay, I didn't read the instructions) and I found a rebuilt battery at my local battery supplier and that has lasted a couple of years already.

57larry · January 08, 2012, 11:13:15 PM

thanks for the answers. I looked at the power tools combos at $5-600, may have to go that route. I was thinking about a battery jump box, an inverter, some sort of hillbilly connection

57larry · January 08, 2012, 11:16:01 PM

Quote from: "wayne petty"wagon... or hand truck...

car battery..

2000 watt inverter... or larger...

extension cord..

corded saw..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

computer back up UPS.. over 2000 watts..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

got an old inverter from that old camper that got scrapped out..

that will probably handle the loads... still need a battery and a wagon to haul it around..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

some great ideas, Wayne. how big is the inverter?

last option... dewalt and others sell 18 volt saws without batteries for about 100 bucks... got 18 volts.. 2 12 volt batteries.. and some creative wiring.. or a 6 and a 12 volt car battery..

1800guy · January 08, 2012, 11:30:55 PM

Before you go dragging a battery and inverter around, you might want to check with the junkyard and see if they are permitted. It might vary by location, but LKQ in W. MI does not allow it - not sure about others.

GPster · January 09, 2012, 09:05:13 AM

I got into this years ago (just before my Ranger PU started wearing Red front fenders). Harbor Freight had a sale on a battery powered sawsall for $43.00. I bought one thinking it was a great solution.. I had to cut the inner fender panels to get the radiator support from the vehicle is was getting the parts from and this seemed like the solution. Bought the sawsall, charged it up and it did the job just fine. Had to trim the fender wells before I mounted them and the saw ran about 20 seconds. Recharged it and it ran for 2 minutes. Had to cut some rotten wood out of the deck at my son's house and a fresh charge gave me 12 minutes. There was a Battery shop in my son's town so we took the battery there and were told that they couldn't get Harbor Freight cartridges so they'd have to take mine apart and rebuild it with new batteries. The battery they made works wonderfull and it cost me $53.00 (this whole story is over 6 months and Harbor freight had already come out with a new tool and batteries wouldn't interchange with the old tools). This $96.00s was over $75.00s worth of front end parts if I pulled them. I have a new tool but I'd better know 5 hours before I want to use it so I have time to charge it. Ask the junkyard how much they want to pull the part. GPster

zzford · January 09, 2012, 10:12:36 AM

I bought a good used Dewalt saw on ebay. A saw minus the battery is real cheap. I then bought new batteries on ebay as well. Much cheaper than the big box stores.

ONE37TUDOR · January 09, 2012, 10:50:37 AM

I have found that it works for me to purchase a "naked" tool from one of the sites that sell them that way. or even ebay. Then purchase a battery seperately. Usually the combination comes in under $100.

If I buy a Harbor Freight battery powered tool I go right to a place like Batteries + and get them to make me a battery. Some of the Harbor Freight Battery tools are very good but their batteries are just awful and are not worth having.

Scott...

Carnut · January 09, 2012, 01:28:22 PM

I also have bought bare battery powered tools on the cheap from ebay.

Got 18v drill that works great, a 18v line trimmer also works great. Have two 18v batteries I keep charged.

So when I decided I needed a sawzall, I went the bare tool route and as usual I went with the picture and didn't read the details. So when it arrived I noticed it was a 24v. I'm still happy, gonna get me a 24v battery now.

I've gotten some good unexpected use out of the 18v drill, I'm really glad I invested in it.

Heh, heh, I'm even considering retiring my lawn tractor and getting one of these:

Thinking I need the exercise of a walk behind.

kb426 · January 09, 2012, 06:33:23 PM

I had a B&D sawsall. The battery was good for less than 10 minutes of use. It would run the drill for a long time but the saw was thirsty. This was a 12v. setup.

Jokester · January 09, 2012, 08:22:36 PM

A friend had a 110V outlet permanently mounted under his hood of his truck. He had it hooked to his alternator. Alternators create alternating current, and have to be "rectified" to create DC.

Google power inverters and see what comes up.

I didn't dig too far, but did find this one.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7585287_convert-alternators-110v.html

.bjb

Rrumbler · January 09, 2012, 09:53:02 PM

That link will not work for a standard automotive alternator. An automotive alternator generates AC, but it is rectified to DC ahead of the output terminal on the rear of the alternator. In order to get to the AC output, you would have to tap into the windings output ahead of the diodes in the rectifier bridge inside the alternator case. Yes, it could be done, I suppose, but not in a very practical way. An inverter that would supply the proper voltage, and handle the wattage of whatever motor you were going to use, or a portable generator would be a better solution.

JMNSHO.