The compressor is great for nailing, and the two guns give you a lot of versatility if you know how to use them. The brad nailer is great for delicate projects, and the finish nailer makes it a treat to put up trim. The range of acceptable lengths for the finish nailer gives you a lot of flexibility.

The compressor is easy to carry and going from room-to-room is a breeze. The compressor is loud, but so is a miter saw. This is the sacrifice of having an oil-free unit that is highly portable. And if you're like me, garage space is at a premium and this unit tucks underneath my workbench nicely.

The 2 HP unit has plenty of power to be used in a router table a nd if you can only afford one router don't skimp for a few dollars more you get more power, variable speed and the bosch 2 HP variable speed router with the micro fine adjustments.

I have had the 1617EVS fixed based for over 6 months and the extra cost to buy the plunge router attachment added up to more than this whole kit with the storage case costs. 5 Been using this router for a year now... I've been using this router for a year now and I'm very happy with it. I bought the router table mount so I can easily move it from fixed base, to plunge base, to router table.

I've Had a few weird problems with the switch not working but I just blew out the unit with air and it worked again. This seems to an issue when it's in the router table. When I'm free handing it, it has never happened.

Over all - Watch the micro adjustment, sometimes when you clamp it back into the base, it will occassionaly move slightly. But then again, that's why we do test cuts. Usually it doesn't move and really helps to fine tune the depth. The variable speed really helps you tune the cut to the material. I find when I get burning, I just slow the router down a little. If I'm getting chip out, I speed it up

Fixed Base - The nice Maple (I think) handles feel good in your hands. Also the unit isn't too top heavy so it's easy to balance.

Plunge base - Handles feel good in your hands. Plunge mechanism is easy to reach. The plunge depth setting works well and the the pluge depth turret helps you make smaller, more controlled passes.

Overall, I like and would recommend it. 3 Could be better made Purchased this router kit after reading many of the reviews. Thought it was the greatest thing until I built a jig to plow out a bunch of dados for some cabinets I was building on site. I found out that the sub base is NOT centered to the center of the bit. The jig I built is just a phenolic plastic base with a straight edge glued to the top for a guide. That way you just line up the edge to the reference line and start routing dados. Well, I cut the edge with my undersized bit for plywood bit to size up the jig and clamped it on and started cutting. But when I turned the router around and started cutting in the opposite direction, my bit started to resize my jig. It was off by about 1/16". Needless to say, I went back the the building supply store where I bought this thing, and all of their other Bosch routers were just about as far off center. Thankfully they allowed me to return it and I got my money back. Then I went directly to Tool Crib, ordered a Porter Cable 892, and the first thing I did was check for center. It was right on, and the manual even says that the subbase can be adjusted for center. I never had a problem with my PC 691, and should have stayed with PC. Think I'll get the 895PK next so I can have a router permanently dedicated to my router table. Bosch, you make a lot of top rated tools, but I don't think this is one of them.

I ended up with a Makita 14.4v. It was a much better value for the money especially because as of this writing, Makita is offering some attractive rebates. Also I liked the feel and balance of Makita better. The Panasonic has a huge and heavy battery while the Makita's battery is lighter (but probably doesn't last quite as long). Subsequently, the Panasonic felt like a brick was attached to the handle. Also, the case that comes with the Makita is much better-more sturdy and better designed (although larger) than Panasonic's cheapy case. Further, the Panasonic battery charger is much larger than the Makita one.

This kit comes complete with the drill, a black plastic hard case, 2 batteries and charger. 5 The Best Kept Secret in Cordless Drills I've owned or used a lot of cordless drills, from Black and Decker (ugh), Porter Cable, DeWalt, Milwaulkee, Makita and others, but I'd never heard of the Panasonic until a friend who does a lot of decks introduced me to it. He was using the earlier 12 volt model, but everything I discovered in using that drill applies to this one as well.

Panasonic isn't thought of as a power tool company, but their cordless drills are the best I've ever used, bar none. They've got the fastest recharge rate- 15 minutes- and that translates to more time drilling and less time recharging. It also translates to longer battery life; the less time spent charging, the less the heat buildup, and that's what kills these batteries. I know my friend has been using his on a daily basis for over five years with the original battery. The Panasonic drills also seem to get more useful drilling out of a single charge, something that recent tests by one magazine confirm.

What really gets us is the weight and balance of this saw: it slides smoothly through cuts, bevels are easy to set, and the miter gauge swivels lightly (all of which speak to the saw's excellent design). You can miter 50 degrees left, 60 degrees right. We also appreciated the cam-lock miter gauge on this saw--the handle simply clamps down, which makes switching angles noticeably quicker than with a twist-lock miter.

My saw is used primarily in a shop environment and mainly as a replacement for a radial arm saw (cross-cuts 8/4 hard maple like a hot knife through soft butter), honestly I cannot imagine working without it. I had heard from other trades that the saw "goes out of adjustment frequently" and I must admit I have had this problem on job sites. The primary issue is the saws weight and awkwardness in moving it around. The four screws used to secure the adjustable platen to the saw base do loosen up with use and just picking this Mother up can effect the saws precision. The good news is it's not a major ordeal to re-set the alignment and a little bit of lock-tite prevents the set screws from wiggling loose. Although the saw can be placed on a work-mate (barely), I would recommend the DeWalt stand (the adjustable material supports alone make it worth the money). And if DeWalt would just put adjustable legs or feet on this stand it would be a perfect solution both in the shop and on-site. Yes the saw throws dust everywhere (which is more of a problem in a client's house than in the shop or outside), but a vacuum hook-up greatly helps and in reality every mitre saw does the same.

Don't be intimidated by the price or the size of the saw and use care when moving it around, you will not regret making this purchase. Highly recommended. 5 Love that Yellow! Because I am not a professional carpenter the price for this tool was always out of my reach and never on sale. Thanks to a Home Depot $100 rebate card deal I finally made the move. It was my first "Dewalt yellow" and this saw has definitely lived up to all my expectations. I just completed a ornate picket fence from scratch and this saw made it almost effortless. Whoever at Dewalt engineered this saw (and stand which is also fabulous)really hit the mark. Since I bought this saw I have also purchased other Dewalt tools and have been very happy.

I liked different features of the different stands I reviewed, like large wheels, heavy construction and additional work supports. Some looked like I could copy their design and weld from square tubular steel. Weight would be a consideration. Combine this with the weight of the saw, it could be over 160 pounds. Getting it into and out of my SUV without trashing my bumper (and my back) would be a trick. Using aluminum rectangular tubing would be lighter, but really pricey! After looking at the others, I decided on the Dewalt 723. I am glad I did! Most of the others come in kit form, the 723 is fully assembled. It folds into a compact package, is relatively light, very sturdy, made from high quality components, and it is one of the most professional looking stands around (especially when mounting a matching Dewalt miter saw on it!).

Most bolts have Allen-wrench heads. Any that are adjusted often (such as the extention arms and supports) have large T-handles. All nuts are the type that have nylon lock-washers to keep from vibrating loose. The saw brackets attach (and detach) quickly from the main beam. There are rubber feet attached to the brackets so the saw can be used alone on a bench (or on the floor...) if desired. The arms will support 99.5% of the lumber I will be chopping without sagging. When I want to throw an 8' 4x12 on the stand, it will require supports (2x2s will do) clamped to the arm, extending down to the ground. Other stands have these extra supports already attached, but are unneccessary for the vast majority of my cuts; and will only add to the weight and complexity of break-down for transport.

By folding down my rear seat of my SUV, I can get the stand to fit with ease. The saw is detached, and placed next to it. I will probably attach a pair of 10" phenumatic wheels to one end for easier protability around a job site. I like the table saw extention the Delta folks have on their stand (model 50-155), and will incorprorate a small extention similar to theirs on the DW723. There are some cheaper stands around, but they were either too heavy (up to 90 lbs for the stand alone!) or too flimsy (for mounting a DW708 12" compound sliding miter saw). The package arrived in fine shape with no damage to the stand.

The "last nail" comment is a very true. If you try to drive that single last nail, unpredictable results may occur. In my case, I had to throw the piece away (actually cut it for the closet), since the last nail went in almpst parallel to the surface of the wood and skimmed the finish off the top. If the wood hadn't been there, it probably would have shot across the room.

Finally, although the pneumatic nailers save you from backbreaking hammering, the nose takes more than just a light tap. A slightly sharp wack will drive the nails perfectly. Too soft and the nails don't get driven all the way. Too hard, and I'd be afraid that the tool would get damaged.