Last week, Don sent us an email, asking for our thoughts on Craftsman’s C3 line of 19.2V cordless power tools. He bought a combo kit 4 years ago and recently added an impact driver and compact Li-ion battery, but says he’s now feeling a bit of buyer’s remorse.
Don has noticed that the C3 selection and availability is not what it used to be and is wondering if Sears and Craftsman are going to keep the line going, or if he just made an investment in a soon-obsolete cordless platform.
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And with newer 12V compact tools capable of fulfilling most DIYer needs, would that have been a better investment?
Craftsman C3 is here to stay. Let’s face it, Craftsman is a brand that everyone recognizes. Even most beginner DIYers that are not yet in-the-know are familiar with Craftsman. Craftsman designed the C3 line to meet DIY needs at attractive prices, and because of this, the C3 line is guaranteed a long and steady future. Consumers are either unaware that many C3 tools are a bit dated, or they just don’t care as long as the price is right.
Decreasing selection and availability may be dependent on individual stores, but it would make sense that add-ons that don’t sell well may be dropped at some point. But with Craftsman boasting that the C3 lineup has 30+ tools, it is unlikely that they will eliminate any models without a strong incentive.
Taking a look at the newest Sears/Craftsman tool catalog, Sears devotes more than two full pages towards promoting the C3 lineup.
Craftsman C3 offers no-frills DIY performance. A couple of years ago, I was looking to upgrade my cordless drill and purchased a Craftsman C3 combo. The kit included a regular pistol-grip drill/driver and right angle drill/driver. While the tools performed alright and were a good value, I returned them two weeks later and went with a Hitachi model instead. The Hitachi was smaller, lighter, more powerful, and more comfortable to hold and use, but it was also more expensive. For a tool I planned to use a lot, the C3 drill just did not cut it.
The C3 tools are mid-range designs meant for DIY usage. Many advanced users buy into the C3 line as well, looking for maximum value. There’s nothing wrong with that, as the C3 tools provide reasonably good performance. But the designs and features are held back a bit in order to maintain consumer-friendly pricing.
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Aware that consumers look at price before all else, Craftsman probably won’t discontinue the NiCd batteries anytime soon. Eventually Craftsman might try to push Li-ion more strongly, but many consumers are bent on getting the most for their money for tools they will only use a handful of times a year, and don’t care that NiCd is not as good as Li-ion.
12V vs. 18V/19.2V/20V? Yes, 12V tools can handle many of the tasks that higher-voltage tools are used for. But when you need extra power, 12V tools can fall short, depending on the job. I definitely do believe in and often recommend 12V tools, but I consider the drills and saws more as complementary tools and not as substitutes. If you can only own one drill and one saw, they should not be 12V models.
So what should Don do? My recommendation is to at least keep the new C3 Li-ion battery he just bought. He said that he got a lot of use out of his combo kit, and so the Li-ion battery will benefit the tools he already owns. And if Don chooses to upgrade his most used tool or tools from the combo, he will still have the improved functionality of the other C3 tools.
It may be worth considering for Don to return the impact driver and instead buy a 12V model, or better, a 12V drill and impact driver kit. Because Sears has a generous return window, he has time to think things through and look for a good deal before being forced to decide. As long as he kept the product packaging, that is. Still, since Don already has other C3 tools and just bought a new Li-ion battery, sticking with the C3 impact driver offers a better value and allows him to save funds for future upgrades or add-on tools.
What do you think about the Craftsman C3 line?
Joel
I was given a gift set of C3 stuff ~10 years ago before they started calling it C3. I’ve added a few tools here and there over the years and have never had an issue with any of the tools. My sawzall from that original kit finally broke last year after seeing a ton of action. My major issue with the c3 stuff is the quality of the batteries. The batteries work fine new, but become useless after 2 or 3 years of moderate use. I rebuilt one with some decent cells ~5 years ago and that one is still going strong. I’ve rebuilt a few others and hope to be good for another couple of years. The li-ion C3 batteries do weird things like going completely dead if you put too much of a load on them (like stalling the chuck when loading a new drill bit).
If i were starting from scratch, I probably would not buy craftsman battery powered tools, but since I have so many tools that all work really well, I can’t justify spending the $$$ on any other brand.
My go to tools from the c3 lineup (the ones that get used most often)
1 – impact driver with 1/4 inch bit holder is an awesome tool – I’ve driven thousands of screws/lag bolts, etc with this driver
2 – hammer drill – I’ve drilled tons of holes through block walls to add conduit and pipes up to 4 inches. It works well enough that I’ve never felt the need to buy a corded hammer drill beast. I just drill a bunch of holes around the perrimeter and finish off with a hammer – works extremely well
3 – compact drill – if I’m drilling wood or metal, this is the drill I grab.
tim bean
I bought a craftsman 12 volt drill 20 years ago it proved how good cordless tools are before that it was makita 9.6 volt tools with those weird batteries and they were crap even then when they were the only game in town i bought 18 volt Milwaukee tools 1500$ worth everything from 1/2″ impact to the sawzall and their batteries sucked even more then the 19.2 craftsman the reason i have the craftsman and not the Milwaukee now is 18 volt milwaukee batteries cost 80$ a each and are obsolete while the better 19.2 craftsman are better at 50$ a pair and get better each year and the new designed batteries work in the old tools just not the old chargers that means i can keep my tools till they wear out not because the batteries are obsolete
horatio fisk
Don’t get all hung up on voltage all the time look at Ah rating of the batteries. That is what gives you run time and not voltage.
Don
Thanks for the thorough answer. I think I’ll pick up the new M12 set anyway as I need a more portable set as well. Hopefully I’ll have better luck with the C3 li-Ion I ordered. It seems to be a new version Model# CK2040 that includes a top mounted charger (never seen that before).
James C
If I, as a DIYer, had to have only one drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, etc. it would be a corded version. I absolutely love my M12 set. I’m also very happy with my Ridgid 18V drill; however, if I had to have only one drill, I would get a nice sub-$100 corded VSR drill (or even a hammer drill). It would have more power than any cordless tool, and it never runs out of batteries.
Kevin
overall nice home owner set, I have the the Ryobi version of the line. They arent my go to cordless anymore since making the switch to the M12 line and Bosch’s 12 volt stuff , but still use the radio & flashlight daily ;and the hammerdrill, impact and trim saw for alot of jobs. If I ever need more power I just call in my corded stuff.
When Sears has a sale, you can get a nice kit for cheap which makes it a great starter , loaner or backup for most folks.
JAY
gott be honest c3’s are deffinately sheap and it show oh just out of warranty the batteries leave alot to be desired and the cordless cuf off saw and rep saw drain batteries faster tahn you can ever recharge them. i keep mine as a back up only when the dewalt is down
eddie garcia
This was my debate a few months ago, i had the craftsman c3 line for about 5 years which include, the 19.2 drill,impact, sawsaw, flashlight, and even the radio. lol.
and then i went to lowes and found the 12v DeWalt impact driver and drill driver kit. 2 battery and a charger. well this 12 lion outperforms my 19.2 craftsman in so many ways. (i am a DIYer and i like to build many thins out of wood metal, you name it, as longs as it keeps me busy and outdoors.) i wish i had not start with Craftsman. i should had gone Dewalt or Milwakke but my wife work at sears at the time and we just to get 15% off so there i went like a dummy and went for craftsman, but dont get me wrong Craftsman was an awesome drill and impact but Dewalt 12 v li on kit outperforms my 19.2 every time. # Now they need to put a 12 v radio. lol.
by the way i sold my craftsman stuff all for $120 bucks to my neighbor, and bought the dewalt kit for $250 so i only paid $130 to upgrade not
Stu
I’ve been using the C3 tools since they first came out, 15 (?) years ago. Love the tools, hate the batteries, especially the Li-ion.
Whatever possessed them to use this chemistry, I will never know. When a Li-ion battery is new, there is a small but perceptible performance bonus over NiCad. This bonus disappears, IMO, right after the warranty expires. Coincidence ?
I’m experimenting with doing a battery pack rebuild using NiMH cells in a shell from a NiCad pack. So far, so good. I’ll let you know.
Jeff
The Ni Cd 19.2 volt is rated at a horrible 1300mah, the smallest NiCd’s made. The lithium is a 4000mah battery. These numbers correspond directly to run time. Sears is claiming 4X improvement,a slight exaggeration. Whether the lithiums are poor quality and don’t last is another issue but the improvement is hardly imperceptable.
Steve
Been using the C3’s for many years. One big advantage is the number of different tools all running from the same battery. Some have noticed the similarities with Ryobi, that is because Ryobi builds the C3 tools for Sears.
The Lithium batteries are designed to cut off when overloaded, that is to keep them from grenading on you. (read the freaking manual?)
DeWalts are nice, but too expensive, and they are just Black and Deckers fancy line, and no where near the number of tools in the C3 line. Gave up on Black and Decker when the battery for the FireStorm drill I had crapped out. Went to replace it only to find they changed the design, and the new one didn’t fit. C3 has been using the same battery interface since they came out, so the newest Lithium Ion still fits my 14 year old drill. I like not having to figure out which battery fits which tool, not to mention not needing 5 different chargers. Okay, I think i have an old charger that won’t do the lithium ion batteries, but the lithium charger does work on the 14 year old NiCad.
James K.
So the Old 19.2 Charger will not charge the Li-Ion 19.2? Why didn’t they tell me that at Sears?
Stuart
That’s correct. The Li-ion batteries require an Li-ion-compatible charger.
Chances are that most associates at Sears don’t know much about the tools they sell, even those under the Craftsman brand.
Jeff
TTI makes the Ryobi and the Sears, so it is not quite accurate to say Ryobi makes Sears. Common ownership has nothing to do with B&D and DeWalt. DeWalt is a pro line and B&D is DIY line. Bosch owns Skill. I have never heard anybody refer to Bosch as fancy Skill. In both cases there is a big quality and price difference. The pro lines share nothing with the DI Y lines.
OffGrid9
I’ve asked this question before (on other sites), and I’ve received contradictory answers…is there any problem with using a generator to recharge my NiCad and Lithium Ion batteries? I have a small off-grid ranch, and I’m doing a lot of carpentry and shed-building. For the past two years I’ve been recharging my old C3 NiCads using either of two generators — a small (Honda 700W-900W) and mid-size (Generac 4000W-5000W). They both seem to work OK. The Generac not only works, it seems to charge the C3 batteries faster than plugging the charger into a 115V wall socket at home…full charge in less than an hour. Another nice feature on the Generac, the low-load idle lets me know when a battery is charged. The smaller generator takes much longer to charge the batteries….although strangely, it fails utterly to recharge my old B&D 12V drill. I’ve just ordered a couple of the large C3 L-I batteries, and I don’t want to hurt them…but I really need to recharge them when I’m at the ranch. So again, is there any problem using a generator?
Stuart
Honestly, I don’t know for sure and would have to research into this.
It seems that you’re already using your generator to recharge the battery packs and haven’t seen any problem yet.
If the charger is well designed it shouldn’t really care if it receives power input from a generator source or household source. The input that it feeds into the battery to charge it should be the same or at least within normal parameters in either case.
If it works for you I wouldn’t worry about it. Signs of problems would be increased heating of the charger and battery pack. If the generator charges the batteries quicker than a household source, something I wouldn’t be able to explain, the batteries *might* wear down quicker, but there’s no way to know for sure without testing.
In other words, since you’ve been recharging the C3 NiCad packs for years it seems likely that you can recharge Li-ion packs as well. You already have the generators and have already ordered the batteries. There shouldn’t be much harm in giving it a go, but just don’t leave the batteries unattended.
One thing I cannot really explain is why your smaller generator cannot recharge your older B&D 12V drill. Maybe its outlets are current-regulated and cannot deliver sufficient power to the charger? This seems likely if your C3 batteries take much longer to charge. Craftsman C3 batteries require a Li-ion charger which might behave differently with your generators than the NiCad charger. But that’s also something you can only determine via trial-and-error.
Jeff
The generators supply 12O volts AC just like the power company. The rating of those generators is far more than enough to run any of those chargers. You won’t damage anything. The generator might not be regulating that well and run a little high under such a light load, accounting for the faster charge. Don’t give it another thought. They were made to substitute for line power
marcel pichette
I i am looking for battery for my drill craftman 19.2 volts parts no.130235030
do you no were i could by some battery
thank you
Stuart
Any Sears or Sears.com store should have plenty of Craftsman C3 19.2V batteries in stock. You might also want to consider upgrading from NiCd to their new Li-ion battery packs.
Butch
You can get the batteries at most K-Mart, too. Take care if you change over to the Li-Ion batteries. They perform better, but you need to be sure your charger is compatible with them.
mike welcome
when a new jobsite radio whit a battery charger
DIY FYI
I have had Craftsman cordless drills since I was barely a teenager and picked up a combo kit with a drill/driver, recip saw, trim saw, and fluorescent lamp when the 19.2EX line came out like a few others who have commented on this question above, well before they started calling it the C3 line. All of them are still working great after almost 15 years. I don’t treat my tools all that well and they have been dropped from 5-10 feet up enough that they should be busted by now. The drill has drilled into and through just about anything. The recip saw has only failed to chop up things because I tend to just use whichever blade is in it at the time. Using new and sharp blades that saw just keeps going. The trim saw does bind up but I also use it well outside of its specified depth and to cut branches and such after storms. After hurricane Sandy Fall of 2012, I used the fluoro lamp all of the time since my power was out for 6 days. Since then, I have acquired nearly all of the 30+ tools from eBay including some that seemed to be figments of peoples imaginations like the R/C truck, laminate trimmer and spiral saw. Back to the original question, they have served me well for 15 years and I haven’t used all of the ones I just bought recently but they are just fine for me. I keep seeing people suggest to not buy cordless but I often do quick work and don’t want to take the time to run cords out into the yard. And yes, overall endless streams of people say Craftsman stopped being good decades ago but the C3 tool line is great in my opinion so that I only have to charge 1 battery and can use it for any of the tools. I recently upgraded to the XCP batteries because the LIon batteries hold charge longer and because they have the built in green-yellow-red LED meter to show the charge condition. It is super helpful to know the level of battery charge and I can leave them sitting around between jobs where then NiCads used to start for a few seconds and then drop off to useless. At least with the battery gauge I can see that it is low to start and pop it in the charger. Anyway again back to the original question, I don’t do hardcore work with the tools all day long but they have handled all kinds of crap that I threw at them over the years. I would suggest to anyone that they are good enough to take on average DIY work and occasional larger projects with no problem.
Nicholas
My lithium batteries are still going strong after a couple hundred recharges
Kenny
My 75th Anniversary (non-C3) drill died. It’s either the trigger or the battery connection or the brushes… Anyway, I can pick up a used C3 drill-only fairly cheap and I need to know if my regular non-C3 batteries will work with a C3 drill. I have a bunch of NEW NiCad(?) batteries and two chargers, I just need another drill with a chuck. Thanks in advance.
Kenny
I was told to buy a Lithium-Ion gun and charger. The charger will charge my NiCads and condition them better than the normal charger. And that my NiCads will work in the Li-Ion gun… is this true?
Stuart
I have never checked to see if non-C3 and C3 power tools and batteries are cross-compatible, but if Sears/Craftsman said they are, then I would trust them.
Craftsman’s multi-chemistry charger can charge Li-ion and NiCd batteries. Craftsman’s various C3 Li-ion and NiCd batteries will work in any of their C3 tools.
I can’t say whether a multi-chemistry charger will charge your NiCds better than the NiCd charger you’ve been using, but I don’t see how it could be worse.
Brian
I’ve put my c3 set up against Dewalt’s 18v and 12v sets, ryobi sets, Milwaukee sets and hitachi sets and its by far beaten out all of them.
Here are the reasons why:
1. Cost
2. Multiple tools (35+ tools) one battery
3. Craftsman name has been around for many many years and is here to stay
4. Any sears parts store repairs all out of warranty tools for free as long as its not negligence of the owner(not many know that)
5. Diehard batteries suck but Li Ion batteries are cheap but very reliable and strong. Lets be honest, your car battery lasts about 3-5 years why do you expect a drill battery to last any longer?
Brian
I have many C3 tools for those situations where using a cord is difficult. It is a complement to corded tools not a replacement. As batteries go bad, no matter how well you care for them, I decided to rebuild one NiCad with new replacement Nicads, and then took the other one and put a 120vac to 18vdc power supply in it.
So I can actually use that modified battery to make the battery tools into corded tools. So far its working great. Craftsman should make these, but until they do I will make my own.
Louis
I received this C3 cordless drill combo kit for Christmas and was waiting to use it for a DIY project. It came to pass this week that I needed to build a small gate 3′ x 3 1/2′ for back deck. Used regular drill to predrill every hole where I used screws to put the gate together. NO problem. Next day after the stain dried, I went to put the hinges on the gate and the drill stopped drilling. Hmm, appears that the clutch is burned out and won’t reverse or go forward. Darn it, just when I was almost done with the project. Got out the RA cordless drill to finish job. It was a pain, but made it through to completion. I would hope the C3 regular cordless drill would make it through one DIY project before the clutch broke on the drill….
Not impressed. We’ll see if SEARS honors my request for exchange since I don’t have a receipt as it was a Christmas gift from in-laws. 1/2 star rating for this combo kit. There are better brands out there as others have mentioned.
fred
Sears or craftsman cordless power tools ok , it s the dam batteries that dont last.
also the 19.2 spot light that comes with the kit , the bulb keeps shorting out. Bought Ridgid, best investment, with the life time warranty on batteries n tools.
Like steve said Dewalt or black n decker sucks.
Brock
I will be brief as I can tell this is a homeowner tool forum.
Have you ever seen a contractor using a Craftsman cordless tool? I have done a bit of construction over the years and have had the opportunity to try many tools before buying them (by trying other people’s stuff.) I have never seen a Craftsman tool used commercially. That tells me something. I like to buy stuff once.
I purchased the Makita LXT drill/impact kit with the 18v lithium batteries. It is stone reliable and will out-drive anything. The batteries last a long time (I have not seen one fail.)
Just a thought.
Redfour5
My first 19.2 was the 75th anniversary set in nice box with light, heavy duty drill and 5 1/4 circular saw. Finally all my NiCads are done I believe. I have many of the tools and lights that are great for camping, around house etc. I have so many drills I will literally need to go put them all together someday to see how many I have from buying extremely good deals where the drill and battery are as cheap as a battery alone,
I have never had a problem with them except for the inherent limitations of the old NiCad technology. I’ve remodeled kitchens and bathrooms, The one battery fits all concept is great. I seldom need an electrically powered tool but have a couple hardly used available. The new batteries are huge (powerwise) if you get the one large XCP in particular and I am sure would power a large circular saw.
I just bought the chainsaw. My significant other had bought an off brand one 18 volt NiCad that I was skeptical of but found it surprisingly useful in contrast to the logistical pain of my gas powered saw. So, thought the pretty highly rated C3 version ought to be even better. I have two acres of mountain with a few hundred ponderosa spruce and chain saws are a fact of life.
I also have one of their old 20 volt Professional drills (bought when they were clearing them out at like 40 bucks with two batts) and wish I could find the 7 1/4 inch (highly rated) circular saw but that boat appears to have sailed.
Would like to see a full size circular saw in the C3 line. For DIY, you really can’t go wrong. Be sure to look carefully on your drill choices since there are so many with varying power/capabilities. Some are junk, some are great. The new brushless ones have my eye, just because since I really do not need one…
As you can see, I could go on and am a satisfied customer for the C3 19.2 technology. Batteries are out in the garage always charged, tools close by just grab and go for most anything I need done, no cords, enough power and fun.
No, they aren’t professional quality although the latest batteries and brushless drill might be there or close but around the house or camping they are awesome.
Geoff J
I bought their power tool package. The tools perform well, however within months of usage, two of the batteries stopped being able to charge and the other two I bought would only work for a short time before needing recharge.
Not worth the investment
JAson C.
I started with the Anniversary Edition 19.2 combo, and have expanded to most of the compatible tools. I bought a farm, but do not have electric turned on as I am not there enough. I believe in KISS, and wanted tools that have interchangeable batteries. Craftsman was the ONLY company with this option. I use, and have been using Craftsman’s 19.2v weed eater, blower, hedge trimmer (HOLY COW!), chainsaw, and the standard drill/saw combo. I recharge the batteries using Sears biggest portable power pack (jump start/compressor/charger/light), and a solar panel. During the summer I run a 12v camping type fan at night. I have been operating like this for over a year now and have been extremely well pleased with my operation. IF all you do, or need, is a drill/saw combo then there are more expensive and heavier duty tools out there. IF you understand what you are getting (battery powered tools), their limitations, and adjust to those parameters then the 19.2v tools are an awesome deal. Also, I use both NiCad and Lithium batteries. I have rebuilt the NiCads with 2amh packs for cheaper than, or equal to the price of a new NiCad, and they have performed well.
Motoracer
I have a 14.4 Craftsman drill, two speed, which I used for everything until I couldn’t easily find replacement batteries for. The wifey snagged me the 19.2v c3 drill/recip saw combo with two batteries a few years ago, and I’ve since shelved the 14.4 (still might try to find batteries, or look into cording it). I am a DIY’r, but a really really hardcore one – I can say that I have beat the living crap out of these poor cheap tools. The single speed 3/8 drill has drilled through wood but mostly metal, all kinds of metal – I have sat there drilling holes through plate steel until smoke came out of it, let it cool, and kept going because I was too lazy to reach over to my cabinet and use my dewalt corded drill. I have broken drill bits (my own fault lol), used it with wire wheels, put sockets on it, you name it I’ve done it and it still keeps going. It’s been dropped, stepped on, stuff spilled on it, and I’m still using it. The recip saw is finally wearing out. I’m sure its intended use was for a casual drywall cut, or maybe trimming a few small branches, but like the drill I cut metal and beat it up pretty bad. I have been learning to weld and building an offroad buggy, go cart, trailers, and anything else I can think up. It’s going with the family this weekend to cut a Christmas tree lol. I’m looking at replacing both with new ones now, and getting a few add on tools because I like the idea of having one battery for everything. If I depended on them for a living, I would probably be using something else, however I have been nothing but pleased with the c3 stuff so far.
Pete
Come on now people! Craftman has ALWAYS had problems with their batteries. Quit wasting your time and money on craftsmanpower tools and batteries! I can tell you from experience, Unfortunately, I have used them for years. I probably have purchased over 50 of the 19.2 volt batteries, I have exchanged every one of them within a few months due to lack of capacity. If you add up the costs: WASTEDTIME running back and forth to SEARS, WASTED TIME in SEARS, GASOLINE, FRUSTRATION, ETC, ETC, ETC……….You can buy EVERY power tool made by MILWAUKEE, DeWALT, or OTHER BRAND of power tool, batteries, and still have MONEY TO BURN!!!!! Plus you will live a happier life when you DO NOT have to DEAL WITH SEARS and POOR QUALITY, MADE in CHINA, CRAFTSMAN TOOLS and BATTERIES!!! No wonder why SEARS is closing so many stores and has such financial trouble. I will never make another SEARS or CRAFTSMAN purchase. Your choice should be made wisely, after all it is your hard earned dollars at risk!!
Redfour5
I’ll tell that to all my 19.2 batteries and tools that have served me well for 15 years with the originals still going strong. Yes I shifted to Lithium Batts abuout 4 years ago, but that just made them better.
Gary
I have several C3 tools. I have the first impact driver I have used it everyday at work since it was brand new never had a problem with it on the job. You can’t see the name on it all the foam on the grip is gone. Used nicad batteries till they were dead so many times that would wear out. Then switched to lithium batteries. Love the lithium batteries. Recharge in 45 minutes. Use 2 batteries a day kill one put it in charger run it and then other one. Work 8 to 10 hours a day 6 days a week. Have not had a lithium not charge In over 2 years.
Frank
I have a large selection of Craftsman C3 tools many of which you can’t get any more.
In my opinion Sears has discontinuing to many of its 19.2VDC tools to remain competitive.
Ryobi One+ offers a much better selection of tools.
https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/list/family/one-plus?
William Spencer
Have many C-3 tools, not the greatest but likely the best for the money. No problems with many charges on the lithiums even still have a couple of ancient Ni-Cad packs. I believe one of the secrets is to use and cycle them on a regular basis. Got rid of my gas blower and string trimmer after obtaining the C-3’s. One of my dislikes is the keyless drill chucks especially on the 1/2″ drill but cannot seem to remove it to replace it with a keyed one. Has anyone attempted this? How do you get the keyless one off w/o damaging the drill? The other thing I’d like to purchase is the hedge trimmer but it’s been “temporally unavailable” for some time now. Does anyone have information on obtaining one?
Mr. J
010718
Maybe someone can help here. I too have invested in the Craftsman C3 tools set. I probable use the Drill the most. I now have 5 I believe drill, impact, light, sawzall, and battery wet dry vac. I think at the time C3 was the only one that made a battery wet dry. My concerns are this Sense it seems Sears is fading away poor sales what will happen with craftsman? I also have some had tools mostly socket sets type tools. I have heard that Stanley purchased the Craftsman brand which is good for us that have the tools. I am hopping that they will not only improve the line, but expand it too. I once talked to the marketing dept. for craftsman asking why just the one battery brad nailer they were waiting on sales to do more. Other brands Roybi, dewalt have several battery nailers currently make craftsman look bad plus you not sure you want to invest in something if there are tools or parts will not be there down the road. I think that is a bad move by craftsmans.
So for me I also have a dewalt hammer drill, and fairly recently a Ridge multi tool it has the different cutter I think I can get different type of cutters for it and it also has the ability to change the head on it into a scroll saw dry wall saw, jig saw, sawzal, etc. I liked the versatility of it. I have the corded version so far.
I found that if you compare the specs of the craftsman to others the craftsman usually lost.
But my current concern is I have about 4 to 5 batterys most lithum which worked good when I first purchased them, but now not so much one will not even charge not sure it it the battery or charger yet. I do have a few chargers too. But if the battery I have hardly used a few of them and if it is out seems like a waist of money. Why even buy the C3 set I still need to get with sears about it, but I have had them awhile so I am not sure what they can do. ANY HELP HERE?
I mentioned my dewalt drill above. Purchased it on close out at harbor freight. Used it for a year or so or more working assembling control panels trigger went out. I purchased a trigger replaced it myself, but could not get the whole drill back together all those slimy parts and sleeves it was close by about 1/4 inch or less I brought it to them they took it in the back and 10 min. or so later it was together no charge Great!
I used the drill at work again that new trigger lasted me about 1 -3 months then went out again. I was kind of disappointed and pissed at dewalt so I actually just put it in the closed for awhile since I had other drills. Probable about 1 year or so later I got it out still don’t work so I took it to dewalt told them what happened and also told them I was looking at their job site table saw with a rack in pinion fence type of thing. best fence I have seen on a saw. They took my drill and fixed it again and this time anything on the drill that was messed up scuffed up somehow seem to get replaced it was like a new drill and they did this for free for me. It works well now.
I just wonder it craftsman can step up to the plate and do the same with their tools and batteries I guess I will see in time. O also I am still wanting that dewalt saw but have not got it just yet. I am thinking I may also get a dewalt compound miter slider depending on price and features compare with craftman and or ridge etc.
Another note here I have seen Roybi offer a lot of tools and they all seem nice and I am not sure on this if their are 2 sized or not. But I was working a demo job at a gym once Not long ago. The super gave me and another guy a couple of crobars or wreaking bars to tear up a wood floor in a few areas. one looked like at old skating rink is where we started. I looked at it and saw some furring strips under the floor I mentioned this to the electricians there and they agreed with me about it would be faster to use a saw between the furring stipps rather than a crobar. Next thing I know the super was handing me a Roybi circular saw. Well I went to town and it worked fine. the only problem we had is the handle on the saws started getting warm or hot. We ended up burning up 2 or 3 saws doing it that way but it was a lot better than crobars So I am not so sure about Roybi they said these saw were 20-30 dollar saw maybe the cheaper end not sure have not looked at that just yet. Just thought I would mention here.
But can anyone tell me about the c3 batteries do they just die in time or what?
someone also mentioned to me a while back while I was shopping at sears for another c3 tool that the flat batteries that some tools use verse the ones with the thing on top of the flat part of the battery where you stick it into the handle where with the flat batteries you just slide on the tool. Some one once told me that the flat battery thing is more universal and can be used on other brands of tools that have that type of battery. My craftsman batteries do not they stick in first and click in place vs the flat slide and click in place. Might this be true anyone?
I wlll check back if I can thanks
James Lehman
IF you use the C3 tools in particular you can find adapters to convert to another battery type 20v tools. You have to have a charger for that new battery type. One instance for me was using a Ryobi hot glue gun with a 20v Black and decker battery because my father has a charger for black and decker and I didn’t want to get in their system for one tool. There are also aftermarket c3 lithium chargers and batteries. Those are the two routes if you want to keep the tools.
DR
“Craftsman C3 is here to stay”
Wrong. It’s gone. And the third party replacement batteries that are available are mostly junk.
It’s time to look at other options.
Stuart
Yep. A lot has changed in the 9 years since I wrote this post.
Ryan Reames
I know this post is well dead, but just chiming in that I have had a C3 drill for more than 10 years now and it’s still going. Some day I’d like to upgrade, but the darn thing just hasn’t quit! It’s not for lack of use either, this drill has been with me through many projects.
At this point I’m just keeping the thing until it finally croaks.