First Look: Craftsman V20 3/8" powered cordless ratchet

My new Craftsman V20 3/8 inch, powered, cordless ratchet arrived today, a la Amazon Prime.   Next day delivered, thank you very much.  


This isn't an "unboxing" post.  I hate those things.  It's an announcement for the upcoming tool review video I'll post on my DIYGuy Video Shop Class on YouTube. 

Having said that, I'll tell you now that I don't review tools the same way most others do.  No sirree Bob.

I do tool reviews based on the question,  "Can this tool do the things 'I need it to do and how well if it does?"

I can't tell you if it's a tool YOU should buy or use because I don't know anything  about how you might use it.  I'm a handyman that seems to do more furniture and shed assembly than other projects lately.  

In the case of this ratchet, I don't need a "Hulk Smash" powerhouse of a tool.  I need a glorified nut-runner to be honest.  I need yo get into the tiny spaces that shelf and cabinet manufacturers leave for us assemblers to bolt and screw them together. 

 Because, ya know, those design engineers  know that 6 inches square opening to finger tighten or manually ratchet these things is almost too much space.  I mean, we're not going yo need space to actually move the ratchet handle or fingers after its assembled.   Psshhh!  Crazy talk.


When I do my video review, I'll try to make something that resembles the places and situations I'll actually need to use a particular tool.   Your uses and results may vary but hey, who knows, maybe it'll give you some idea of usefulness  if you see if and how well it works in my situations. 

Anyway, back to the Craftsman V20 powered ratchet.  I'll actually probably have used it in my work before I actually video the review but that's OK.  That gives me plenty of time to really get an idea of how it does in real world application and pay attention to the details  that you might not notice until you actually try to use it for real.

Be warned,  I didn't get the 2 amp hour battery.  Psshhh.  I got a 4ah battery because it was free when I bought the Craftsman brushless V20 7 1/4" circular saw.  

While the 2ah battery would fit its profile WAY better, who got time for that?  Have battery, will travel,  that's my thinking.

This is a tool going to be used for work.  It needs to earn its keep and pay for itself over time to justify having bought it.  It will not be treated easy or daintily.  It won't sit on a shelf, hang on a pegboard,  or hide in the bottom of a toolbox 90% of the time.  This thing eill get used at a minimum of 3 to 5 days a week.  Not intensively,  but regularly. 

After fighting the last few store cabinet installs I've done, I'm really hoping this tool is one that will get what I need done well enough to say it's a good tool.

We shall find see.

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