Tool News Quick Bites

Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. This week we’re looking at bad batteries, good recycling, and a mustard cap.

I learned a lot about the engineering that goes into tool batteries back when I was researching this article. So much work goes into heat management, ability to survive repeat charge cycles, and safety. These knockoffs at a fraction of the cost just feel like a ticking time bomb. First, there’s the very real and dangerous risk of a lithium-ion battery fire. Secondly, these batteries will last a shorter amount of time between recharges and have a much shorter lifespan. And you can’t just throw a bad lithium-ion battery away, it needs to be recycled properly. Third, they can damage your tools, which are more valuable than the batteries anyway. The short-term savings are just not worth the long-term costs.

Random Reddit: Unexpected Compatibility

I’m not sure anyone needed to know this, but I’m certainly glad I’ve had the opportunity to learn. (Here’s the link, in case the embed doesn’t load.)