Milwaukee power tools

gsganzer · Jan 19, 2016

I've been a devout Milwaukee fan over the years. I used to have a 12V NiCad driver/drill that I used the snot out of. I finally broke it when it slid off a metal roof and landed just right, breaking in two at the handle. I replaced it with a Milwaukee 18 volt lithium model that turned out to be utter junk. The transmission went out in it and I'm stuck on the slow speed. I then splurged and bought one of the 18V Milwaukee fuel models. It's great but has a few knocks. The first knock is the quality of the chuck sucks and won't hold a small drill bit tight enough once the chuck starts to wear. In addition, the chuck doesn't have pronounced enough knurling to let you get a really good grip to tighten it. The second is that it has no on board storage for 1 or 2 bits. I like when they have a place to keep a spare reversible flat/Phillips bit somewhere. Otherwise I love it. I'm getting ready to get a cordless angle grinder.

ultrarunner · Jan 19, 2016

My favorite went to an also ran over the last 35 years...

Sawyer Rob · Jan 19, 2016

I use to buy Milwaukee tools and loved MOST of them, BUT when they went to making their tools in china, I pretty much gave up on them!

SR

gsganzer · Jan 19, 2016

Sawyer Rob said:
I use to buy Milwaukee tools and loved MOST of them, BUT when they went to making their tools in china, I pretty much gave up on them!

SR

I'm not confident that there's a cordless tool that isn't made in China. Is there? Milwaukee went to the dark side for a while but it seems like they've started to improve again in the past few years. Are Makita made in Japan? Makita always made some good tools. Porter Cable has turned into cheap junk.

MinnesotaEric · Jan 19, 2016

I noticed that the latest iteration of the M18 finally has the features of my beloved M28 only with smaller battery and the same price of $399.00.

Sawyer Rob · Jan 20, 2016

gsganzer said:
I'm not confident that there's a cordless tool that isn't made in China. Is there? Milwaukee went to the dark side for a while but it seems like they've started to improve again in the past few years. Are Makita made in Japan?

BUT, it's "Milwaukee", they always made some of the BEST industrial tools, and now they are pretty much down to home owner grade!

It just grates on me! lol

SR

ultrarunner · Jan 20, 2016

My Milwaukee Magnums were my favorites... extra brushes for quick field repair and easy to replace cords... made in USA

DFB · Jan 28, 2016

Geez ANOTHER one day only sale

Milwaukee 18V right angle impact driver 2661-21CT

The M18 kit charger and one compact battery is less than the everyday price of the bare tool and for the exactly the same price as an M12 bare tool right angle driver.

Right angle impacts are unique tools and not everyone needs one.
The gearbox head is movable and has two positions on the 18v models

Milwaukee has 3 different models. They offer some torque advantages over using a right angle cordless drill or a cordless ratchet in certain situations

Sawyer Rob · Jan 28, 2016

ultrarunner said:
My Milwaukee Magnums were my favorites... extra brushes for quick field repair and easy to replace cords... made in USA

MY Magnums are great too, well, all except the "Hole Hawg"... I think it took me about 10 minutes to blow the gear box in it! I took it back and got a REAL angle drill! (Elu)

Too bad the Magnums aren't the drill they USE to be!

SR

4570Man · Jan 28, 2016

Sawyer Rob said:
MY Magnums are great too, well, all except the "Hole Hawg"... I think it took me about 10 minutes to blow the gear box in it! I took it back and got a REAL angle drill! (Elu) Too bad the Magnums aren't the drill they USE to be! SR

They must have really cheapened down the hole hawg. My grandpa has one. That thing is built like a tank. If it binds it will break your arm off or twist you around in circles. If you have it braced against a stud it will knock it out of the way and then break your arm off. I have a new Dewalt version of the hole hawg. It has bind up control which works great.

pmsmechanic · Jan 28, 2016

Happy Gilmore said:
My girlfriend picked me up a nice M18 Fuel 7-1/4" circular saw for Christmas. Love it!

My girlfriend didn't buy one for me. I had to buy it myself. But what a saw... I haven't used my corded circular saw since I bought my cordless one.

Sawyer Rob · Jan 28, 2016

The problem with many of the Mil Hole Hawgs is, IF the bit get's caught and jerks, that half turn of "slop" in the spindle shock loads the trans gears and they shatter... That's exactly what happened to mine...

Steady torque, they can take that...

SR

4570Man · Jan 28, 2016

Sawyer Rob said:
The problem with many of the Mil Hole Hawgs is, IF the bit get's caught and jerks, that half turn of "slop" in the spindle shock loads the trans gears and they shatter... That's exactly what happened to mine... Steady torque, they can take that... SR

How do they get any slack to jerk? The toque already being applied to the bit should have already taken up the slack. I have never used a drill, drill press, milling machine, and multiple metal lathes that didn't have some slop in the spindle. I hope you are exaggerating about the amount of slop. I bet if you jack up your tractor and manually turn the wheels it will have some slop too.

ultrarunner · Jan 28, 2016

At that same old time Ace the closed up I went to their clearance sale and bought a brand new in box Hole Hawg for $80... guessing it's been on the shelf 20+ years because the box has yellowed.

Never tried it so no idea if it even works.

gsganzer · Jan 29, 2016

pmsmechanic said:
My girlfriend didn't buy one for me. I had to buy it myself. But what a saw... I haven't used my corded circular saw since I bought my cordless one.

Same here. I thought it would be a 1 or 2 cut wonder, but it's not. You can actually do some work with it.

gsganzer · Jan 29, 2016

Dang, double post!!

Sawyer Rob · Jan 29, 2016

4570Man said:
How do they get any slack to jerk? The toque already being applied to the bit should have already taken up the slack. I have never used a drill, drill press, milling machine, and multiple metal lathes that didn't have some slop in the spindle. I hope you are exaggerating about the amount of slop. I bet if you jack up your tractor and manually turn the wheels it will have some slop too.

When boring big holes for plumbing or electrical, the bit/hole saw can jerk... And, NO I'm NOT exaggerating about the amount of "slop", go check one out for yourself. Last one I checked still had it...

I BET you that IF I jack up every tractor I own, I won't be able to turn the rear wheel half way around to take up the "slop".... If it did, that would mean something is VERY wrong!

Rather than doubt me, go check one out for your self...

ultrarunner can go out and check his, and report back here...

SR

ultrarunner · Jan 29, 2016

Yes... it might be on the weekend... my job box is at my brother's place.

4570Man · Jan 29, 2016

Sawyer Rob said:
When boring big holes for plumbing or electrical, the bit/hole saw can jerk... And, NO I'm NOT exaggerating about the amount of "slop", go check one out for yourself. Last one I checked still had it... I BET you that IF I jack up every tractor I own, I won't be able to turn the rear wheel half way around to take up the "slop".... If it did, that would mean something is VERY wrong! Rather than doubt me, go check one out for your self... ultrarunner can go out and check his, and report back here... SR

The bit can jerk, but the slop in the gears should already be used up. 1/2 turn of slop is pretty pathetic. If you jack up your tractor it won't have a 1/2 turn of slop, but it will have some. If you were pulling a box blade and it suddenly snagged a stump, did the gears jerk? No, because the gears were already tight. The only way to jerk the gears would be to be rolling backwards and pop the clutch. I don't have a new hole hawg to check. I can go check the old hole hawg, the or a fairly new Milwaukee magnum drill, and my Dewalt copy of the hole hawg and non of those have anything close to 1/2 turn of slop.