GUEST POST – Dwain is one of the guys from oztooltalk. You can find more of their videos at their youtube channel.
Bosch has increased their cordless reciprocating saw range substantially over the last couple of years. From just a single (mediocre) 18V standard model, to compact, one-handed models in both 12V and 18V, and now the premium brushless GSA18V-125N.
We saw these new Milwaukee Cordless Drain Cleaning solutions at this year’s New Product Symposium (#NPS17) we did leave there with a few questions and recently we had the opportunity to have Morgan in the shop and address some actual usability questions, pricing questions and try to get a glimpse into how deep Milwaukee plans to go into the Drain Cleaning. Below is our chat with Morgan and below that some additional info now available from Milwaukee, including their official product videos.
Milwaukee’s new M12 3/8” Crown Stapler 2447-21 ($149) is almost guaranteed to satisfy remodelers, DIY’ers, residential HVAC and drywall contractors. The Crown Stapler delivers faster stapling. Up to 1500 staples per 1.5ah battery charge and requires 80% less force required than comparable hand tools! It eliminates repetitive motion and excessive force required of most hand tools. It’s 7.5” frame makes it easy to fit in everyday tool belts and ideal for use in confined spaces. This model is compatible with all Milwaukee 12 batteries and backed by Milwaukee’s 5 year limited power tool warranty.
We recently had the opportunity to spend a few days with the Ridgid 18V Air Compressor R0230 ($179, bare or $299 kit) and really had some initial doubts about how practical it was to put batteries on an air compressor or how useful that might be. We’ve been using a Porter Cable 4 gallon for many years and since we’ve gotten our hands on various cordless nailers have really used it less and less. Currently the only other cordless air compressor on the market is the Dewalt FlexVolt DCC2560T1 ($299, Kit) which we will look at as well.
GUEST POST: Dwain is one of the guys from oztooltalk. You can find more of their videos at their youtube channel.
Until their recent 18×2 tools started turning heads, Makita hasn’t seemed to get a lot of credit in the US. But over here in Australia, Makita has completely dominated the power tool scene for decades, cordless and electric (Note: Milwaukee cordless has drawn level in recent years). Makita have almost had a monopoly on woodworking tools such as circular saws, planers and in particular routers.
So it comes as no surprise to me that Makita have released a truly spectacular cordless router/trimmer, (in USA) the XTR01Z ($149, bare) & XTR01t7 ($399, Kit with plunge).
Well it looks like Hitachi (which yes is now the same company as Metabo) has launched a Multi-Volt platform very similar to the Dewalt FlexVolt which can pull more power when needed but then still work with all the 18V tools. The big difference here is it is in a traditional 18V package with 2 row of cells not 3 rows like you would see with FlexVolt or Milwaukee 9.0Ah. Certainly an Multi-Volt 2 battery system for 72V would also be possible. Very interesting so far we just have this video in Japanese to tease us…
Recently we had the opportunity to attend Makita’s New Product Event where we got to see a handful on exciting new Makita products launching over the next several months in woodworking, concrete, outdoor power and many other categories. One product that was really a big launch for us was the Brushless Track Saw XPS01Z ($349,bare) or XPS01PTJ ($499, kit). If you’ve ever used Makita’s corded track saw SP6000J ($349) we’ve got good news if you liked it, bad news if you didn’t, they are very very similar. And the 55″ & 110″ tracks as well as all the other accessories are completely interchangeable.
Now that we are less than a month away from the September 23rd deadline we are seeing a lot more interest about the new OSHA Silica Rules which is good that people are taking this seriously. One of the big debates that has recently popped up, some manufacturers are telling their own customers that they will not support “Objective Data” and everything must be “Table 1”. This is also a commitment to not look at all the options for the safest possible solutions or to develop new tools/solutions in many key areas. The good news is OSHA (the people who make the decisions) wrote a pretty clear 26 page document §1926.1153 which provides 3 ways to be compliant for companies who will continue to innovate in this space; Table 1, Objective Data and Self-Monitoring Program. Continue reading
A quick history lesson in hand-held driving:
First hand-held electric drill: 1895
First cordless drill: 1961
Lithium-Ion battery tech: 2005
Brushless, 3-Speed impact driver: 2009
In the 2010’s we’ve seen: IP56 protection, self-tapping modes, a driver/wrench hybrid, lengths reduce to under 5″, improved bit-holders and raft of other minor improvements. It makes you wonder, what will an impact driver in 2025 look like? Continue reading
When it comes to cutting metal in the field there are several different options between bandsaws, grinders, recip saws, chop saws, circular saws, torches just to name a few. A metal specific circular saw such as the Skilsaw OUTLAW SPT78MMC-22 ($319) offers some significant advantages in many different applications, lower sparks than grinding, minimal burrs, cold-cut won’t warp the metal, continuous cutting can make long straight cuts, long blade life, deeper 2-3/4” cutting, collects majority of the metal chips, just to name a few. This 8” saw uses the Skilsaw Wormdrive 15 amp motor that had been trusted for years on the job when power and performance are needed, packed with the Diablo Cerment II blades for a metal cutting dynamic duo!
