Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless Mag Drill 2787-22

M18 mag drill

The news of the Milwaukee M18 FUEL cordless Mag Drills is official, targeting a July launch date there will be 2 models of these cordless drills the M18 FUEL 1-1/2” Mag Drill 2787-22 ($2299) and the M18 FUEL 1-1/2” Lineman’s Mag Drill 2788-22 ($2399) which the drills are identical, the “Lineman” version just swaps our the charger for an AC/DC vehicle charger. With the wide availability of the Milwaukee M18 batteries and impressive runtime the expectation is this will become the dominate cordless mag drill in the market.

Lineman mag drill

These Milwaukee cordless mag drills offer some pretty nice advantages over even corded mag drills. The magnetic base is a permanent magnet so there is not a chance for the unit to fall if there is a power outage on the job site (a real problem on job sites with corded mag drills). This also allows for a stronger hold on thin steel down to 1/4” (normally requires a 3/8″) which is another problem common for mag drill users. If the material is too thin and the Milwaukee mag drill moves at all the “Auto-Stop” detection kicks in and shuts off the motor, ensuring the user and tool are safe.

2787-22 M18

“For years, this market has been shifting to more compact magnetic drills, but no one has been able to deliver a solution for the user who has limited access to power, drills vertically or overhead, and regularly encounters thin metal,” says Andrew Plowman, Director of Product Marketing for Milwaukee Tool. “By utilizing Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL™ technology, we are able to address these issues and deliver the performance and run-time that is expected by most corded magnetic drill users, while eliminating the cord and maximizing productivity.”

cordless mag drill

While there is no denying this is an ideal tool for a utility lineman these drills will probably become extremely popular for many applications. The Milwaukee M18 mag drill 2787-22 may even replace corded mag drills in the as these units can drill up to 40 holes (13/16”) on a single 5.0Ah charge. Probably more than enough time to fully charge the second battery. This unit is also light weight and compact making it more user friendly in various vertical or horizontal positions. The unit is also 2 speed which is not an option on other compact units, typically the 2 speed options are a little larger.

m18 mag drill

These new cordless mag drills also have a very clever design for the lubricant tank where it can be mounted on the side or magnetically attached to the work surface when drilling horizontally or even upside down like in the picture above. This of course keeps the lubricant flowing with the help of gravity and the drill bit remains cool.

Milwaukee 2787-22

Another nice design feature is the quick-change chuck with works without set screws or hex keys to loose. Both the M18 FUEL cordless mag drills also include a 1/2” chuck with 3/4″ Weldon adapter so you can go between strait shank drill bits and annual cutters in a matter of seconds. Typically this might take 5-10 minutes with other drills and require special tools. The drill is setup with enough clearance to make this a very functional drill press for either application.

M18 Magnetic Base Drill

(apologies for my crud diagram) The permanent magnets in the base of this drill is actually safer than a corded version, as it will not turn off when the power dies / battery runs out. It actually has a pair on magnets that run the length of the base, one fixed in place the other that is round and rotates with the knob on the back. By rotating the knob on the back aligns the two magnets (increases to the right) for up to 2000 lbs. holding force or when the knob is turned left the polarity of the magnets are opposite and the force is neutralized so there is no magnetism leaving the base. The Metabo cordless mag drill as well as pneumatic or hydraulic mag drill presses have been using a similar technology for years with very positive results.

The only thing keeping this drill from becoming potentially the most popular drill is the price tag. While the most economical and best performance we’ve seen in any cordless mag drill the reality is it’s 2-3x more expensive than even their own single speed corded mag drill.

Ohio Power Tool is not only a large Milwaukee Tool dealer but also a large supplier of various brands/styles of magnetic drills and annular cutters with in-stock solutions for almost any job. If you’ve got any questions on what tool or cutter is the right solution for you give the pros a call 800-242-4424, they are more than happy to help you out.

m18 2787-22 kit

M18 FUEL™ 1-1/2” Magnetic Drill (2787-22)
1-1/2” Annular Cutter Capacity
½” Twist Bit Capacity
2-Speed Gear Box (400/690 RPM)
5-3/4” Stroke Length
Max Magnetic Holding Force:2,000 lbs.
29.5 lbs with Battery
Tool Dimensions (LxWxH):13-3/4” x 7-1/2” x 15-1/2”
Includes: M18 FUEL™ 1-1/2” Magnetic Drill, (2) M18 RED LITHIUM™ XC 5.0 Batteries, Multi-Voltage Charger, Magnetic Lubrication Tank, ½” Chuck Adapter, Chuck Key, (2) Retractable Pilot Pins, Safety Strap & Carrying Case

m18 2788-22 kit

M18 FUEL™ 1-1/2” Lineman Magnetic Drill (2788-22)
1-1/2” Annular Cutter Capacity
½” Twist Bit Capacity
2-Speed Gear Box (400/690 RPM)
5-3/4” Stroke Length
Max Magnetic Holding Force:2,000 lbs.
29.5 lbs with Battery
Tool Dimensions (LxWxH):13-3/4” x 7-1/2” x 15-1/2”
Includes: M18 FUEL™ 1-1/2” Lineman Magnetic Drill, (2) M18 RED LITHIUM™ XC 5.0 Batteries, AC/DC Vehicle Charger, Magnetic Lubrication Tank, ½” Chuck Adapter, Chuck Key, (2) Retractable Pilot Pins, Safety Strap & Carrying Case

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