THIS week, we’ve got new tools news from Milwaukee, DeWALT, and run into at least 2 tools I had no idea existed. This is your Power Tool Week In Review!
New Milwaukee Tools
Starting with Milwaukee who revealed a few new tools items this week, starting with a rolling tool box the was previously leaked, but with a higher price of $229 than we all thought. They also launched this awesome deep PACKOUT organizer, that as my buddy Eric over at Mechanical Hub said, “I’ve been personally waiting for this box since PACKOUT came out.”
New DeWALT Tools
DeWALT on the other hand did NOT announce any new tools, instead, they told Lowes about them, which as we all know, if you want to keep a tool secret, you tell Lowes.
The Lowes website suddenly displayed several new tools from DeWALT, including a new 20V Max XR Brushless Recip Saw with 3200 strokes per minute, and a two-finger variable speed trigger. A new 20V ¼” impact, a pair of Impact Wrenches with ⅜ and ½” anvils, and most interestingly a new 12V MAX XTREME 9/16” SDS PLUS Hammer Drill.
Our buddy Jim over at Philly Fixed had the same question I did. “One the surface it seems it’s asking a lot of a 12v platform” Yah think? Yes, it’s only rated at 9/16, but still… I’m anxious to see just how much power they can get out of a tiny 12V.
Tool Box Buzz – Milwaukee Sawzall
Moving over to tool reviews this week, Rob over at Tool Box Buzz shared another one of his popular Look-Back series.
This time he takes a look at both the Gen 1 and Gen 2 version of the preeminent Milwaukee Sawzall. As Rob points out, the first Sawzall was born 69 years ago, and since then, it has constantly be upgraded and improved. Less vibration, better durability, and of course more power. The success of the Sawzall has caused the name to evolve into a Proprietary Eponym.
Rob’s been using these two saws for several years now and came to the conclusion that you’d likely expect. “Today the saw seems to dominate a whole lot of jobsites, and I guess some things just get better with age.” You can watch the full recap over at Tool Box Buzz.
Oz Tool Talk – Ramset FrameBoss
This week the boys did some framing with a 75mm Powder Actuated Gun for Concrete and Steel, from a company called Ramset. They make these guns for blasting up to 4in nails into concrete, using explosives. Yes, please. Not only does this power through plates and concrete, but it can secure your studs to steel columns. Now the price isn’t insignificant, with the prices of collated nails being triple, and the cartridges stacking on top of that, but the insane speed increase is undeniable. I feel bad that I have never run across this brand personally, especially considering they’re apparently at World of Concrete every year. I’ll be sure to find them at the next one.
Philly Fixed- DeWALT Fans
Jim at Philly Fixed discovered that DeWALT decided to upgrade their DCE511B 20V Fan without telling anyone. No I don’t know why they didn’t tell anyone. Unless you consider the fact that the upgraded model no longer offers two popular features, including a threaded mount, and the ability to plug it into an outlet. Jim seemed confused as well. I found comments on Reddit that stated the very box these come in still say they can be plugged in. Something is wrong. Jim seemed so upset by the changes, he took the new fan outback and waterboarded it in an attempt to get the truth! And while it didn’t spill the beans, it also didn’t stop working which is nice. In the end, he still suggests you go out and find the old 511B version before they’re gone.
Mark Thomas – Packout Drawers Weather Testing
Mark got his hands on what is possibly the ONLY Milwaukee Packout Drawers in the country and left it in the rain. To his credit, after weathering the storm, the PACKOUT actually lived up to the hype, staying perfectly dry inside. Mark then went on to try out just about every Milwaukee tool he has to demonstrate exactly what will fit in the larger PACKOUT drawer set. These drawers have been something that Milwaukee fans have been asking for since day one, which had lead to shortages that make it nearly impossible to purchase. The appeal is pretty obvious, as this format is the only PACKOUT option that allows you to access tools and accessories without dismantling your PACKOUT stack. Mark seems pretty happy with his purchase, and I don’t blame him.
Torque Test Channel – Matco Flex
This next tool really caught me off guard. The professional torque testers over at the Torque Test Channel channel, took a tiny step out of their own comfort zone to bring us this. That is the Matco ½” Dual Flex Angle Impact Wrench.
You’re familiar with flex head ratchets right? Well, this is just like one of those, except it’s an air tool with 400 Ft-Lbs. This guy will get into many places a typical impact wrench simply couldn’t reach. The Dyno jocks have already tested several right-angled impacts from Astro Onyx, Harbor Freight, and Matco, but this is the first flex head, and I have to admit, that is a cool-looking TINO. (Tool I’ll Never Own) Of course with a crazy form factor, you’d expect the numbers to suffer, but in this case, the odd tool came through with 83% of the advertised Torque claim, which is pretty good. You can watch the whole thing over on the Torque Test Channel.
