The last couple of weeks have involved a lot more of using tools than writing about them, this being the crazy season on the island. There are many new products from Milwaukee that I have not covered. While there are many new items, and upgrades to more than a few existing ones, the big news is still more than two weeks away, scheduled to break at the end of this month. What we heard and saw and sampled at the ONE-KEY Presentation will be revealed on July 30th. Until then, Milwaukee is still asking:
What’s the one key to the evolution of jobsite technology?
Stick around to find out! In the meantime, there are a lot of new tools and accessories that are not embargoed, and more of them are shown in this post.
Milwaukee is launching an extensive mix of cordless power tools and hand tools in the coming months. While the power tools may grab attention with a high “wow” factor, the hand tools are equally well thought out and executed and have a strong appeal to me as a tradesman. But let’s go ahead and start with the WOW generated by the M18 Fuel™ Superhawg™, the heavy duty right angle drill optimized for plumbing rough-ins.
In the accompanying photo, Associate Product Manager Tyson Apferbeck introduces us to the Superhawg™, describing its characteristics and proving that it can handily bore a steady succession of 6″ holes in framing stock with the Bighawg™ hole saw or a selection of jumbo-sized holes with self-feeding bits. It’s easy to see that the Superhawg™ will be ideal for going through a structure boring for tub drains, water closet drains and long runs of vent and waste pipes.
If you’ve ever had a powerful drill bind during a bore, you’ll appreciate the Superhawg’s low-gear clutch that will disengage to keep you on your feet!
Tom Kraeutler of “The Money Pit” samples the SuperHawg™ with a 3⅝” Selfeed Bit under the watchful eye of Mr. Apferbeck. The size and thickness of the resulting curls are a testiment to the bite of the bit and the power of the drill.
As with the M18 Fuel™ Holehawg™, the Superhawg™ comes with a keyed chuck or the Quik-Lok chuck. Look for a test and review of the Superhawg™ sometime in the winter of 2015.
M18 Fuel™ Superhawg™
Inkzall™ Markers
The Inkzall™ name gave me a chuckle when I first heard it, and I’ve had one in the tool pocket of my Carhartts ever since. I use the Inkzall™ every day, marking things that I send out of the shop or leaving notes to myself on raw materials, but I quickly fell victim to the inherent flaw of the early models, the pocket (or hardhat) clip broke off. At the New Product Symposium, I asked Product Marketer James Wang if this problem had been fixed for the new launch in February of 2016. He assured me that it was, and went on to say that the pursuit of the fix was a bigger task than the original product launch, involving the use of an entirely new material.
The new Inkzalls™ will come with a selection of colors, metalic paint and improved, faster-drying ink. There may be an art project in the offing.
Black ink on spruce, pine or poplar is an easy mark, but now Milwaukee will offer paint colors that will show on black pipe and just about anything else.
The Fastback™ Knife Collection
The Fastback™ collection of knives has expanded to include pocket knives, snap-off blade knives and a model in Real-Tree™ camo. One wag remarked that if you drop that one in the woods, it’s gone for good!
A Fastback™ assisted opening knife is another constant companion to me, in the opposite tool pocket of my Carhartts. Not a day goes by that I don’t use it at work and at home.
Assistant Product Manager Derek Rose shows us what’s new in the Fastback™ line. The Fastback™ and Pocket Knife expansion is due for launch in March of 2016. We’ll take a closer look then.
M18 True View™ High Output Lighting
Another line of new Milwaukee tools that I’m looking forward to is the M18 True View™ High Output Lighting. I have battled for years with poorly made halogen lights that burned out bulbs rapidly, burned fingers and worried me that they would burn entire job sites down. I also dislike using them in the summer when it’s already hot enough without 500 to 1000 watts burning by my side. Another drawback is the amp draw of those lights which makes one decide whether one wants to run a compressor, a vacuum or the lights on the only circuit often available.
The M18 True View™ LED Stand promises to eliminate all of those problems. It deploys in seconds, is adjustable to a height of 7′ and puts out a natural-looking 4000k color temp, a boon to photographers, painters and interior decorators as well as the tradesmen on the job site.
There were two things I wanted to see when Sr. Project Manager Michael Monteleone demonstrated the light stand, and he didn’t disappoint. He put his hand directly on the lens of the light, showing how cool it was, and he knocked it over on its face to no ill effect. Try either of those tricks with a 500 watt halogen!
Being cordless, the LED Stand will ask for no share of the amperage when being used along with compressors or vacuums. It should light your job through to lunch time on a high setting, and see quitting time on low.
Easily portable, easily adjustable, light and bright.
Milwaukee’s large number of M18 and M12 lighting solutions work well at home, too. I’ve got some that I’m not allowed to take back to work!
Visit again later in the week to see more from the New Product Symposium of 2015.
-dvl
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