In early June of this year, Milwaukee Tool hosted its annual New Product Symposium at its headquarters in Milwaukee. Dozens of media representatives in the construction industry attended. As in years past, the event illustrated the company’s continued growth as it strives to offer solutions for every trade in the residential, commercial, and utility industries. While there were many new products in the plumbing and electrical trades, remodeling and carpentry were a highlight this year, with several “firsts” for the tool maker.Milwaukee Tool is putting all of its R&D into cordless battery technology – looking for more power and runtime from the battery packs themselves, as well as more power from the brushless motors they power.
Milwaukee, WI – In a massive multi-media press event June 6, Milwaukee unveiled an extensive array of new tools for 2019 and beyond.
More than a hundred products were announced, and not one will be powered by a power cord (well, to be fair, there was one: a new rapid charger).Here's a look at some of the highlights. Second Generation Cordless Brad Nailer. A couple of years ago Milwaukee released its first line of cordless finish nailers.
After receiving some feedback, the manufacturer went back to the drawing board and redesigned the nailers. This brad nailer is the first release of this second-generation line. It is more compact, better balanced and lighter than the previous generation.
It fires 18 Ga. Brads between 5/8” – 2-1/8”, has a magazine capacity of 110 nails and can reportedly fire 1500 nails per charge on a M18 2.0Ah Compact Battery. The tool includes sequential and bump-fire modes as well as dry-fire lockout. Available: August 2019 Cost: $279 (bare tool). Cordless Framing Nailer.
Along with the redesigned cordless finish nailers, Milwaukee announced that it will be adding cordless framing nailers to its M18 battery platform this fall. Available in 21-degree and 30-degree versions, the nailers will both fire 700 nailers per charge when equipped with a M18 5.0Ah battery. Both nailers feature dry-fire lockout, belt and rafter hooks, and an LED work light. The magazine capacity both framers is 45 nails. An optional extended magazine accessory will be available for both, which will hold up to 83 nails. Nail capacity is 2” – 3-1/2”. Available: October 2019 Cost: $349 (bare tool).
Cordless rear handle circular saw. The M18 Fuel 7-1/4' saw from Milwaukee is the fourth model in this category to enter the market (Makita, DeWalt, and Hilti offer this type as well). The saw runs on a single M18 battery and is powered by a brushless motor that delivers 5,800 RPMs. When equipped with a M18 12.0Ah High Output battery, the saw is reported to be able to make 570 cross cuts in 2x4s, 200 cuts in 2x12s and 150 cuts in LVLs on a single charge.
It has a magnesium footplate, an electric brake, LED work light, and an integrated rafter hook. As with worm-drive saws, this cordless worm-drive-like model has a diamond-style arbor. Its bevel capacity is 53 degrees and has a depth of cut at 90 degrees of 2-1/2” (1-7/8” at 45 degrees). It weighs 13.5 lbs. With battery (10 lbs. The saw also includes a 5-year warranty. Available: July 2019 Cost: $235 (bare tool).
Cordless 12” Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw. The M18 Fuel 12” dual bevel sliding compound miter saw is One Key compatible (Milwaukee’s Bluetooth monitoring application that provides tool-tracking, tool-lockout, as well as other features). The saw is reported to make 330 cuts in 3-1/4” baseboard on a single charge when equipped with an M18 12.0Ah High Output battery. It weights 49 lbs. (with battery) and features an LED cutline light. Available: November 2019. Cost: $699 (bare) $849 (Kitted with a M18 12Ah High Output battery and charger).
Cordless pipe threader. The M18 Fuel pipe threader is the first cordless pipe threader to hit the market. It’s a hand-held tool equipped with an auto-stop feature that automatically stops the tool when it senses severe kickback. A dedicated support arm can lock the unit in place during threading while an integrated die head lock enables side-grip thread starts. It’s equipped with One-Key, can thread 1/8”-2” pipe, is compatible with Ridgid 12-R and Reed R12+ die heads. When equipped with a M18 12.0Ah High Output battery, the tool can reportedly thread about twenty-five 2” BIP threads on a single charge. It has a variable speed trigger and comes with a five-year warranty.
Available: July 2019 Cost: $1399 (kitted with two M18 12.0Ah High Output batteries, rapid charger, support arm and carrying case).