Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee M18 Cordless SDS Rotary Hammer Kit

5/5

Manufacturer: Milwaukee
Model number: 2712-22
Price: Kit $ 499.00
Power source: M18 cordless
Motor size: drop motor
Weight: 7 lbs

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1″ SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Review 2712-22

The folks at Milwaukee view themselves as a “solution provider.”   They try to focus on developing tools that save time, are more productive and ultimately help you do your job batter than was done in the past.   That brings us to their recently released Milwaukee M18 Cordless SDS Rotary Hammer 2712-22.

The interesting part of this release is that the 2712-22 is the first and only full SDS Plus solution powered by one battery system.  To appreciate why this is so cool, you need to understand SDS rotary hammer drill trends.

Hammer Drill Trends:

The SDS Plus rotary hammer market is divided into three product segments:

• Compact
• Medium
• Large

The SDS Plus rotary hammer market is currently trending away from corded and more towards cordless, as users can now rely on the power, run-time and increased productivity that cordless tools offer.

Up till now, technology did not exist to use a single battery platform that was small enough for use on compact tools but powerful enough for medium and large tools.

We all know that many contractors often choose a tool brand and then purchase tools and build on that battery platform.  SDS drills are no exception and folks DO NOT want to manage multiple battery platforms.

Milwaukee SDS Battery Technology

Milwaukee combined, the POWERSTATE, brushless motor, REDLITHIUM battery pack, and REDLINK PLUS intelligence to fill these three categories with cordless models, all on one battery platform.

These SDS rotary hammers are:

• M18 Compact               5/8” SDS rotary hammer   2612-22
• M18 Mid-weight           7/8” SDS rotary hammer   2605-22
• M18 FUEL Mid-weight 1” SDS+ rotary hammer       2715-22
• M18 FUEL Larger       1-1/8” SDS+ rotary hammer 2715-22

According to Milwaukee and some testing I did at their recent media event, the new M18 FUEL 1” and 1-1/8” SDS+ Rotary Hammers drill faster than their corded counterparts.   That’s super impressive when you stop and think about it.

Milwaukee further claims that these hammers are designed to deliver a full day of work on one XC4.0 battery charge.

First Impression:

The very first thing I noticed about the  “mid-weight” drop motor design, 2712-22 rotary hammer was how compact and light it was.  It weighs only 8.5 pounds – and is very noticeable.   Using this hammer over-head, one-handed, is a reality with this rotary hammer.

The second thing I noticed was the “rubber bellow” separating the handle from the hammer. This is part of the tools AVS or anti vibration system. It acts as a shock absorber between the tool and the users hand and helps reduce user fatigue.

Using the Milwaukee M18 Cordless SDS Rotary Hammer 2712-22

The 2712-22 is compact and light but powerful. I used it to drill a series of 3/8-inch holes in a 20-year-old, poured concrete foundation without issue. The variable speed trigger was helpful controlling the bit when starting out.

The LED was super convenient for illuminating the joist bay.  It seems like Milwaukee is putting LED lights on all their cordless tools – I like it.

The chiseling mode worked equally as well and I chipped away at concrete as if I were using a corded model. I would be remiss if I did not speak to the mode selector switch. There are four modes on the mode selector switch that allow the user to select from:

1. Drilling
2. Rotary hammering
3. Chiseling
4. Chisel Lock off mode

Chisel Lock Off Mode

I really liked using the chisel lock off mode. This mode the user to manually rotate the chisel bit to the exact position desired.  Once in position you simply turn the selector mode back to chiseling and your ready to chip mortar.

The beauty to this is safety, comfort and control. Chisel lock off mode allows you to rotate the chisel bit, rather than rotate the tool to an uncomfortable or unsafe position.

I found the side handle and adjustable clamping lever to be quick and easy to operate and adjust. The bit release collar was easy to operate, as was the variable speed trigger.

The trigger appeared small and designed for one-finger. I anticipated having difficulty operating this tool with large bulky gloves, but that wasn’t the case at all.  Wearing large, bulky gloves did not interfere with using the one-finger trigger.

Improvements

Milwaukee provides a sturdy molded plastic case with the 2712-22 but “drops the ball” with in-case bit storage. There is a small compartment for bits but its not nearly enough for a pro assortment of bits.  Everybody knows that we want to store ALL of our bits in the drill box!

Milwaukee M18 Rotary Hammer 2712-22 Kit Specs

• 1″ Max Capacity
• 0-1,400 RPM
• 0-4,900 BPM
• 1.7 ft-lbs. of impact energy
• 12.48” long
• 8.5 lbs.
• 1-inch max. percussion bit
• 2-1/2 -inch max. core bit
• Control switch: forward, reverse and trigger lock
• Variable speed trigger
• LED
• Adjustable depth gauge
• Side handle with adjustable, clamping lever
• AVS system
• Dust extractor connection ready for Dust extractor, model # 2712-DE
• 4 – mode selector switch [drill, rotary hammering, chiseling, chisel lock off]

What’s In The Kit

• M8 FUEL 18V Cordless Lithium-Ion 1 in. SDS Plus Rotary Hammer – 2712-20
• (2) M18 REDLITHIUM XC4.0 18V 4.0 Ah Extended Capacity Battery Pack – 48-11-1840
• M18 and M12 Multi-Voltage Charger – 48-59-1812
• Side Handle
• Depth Rod
• Carrying Case

Overall Impression

This a great tool that is light-weight, easy to use and feels great to work with.  I’m super impressed by the combination of this SDS drills compact drill size to weight and power ratios.  This drill is Bad Ass!    Anytime I need to drill concrete in tight spaces or just don’t want to deal with cords I’ll be reaching for this rotary hammer. Very nice.

Video Review:

2 Comments

1. Roger Sherman

   November 5, 2014 at 9:57 pm

   Thanks for the tool review of the Millwaukee, they are my power tool mainstay.

   Reply
2. james

   January 26, 2015 at 4:10 pm

   Very nice review. Would purchase if I hadn’t already bought the direct competitor last year from Makita, the Makita LXRH01Z.

   Reply

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