Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee M18 FUEL Rotary Hammer Preview

At last week’s media event we saw so many tools and all of them were pretty impressive. Milwaukee has been on a mission as of late to make cordless tools as fast or faster than their corded counterparts. They’re trying to prove that cordless tools can be heavy duty tools. When I think of heavy duty tools, rotary hammers are the first that come to mind. They are always working with a hard material in dirty, dusty conditions. How can a cordless tool possibly keep up?!! The M18 Fuel Rotary Hammers have changed my perspective.

Full line of hammers, one battery platform

Last week Milwaukee introduced two new tools, both are M18 FUEL Rotary Hammers. They released a 1″ SDS+ hammer in the medium category and a 1-1/8″ hammer in the large category. That gives Milwaukee a full line of SDS+ hammers and one battery platform. A company doesn’t have to have multiple battery platforms to power their various hammers, they only need one. Milwaukee is the only company offering this right now.

5/8″, 7/8″, 1″, 1-1/8″ Hammers

3 keys to market buy-in

Milwaukee conducted a lot of research with contractors to see what would make them switch over to cordless for their rotary hammers and it came down to three things; it has to be fast, has to be durable, and has to use the same battery platform as all their other tools. At the event they squared off two popular 1-1/8″ corded hammers against the new Fuel. Of course the Milwaukee won by a landslide (I wouldn’t expect anything less at a manufacturer event). It goes to prove though that the speed is there. It was faster than comparable corded tools. Here’s a clip where you can see how far ahead the Milwaukee is from the competition.

Fuel squares off against two popular corded competitors.

Durability is the last piece of the puzzle

Rob drilling some dowels

Like I mentioned above, rotary hammers are some of the hardest working tools on the jobsite and see some of the harshest conditions. It is impossible to prove a tools durability in a 30 minute demonstration but we all took turns on the hammers. They had a good feel to them. The vibration dampening worked well enough and the fit and finish was really nice. Time will bear out Milwaukee’s claims though. We’ll know soon enough how durable they are.

Specifications on the whole line of M18 SDS+ Hammers

M18 FUEL™ 1-1/8″ SDS Plus Rotary Hammer Kit (2715-22)- NEW

• 1-1/8″ Max Capacity
• 0-1,350 RPM
• 0-5,000 BPM
• 12.8″ long
• 7.7 lbs
• Includes M18 FUEL™ 1-1/8″ SDS Plus Rotary Hammer, (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 Battery Packs, Charger, Side Handle, Depth Rod and Carrying Case
• Also available as a bare tool (2715-20) and with HAMMERVAC™ Dedicated Dust Extractor (2715-22DE)

M18 FUEL™ 1″ SDS Plus Rotary Hammer Kit (2715-22)- NEW

• 1″ Max Capacity
• 0-1,400 RPM
• 0-4,900 BPM
• 12.48” long
• 7 lbs
• Includes M18 FUEL™ 1″ SDS Plus Rotary Hammer, (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 Battery Packs, Charger, Side Handle, Depth Rod and Carrying Case
• Also available as a bare tool (2712-20) and with HAMMERVAC™ Dedicated Dust Extractor (2712-22DE)

M18™ 7/8” SDS Plus Rotary Hammer (2605-22)

• 7/8” Max Capacity
• 0-1,400 RPM
• 0-4,800 BPM
• 11.75” Long
• 7.2 lbs
• Includes 2605-20 M18™ 7/8” SDS Plus Rotary Hammer,  (2) M18™ XC High Capacity RED LITHIUM Battery Packs, 1-Hour Charger, Side Handle, Depth Rod and Carrying Case
• Also available as a bare tool (2605-20)

M18™ 5/8” SDS Plus Rotary Hammer (2612-22)

• 5/8” Max Capacity
• 0-1,300 RPM
• 0-7,000 BPM
• 12” Long
• 5.5 lbs
• Includes M18™ 5/8” SDS Plus Rotary Hammer, (2) M18™ XC High Capacity RED LITHIUM Battery Packs, M18™ and M12™ Multi-Voltage Charger, Side Handle, Depth Rod and Carrying Case
• Also available in a one battery kit (2612-21) or as a bare tool (2612-20)

Availability

The new M18 FUEL Rotary Hammers will be available starting in October 2014 in the US and that includes the dust extractors. Look for them at Home Depot and independent dealers.

Press Release

8/13/14 MILWAUKEE, WI – Milwaukee Tool redefines the cordless SDS Plus rotary hammer
market with the addition of two new M18 FUEL™ models that will round out the line and deliver
the market’s first and only full SDS Plus solution powered by one battery system. The SDS Plus rotary hammer market is divided into three product segments that satisfy varying user needs: compact, medium and large. The market is currently trending away from corded and into cordless, as users look for increased productivity. Manufacturers have developed tools for the compact segment on 12V-18V platforms and in the medium to large segments on 18V-36V platforms, but none offered the complete range of solutions on a single battery platform. The 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.
“Users don’t want to manage multiple battery platforms, it’s a productivity killer,” said
Andrew Plowman, Director of Product Management for Milwaukee Tool. “By utilizing proprietary M18 and M18 FUEL™ technologies, we’ve developed a single battery system solution that meets the full range of user needs in each distinct SDS Plus rotary hammer market segment. Our full solution now includes a lightweight M18 5/8” for the compact segment, a M18 7/8” and M18 FUEL 1” for the medium segment which makes up the majority of the market, and an M18 FUEL 1-1/8” for the most demanding applications in the large segment.”

The new M18 FUEL™ 1” and 1-1/8” SDS+ Rotary Hammers drill faster than their corded counterparts, are built with corded durability, and can deliver a full day of work on one charge. Milwaukee is able to accomplish this level of performance by combining three exclusive innovations, the POWERSTATE™ brushless motor, REDLITHIUM™ battery pack, and REDLINK PLUS™ intelligence. The POWERSTATE™ Brushless Motor works harder, lives longer, and converts energy into power more efficiently, providing the tools with greater speed and performance than competitive corded units. There are no wearable parts which extends the life of the motor, reduces motor friction and cools more rapidly to deliver years of maintenance-free performance. Milwaukee REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 batteries provide a full day of work on one charge, 20% more power and 2X more recharges than standard lithium-Ion batteries. REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 also delivers best-in-class performance in extreme job-site conditions. With Milwaukee® durability built into each pack, the REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 battery operates cooler and performs in climates below 0°F/-18°C with fade free power. REDLINK PLUS™ Intelligence hardware and software is the most advanced system on the market. It integrates full-circle communication between tool, battery and charger to protect them from overloading, overheating and over-discharging. The protections help maintain ideal conditions for maximum application performance. Available in October of 2014, the new M18 FUEL™ Rotary Hammers are a true testament to Milwaukee’s focus on the user and investment in game changing technology. For more information on M18 FUEL™, please visit http://www.milwaukeetool.com/system/m18-fuel.

About Milwaukee Tool

Since the company began in 1924, Milwaukee Tool has led the industry in both durability and performance by providing the best in professional, heavy-duty tools and accessories. With an unwavering commitment to the trades, Milwaukee continues to lead with a focus on providing innovative, trade-specific solutions. Whether it is through their leadership in LITHIUM-ION technology, as seen in the M12™, M18™ & M28™Systems, time-saving accessories or innovative hand tool products, Milwaukee is dedicated to delivering a steady stream of advanced solutions for the trades that offer increased productivity and unmatched durability. Milwaukee Tool is a Brookfield, Wisconsin-based subsidiary of Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI) (HKEx stock code: 669, ADR symbol: TTNDY). For more information on the full line of Milwaukee® products, please call 1-800-SAWDUST or visit www.milwaukeetool.com.

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1 Comment

1. Milwaukee Rapid Charge Station - Tool Box Buzz Tool Box Buzz

   May 25, 2015 at 9:46 pm

   […] by storm with better than corded performance out of almost every tool from circular saws to rotary hammers. This can come with a price though, battery chargers everywhere. Milwaukee is doing it’s part […]

   Reply

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