New tool - Milwaukee 2505 Installation Drill/Driver compared to Festool CSX

[LeeG]

I have been using my Festool CSX for several years now, and it is my go-to drill for doing cabinet and installation work. The only two real issues I have had with it are the fact that is uses the Centrotec bits and the battery it uses doesn't fit any other tools.

Milwaukee recently released their version of the CSX using the M12 battery platform. Mine got delivered last night and I thought I'd do a quick comparison.

Both drill/drivers have quick detach heads, a magnet to store bits, and a LED to light up your target area. Both have two speeds, an adjustable clutch setting, and allow you to use standard 1/4" bit directly in the drill without attaching a head. Both have approximately the same weight, balance well in your hand, and will stand upright on a flat surface.

Festool CSX
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The CSX comes with 3 heads: a standard 3/8" chuck, a centrotec bit holder, and a 90° bit holder.

Milwaukee Installation Driver 2505
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The 2505 comes with 4 heads: a standard 3/8" chuck, a centrotec bit holder, a 90° bit holder, and an offset bit holder.

The two drills are very similar in size and shape
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The Milwaukee has less depth, and is about the same thickness
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The Festool is a bit shorter. You can just barely see the Milwaukee underneath it.
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Initial thoughts:

• The Milwaukee has noticeably more power. I was able to drive a 1/4" x 3" SPAX lag screw all the way into a 4x4, and I could feel the torque pulling it out of my grip. The Festool was only able to drive that same lag about half way in. I tested with 2ah batteries in each.
• Switching between the various heads was equally easy with both drills.
• The Milwaukee has the forward/reverse switch as an electronic button on top instead of the traditional mechanical switch near the trigger. I don't hate this (yet), but it will take some getting used to.
• The Milwaukee takes standard 1/4" quick-change bits. This is a huge plus for me. The Centrotec bits are nice, but they are expensive, hard to source locally, and not available in as many configurations.
• The bits slip into the Milwaukee chuck easily, and are quick to remove.

I plan to use the new Milwaukee driver heavily over the next few weekends, and I'll update with any new impressions.

Lee

 

[PelicanPines]

Damn it... I wasn't going to get this Milwaukee tool... I have all the individual tools... but it would technically be perfect in my go bag... to replace the drill and impact driver...

Mrs Pines might call you... I plan on blaming you personally for it's purchase.

 

[RKA]

Great first impressions. Can you comment on how the trigger responds to fine adjustments? That's something Festool has done well over the years, giving the user a very fine level of trigger control.

Incidentally, Doug @ Toolnut did a quick video when they first got the new Milwaukee. He mistakenly had the drill on speed 2 and was running long screws. As I was watching that I was thinking "no way would my CSX do that!". I've done it accidentally a few times and the drill will stop when it's out of torque, but it will drive the screws once you put it in speed 1. The Milwaukee barely complained. I don't use these types of drills for higher torque applications, but it was interesting to see nevertheless. I do find the trigger control important with delicate work.

 

[mobiledynamics]

I believe this is the drill calling for those that were complaining about it having too much poweeerrr......

In that thread, I said if the -finished application- is important enough , then it may get hand driven with a screwdriver.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Will batteries help your Festool, or is this just an upgrade in power at a good time?

For the inexperienced, is this device a gain over having a regular cordless drill and separate 1/4 hex driver? Less weight to carry?

I dont know C-tec bits at all either.

Is this the easy-change tool Milwaukee was supposed to be coming out with? Or do they have more yet to come?

 

[RKA]

The primary use case for this tool is assembling or installing cabinetry. So drawer slides, hinges, assembling cabinet carcasses, drawer or door pulls, and other misc hardware. The light weight helps with this repetitive work and a great deal of torque isn't called for in these applications. I've also used these types of drills for running a screw between tightly spaced framing, since the 90 degree chuck can help it squeeze into tight quarters.

There is certainly overlap between this tool, a drill and an impact driver. But each has some tasks it does better than the other two. If I was installing kitchens all day I wouldn't want to use an impact driver to install 30 pairs of drawer slides. I could, but I wouldn't want to. A regular drill with an adjustable clutch would work, but the extra weight gets to be a nuisance after a while if you don't need the torque. An M12 drill would be better.

Which reminds me, LeeG, if you can comment on how consistent the clutch is on this new tool, that would be useful as well. That feature is more likely to be used on this tool than most other drills. On my gen2 M12 drill, the electronic clutch is disappointing at the lower end of the range. Festools other drills with the electronic clutch are also disappointing (inconsistent). The CXS is very consistent (it's the old mechanical clutch).

 

[Chevota Guy]

Nice review for initial thoughts. I wanted an installation drill and chose the Bosch Flexiclick over the CXS a few years back when it first came out. If the Milwaukee had been available then I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat since I had the battery platform available.

Can you comment on the reversing switch? I've seen a number of folks complain about its position and being electronic, but I don't think that would bother me at all.

Also, I have heard that the Festool CXS can not take a 3/8" full shank drill whereas the Milwaukee is supposed to be capable. Is that correct?

 

[RKA]

@Chevota Guy, I think the limitation on the chuck was the old CXS with the 1.5ah batteries which was discontinued around 2015/2016? The included chuck had an 8mm (5/16") limitation. The newer CXS with the 2.6ah batteries includes a chuck that takes up to 10mm (slightly more than 3/8").

 

[Chevota Guy]

@Chevota Guy, I think the limitation on the chuck was the old CXS with the 1.5ah batteries which was discontinued around 2015/2016? The included chuck had an 8mm (5/16") limitation. The newer CXS with the 2.6ah batteries includes a chuck that takes up to 10mm (slightly more than 3/8").

Many thanks for the clarification.

 

[LeeG]

I’ll be doing some testing this weekend. Let me know if there are any other things you’d like me to focus on. I’ll be looking at the trigger control and clutch consistency so far as well as general use.

 

[Davefr]

Great first impressions. Can you comment on how the trigger responds to fine adjustments? That's something Festool has done well over the years, giving the user a very fine level of trigger control.

^^Exactly my same question. I have yet to experience anything close to the CXS in terms of linearity/smoothness of the speed control. It's so precise and sensitive feel, I can use the drill to do deep hole power tapping with tiny 0-80 taps at very low RPM.

How's the chuck quality on the Milwaukee? Milwaukee seems to have a history of using poor quality chucks. (wobble & runout)

The Milwaukie doesn't appear to be a whole lot cheaper but using the M12 battery platform is a huge plus.

P.S. My CXS takes 3/8" full shank bits.

 

[todd_fuller]

How's the chuck quality on the Milwaukee? Milwaukee seems to have a history of using poor quality chucks. (wobble & runout)

First thing I checked on mine. Looked pretty good to me.

 

[mike93lx]

Great timing. I was going to post yesterday asking if anyone had one yet.

I have been looking for a new 12v drill and was tempted by this. I'm just a diy'r and woodworker, but the offset chuck is appealing for some stuff around the house

 

[jgromada]

Looks slick, thanks for the review.

Not sure i really truly need this, wouldn't object if my wife bought this for me for Christmas though

 

[tarbellb]

Just got my new Milwaukee 2505 (multi head) Installation Drill Driver, so far I really like it except for a few quirks.

Anybody out there with more hands on experience?

Me, I like the build quality, on par with all my Fuel stuff. Components work together nicely. Hex drive built-in to the main body making for a super short OAL.

Dont like- that direction button on top? WTF were they thinking. You can always toggle the traditional location and not move the gun. But this top mounted location, just stupid, requires you to juggle the gun to press or use another hand?

Overall I really like it, the directional switch will take some getting use to. Maybe its not that bad? But for now its a well built, versatile addition to the arsenal.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

On the M12 can you FWD/REV with your thumb, or do you have to move the drill and use 2 hands...

B/C if you have to use 2 hands Milwaukee definitely messed up....the normal push switch by the trigger is pretty much impossible to beat IMO.

 

[mc4life27]

Just got my new Milwaukee 2505 (multi head) Installation Drill Driver, so far I really like it except for a few quirks.



Anybody out there with more hands on experience?



Me, I like the build quality, on par with all my Fuel stuff. Components work together nicely. Hex drive built-in to the main body making for a super short OAL.



Dont like- that direction button on top? WTF were they thinking. You can always toggle the traditional location and not move the gun. But this top mounted location, just stupid, requires you to move it and press the button?



Overall I really like it, the trigger will take some getting use to. Maybe its not that bad? But for now its a well built, versatile addition to the arsenal.

I really like the drill as well. I too hate the switch on top but what drives me to the wall is the drill like goes to sleep after awhile. So say your screwing things in then hammer a couple of nails then need to remove a screw so you go to grab the gun press the switch to reverse it and hit the trigger....it does not go in reverse you have to hit the trigger first or hit the button twice. Now I hold out like a drywall screw gun so the location is not to bad but having to hit the trigger first then hit the button is bad **** stupid.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[pizza]

i'm in love with this tool. it's my go-to screwdriver and drill for everyday stuff. i have more powerful drills and impact drivers, but i don't use them unless the 2505's not powerful enough.

the magnet thing on the front is so handy. i use it to hold screws and bits.

the side clip isn't useful to me and was getting in my way, so i removed it.

yeah, the direction button on top is a real wtf, but everything else about the tool is sweet, so whatever.

 

[acer66]

Great write up LeeG, I have the older a bit bulkier Festool CDD 12 FX which I really liked
but the batteries are dead and I switched to the 12v Bosch flexi click.
Wonder how the Bosch compares to the versions you have.

 

[LeeG]

I have had this now for several months and used it quite a lot. My only real gripe is that the reverse switch. It is easy enough to engage, but I miss the tactile feedback that a mechanical switch gives to let me know if it is in forward or reverse.

Other than that, I really like it. The drill has plenty of torque. I used it with the 90° head and an auger bit to run some Romex, and it actually had enough torque that I had to be careful not to have it pull out of my hands. I run mine on a 3ah battery and it lasts as long as I do on most projects.

I have gotten a surprising amount of use out of the offset head. This head wasn't available on the Festool CSX, and it has been handy for installing angle brackets. The 3 jaw chuck has held well on all the bits I have used with it, although I do use it mostly for wood, and only used it to drill steel a few times.

I have been using this Wera bit holder for holding the insert bits. This is a very nice bit holder, pretty much identical to the newer one from Festool.

I have had good luck with the speed control. it is probably not quite as good as the speed control on the CSX, but completely capable for what I use it for.

I still use my CSX quite a bit, but that is mainly due to the large number of centrotec bits I have acquired for it over the years. There is really no job that the CSX does that the M12 Installation Driver doesn't do as well or better.

Lee

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have always though Festool was over priced !

 

[acer66]

I have always though Festool was over priced !

This might change that!
https://www.mafell.de/en/

 

[kngelv]

I just picked one up today. Should get a lot of use over the next few months.

James

 

[BK13]

I have no real experience with either, other than checking them out in the store, but the Festool is a no-go for me, as my hands are uncomfortably cramped when trying to hold it. The red tool seems to have just enough space to fit my bear-paws.

 

[kngelv]

Well I finally used this for the first time a few days ago. My son wanted to build a manual stand which is a wooden stand for practicing wheelies he’s really into mountain biking and BMX. I probably drove about 50 holes and put 50 screws in well he did most of it but I was really shocked by how light the thing was and how less fatiguing it felt after doing this work compared to my normal DeWalt impact. I also found that if you use your middle finger for the trigger it’s real easy to switch directions with your thumb for that top switch. The offset chuck was really cool too because a lot of the holes were close to the ground we just used that chuck and it made things really easy.

James