AEG Power Tools

[Bull]

Does anyone have experience with this brand?

My dad had quite a few of these back in the '80s. I still have the old hammer drill (works great) and a corded 3/8 drill that I use with a paddle to mix mortar, grout, and sometimes small batches of concrete. The thing is stout.

He's got an old battery drill from this company, too, but it hasn't been used in years.

Anyway, I have not seen this brand anywhere but in my dad's hands. Were they once big here?

 

[Monte]

The AEG stuff from nowadays is orange/grey colored, and in most cases identical to "Ridgid" tools.

 

[Bull]

What about the old-school stuff? All of the ones I have from my father are solid black with the logo in white lettering, I believe.

 

[Mickey O]

I've got an AEG hammer drill, good stuff, looks quite similar to Bosch (I'd post a pic but it's at the other garage, maybe tomorrow). A place I used to work for used the AEG drills, minus the chuck (maybe a few other things) to power machines they built, those machines were used a lot and hard, the AEG held up well, very reliable motor.

 

[Vinko]

There were a few mentions of this on previous threads (including, I think, one I started almost 2 years ago) where I attempted to get some AEG stuff, particularly drills. They referred me to Milwaukee as they (I emailed the corp in Switzerland I think ) said they don't sell the brand in the North America

I never knew they did at one time, so that's sorta interesting.

Last I checked (a few months ago) they had blue casing -- now looking at the website, they've seemed to have gone that hideous orange...


PS. There was some info on the tools from the old world thread too...

 

[Hawk321]

AEG has great stuff and is 1:1 Milwaukee Power Tools, checked the parts...all 100% identical with milwaukee.
Own a 3/8 drill driver (cord) and it works for me for over 10 years...my polisher (cars) works also fine and I would never give it back!

The colour is deep blue of all my AEG Tools.

 

[MrMark]

AEG was for a time a brand name owned and used by Atlas Copco in Europe. Atlas Copco had rights to distribute and sell Milwaukee in Europe and sold tools under the Milwaukee and AEG brands. AEG made some tools for Milwaukee. I have a Milwaukee drill that was made by AEG in Czech Republic. Those days are long gone. Milwaukee is now mostly a Chinese operation with ever shrinking US operations. Sad because Milwaukee was the best in its day.

 

[JayL]

I see a lot of new generation AEG Power tools here in the Philippines. Made in China now.

 

[Monte]

When they were black i think AEG was just AEG. Then Atlas Copco bought them to try to become nr. 1 in the professionel power tool market like they are nr.1 in air tools. Then AEG was blue and Atlas Copco had black tools. Some looked identical and some similar but Atlas Copco had always the most powerful models for example 1520 Watt angle grinders while the blue AEG stopped at 1300 Watt IIRC. Then Atlas Copco sold their power tools division because they couldn`t become Nr. 1, so nobody else wanted them and they sold to TTI who also bought Milwaukee. Then some former Atlas copco tools became red with a Milwaukee tag. Some Milwaukee tools were and are imported from the US lineup like the regular drills and drywall screwdrivers. The others are based on the german Atlas Copco models. In the meantime AEG changed from blue to orange/grey the production from germany to czech republic and finally china now. They also revised their lineup now with new design like the orbital sanders etc.


Old AEG

newer AEG (Techtronics era, note the different "rat tail" handle without the round "bulge" at the end of the handle)

recent AEG

Atlas Copco

Milwaukee

once upon a time....

Nowadays

My AEG/Atlas Copco/Milwaukee collection. (minus the angle grinder which i sold in favor of a Fein grinder)

Drill made in USA, AEG and Atlas Copco made in germany , the Milwaukee grinder dont say "made in..." anymore.

My fathers AEG collection:

(all made in germany, except the belt sander)

 

[Bull]

So, some good information emerges!

I did a search on here for "AEG" and nothing came up, so if there are older threads they are a bit buried.

Those are nice pics of the collection your dad has. Not a single pic of a black tool with white lettering and orange accents, though. I will have to gather mine up today or tomorrow and snap some.

Perhaps I should stop using (abusing) the corded drill to mix mortar and whatnot now that I know that this is not something I could easily find parts for.

 

[Mickey O]

The old AEG drill.

 

[Vinko]

AEG was for a time a brand name owned and used by Atlas Copco in Europe. Atlas Copco had rights to distribute and sell Milwaukee in Europe and sold tools under the Milwaukee and AEG brands. AEG made some tools for Milwaukee. I have a Milwaukee drill that was made by AEG in Czech Republic. Those days are long gone. Milwaukee is now mostly a Chinese operation with ever shrinking US operations. Sad because Milwaukee was the best in its day.

Get the corded Milwaukee 02346 while you can American-made. Most excellent. I used it non-stop for 6 hours yesterday and have the pains to prove it.

 

[gti]

I am bumping this topic to avoid creating another one.

After four years, what is the overall opinion on recent AEG tools?

Mora specifically, i want to buy a cordless combi drill (it will be used, probably, once a week and nothing really hard) and i saw one from AEG (BSB 14G LI-152C) that looked really good (price/specifications).

14.4V
2x Li-Ion battery 1.5Ah
0 - 400 / 1.400 rpm
32Nm

But it costs around 239€ (+/- 330$), and for around 200€ (275$) i could order a Makita BHP453RFTK LXT 18V Li-Ion Combi Drill with an 101 Piece Accessory Set from the UK (it comes an electrical socket adapter, i live in Portugal)

18V
1x Li-Ion battery 3Ah
0 - 400 / 1.300 rpm
42Nm

But if something happens i will have problems with the warranty, sending it to the UK, etc. Or should i get something else? Bosch? Hitachi? Ryobi?

 

[Grimly]

Pity it's a bump about the newer tools.
Just thought I'd chime in with mine - two genuine AEG drills; one a black-body Atlas Copco SDS two-speed (so I assume just after AC bought them over), the other a light demolition hammer /drill, akin to an SDS-Max, but annoying uses AEG's own fitment and they're now difficult/expensive to get bits for.
Both of them had a very hard life on sites before I picked them up for peanuts and both of them are still fit and raring to go, although I no longer have a need for 110V tools, as I don't work on sites any more.
When I last needed brushes for the breaker, AEG spares were easily obtainable from a Dublin supplier, but that was a decade ago and I don't know what the situation is now.

 

[Dave455]

I don't know about the U.S. but back in the 80's AEG were pretty big in the U.K.

Back then I think they were just about the best power tools you could get! My Dad had a massive great AEG hammer drill that I inherited, which was better than anything else I have used before or since!

In recent years I've seen their name slapped on the side of some pretty average tools, so it's looking like they got bought out and trashed! Shame, the Germans don't usually suffer from that disease!

Gti - I'd probably just get the Makita! Their stuff is pretty good generally, and that battery is a much better spec than the AEG! The critical thing I find is the battery capacity rather than the voltage. 1.5 Ah isn't a lot these days, and you'll really notice the difference with the better battery!

 

[Monte]

The pictured Makita is DIY grade - somewhere i read it has plastic gears.

 

[rlitman]

The pictured Makita is DIY grade - somewhere i read it has plastic gears.

I don't think you could get away with that in an 18V drill, but clearly the gearbox is plastic. Maybe that is what someone meant.

 

[gti]

So... who gets the vote? lol

 

[Monte]

I don't think you could get away with that in an 18V drill, but clearly the gearbox is plastic. Maybe that is what someone meant.

oops i guess it was the Makita 343 model

 

[JonnyMac]

Our maintenance electricians use the 18v drill at work, it takes a real beating and survives so I rate the brand highly, feels nice to handle too.
I bought the brad air nailer as it was on special, has a plastic housing but I like that because its super light so its very easy to use for long periods. Gotta say i rate the new AEG stuff as highly as any of the other pro brands. Their safety glasses that come with it are the most comfortable ones ive ever worn too!

 

[Blöckw@rt]

 

[R W]

Purchased a 1/2" AEG drill around the mid 70s , still going as good as ever.

 

[SvenskaSebbe]

Hi! I saw this AEG drill earlier in this thread, but when i try to find another one on the internet i can't find one, could you guys please help or atleast give me some info of it. Was it made for 240v aswell?

 

[neophyte]

Hi! I saw this AEG drill earlier in this thread, but when i try to find another one on the internet i can't find one, could you guys please help or atleast give me some info of it. Was it made for 240v aswell?

If AEG made a tool, it was almost certainly made in 240v.

That drill is a model SB2E-20R.

AEG made several or more different SB2E drill models that look very similar.

I have an older AEG catalogue from 2008 that lists SB2E drill models with 850, 1010, and 1200 Watt motors. The different models are numbered SB2E-850 RS, SB2E-1010 RS, and SB2E-1200 RST. The main difference in the specs is the drilling capacity in steel and concrete which is higher for the higher wattage drills. The drills in the 2008 catalogue also had a dial speed selector on the switch to set the maximum drill speed. The drill pictured above does not have the dial speed adjuster.

The 20R in the SB2E-20R model number may have been a variation used for the US market. On US ebay I found a SB2E-16R drill that had a 5/8" drilling capacity, and a SB2E-13R drill with a 1/2" listed drilling capacity, so the **R should represent the maximum drilling capacity in millimeters.

In Europe Milwaukee lists a drill model HD2E-13R that was probably carried over from the older AEG drill models when TTI shifted the brands around.

http://www.milwaukeetool.eu/powertools/corded/hd2e-13-r/

The Milwaukee PD2E-24RST is another one of the AEG drills that is now sold as a Milwaukee drill.

http://www.milwaukeetool.eu/powertools/corded/pd2e-24-rst/

If you don't mind used, you could try checking ebay Germany for sellers who might ship to Sweden.

For instance AEG Schlagbohrmaschine

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from...e+.TRS0&_nkw=AEG+Schlagbohrmaschine+&_sacat=0

AEG Schlagbohrer.

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_odkw...lagbohrer.TRS0&_nkw=AEG+Schlagbohrer&_sacat=0

 

[mrborohachi]

http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/milwauk...-speed-screwdriver/miln6546-6,default,pd.html

This design was originally AEG's. I have an old AEG black fixed pistol grip 1/4dr screwdriver.

 

[Hermann-the-german]

Here's an example of a approx. 1975 AEG hammer drill, with 2 gears and 600 W (AEG SB2E-600). It's made by AEG-Telefunken in Winnenden, West Germany long before AEG power tools was sold to Atlas Copco. Atlas Copco later purchase Milwaukee pt and sold the power tool branch later to TTI.

In 1975 the SB2E-600 sold for 300 Deutsche Mark (123$ at that time). Today I bought this beauty in very nice condition for 20€. It's still running smooth. It has a two stages switch with a seven steps speed preset and weighs 3 kg / 6.5 lbs.

AEG produced these tools for the DIY market but to professional standards. It won a comparison by "Stiftung Warentest" with Bosch and Metabo by far.

 

[johninct]

30+ years ago when I needed a sawzall, the hardware store sold both and had a demo set up. The AEG was twice as fast as the Milwaukee so I bought the AEG.

 

[finn]

Another six year old zombi thread.

Didn’t fool me, this time!

 

[dnschmidt]

The sander you showed was in fact originally made by Metabo as the Duo. It had two selectable orbits. When Ridgid was first introduced into Home Depot both this sander and the Ridgid grinders were Metabo made in Germany. These two tools of course morphed into TTI China made product once AC sold out to TTI.

 

[silkman]

Another six year old zombi thread.

Didn’t fool me, this time!

Much like the zombi brand AEG is...

AEG at one time was the GE of Germany, now its sort of a "*****" brand, lending its name to anyone, from electric tools, to air compressors to home appliances. A dead brand basically.

 

[Maroc]

In the 80's I was working as a Carpenter in London and had the AEG ASBE16 cordless drill 12v. I recall having some issue with it long after the warranty ran out but i called Atlas Copco anyway, and to my suprise they took it in and fixed it free of charge. Not many would do that these days. I haven't used the drill for over 30 years as I left the building game to run my own business and i doubt there is any chance i will get it working again.

 

[Hermann-the-german]

AEG ... now its sort of a "*****" brand, lending its name to anyone, from electric tools,

You're wrong. The AEG brand is owned by Electrolux AB, but it's use for powertools is exclusive to TTI. Of course you can call this a dead brand or even "*****" brand, but then that would also apply to Milwaukee.

 

[Fly YX]

You're wrong. The AEG brand is owned by Electrolux AB, but it's use for powertools is exclusive to TTI. Of course you can call this a dead brand or even "*****" brand, but then that would also apply to Milwaukee.

Yes, Milwaukee cordless power tools sucked before TTI was contracted to make them for Milwaukee. They have great marketing. But don’t say anything thing bad about them here.

 

[Hermann-the-german]

...before TTI was contracted to make them for Milwaukee. ...

TTI isn't a subcontractor to Milwaukee but owns the brand. They just bought it from Atlas Copco as they bought it from the previous holder Merrill Lynch who ar well known for their knowledge in power tools manufacturing . My intention is not to bash a specific brand, but some people here are just blind, in particular when it comes to what they believe, "American" brands.

 

[neophyte]

Yes, Milwaukee cordless power tools sucked before TTI was contracted to make them for Milwaukee. They have great marketing. But don’t say anything thing bad about them here.

Milwaukee cordless tools didn’t **** before TTI took over.
The cordless drills were some of the best balanced drills of the period.
The other cordless Milwaukee tools from the period were usually built the same as regular Milwaukee tools, but with low voltage motors and housing made to accept batteries.
The problem at the time, was battery tech really wasn’t up to the level needed for the tools that were being made, so the batteries might only last 5 minutes.
This changed starting with the lithium batteries introduced by Milwaukee.
AEG was also producing specialty cordless tools at this period and earlier, that were designed for specialty industrial uses.(as did Bosch)

 

[silkman]

AEG (Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG) was founded in 1883 and went bust in 1996. Since then, it survives as a name only on low quality everything.

 

[dnschmidt]

Have no experience with the "new" AEG but the old, made in Germany, AEG stuff was just as good as Metabo or Fein. You knew the party was over when TTI bought them as they were not going to have two top tier brands. One of them had to go and it wasn't going to be Milwaukee.

 

[Hermann-the-german]

You knew the party was over when TTI bought them as they were not going to have two top tier brands.

Actually the party was already over while Atlas Copco owned them. They branched the products into DIY (blue line) and professional (black and silver line). In the beginnings the latter where superbly made but too f.. expensive. In turn the management required them to simplify their products which didn't went well.

 

[Fly YX]

Milwaukee cordless tools didn’t **** before TTI took over.
The cordless drills were some of the best balanced drills of the period.
The other cordless Milwaukee tools from the period were usually built the same as regular Milwaukee tools, but with low voltage motors and housing made to accept batteries.
The problem at the time, was battery tech really wasn’t up to the level needed for the tools that were being made, so the batteries might only last 5 minutes.
This changed starting with the lithium batteries introduced by Milwaukee.
AEG was also producing specialty cordless tools at this period and earlier, that were designed for specialty industrial uses.(as did Bosch)

At that time I had 50 technicians that would disagree with you.

 

[Lomax]

I bought a used, black, AEG SB2E-20 a decade ago and have used it extensively since then on a Maxion drill stand. The label says "Made in W.Germany", which dates it. Amazed what 850 watts can do to 8mm mild steel, it cuts swarf like far bigger pillar drills (which I do not have room for) and effortlessly produces perfect 10-20mm dia holes. I love that it has the speed adjustment on the top, which is perfect for drill stand applications - a design I haven't seen on any other hand held drill - and there's plenty of torque at the low RPMs required for larger tooling, thanks to a magnetic pick-up on the shaft providing feedback to the electronics. Sadly it has now developed a fault, which I'm hoping I'll be able to fix: it randomly jumps to full speed while running, which is absolutely terrifying when it happens, and of course renders it completely unusable. Popping the cover today I was surprised to see how advanced the speed control electronics are. Visual inspection reveals an overheated power resistor which I will replace, though I doubt that's the full story - would love to hear any suggestions on how to troubleshoot further!

Edit: Ok, yeah, it's not the (8k2) power resistor. I suspect it may be the U211B chip (a "Phase Control IC with Overload Limitation for Tacho Applications"), in which case I'm SOL; this part is long since obsolete and expensive if you can find one.