Fein cordless drills anyone?

[arnwoodwheels]

Anyone have one of the new Fein cordless drills? If so how is it.
It is time to update my drill and after working 30 years as a electrician using Milwaukee power tools I just can't bring myself to purchase a made in China Milwaukee drill.
Seems like every cordless drill is from china. According to the Fein site there drills are made in Germany.

Thanks
Ron

 

[Qualitytools]

I would like to know as well, if they are anything like their grinders or oscillating tools.

 

[willhollin]

Some of them are made in China.

 

[jjjrmx5]

My geuss is the 12v Fein Handymasters are China made.

The 18v Li-Ion stuff should still be German Made.

Monte should know.

Outside of the oscillating tool sellers , Fein has limited dealers is the US.
My local industrial keeps only a few in stock and move very few of them to boot.

For the cost, just too many Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee and DeWalt big time users out there.
Kinda like when Porter Cable Made in USA tools were hella good but very expensive and not the POS mid to low grade tools they are as made today. Most users outside of industrial accounts could not justify the expense. That has not changed.

 

[woodstockva]

I was reading a lot about them yesterday (regular & hammer drills), and was very impressed by the construction. They have brushless motors, but on top of that they use a lot more copper wire in the construction of the motor itself, which apparently gives it more power and a longer life.

It looks like the kits come with 2 batteries (4.0 full size, or 2.0 compact) & they use all metal chucks. Also, the drill/battery/charger all have a 3 year warranty.

Hopefully at some point soon I will be able to review one in person.

 

[mattyrattypoo]

I believe only Fein's most top of the line cordless drill is made in Germany (ASCM 18 QX). The rest are made in China. A member on here from Australia bought a cordless Fein drill that wasn't the ASCM 18 QX and said that it was made in China.

Another option to look at would be Metabo's new brushless drills. I just picked one up a few weeks ago and they are awesome!

 

[Monte]

Anyone have one of the new Fein cordless drills? If so how is it.
It is time to update my drill and after working 30 years as a electrician using Milwaukee power tools I just can't bring myself to purchase a made in China Milwaukee drill.
Seems like every cordless drill is from china. According to the Fein site there drills are made in Germany.

Thanks
Ron

yes
I like it

Here is more info about their new drills:
http://www.feinus.com/en_us/specials/drills/

and here the overview:
http://www.feinus.com/en_us/fastening/cordless-drill-drivers/

Only the ASCM models are made in Germany.

The difference between Fein ASCM and competitors is the dual ball bearing setup at the spindle, the dustproof motor (surface cooled) versus a "open frame" motor, the 4 speed geartrain (0-400 rpm / 0-800 rpm / 0-1950 rpm/ 0-3850 rpm), it has a 13mm (1/2") Rohm chuck with carbide teeth (m.i. Germany) so the drill bits don´t slip, and a electronic clutch vs. a mechanical clutch of most competitors so the motor shuts down when the torque is reached with a "beep" sound (can be switched off) vs. the ratcheting sound of a mechanical clutch. The electronic clutch has no wear parts (vs. teeth of a common clutch) so the drill will last longer and most likely will offer more precise results especially over the time while the teeth of a common clutch will wear. The included bit holder (of the "QX" version) is made by Wiha.
The motor ball bearings are embedded in metal bearing plates (vs. plastic of the tool housing of competitors), the motor shaft is 10mm vs. 6 or 8mm of competitors, the motor size is 48mm (competitors 46mm or smaller, down to 36 or 38mm), the teeth of the motor shaft are machined into the shaft and not pressed on or screwed on. The tool is also lighter and shorter than 3-speed competitors (2.2 kg vs. 2.5 kg).

here is a review in english:
http://www.protoolreviews.com/tools/fein-ascm-qxc-18v-review/11039/
and here some more pics:
http://www.zone-outillage.fr/articles/fein/test-perceusevisseuse-fein-ascm-qx-144v-bruschless

 

[skruft]

I have not used one but suspect they are very "fine," just too expensive when the standard brands are so good, at least for me as a hobbyist. I remember when they made a sander that was as much as ten of other brands.

The only Fein tools I have, two saws, are very high quality.

 

[Dave455]

There are a load of power tools that are not made in China, though the problem seems to be that when the batteries give up on a cordless tool, many folks junk it and get newer technology (cordless tools are still very much evolving) so there is every temptation for manufacturers to treat these items as 'disposable' and thus make 'em in China!

Top end for me would be Festool! I have their small drill/driver and it's awesome!

Fein are great tools, but to me their flagship products are their conventional corded tools, which I think are hard to beat! Any new power tools I buy are likely to be Festool or Fein!

A builder friend uses Metabo, and he rates them highly. All his are German made, though I don't recall seeing a cordless drill!

Makita are Japanese, or even British, made at the top end, and seem to be pretty much industry standard! They may offer a Chinese product at the lower end of the range but the tools I have seen are not!

 

[Monte]

there are several Made in Germany cordless tools from Metabo: the top of the line "LTX" drills always were made here, the cordless rotary hammer is made in Germany, a jig saw, the new 400NM impact as well as all tools which have the angle grinder motor (4,5"/5" and 6" angle grinder, die grinder, band file, pipe sander etc.)

 

[arnwoodwheels]

Thanks Monte and everyone. I like the higher speeds of the 4 speed drill.
I think I will order the Fein not that much more than a high end China. 18 volt mil

 

[Monte]

if you like 4 speed there is also this from Festool....:

 

[Monte]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wv8XC01XefY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Trey T]

OP: What's wrong with the China made Milwaukee tools? Is it about the tool or is it something else? Is it the quality of the battery or the actual tool?

 

[BikerDad]

OP: What's wrong with the China made Milwaukee tools? Is it about the tool or is it something else? Is it the quality of the battery or the actual tool?

not to answer FOR the OP, but I was in a local tool dealer/repair shop yesterday, trying some brushless cordless on for size. The subject of the Milwaukee's came up, and what the guy told me came as quite a surprise.

Milwaukee's warranty service has gone to hell. Getting Milwaukee to actually pay for warranty repairs has become extremely difficult. Note that this shop is a Milwaukee dealer, so it's not a case of badmouthing a competing brand. Now, whether or not this is a wider problem or simply reflects problems this shop is having is something I don't know, but it is something for others to keep in mind.

 

[woodstockva]

not to answer FOR the OP, but I was in a local tool dealer/repair shop yesterday, trying some brushless cordless on for size. The subject of the Milwaukee's came up, and what the guy told me came as quite a surprise.

Milwaukee's warranty service has gone to hell. Getting Milwaukee to actually pay for warranty repairs has become extremely difficult. Note that this shop is a Milwaukee dealer, so it's not a case of badmouthing a competing brand. Now, whether or not this is a wider problem or simply reflects problems this shop is having is something I don't know, but it is something for others to keep in mind.

I'm going to have to disagree with that statement (not yours, but the tool dealer).

I specifically asked Milwaukee corporate on a conference call with a product manager over the M18 tool line, and they told me that Milwaukee will send the customer a prepaid shipping label with FEDEX, once they get the tool/battery/charger (whatever is broken) they have a 5 day turnaround time before they ship it back out via FEDEX. They pay shipping both ways.

Most likely, they are consolidating all repairs to a central facility & dont want to have to deal with local repair centers anymore.

Milwaukee has very good quality tools.