Makita sub-compact 18v

[RaiderNation85]

So I’m highly invested in the Milwaukee M12 and M18 lines, but this past weekend I won a prize in a raffle which happened to be the drill/ driver and impact driver kit in the makita sub compact 18v line. Has anyone used these tools before? Are they worth keeping or am I better off selling them? Thanks for any feedback

 

[acer66]

Not sure how they hold up against the big red but they are good tools.

 

[American Locomotive]

I mean they're good tools, but it probably doesn't make sense to keep them if you're all in on Milwaukee.

 

[RaiderNation85]

Not sure how they hold up against the big red but they are good tools.

Yeah I have no complaints with my Milwaukee tools, just not sure if these are worth keeping for around the house or if I’m better off selling them and buying something else in the Milwaukee platform.

 

[RaiderNation85]

I mean they're good tools, but it probably doesn't make sense to keep them if you're all in on Milwaukee.

Yeah those were my initial thoughts but figured I’d put it out there and see if anyone had different thoughts.

 

[acer66]

I thought I would be able to stick with one battery system but right now I have Bosch, Dewalt, Festool, Fein and Ryobi.

 

[MetricTech]

I love my Makita tools. The sub compact line is amazing! I have the saw, the 3/8” square impact, drill, and 1/4” impact driver in sub compact. All have been great. The other day I was removing an Eaton road ranger clutch on a Mack truck with the 3/8” impact. I had wood laid out on the floor for the old clutch to land on when I removed all of the bolts. Well when the last bolt zipped out that heavy SOB came down and jerked the Makita right out of my hand and sandwiched the gun between the wood and the clutch. This is about a 120 lb hunk of steel that just crushed my impact I thought it was done for sure. I flipped the clutch over and that little impact looks and performs like it never happened. I use my Makita tools everyday and I love every one of them. Especially my high torque 1/2” impact and 1/2” drill.


Metric Tech

 

[RaiderNation85]

I thought I would be able to stick with one battery system but right now I have Bosch, Dewalt, Festool, Fein and Ryobi.

Yeah it’s hard to leave The Home Depot without more power tools every time I go haha

 

[RaiderNation85]

I love my Makita tools. The sub compact line is amazing! I have the saw, the 3/8” square impact, drill, and 1/4” impact driver in sub compact. All have been great. The other day I was removing an Eaton road ranger clutch on a Mack truck with the 3/8” impact. I had wood laid out on the floor for the old clutch to land on when I removed all of the bolts. Well when the last bolt zipped out that heavy SOB came down and jerked the Makita right out of my hand and sandwiched the gun between the wood and the clutch. This is about a 120 lb hunk of steel that just crushed my impact I thought it was done for sure. I flipped the clutch over and that little impact looks and performs like it never happened. I use my Makita tools everyday and I love every one of them. Especially my high torque 1/2” impact and 1/2” drill.


Metric Tech

Good to hear your tool was not destroyed. They have a good feel in the hand, I like the black and silver color combo as well. Did you keep the 2.0 ah batteries on them or did you get bigger batteries to go with them?

 

[MetricTech]

Good to hear your tool was not destroyed. They have a good feel in the hand, I like the black and silver color combo as well. Did you keep the 2.0 ah batteries on them or did you get bigger batteries to go with them?

I’m kinda ocd and have a battery for every tool. I switch them around between my 4.0ah and the 2.0ah battery’s that cam on 2 of the sub compact series drivers. Check out the AvE boltr for the Makita sub compact saw. I’ve loved that tool


Metric Tech

 

[acer66]

The tools that I take to jobsites are almost exclusively Bosch and the rest stays in the shop so I do not have to worry about bringing different chargers.
The reasons why I have different batterie platforms is great deals or tools I want I mean I need for work and that Bosch does not make.

 

[RaiderNation85]

I’m kinda ocd and have a battery for every tool. I switch them around between my 4.0ah and the 2.0ah battery’s that cam on 2 of the sub compact series drivers. Check out the AvE boltr for the Makita sub compact saw. I’ve loved that tool


Metric Tech

Same here, I prefer having one battery per tool. I hate having to switch batteries out between tools in the middle of working.

 

[FTWingRiders]

I have 2 platforms in my shop, Makita and Milwaukee.. Blasphemy I know, but since I started getting into the Makitas, I haven't used the Milwaulkees as much lately. I suggest getting rid of them quick, or you just might end up with another platform in the shop.

 

[RaiderNation85]

The tools that I take to jobsites are almost exclusively Bosch and the rest stays in the shop so I do not have to worry about bringing different chargers.
The reasons why I have different batterie platforms is great deals or tools I want I mean I need for work and that Bosch does not make.

I only have Milwaukee now but it’s been very tempting to starting buying into other platforms due to good deals, I like having a variety of options and just the pure addiction of buying more tools

 

[RaiderNation85]

I have 2 platforms in my shop, Makita and Milwaukee.. Blasphemy I know, but since I started getting into the Makitas, I haven't used the Milwaulkees as much lately. I suggest getting rid of them quick, or you just might end up with another platform in the shop.

I don’t think I’d prefer these makita over the Milwaukee, but I could see them being used for certain projects or jobs. While this kit was free, I could see how getting invested in a second platform could get expensive.

 

[acer66]

I only have Milwaukee now but it’s been very tempting to starting buying into other platforms due to good deals, I like having a variety of options and just the pure addiction of buying more tools

Yeah and if I would not have already a corded track saw I would jump on this and add another plattform to the mix.

https://toolguyd.com/makita-cordless-track-saw-bonus-bundle-deal-032019/

 

[acer66]

Life is to short to limit yourself to one battery plattform.

 

[FTWingRiders]

I don’t think I’d prefer these makita over the Milwaukee, but I could see them being used for certain projects or jobs. While this kit was free, I could see how getting invested in a second platform could get expensive.

I have both..and you can't go wrong with either red or teal.

Oh, and I do have that track saw.. friggin' awesome! Favorite tool in the shop right now.

 

[RaiderNation85]

Life is to short to limit yourself to one battery plattform.

I have both..and you can't go wrong with either red or teal.

Oh, and I do have that track saw.. friggin' awesome! Favorite tool in the shop right now.

You can never go wrong with more tools haha

 

[Rabid Badger]

Send them to me before you realize Makita tools are superior and feel compelled to replace all your Milwaukee stuff.

 

[RaiderNation85]

Send them to me before you realize Makita tools are superior and feel compelled to replace all your Milwaukee stuff.

 

[MetricTech]

Send them to me before you realize Makita tools are superior and feel compelled to replace all your Milwaukee stuff.

[emoji1360]


Metric Tech

 

[f121]

I really like the makita subcompact line, it's a nice idea to use one battery platform for sub compact and regular. I use the 2ah on my impact and it lasts ages, maybe not all day, but ages

But if you are already invested in m12, sell them. Only change battery platform if there's a really good reason, like a tool that isn't available in your current platform

 

[Aquamoose]

Stick with one platform.

If you ask me, go Milwaukee. I was a Makita fan (and big time consumer) since the 7.2v stick days at the end of the 80’s up until the newer batteries with a chip in them that essentially bricked them whenever one cell went bad. Heck, I was one of the few that got the first cordless impact drivers. Anyway, Makita wouldn’t take care of me so I promptly abandoned them and went with Milwaukee and never looked back.


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[RaiderNation85]

I really like the makita subcompact line, it's a nice idea to use one battery platform for sub compact and regular. I use the 2ah on my impact and it lasts ages, maybe not all day, but ages

But if you are already invested in m12, sell them. Only change battery platform if there's a really good reason, like a tool that isn't available in your current platform

Stick with one platform.

If you ask me, go Milwaukee. I was a Makita fan (and big time consumer) since the 7.2v stick days at the end of the 80’s up until the newer batteries with a chip in them that essentially bricked them whenever one cell went bad. Heck, I was one of the few that got the first cordless impact drivers. Anyway, Makita wouldn’t take care of me so I promptly abandoned them and went with Milwaukee and never looked back.


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Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

[American Locomotive]

Stick with one platform.

If you ask me, go Milwaukee. I was a Makita fan (and big time consumer) since the 7.2v stick days at the end of the 80’s up until the newer batteries with a chip in them that essentially bricked them whenever one cell went bad. Heck, I was one of the few that got the first cordless impact drivers. Anyway, Makita wouldn’t take care of me so I promptly abandoned them and went with Milwaukee and never looked back.

To be fair, many people forget that the M18 is Milwaukee's second attempt at 18v lithium tools. Milwaukee gave the big middle finger to the V18 owners. I agree that the early Makita 18v lithium batteries weren't the best, but at least they stuck with the platform. The chip was done more for safety than anything, as the early LXT batteries were unbalanced and trying to charge a lithium battery with a bum cell could result in a fire.

 

[DFB]

So I’m highly invested in the Milwaukee M12 and M18 lines, but this past weekend I won a prize in a raffle which happened to be the drill/ driver and impact driver kit in the makita sub compact 18v line. Has anyone used these tools before? Are they worth keeping or am I better off selling them? Thanks for any feedback

Spec wise the Makita 18V compacts are 350 in. lbs for the drill and 1,240 in. lbs. of max torque for the impact

Basically the same specs as the Gen 2 Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2403 and 2453 drill/driver and impact combo kit 2594-22 also pitched at 350/1200inlbs

If that's what you have in M12 now won't be really gaining anything over that


But if they had that all black instead of the white with the glow in the dark nose ring when I went first looking for a new smaller lithium tool who knows

If it was me I'd probably keep it

 

[RaiderNation85]

Spec wise the Makita 18V compacts are 350 in. lbs for the drill and 1,240 in. lbs. of max torque for the impact

Basically the same specs as the Gen 2 Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2403 and 2453 drill/driver and impact combo kit 2594-22 also pitched at 350/1200inlbs

If that's what you have in M12 now won't be really gaining anything over that


But if they had that all black instead of the white with the glow in the dark nose ring when I went first looking for a new smaller lithium tool who knows

If it was me I'd probably keep it

Yeah I have the M12 Gen 2 kit impact driver and hammer drill which works great, no complaints. I will say the black and silver is a nice color combination, the grips are nice in the hand too. If I keep it, would most likely be for home use or stuff like that.

 

[Aquamoose]

To be fair, many people forget that the M18 is Milwaukee's second attempt at 18v lithium tools. Milwaukee gave the big middle finger to the V18 owners. I agree that the early Makita 18v lithium batteries weren't the best, but at least they stuck with the platform. The chip was done more for safety than anything, as the early LXT batteries were unbalanced and trying to charge a lithium battery with a bum cell could result in a fire.

The explanation is moot from a consumer relations perspective at that particular point in time back then. I was basically told “tough luck” by Makita so that ended the loyalty.


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