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Milwaukee Power Tools Deal Permathread

Earp69

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Sep 20, 2016
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859
I’m needing some bigger batteries for my 3/8” stubby impact and saw these on eBay. Anyone have any experience with these batteries? Should I just get some actual Milwaukee batteries?

IMG_0659.jpg


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I ordered two, one lasted a day one lasted a month. No luck on warranty either

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BroncoAZ

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Jun 23, 2018
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MA
I’m needing some bigger batteries for my 3/8” stubby impact and saw these on eBay. Anyone have any experience with these batteries? Should I just get some actual Milwaukee batteries?

IMG_0659.jpg


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Third party batteries are junk.
 

hartlogan

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Jun 26, 2017
Messages
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Thanks for the info, I’ll just pick some up at Home Depot the next time I’m there.


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I’ve had pretty good luck with a M18 and a M12 I picked up from an eBay seller firstpower.direct. I haven’t tested them to see if they are actually at capacity or not, but they seem to last roughly as long as my OEM ones of the same stated capacities. I bought them knowing they might **** out, but really just needed one more of each to fill a hole in my charging rotation so I gave them a shot. They’ve been working fine for me for a year now.


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danny_barkley

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FL
I’ve had pretty good luck with a M18 and a M12 I picked up from an eBay seller firstpower.direct. I haven’t tested them to see if they are actually at capacity or not, but they seem to last roughly as long as my OEM ones of the same stated capacities. I bought them knowing they might **** out, but really just needed one more of each to fill a hole in my charging rotation so I gave them a shot. They’ve been working fine for me for a year now.


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Keep the fire dept on speed dial, I'm sure you'll be ok...
 

hartlogan

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Messages
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Keep the fire dept on speed dial, I'm sure you'll be ok...


Right, because Milwaukee batteries has some special proprietary tech which makes them the only safe ones...

I’m by no means a huge proponent of them, but I do get a pretty good kick out of the the “sky is falling, you’ll burn your house down” crowd. I would love to be a fly on the wall of most folks garage and watch all their unsafe practices.


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Last edited:

muibubbles

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Apr 24, 2009
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685
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nj
are those battery deals "good" or great? Is this the lowest the batterys go for? I need more m12 batteries but I can hold out longer if there are better deals for them...
 

darkzero

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Oct 20, 2011
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SoCal
Don't know if they go for lower (from an authorized dealer) but it's the lowest I've seen. At HD the M12 6.0 by itself is $119. The M12 3.0 compact is $69. So $99 for both of them is a great enough deal to catch my eye & I'm cheap when it comes to buying batteries. I only buy MW batteries through deals/sales or on ebay.

I've been looking on ebay & haven't seen it lower for Buy It Now, just auction. I actually went today to a local HD to buy em that said they had 4 in stock. Of course they didn't have any at all. I could order from HD online for the same price but maybe it's a sign that I shouldn't be buying anymore batteries right now (as mentioned before I don't really need em right now).
 

Tbird22

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May 25, 2014
Messages
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are those battery deals "good" or great? Is this the lowest the batterys go for? I need more m12 batteries but I can hold out longer if there are better deals for them...



I think they are great deals. The general rule is that if you’re paying around 10 bucks per amp, it’s a good deal. Plus the 3.0 compact rarely goes on sale and eBay doesn’t have such a selection of them. During November/Black Friday the past 2 years they’ve have a sale for (2) 2.0 and (2) 4.0 for around 130. Depends on your application if you want less batts with higher output or more batts with less output. Personally, I love the 6.0 over the 4.0 bc it’s the same size and weighs about the same


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9eight7

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Feb 10, 2021
Messages
92
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CA
Are there any deals on dual chargers for M18 and M12? I was just gifted an M18 tool + battery but don't have a charger for it. If I could combo it with an M12 I can put the rest of my M12 chargers in storage.
 

hartlogan

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Messages
35
Are there any deals on dual chargers for M18 and M12? I was just gifted an M18 tool + battery but don't have a charger for it. If I could combo it with an M12 I can put the rest of my M12 chargers in storage.


I usually see quite a few on Facebook marketplace and craigslist around here after folks buy them as part of bundles and don’t need them.


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darkzero

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Oct 20, 2011
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SoCal
Are there any deals on dual chargers for M18 and M12? I was just gifted an M18 tool + battery but don't have a charger for it. If I could combo it with an M12 I can put the rest of my M12 chargers in storage.

Check your local CL or Offer Up. Around here so many people sell em for cheap. Ebay too. Even the M12 only charger, so many people selling em I couldn't even sell mine for $20.

But if you're gonna buy one new retail might as well get the Rapid Charger. I got mine for $45 shipped on ebay.
 

Earp69

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Sep 20, 2016
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859
Do you guys think the rapid charger is harder on the batteries long term life?

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darkzero

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In theory yes, I've fast charged li-ions for years and can't say I've noticed any of my individual cells (not tool batteries) degrade much faster than the others.

If you have mostly small capacity batteries may not be worth it. I only own two 2.0 M12 batteries that I charge with the regular charger, the rest of my M18 & M12 batteries are larger capacity. And for my MW stuff I have so many batteries that I don't need to charge em often.
 

danny_barkley

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May 17, 2013
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FL
Right, because Milwaukee batteries has some special proprietary tech which makes them the only safe ones...

I’m by no means a huge proponent of them, but I do get a pretty good kick out of the the “sky is falling, you’ll burn your house down” crowd. I would love to be a fly on the wall of most folks garage and watch all their unsafe practices.


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It is a fact that poorly constructed Lithium batteries vent and catch things on fire. I do have some "Trust" that Milwaukee uses "good" batteries. I know where to go to sue them when my house burns down or I need to "merely" redo a room in my house that was ruined by cheap batteries.

I have a few/lot of Lithium flashlights. I don't buy junk batteries for them. It's painful pricewise, but it's not worth the extra worry to me from junk batteries. I still have caution around any Lithium, especially when strapped to my head in a Zebralight.

Some people intentionally run with scissors, some don't...

Having trust doesn't ALWAYS work. I was the proud owner of a Samsung Note 7 -- Fireball Edition.
 

hartlogan

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Messages
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It is a fact that poorly constructed Lithium batteries vent and catch things on fire. I do have some "Trust" that Milwaukee uses "good" batteries. I know where to go to sue them when my house burns down or I need to "merely" redo a room in my house that was ruined by cheap batteries.

I have a few/lot of Lithium flashlights. I don't buy junk batteries for them. It's painful pricewise, but it's not worth the extra worry to me from junk batteries. I still have caution around any Lithium, especially when strapped to my head in a Zebralight.

Some people intentionally run with scissors, some don't...

Having trust doesn't ALWAYS work. I was the proud owner of a Samsung Note 7 -- Fireball Edition.


Are you leaving portable tools running or connected to batteries when you’re not there? I have quite a bit of faith in myself to handle the situation if I’m using a tool and it starts to smoke or light on fire in my hand. That said, everyone definitely approaches risk and the avoidance/mitigation of it differently.

Regardless, I’ve yet to hear a report or see an article about someone’s Chinese power tool battery knockoff lighting anything on fire. Please share if you have seen an anecdote.


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baoser

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Jun 3, 2016
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25
Right, because Milwaukee batteries has some special proprietary tech which makes them the only safe ones...

I’m by no means a huge proponent of them, but I do get a pretty good kick out of the the “sky is falling, you’ll burn your house down” crowd. I would love to be a fly on the wall of most folks garage and watch all their unsafe practices.


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But they do?
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Innovations/RedLithium
https://www.protoolreviews.com/milwaukee-redlithium-battery-technology/

I also get better performance out of my higher Ah batteries. So are you sacrificing some performance with these 3rd party batteries as well? Why buy nice tools and cripple them with cheap batteries?
 

hartlogan

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Messages
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But they do?
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Innovations/RedLithium
https://www.protoolreviews.com/milwaukee-redlithium-battery-technology/

I also get better performance out of my higher Ah batteries. So are you sacrificing some performance with these 3rd party batteries as well? Why buy nice tools and cripple them with cheap batteries?


I’m sure you do get better performance, I have no doubt the branded batteries use higher quality cells than most of the knockoffs. But if I’m using a small m12 tool, I don’t really give a squat if I’m loosing 15 or even 25% performance. I have plenty of Milwaukee branded batteries and use them most of the time. And I have M18 tools for when I need more power. The knockoffs are to fill gaps while the others charge or in a pinch when I go through a bunch a batteries in the same day where I don’t have power. Doesn’t make sense to buy more branded batteries for those intermittent occasions.

Everything is a compromise. Do you always buy the absolute nicest tool for the job even if it’s not needed and won’t be used often? Do folks normally put only premium fuel in their cars even when not necessary and it’s double the price? I’m sure some do, but I don’t. Too each their own, I’m not trying to convince anyone to change their ways or take away their branded batteries.


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purplezr2

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Jun 1, 2010
Messages
5,291
Location
Central MN
The M12 batteries are dumb batteries with no chip in them(Have harvested good cells from bad batteries to makes good batteries from the remaining cells).

The M18 batteries have a chip in them that I assume is used for battery protection. I wonder how good the knock off board/chip of the knock off batteries is.
 

danny_barkley

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May 17, 2013
Messages
800
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FL
Are you leaving portable tools running or connected to batteries when you’re not there? I have quite a bit of faith in myself to handle the situation if I’m using a tool and it starts to smoke or light on fire in my hand. That said, everyone definitely approaches risk and the avoidance/mitigation of it differently.

Regardless, I’ve yet to hear a report or see an article about someone’s Chinese power tool battery knockoff lighting anything on fire. Please share if you have seen an anecdote.


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Powertools use the same batteries as flashlights. Candlepowerforums is the place to go if you want to see what comes from using cheap batteries, cheap chargers, and counterfeit batteries. There's that YouTube thing to...

The batteries can vent from overcharging, overdischarging, too rapid a discharge rate, and just spontaneously from being at a low charge state from sitting too long without a charge.

I'm not sure I'm getting you here? Are you saying there haven't been cars, Phones, Laptops, Vapes, various board toys, Airliners catching fire, etc, all "exploding" from venting? You can spend all night on Youtube watching this phenomenon if you're a flat earther type.

The only way to mitigate the risk is to use the safest battery chemistry, use a quality charger, and use quality cells, and use them respectfully. To do those things costs $$$. No way around that. Everything else is Roulette.

There is one other way, don't use Lithium...

But since Lithium is at least as addictive as Cocaine, Heroin, and now the ubiquitous various analogs of Fentanyl, I don't see getting off the Li bandwagon as being in my future. However, I try to maintain a healthy respect for the destructive potential in that little cell that more often than not is attached to my forehead.

I will acknowledge that more damage is done by AA and AAA Alkaline Duracells every year than all the Li in the world... Friends only wish Duracell on their worst enemies.
 

baoser

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Jun 3, 2016
Messages
25
I’m sure you do get better performance, I have no doubt the branded batteries use higher quality cells than most of the knockoffs. But if I’m using a small m12 tool, I don’t really give a squat if I’m loosing 15 or even 25% performance. I have plenty of Milwaukee branded batteries and use them most of the time. And I have M18 tools for when I need more power. The knockoffs are to fill gaps while the others charge or in a pinch when I go through a bunch a batteries in the same day where I don’t have power. Doesn’t make sense to buy more branded batteries for those intermittent occasions.

Everything is a compromise. Do you always buy the absolute nicest tool for the job even if it’s not needed and won’t be used often? Do folks normally put only premium fuel in their cars even when not necessary and it’s double the price? I’m sure some do, but I don’t. Too each their own, I’m not trying to convince anyone to change their ways or take away their branded batteries.


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It's not only the cells though. It's active communication between the battery, tool and charger. So do you buy all Fuel tools and stick 3rd party batts in them lol?

There are also a bunch of reviews for the 3rd party batteries that either state dead on arrival, dead after a few charges and that they do not last as long. So it seems you are not really saving much in the long run...

I don't buy premium everything. I shop at HF for one offs/lesser used items. But those are usually standalone items. Pretty sure my hammer doesn't care what punch it is striking.

I'm not saying you shouldn't buy/use 3rd party batteries, my reply was directed at your comment about proprietary technology which the Milwaukee branded ones do have.
 

danny_barkley

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May 17, 2013
Messages
800
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FL
The M12 batteries are dumb batteries with no chip in them(Have harvested good cells from bad batteries to makes good batteries from the remaining cells).

The M18 batteries have a chip in them that I assume is used for battery protection. I wonder how good the knock off board/chip of the knock off batteries is.

Are you talking only about the protection on the board or the cells themselves. I always assumed that most well designed power tools now used unprotected cells and the protection was in the tool or the board in the battery.

I gotta say that the vape videos are kinda amusing when they go off...:pimpflash

Those guys are using the cheap Chinese batteries...
 

hartlogan

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Joined
Jun 26, 2017
Messages
35
It's not only the cells though. It's active communication between the battery, tool and charger. So do you buy all Fuel tools and stick 3rd party batts in them lol?

There are also a bunch of reviews for the 3rd party batteries that either state dead on arrival, dead after a few charges and that they do not last as long. So it seems you are not really saving much in the long run...

I don't buy premium everything. I shop at HF for one offs/lesser used items. But those are usually standalone items. Pretty sure my hammer doesn't care what punch it is striking.

I'm not saying you shouldn't buy/use 3rd party batteries, my reply was directed at your comment about proprietary technology which the Milwaukee branded ones do have.


My comment was related to the proprietary tech making them the only safe batteries. I really didn’t say squat about performance. I also said the batteries I’ve bought from that seller have all been good in terms of working at first and still working two years later. I’m not stating that all knockoff batteries are equal or good or will arrive working. Of course there’s a risk.

Are you stating that batteries without the active communication part harm the tool or shorten its life?


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hartlogan

Active member
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Jun 26, 2017
Messages
35
Powertools use the same batteries as flashlights. Candlepowerforums is the place to go if you want to see what comes from using cheap batteries, cheap chargers, and counterfeit batteries. There's that YouTube thing to...

The batteries can vent from overcharging, overdischarging, too rapid a discharge rate, and just spontaneously from being at a low charge state from sitting too long without a charge.

I'm not sure I'm getting you here? Are you saying there haven't been cars, Phones, Laptops, Vapes, various board toys, Airliners catching fire, etc, all "exploding" from venting? You can spend all night on Youtube watching this phenomenon if you're a flat earther type.

The only way to mitigate the risk is to use the safest battery chemistry, use a quality charger, and use quality cells, and use them respectfully. To do those things costs $$$. No way around that. Everything else is Roulette.

There is one other way, don't use Lithium...

But since Lithium is at least as addictive as Cocaine, Heroin, and now the ubiquitous various analogs of Fentanyl, I don't see getting off the Li bandwagon as being in my future. However, I try to maintain a healthy respect for the destructive potential in that little cell that more often than not is attached to my forehead.

I will acknowledge that more damage is done by AA and AAA Alkaline Duracells every year than all the Li in the world... Friends only wish Duracell on their worst enemies.


Sorry, it sounds like I’ve caused you to loose sleep at night...

I’m well aware of the risks and like you, I do things to mitigate that. I just approach it differently. I’m also well aware of candleforums and flashlight batteries, as well as the risks demonstrated there and all the testing of offbrand batteries that is done.

Can you share a video of a power tool exploding when in use from an off brand battery? Or, alternatively, another lithium battery exploding when not attached to anything. There’s a reason I don’t leave the batteries attached to the tool or charging when I’m not there. Do you ever leave your Milwaukee brand batteries attached to your tools when not in use? Do you ever leave your laptop running when you’re not in the same room?


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baoser

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Jun 3, 2016
Messages
25
My comment was related to the proprietary tech making them the only safe batteries. I really didn’t say squat about performance. I also said the batteries I’ve bought from that seller have all been good in terms of working at first and still working two years later. I’m not stating that all knockoff batteries are equal or good or will arrive working. Of course there’s a risk.

Are you stating that batteries without the active communication part harm the tool or shorten its life?


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Looks like I stand corrected on the M12 batts and they just have a thermistor. But that just convinces me more that I should stick to Milwaukee branded batteries as the battery itself does not offer any additional smarts/protection.

No, lack of active comms would harm/shorten the pack life and provide degraded tool performance.
 

Ralf11

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Feb 29, 2016
Messages
2,275
never heard of a power tool or a robot vacuum blowing up or burning up

but I have heard of a lot of laptops computers doing that

- so, what's the difference?
 

Rusty67

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Jul 28, 2007
Messages
1,294
Location
LA, CA
I hate to be that guy, but....

This is the "Milwaukee Power Tools Deal Permathread"

If you want to argue about the batteries, maybe take it to the Milwaukee Addiction thread?
 

9eight7

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Feb 10, 2021
Messages
92
Location
CA
I usually see quite a few on Facebook marketplace and craigslist around here after folks buy them as part of bundles and don’t need them.


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Check your local CL or Offer Up. Around here so many people sell em for cheap. Ebay too. Even the M12 only charger, so many people selling em I couldn't even sell mine for $20.

But if you're gonna buy one new retail might as well get the Rapid Charger. I got mine for $45 shipped on ebay.

Thanks for the tip! Not sure why I didn’t think of that.
 

Adderall

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Oct 26, 2019
Messages
52
Location
Illannoy
Do you guys think the rapid charger is harder on the batteries long term life?

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I don't have any scientific data, but I've been using the **** out of, and fast charging my 9.0Ah battery 8 months of the year for -3 years now and it still pumps hard with the leaf blower and string trimmer. This was before I would carve my purchase dates and initials into the batteries, though.

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pbon

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May 14, 2017
Messages
3,498
I am just a DIYer, but have had Milwaukee tools for 10 years and have at least 20 M18 and M12 tools. In those 10 years, I have had 1 battery fail, an M12. All the rest are still in service. For the tradesman whose tools see daily use, I would still expect a few years from batteries.
 

BBC71Nova

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Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Messages
255
Location
Birmingham, AL
FYI ToolNut has the M12 compressor bare tool for like $56. That seems like a good price. I find it very handy to have and much easier and quicker then firing up the bigger compressor, dragging hose out, etc.
 

webscrounger

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Jul 23, 2009
Messages
506
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Midwest
Today both Toolnut and CPO have it (2475-20) listed for $59.

FYI ToolNut has the M12 compressor bare tool for like $56. That seems like a good price. I find it very handy to have and much easier and quicker then firing up the bigger compressor, dragging hose out, etc.
 
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