Milwaukee quality gone downhill

[bluedog225]

I’m disappointed in Milwaukee lately. First, my hole hawg died. A year out of warranty. A piece of the main bearing housing broke off. Probably got 100 holes out of it. Ended up getting a Super Hawg. It’s pretty nice.

The Big Hawg hole saw with carbide teeth says “cuts 1000s of nails.” Nope.

Cut one shiny 10d nail and shattered two of the 3 carbide teeth. Chinesium. Dang it. Really slowing down the job.

I need a better quality go-to tool source.

 

[jonshonda]

Pretty sure when they say "thousands of nails", it's finger nails.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Milwaukee (TTI) is Chinese owned, if that matters in this case.

 

[bluedog225]

There Ukrainian nail.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I’m disappointed in Milwaukee lately. First, my hole hawg died. A year out of warranty. A piece of the main bearing housing broke off. Probably got 100 holes out of it. Ended up getting a Super Hawg. It’s pretty nice.

The Big Hawg hole saw with carbide teeth says “cuts 1000s of nails.” Nope.

Cut one shiny 10d nail and shattered two of the 3 carbide teeth. Chinesium. Dang it. Really slowing down the job.

I need a better quality go-to tool source.

We have to be careful in this area when buying MILWAUKEE badged tools. there are fake Milwaukee being offered on CL. I have often questioned how some curb-mart person can have so many Milwaukee tools for sale. Two things come to mind. 1) a large number of tools were stolen, 2) Someone is importing fake tools.
I nearly bought a 12 volt drill from a curber. I changed my mind when MILWAUKEE was missing the second "E". Fake items often have spelling mistakes and/or poor fitting parts.

 

[danski0224]

Milwaukee will address these claims in V2.7...

 

[tarbellb]

I have never had good luck with hole saws and nails, even carbide.

One thing I dont like about those carbide tipped saws is the low # of teeth,
just seems like the odds are against you.

 

[tarbellb]

We have to be careful in this area when buying MILWAUKEE badged tools. there are fake Milwaukee being offered on CL. I have often questioned how some curb-mart person can have so many Milwaukee tools for sale. Two things come to mind. 1) a large number of tools were stolen, 2) Someone is importing fake tools.
I nearly bought a 12 volt drill from a curber. I changed my mind when MILWAUKEE was missing the second "E". Fake items often have spelling mistakes and/or poor fitting parts.

Stolen yes, fakes I doubt

I would be highly interested in seeing a knock-off M12/18 drill, go grab some pics of this missing E drill !

 

[dnschmidt]

I have never believed is product expansion. I own A TON of Milwaukee power tools, since in my opinion that's what Milwaukee specializes in I don't buy Milwaukee wrenches, hole saws or hand tools as that isn't their primary business. If I buy cutting tools I buy Freud/Diablo since that's what Freud does.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Stolen yes, fakes I doubt

I would be highly interested in seeing a knock-off M12/18 drill, go grab some pics of this missing E drill !

I wrote, "I nearly bought a 12 volt drill from a curber." With this in mind I will not be able to post a picture.
Twenty years ago, my wife bought a BREITLING wrist watch for me. It was our 25 anniversary. The stem came loose and needed repairing. I took the watch to the local Breitling dealer for attention. They called me to say the watch was repairable, but it was a not a real Breitling, a single digit was missing in an engraving. I was told the components for this watch were not made in the same country that assembles the watch under normal circumstances. Their best guess is that there was some "parts skimming" and back room watch making in another country.
I got the watch repaired and then gave it away. I think this watch was not subject to the fine tuning it might have had with the original maker, in Switzerland,. The time keeping was not correct many times. The self winding mechanism intermittently failed to wind.
I had to take this watch off while I was riding my motorcycle because the weight of the watch was wearing into my wrist.
All this to illustrate that the possibility is there for fake products. Did I lose money on this situation? Yes.Did we learn anything? Yes! Always buy from an original dealer, be it a tool or an expensive watch.

 

[f121]

Stolen yes, fakes I doubt

I would be highly interested in seeing a knock-off M12/18 drill, go grab some pics of this missing E drill !

Google fake milwauke, there's youtube videos showing what they're like. Not seen any fake m12, but there's fake m18 drills, impact drivers and impact wrenches.

Also fake makita and dewalt, you can usually spot the fakes because they look the same as the other fakes, but in a different colour

 

[tarbellb]

Im familiar with Breitling, fan of Tag Heuer myself.

Fake luxury items, yup, well documented. A generic drill with a Milwaukee or any other makers name slapped on, sure.

But a honest fake of a $150 drill, havent seen it (yet).

 

[vanapplebomb]

In my opinion, Milwaukee has for some time now been trading quality power tools for new trendy tools. They are coming out with lots of new neat tools, but are failing to execute, even on simple things like a 1/2” gamer drill? Lots of handy tools, but I have been disappointed with the quality.

 

[jabberwoki]

Thats what you get when you outsource your build to china , **** in return and another great name down the crapper.

 

[boom_bap]

Thats what you get when you outsource your build to china , **** in return and another great name down the crapper.

Really? That seems a bit soon.. I mean this dude is using carbide through who knows what kind of hardened steel. Its like using a mild steel chop saw blade on stainless. It isn't going to last long but it will cut well at first, and we know carbide will chip if you use it on the wrong material.

I don't disagree with disappointment in USA products being shipped to China and then stolen. I mean look at harbor freight, that is their business model. Steal and resell for less..

Calling Miluwakee powertools garbage is a bit over the top. There are really quality impacts and drills from Milwaukee (minus their drill chuck). There is a reason that everyone goes to Miluwaukee, Dewalt, and Makita, and last I checked Milwaukee has the best warranty by far. Don't be fooled by Made In Usa from Dewalt either. Made from Chinese components like every other company.

Drive me nuts when everyone ******* and moans about this. Honestly until we stop allowing products into our country that are made with labor laws that are illegal in our own, this is the world we live in so get used to it.

 

[Maui]

It takes years to develop a reputation for manufacturing good quality products. It takes relatively little time to destroy that reputation.

 

[jonshonda]

You guys are so dramatic sometimes, like beyond reasonable levels thought acceptable by high school girls.

A guy broke a few things. In the time it took my to type this, Milwaukee likely sold $30k worth of tools. If there was a major issue, you know damn sure we would all be hearing about it.

 

[Shiftless]

Whenever possible, buy old Milwaukee corded tools at estate sales for ridiculously cheap prices.
I got a 3/8 corded drill motor for $5. It probably only drilled a few holes ever.

I love my M12 gear, but for some tasks in some places, corded has many advantages.

 

[visionguru]

You guys are so dramatic sometimes, like beyond reasonable levels thought acceptable by high school girls.

LOL. The logic flaw is glaring.

When I opened the thread, I was expecting something like: He used a certain tool for years with no issues, then a new replacement broke down quickly. Not at all the case. By the same "high school girls'" logic, one can also say: Snap On quality gone downhill because I just broke a screw driver bit.

 

[Handyandy23]

I like Milwaukee's power tools, and I also like their driver/impact bits they sell at Home Depot. But I also find they (as well as DeWalt) have been slapping their name on a lot of non-core tools and products to try and capitalize on the brand popularity, and most of it seems like pretty generic Made in China stuff.

If you walk down the tool aisle at HD there's tons of red and yellow in every section - drill bits, pliers, chisels, sockets, whatever. And they aren't exactly "value priced" either.

If I'm buying something I try to aim for a company that specializes in that particular product. Why would I pay the same price for PRC-made "Milwaukee" pliers when I can get Channellock instead? Or like someone else pointed out with Freud bits / blades / etc.

I've had good luck with the Spyder carbide hole saws they sell at Lowe's, and I think they are similar price or cheaper to the Milwaukee branded stuff at HD. Not sure on COO, but that's a company that specializes in this type of product, so if they aren't putting out a quality product then they have nothing else to fall back on.

 

[Robinson1]

I like Milwaukee's power tools, and I also like their driver/impact bits they sell at Home Depot. But I also find they (as well as DeWalt) have been slapping their name on a lot of non-core tools and products to try and capitalize on the brand popularity, and most of it seems like pretty generic Made in China stuff.

If you walk down the tool aisle at HD there's tons of red and yellow in every section - drill bits, pliers, chisels, sockets, whatever. And they aren't exactly "value priced" either.

If I'm buying something I try to aim for a company that specializes in that particular product. Why would I pay the same price for PRC-made "Milwaukee" pliers when I can get Channellock instead? Or like someone else pointed out with Freud bits / blades / etc.

I've had good luck with the Spyder carbide hole saws they sell at Lowe's, and I think they are similar price or cheaper to the Milwaukee branded stuff at HD. Not sure on COO, but that's a company that specializes in this type of product, so if they aren't putting out a quality product then they have nothing else to fall back on.

Whats annoys me is the Chinese Milwaukee pliers are $2 or $3 higher than the USA Channellock they are hanging next too. Makes zero sense. Local supply house claims they sell 3x as many milwaukee handtools than they do Channellock.

I'll give Milwaukee a pass on bits and blades. Every major power tool manufacturer has offered bits and blades for a long time. Bits and blades are consumables. However in the OPs case Id take that hole saw back and demand a refund. Thats ridiculous.

Will also say every Milwaukee hole saw I've ever bought went dull very quickly. Which ***** because thats the only brand I can get locally and when I need a holesaw I need it today.

Years ago when I started my construction business I bought a pair of corded 4.5" Milwaukee grinders and an 18v Milwaukee hammer drill. One grinder was fitted with a diamond blade and put on tile duty and the other I used for random metal grinding/cutting tasks. The tile grinder died in under a year. The other grinder made it maybe 3 and I dont grind much metal. The charger for the drill failed around the 2 year mark. That left me with a sour opinion of Milwaukee.

Today I have power tools from every major manufacturer. The brands worth mentioning in my opinion are Makita and German Metabo. I use alot of Dewalt just because it makes zero sense to carry multiple battery platforms on a truck.

Bottom line is no one made anything thats 100% perfect

 

[mslim]

Interesting thread. I don't have any Milwaukee tools but customer service is important to me in choosing brands. I bought this sturdy looking tool bag to keep a loose assortment of 3/8 & 1/4" sockets together. The stitching on the seam failed and allowed all the sockets to drop out. I was curious to see how Milwaukee would handle this. I sent an email to their customer service address and included a picture of the failure. That was over two months ago. Zilch. Nothing. Not impressed.

 

[AJHD]

Damn near everything is dropping in quality and has been for decades. For a myriad of different reasons. One of them is cost/profit and on the same note because we literally live in a disposable society. Our fathers or grandfathers generation used to fix things, now we throw them away and buy a new one. Cars and trucks are no different. Tools and vehicles used to be designed, engineered and manufactured to last not just your lifetime but could also be passed on to your heir(s). While technology has improved, modern products of every shape, size and material are designed, engineered and manufactured to serve cost/profit and sales. They literally need it to fail so you buy a replacement or buy the newest model. Why do you think lifetime warranties are dead and if they still exist, are filled with fine print and loopholes?

But it's also how you look at it and your own personal experience. Everyone has something to complain about. Welcome to life and the internet. Don't forget the endless Snap On threads about their quality "going downhill" too...

Anyway... I like and own Milwaukee power tools and fully expect them to be made in China. Virtually anything electronic/electric is made there. Maybe Taiwan, Japan or Korea if you're lucky. But I digress. I'm not a fan of most other Milwaukee tools. They already charge more than most other companies for most of their products. As Robinson1 said above, I'm not buying something made in China when I can buy made in USA for the same price or $1 more. I don't care about "manufactured to Milwaukee specifications", if I see China I look for an alternative. But sometimes you also buy what you can get at the time.


@ mslim; Last time I contacted Milwaukee it took them a good amount of time to get back to me and equally as much time to send out a replacement. But eventually I did get it.

 

[dnschmidt]

If you can find better customer service than Milwaukee then you must be buying Hilti and I know most of the people here are far too cheap to do that. Milwaukee's customer service is the best BY FAR of any of the power tool manufacturers except Hilti. I have dealt with them extensively just call 1-800-SAWDUST talk to their people, explain your problem, and they send you a label to mail warrantee claims back to them. This endless whining is ridiculous as every power tool maker has their **** built in China. Many of Metabo's grinders are built in China. ****, all Apple products are built in China. JUST STOP WILL YOU! The war is over and corporate greed, which by the way is undefeated, won again. Unless you want to pay twice as much for made in America Milwaukee, and you know damn well that you don’t, STOP YOUR BITCHING.

 

[Lassen Forge]

It's not "China" that's the problem, it's she oversight of their manufacturing processes over there, and the ability to skim off the top and sell you lesser quality. Apple is a good example - they build in China but have excellent oversight of their manufacturing arm over there. OTOH, when we (my former employer) sourced steel beams for a bridge, they let the Chinese do their own oversight, and the sent us unusable ****. We ended up having to hire inspector engineers who were fluent in whatever dialect the factory spoke and sent them there for a year to watch them while they re-fabricated the parts we caught. The ones we didn't - and kept - all failed in one way or the other.

And BTW - they attempted more than once to "buy" our inspectors - cars, nice apartments, cashola, etc. - if they would just let them produce the parts their way... and turn the blind eye.

Chinese manufacturing is only as good as (1) what you pay for to have them do, and (2) what you watch hem producing so they can't give you what we eventually called the "Chinese Surprise". Unfortunately, the factories here in the US that produced GOOD goods are all shut down, stripped out, and either converted to luxury loft condos or left to rot and ruin... because it's cheaper to manufacture in China.

 

[danski0224]

I bought a Milwaukee carbide hole saw for a project, but that part of it fell through, and I haven't used it yet.

I have used Lenox carbide tipped hole saws, and they work awesome. They go through nails pretty easily and I've never broken any teeth or the saw.

The Milwaukee one is a little deeper and claims that the plug is easier to remove, so I wanted to try it.

 

[speed bump]

I have noticed we are going through Milwaukee impacts and drills faster at work, shoot we are starting to have grinder failures to. Not sure if it's just our tools are getting older or they **** more. Pretty sure we have warrantied every drill twice in the last 2 years though.

 

[bluedog225]

One spitty 10d nail. Boom. No excuse for that.

Home Depot is going to keep eating them. Lot’s more holes to drill. But not 1000.