I buy their hand tools but not at regular price. When its something I need/want and I can get a deal on it, I'll buy them. Their wire strippers are awesome and have served me better than any of the other strippers I'd had including a few different pair of Klien strippers. Not all their hand tools are the best thing ever though, I had a pair of MW diacs and I didn't really like the handle on them. They seem to cut well enough but I just didn't like the grip. My stance on the hand tools is find the ones you like the feel of and buy them when they are on sale.
The Milwaukee addiction thread! :)
- Thread starter JustinsGr8
- Start date
What model strippers would those be?
I've mostly avoided buying their hand tools as well. They have always interested me, but the inflated price was always a turn off, especially given USA or even Taiwan options.
I have a few Milwaukee razor knives, a dead blow hammer, few other random bits and pieces. Definitely not my go to hand tool brand.
The stripper I like is the 48-22-3079 This is one of the tools I actually prefer the comfort grip on. The cutting edge on these has worked great for me across all gauge of wire, the screw sheer function works extremely well/easily and the beefy needle nose plier tip can actually grip things unlike most strippers. Hell, I use the plier nose to change the cut off disks on my angle grinder if I'm not next to my spanner wrench and it works great for that. The wire cutting blade in the base of the jaws is rounded instead of straight, works great for cutting wire, not so great for cutting tabs off of receptacles, I use my Klien romex strippers for that instead.
The comfort grip isn't for everyone but I like it on this tool specifically. Like I said, I greatly dislike it on my diacs but for this wire stripper it fits my hand perfectly. Also I just love that this tool is chonky/beefy. All the other strippers I have just feel flimsy compared to this beast.
I will say that for smaller wires like I use when doing electronics stuff I don't use these at all and I go back to my traditional smaller gauge Kliens which I much prefer for that type of work. The beefiness really gets in the way when doing smaller stuff but for any high voltage stuff, I absolutely love these things. I'd love a romex stripper just like these but I haven't seen a pair yet, maybe I've haven't looked hard enough because my Kliens work just fine for that.
The comfort grip isn't for everyone but I like it on this tool specifically. Like I said, I greatly dislike it on my diacs but for this wire stripper it fits my hand perfectly. Also I just love that this tool is chonky/beefy. All the other strippers I have just feel flimsy compared to this beast.
I will say that for smaller wires like I use when doing electronics stuff I don't use these at all and I go back to my traditional smaller gauge Kliens which I much prefer for that type of work. The beefiness really gets in the way when doing smaller stuff but for any high voltage stuff, I absolutely love these things. I'd love a romex stripper just like these but I haven't seen a pair yet, maybe I've haven't looked hard enough because my Kliens work just fine for that.
I actually have one of those. Picked it up with a gift card I got for Christmas. Haven't used them.
I'm looking for something to use in conjunction with my Snap On cutter/stripper/crimper...
Snap-on Store
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
I think I started a Milwaukee DUD thread but here's one....
Have been looking to add a magnetic wall bracket for my M12 360 Laser.....I do have the 360 Bosch, a few PLS, one Leica Roto....
All the reviews on Homers suggest this bracket is more DUD than good, so I ended up ordering the Hilti bracket, which I've used previously and I know it works well
Have been looking to add a magnetic wall bracket for my M12 360 Laser.....I do have the 360 Bosch, a few PLS, one Leica Roto....
All the reviews on Homers suggest this bracket is more DUD than good, so I ended up ordering the Hilti bracket, which I've used previously and I know it works well
Not really about functions. Cut, crimp, strip is preferred with a good size range for all 3.
More about ergonomics, size, ease of use. I find they're all different.
The insider ratchet is really interesting to me. I've seen a few other manual ratchets like that come out over the years but nothing has stuck yet. I'm waiting to see if Milwaukee releases a gen 2 of that thing, I might get one. How do you like it so far?
Just got it Rusty. I’m replacing my serpentine belt tonight or tomorrow, along with a new tensioner, and and plan to use it. I have nothing else to compare too, I’ve always used manual or pneumatic. Very good friend of mine recommended it, he’s a professional Honda tech.
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
While Red makes up my entire line....I gotta say, my Bosch Green 360 Laser is what I prefer more than my Red Green 360.
While Red makes a brighter line, the line on the Bosch is thinner, which I prefer.
I need to hands on a Stabila and Leica now to see how it compares to the Bosch
While Red makes a brighter line, the line on the Bosch is thinner, which I prefer.
I need to hands on a Stabila and Leica now to see how it compares to the Bosch
shakenfake
Well-known member
Looking around for a new M12 battery for my underhood light. Love the light but holy **** it goes through my two 2.0s quick. Milwaukee kits this light with an XC 4.0 but I have seen that I can get two XC 3.0s for only $10 more. Should I just get the 3.0s? My head says yes but just want to confirm.
Beauregard
Well-known member
It depends on how many chargers you have. I can charge three M12s at a time. I have a 2.5 and two XC3.0 batteries that I use for my Milwaukee stick pump. The pump draws down a battery fairly quickly, but I can get through most any job with three batteries ready.
If you have the chargers, I'd get the 3.0s.
shakenfake
Well-known member
I have two M12 chargers right now
techieman33
Well-known member
At the moment I would get this kit that is on sale for the next 12 hours:
Milwaukee M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion High Output 5.0 Ah and 2.5 Ah Battery Packs and Charger Starter Kit 48-59-2452S - The Home Depot
Our M12 REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT Starter Kit delivers 25% more power and runs 25% cooler than our other M12 REDLITHIUM XC battery packs. The increase in power elevates the performance of the entire M12 system and drives the next breakthrough in M12 FUEL. The lithium-ion battery delivers fade-free...
www.homedepot.com
Or you can buy just the 5.0 for $65 after it's added to the cart. And they have free shipping over $99
Milwaukee 48-11-2450 M12™ REDLITHIUM™ HIGH OUTPUT™ XC5.0 Battery Pack
Milwaukee 48-11-2450 M12™ REDLITHIUM™ HIGH OUTPUT™ XC5.0 Battery Pack Our M12 REDLITHIUM™ HIGH OUTPUT™ XC5.0 Battery Pack delivers 25% more power and runs 25% cooler than our other M12 REDLITHIUM™ XC battery packs. The increase in power elevates the performance of the entire M12™ system and...
waysource.com
shakenfake
Well-known member
holy smokes what a deal.
I'll have to look out for that later. I'm not planning on purchasing until next month at the earliest, I'm tapped out right now.
I'll have to look out for that later. I'm not planning on purchasing until next month at the earliest, I'm tapped out right now.
Edit: n/m cancelled my order.
Damn that's pretty cheap for the 2.5 & 5.0 HO,I just bought one. I don't really need them but ah what the heck, I don't own any M12 HOs. $99 is the same price I paid back when for the CP3.0 CP & XC6.0 combo.
Damn that's pretty cheap for the 2.5 & 5.0 HO,
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Do they still offer the CP3.0/XC6.0 combos for $99? I haven't seen one in a while. I feel like these CP2.5/5.0 HO combos will be the new norm. They are said to perform better than the CP3.0 & XC6.0. And the XC6.0 seems to have a high failure rate, luckily mine haven't had issues yet (knock on wood).
In the spur of the moment while surfing reddit I bought the the CP2.5/XC5.0 HO combo. Then I came to my senses & cancelled the order.
oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
The 6.0 is a trash battery. Everyone on the internet says so. I have 10 M12 batteries of various models. I hardly use my M12 stuff because I'm a casual home gamer. Even with my casual use, I wound up having a problematic 6.0 battery.
The internet rumors are true. I was able to jump mine back to life though.
oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
It's been that price for months. I saw it and everyone on reddit was losing their minds and I bought two even though I dont need them. And the price hasn't gone down in months, it's been on "sale" and the other day someone here posted the link and it said SALE ENDS IN 24H and guess what, the timer ended and it's still on sale for $99
I have heard for M18 batteries that the rule of thumb is $10 per amp hour is a killer price, rarely gets that low. That would be $75 for these valuing the charger at $0 which I do because I already have a dozen M12 chargers.
Lol, posted on the internet so must be true. My M12 XC6.0s are still going strong, I use em. In my experience MW battey packs (other brands too) get imbalanced when they are left sitting for long periods time & closer to fully charged.
That's just the nature of lithium ion cells but it seems to happen to MW a lot. I've had it happen to a couple of my M18 5.0 packs but none of my others. Ever since I rebalanced them & put them pack into rotation at work they have been fine. And my other packs that I know I might not use in a while, I discharge them down to storage voltage, none of those have gave me issues either. I have M18 batteries as old as 2015.
There's your problem right there. Just cause you don't use em don't mean they will last longer. Any li-ion or li-po I know I won't use for a while I will manually discharge down to 3.7-3.8v per cell for storage. The worst thing you can do to a lithium recharge beside over discharging them is store them for long periods of time fully charged or close to fully charged.
That's why when you buy a new one, they will always come with low charge.
techieman33
Well-known member
I haven't had any problems with my 6.0s, the 3.0s on the other hand have had a lot of problems.
I have four M12 CP3.0s, mine have been trouble free. Every 2 months I rotate two of them at work (use 2 at work, then take home those 2 after 2 months & rotate out for the other 2). I use em in my high speed ratchet which I use daily. I also mainly/prefer to use M18 5.0s at work, I have 6 of them, I also rotate two every 2 months
oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
I'd really like to figure out how to modify one of my dozen m12 chargers that I dont use, and modify it so it will stop charging batteries once they get to around 50% which is about the optimal long-term storage charge level.
Yeah, that's not good for em. I use a discharger & periodically I'll monitor each bank when discharging before storing them. Otherwise just discharge them down to half capacity to be safer than fully charged. I don't like to store higher than 3.8v per cell.
I've been wanting to add a basic voltmeter/ammeter to one of my M18/M12 chargers. I saw an aftermarket charger that had it & gave me the idea. Won't be able to automatically stop charging at a specified voltage but at least I can keep an eye on it when I want to. But with my discharger I can do what I want.
Here's the one I was talking about.
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Char...48-59-1812/dp/B09XB24Y71?tag=atomicindus08-20
Well whaddahyaknow.... lol
https://www.instructables.com/Digital-Voltage-Meter-for-Milwaukee-Battery-Charge/
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Char...48-59-1812/dp/B09XB24Y71?tag=atomicindus08-20
Well whaddahyaknow.... lol
https://www.instructables.com/Digital-Voltage-Meter-for-Milwaukee-Battery-Charge/
As others have said, storing them at a high charge is bad for the batteries. Storing them empty is also bad.
Batteries like these want to live between 20% and 80%. If you can use them in that range, they'll last longer, and probably a lot longer.
I try not to charge my batteries and then store them, but I'm a crappy planner. A rapid charger helps, but quick-charging above 80% is (let's say it all together) bad for the batteries.
These days there are more controls on chargers and various strategies manufacturers can use to keep their warranty rate low and I'd guess Milwaukee does that as much as possible. A 5-year warranty on a friggin' battery gives them a lot of incentive.
So... I try to be smart about it, but with a 5-year warranty I only worry so much. They cover their ****, which covers most or all of mine.
Odd-job
Well-known member
You Milwaukee addicts need to use your tools more than just sitting around and fondling them. Its like complaining you have a spare tire and don't exercise 
Odd-job
Well-known member
and **** I am noticing my philosophy of having M12 batteries live on certain tools at full charge is starting to backfire if I don't use them enough. Seems like some batteries are on two bars after one burst with the impacts. This being said some are probably getting close to 10 years old.
I only store batteries in tools I use frequently. I try to rotate through all my batteries as I use them so the one I charge to 100% goes to the back of the line. Maybe I'll implement a 50% charge strategy for some that I use less often from now on.
I don't think any of the batteries have a 5 year warranty - the CP batteries have a 2 year warranty and the XC and HD batteries have a 3 year warranty.
oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
It's come to my attention that lithium batteries also like to be stored at lower temperatures. I usually polish my M12 batteries weekly and display them on the mantle above my fireplace. I may need to switch to a display location that is more temperature controlled.
My mistake. Similar truth for the 2 and 3 year.
I think I was confusing my 10ah Ego battery with Milwaukee - theirs are also 3 year except the 10ah (at least as-bought with my mower)
It's come to my attention that lithium batteries also like to be stored at lower temperatures. I usually polish my M12 batteries weekly and display them on the mantle above my fireplace. I may need to switch to a display location that is more temperature controlled.
HD has you covered! This would even fit nicely under a workbench...
You're welcome...
Mike