The Milwaukee addiction thread! :)

[drokihazan]

An air hammer is a tool I just never learned to use. I've tried them out with no success, then again they weren't the best ones out there. I've always done the job other ways. People swear by them for bushing removal but I stick to a sawzall if I have to go that route to get a bushing out. Not sure I've ever use one honestly. What do you guys use your air hammers for? I'm much more excited to get my hands on the M18 jump pack than one of these.

All kinds of stuff. Stuff where I might normally use an actual hammer, too. Like, knocking off a stuck (getting junked) rotor? I don't even hit it with a hammer if it's stuck, I just grab the Thor. I rounded an E14 driveshaft bolt last year and just got out the air hammer and chiselled the head right off the bolt, no problem. Sometimes it's nice to just whack the top of a bolt with it to get it to shake loose some icky goop so you can actually turn it. It's just, idk, a hammer that I can use in confined spaces and hits really hard, often harder than if I was swinging a hammer. I'm a big fan.
I also used to work in alloy development and used an air hammer with a chisel all the time to break up brittle raw materials (like Manganese and Chromium) into smaller chunks so I could weigh them out and put them in the smelting furnace. That was more fun than just cutting down chunks of malleable metals with the bandsaw.

 

[mikey03]

Who makes the best set of air hammer end pieces or whatever the bits are called? Maybe I’ll look for Black Friday sales before this comes out and have some of the bits ready since honestly I’m saving up for and excited for this battery hammer!

 

[Rusty67]

For rivets, wouldn't an air hammer be more likely to mar the surface you are working on than using a twist drill on the head?

All kinds of stuff. Stuff where I might normally use an actual hammer, too. Like, knocking off a stuck (getting junked) rotor? I don't even hit it with a hammer if it's stuck, I just grab the Thor. I rounded an E14 driveshaft bolt last year and just got out the air hammer and chiselled the head right off the bolt, no problem. Sometimes it's nice to just whack the top of a bolt with it to get it to shake loose some icky goop so you can actually turn it. It's just, idk, a hammer that I can use in confined spaces and hits really hard, often harder than if I was swinging a hammer. I'm a big fan.
I also used to work in alloy development and used an air hammer with a chisel all the time to break up brittle raw materials (like Manganese and Chromium) into smaller chunks so I could weigh them out and put them in the smelting furnace. That was more fun than just cutting down chunks of malleable metals with the bandsaw.

Maybe I'm just using it wrong or something, I've never had success with them.

Who makes the best set of air hammer end pieces or whatever the bits are called? Maybe I’ll look for Black Friday sales before this comes out and have some of the bits ready since honestly I’m saving up for and excited for this battery hammer!

Not to be too skeptical but I'd wait to see what the TTC review looks like. It might be a wait for gen 2 purchase. Hopefully the gen 1 isn't a dud.

 

[mikey03]

Not to be too skeptical but I'd wait to see what the TTC review looks like. It might be a wait for gen 2 purchase. Hopefully the gen 1 isn't a dud.

yea honestly I’m not doing as much car work anymore so I can prob hold off for a gen 2

 

[LopezBart]

For rivets, wouldn't an air hammer be more likely to mar the surface you are working on than using a twist drill on the head?

An air hammer w/ a rivet setter allows one to upset rivets. To remove rivets, a center punch and drill works well....

 

[Rusty67]

I am dumb, upsetting means installing, not removing. This makes perfect sense now lol.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

What do you guys use your air hammers for?

No way I'd spend $600 on a battery model, but I use a pneumatic air hammer a fair bit. Driving out bearings or pins, working on rooftop exhaust fans, breaking up stuck/rusted hitches. At home I use one 2-3 times a month. At work, probably 2-3 times per week.

 

[Odd-job]

There are some pretty cool air hammer accessories out there. I use the chisels a lot. More control and works better in confined spaces where its hard to swing a hammer.

Mayhew bolt breakers work pretty well to break free stubborn bolts.

 

[Rusty67]

Welp, my the hose on my 0880 vac finally broke today, but much like Madisynn with 2 Ns and a Y, its not where you'd think. Instead of breaking right next to where it goes into the body of the vac which has been deformed FOREVER or breaking right at the connection to the nozzle, it broke about 1-2" away from the connection to the nozzle. I thought that was a bit weird. I would have expected it to break somewhere it gets a lot of stress, not somewhere it has full flex range of motion. Anyways, I was able to cut it with a pair of diacs but I couldn't unscrew it from the nozzle because there wasn't enough integrity in the hose lefty to hold together while unscrewing it. I had to tear the coil apart and then yank it out by wrapping it around some plyers. After I cut the end with the diacs, the nozzle threaded right back on. I was wondering why I lost suction all of the sudden and then saw the break in the hose when I turned the vac off. I always knew the hose was gonna fail but I was SURE it was going to be where it goes into the vac hood since its been deformed there for so long.

Anyways, moral of the story is, if you vac hose cracks on you, now you just have a shorter vac hose. Fortunately I didn't lose much length.

 

[mikeinri]

Got a FREEBIE: An older M18 Sawzall (non-Fuel) kit, 2621-22, with two XC3.0 batteries, a dual voltage charger and plastic case, complete with 8 or 9 blades (6 are unused). FREE, from work cleanout!

Date code on the Sawzall (2621-20) is 1847, which should be the 47th week of 2018. Batteries appear to be the originals.

The Sawzall is dirty, but was rarely used. Home Depot still sells them (bare tool is currently $150).

Not sure how good these are, but it fills a gap in my M18 tools (of course, I'd prefer a Fuel version, but it was FREE!).



Mike

 

[mikeinri]

Also, I bought a M18 Packout Jobsite Fan, 0818-20 over the weekend. Info and initial review here:

Not sure that this is a great deal, but I needed a portable fan, and have M18 batteries available, so I took a chance on the M18 Packout Jobsite Fan, 0818-20. $129 ("was $149") at HD and other places...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-PACKOUT-Jobsite-Fan-Tool-Only-0818-20/330548599?MERCH=REC-_-irgaccessories-_-327694903-_-1-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a

Ran it for 2 hours (at the speed setting shown in the pics) on a full 5.0 battery today, still had 4 LEDs showing when done.

We used this at a youth baseball game (in mid-80s temps, in full sun, but under a popup tent), did a decent job moving air. It's pretty bulky considering it only has a 7-inch fan blade diameter, and it would be better if it could be easily hung upside down.

I'm hoping to be able to use it in the RV at night as well (hoping it's quiet enough). It has a 120-volt AC inlet, but I most often camp without connecting to utilities.

I took a peek at the larger M18 Fuel fan (0821-20), which at 18 inches is HUGE (for my purposes), and a bunch more money ($269). I might buy one with a 20% off (or better) deal.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-Brushless-Cordless-Hybrid-18-in-Variable-Speed-Fan-Tool-Only-0821-20/327694903

Mike

Mike

 

[Rusty67]

Nice score on the free sawzall. It will probably actually do just fine, I just wouldn't run it with the 3.0 batteries. Probably want a 5.0 or larger for runtime. I have a Ryobi version that I used to cut some bushing cups on a control arm and those 3.0 batteries barely made it through 1.5 bushings sleeves each.

 

[dsimatt]

Got a FREEBIE: An older M18 Sawzall (non-Fuel) kit, 2621-22, with two XC3.0 batteries, a dual voltage charger and plastic case, complete with 8 or 9 blades (6 are unused). FREE, from work cleanout!

Date code on the Sawzall (2621-20) is 1847, which should be the 47th week of 2018. Batteries appear to be the originals.

The Sawzall is dirty, but was rarely used. Home Depot still sells them (bare tool is currently $150).

Not sure how good these are, but it fills a gap in my M18 tools (of course, I'd prefer a Fuel version, but it was FREE!).



Mike

I was going to tell you I have that saw and that it handles everything I’ve asked of it, I looked and is the fuel version and was far from free. My experience using non fuel versions is they will work just fine.., I 2nd getting some bigger batteries thou.

 

[mikeinri]

Thanks guys. I do have several 5.0 and 6.0 batteries from prior M18 purchases. I also thought that the 3.0 was probably not the best choice for a tool like this.

Mike

 

[Odd-job]

This subcompact kit followed me home from Home Depot last night for $150. Not exactly an impulse buy as I was eyeing them for a while or so I tell myself.

My 4th M12 impact... To be honest these will have to figure out their use case in the fleet. Always nice to have extras? Too lazy to swap bits? One to keep in the globe box? A smaller form factor always seems to help although I tend not to conceal carry my drills and impacts

 

[darkzero]

This subcompact kit followed me home ... To be honest these will have to figure out their use case in the fleet.

I use mine daily at work for automotive related interior work. Been pretty happy with them. I wish the drill was faster though.

I got tired of the standard non-quick collet on the impact driver so I "fixed that".

 

[Odd-job]

I got tired of the standard non-quick collet

Thanks for reposting @darkzero . I remember your original post and thinking what's the big deal?!? After playing with the stubby impact a little, I can see it really be annoying. Switching bits requires two hands which isn't going to work well in a lot of situations. I tried to see if I can do it one handed, but simultaneously pulling up on the collet while pushing the bit in is unnecessarily challenging.

On another note does anyone know if Milwaukee have any collets available that work with the Japanese double ended bits? Like Makita does for the Japanese market? I get sad when I have to take a grinder to the Japanese bits.

 

[Odd-job]

any good alternatives for the Milwaukee 49-17-2765 M12™ Brushless Pruning Shears Holster? Seems hard to get the real thing.

Have been trying to use a janky nerf gun leg holster that is getting old. The wrist strap is pretty useless too.

Bonus points if it has a belt clip and can also be angled slightly for a right or even a left hander.

 

[darkzero]

Thanks for reposting @darkzero . I remember your original post and thinking what's the big deal?!? After playing with the stubby impact a little, I can see it really be annoying. Switching bits requires two hands which isn't going to work well in a lot of situations. I tried to see if I can do it one handed, but simultaneously pulling up on the collet while pushing the bit in is unnecessarily challenging.

On another note does anyone know if Milwaukee have any collets available that work with the Japanese double ended bits? Like Makita does for the Japanese market? I get sad when I have to take a grinder to the Japanese bits.

When I first got the Subcompact set I had no idea it didn't have a quick collet. I haven't had an impact driver with a standard collet in well over 10 yrs.

It didn't bother me much at first, for many months actually. But at work I use it so much I got tired of dropping bits & extensions from forgetting to actually locking them in properly. I guess I'm just so used to (and spoiled by) auto collets that I don't even think when putting a bit in, I just expect it to auto lock.

I have heard that some Milwaukees sold in Japan do have Japanese style collets but not all. And even if you were to find one, I have no idea if those replacement anvils can be easily sourced from Japan. Another solution would be to use a Japanese shank bit holder/extension but of course that would defeat the purpose of having a short impact driver.

EDIT: The P/N for the M12 Subcompact impact driver overseas is M12 BLIDRC-0. Japanese models usually have JP at the end of the p/n. I was able to to find M12 BLIDRC-0 JP online (or so it seems) but I couldn't find a service parts manual for it.

EDIT2: Well whadayaknow. I came across this video. There is indeed a Japanese model for the M12 Subcompact Impact Driver that has the Japanese style collet.

(Starts around 7:30. If you watch it on YT's website it will auto translate the audio to english)

 

[Odd-job]

I had no idea it didn't have a quick collet

I'm not sure what Milwaukee was thinking on this. I haven't dealt with non quick collets in years along with Nicad batteries. Some things should have died in the nineties IMHO.

There is indeed a Japanese model for the M12 Subcompact Impact Driver that has the Japanese style collet.

Thanks for finding this. In watching the video it looks like the Japanese also got the slow collet as well.

 

[mikey03]

I use mine daily at work for automotive related interior work. Been pretty happy with them. I wish the drill was faster though.

I got tired of the standard non-quick collet on the impact driver so I "fixed that".

The only impact drivers I ever owned are the last two gen fuel m12 ones I guess there full size? I didn’t know there was a sub compact impact driver? Only subcompact impact wrench.

i got no comparison so can you please tell me what other collets do different and pros and cons to consider if I switch?