HILTI SL 10 22 Area Tower Light Review

Commercial job sites are benefitting from the cordless revolution. The hallways, corridors, and workspaces are no longer strewn with extension cords and dependent upon ‘temp power.’ The HILTI 22v Tower Light is a new entrant into the construction lighting field, joining Milwaukee, DEWALT, Ryobi, Makita, and others with tower lighting solutions.

The HILTI 22v Tower Light is part of the Hilti Nuron 22volt battery platform. We were anxious about how this light tower stacks up in the field.

Commercial builders work in spaces without permanent power lighting during the early production of finished spaces. This is because the permanent lighting depends on the trade rough-in and final inspections before those systems can operate. As a result, we know the right temporary lighting is essential to ensuring that we can work safely and effectively.

HILTI 22v Tower Light

The new HILTI 22v Tower Light configuration came with the following components

• The Area Light Tower SL 10-22 (#2374181)-
• Two (2) B22 255 Nuron Batteries (#2345534)
• Charger C 6-22 115v (#2260054)

HILTI 22v Tower Light – Specifications and Features

HILTI SL 10 22 Area Light Tower

5/5

Manufacturer: HILTI
Model number: SL 10 22 Area Light Tower
Power source: 22v battery or 120v ac
Weight: 20.8 Lb

For readers curious about its IP55 rating, the HILTI 22v Tower Light is dust-protected at a level that some dust might penetrate the equipment but will not interfere with the safe operation of the light. For liquid, the Area Tower Light can be sprayed with a ¼” water nozzle against the enclosure at any angle and will not have any harmful operational effects.

A Unique Light Design

The HILTI 22v Tower Light has a unique design for the lighting head. Many other light towers have LED panels that need to be aimed or a large reflector head that casts light in one direction. The HILTI L22 has a configuration containing 16 vertical LED strips along the circumference of the head. Each of these strips has 11 LEDs. In addition, the top of the light head has an additional pattern of LEDs. That way, the tower casts a true 360 degrees of uninterrupted light.

We took the SL10-22 to our commercial job site to see how well the Tower Light performed. The results were very impressive. The light pattern inside of the interior dark rooms was bright and seamless. In particular, the drywall trades were interested in the Tower Light for their taping and finishing. The light, when adjusted to its highest position, is out of the workers’ eyes, and one cannot tell any difference in intensity when looking at the pattern on the inside of a space with white walls. That type of space would be the place that would show any such lighting patterns.

In addition to the unique light head design, HILTI can shut off half of the light head pattern to only shine for 180 degrees of the perimeter. This allows for more controlled light patterns and doubles the battery life.

Adjustability

The HILTI SL22 light head is attached to a telescoping aluminum shaft controlled by two cam levers that allow you to choose your operating height. The cam levers are easy to use and provide fast and efficient height adjustment.

Another unique feature of the HILTI SL 22 is the extension height of the head above the floor. The full extension of the head is 6 feet 10 inches above the floor. This way, the light pattern is above most users’ eye level, allowing the light tower to be outside the focal point. That is a great feature when the user’s eyes are not overwhelmed by the light.

Light Output and Run-time

The light tower has three light output modes [low-medium-high] that put out 6,500 lumens at the highest setting.  When paired with the HILTI B 22-255 Li-ion battery, I experienced a  run-time of:

• High Setting – 5.5 hours, illuminating both halves of the fixture.
• Medium Setting – 8.5 hours illuminating both halves of the fixture.
• Low Setting – 11 hours illuminating both halves of the fixture.

We liked the ability to go through an entire 8-hour shift using one B 22-255 battery when using one-half of the fixture. With the entire fixture illuminated, the user will need at least one change of batteries during a shift. While we only used this light with the illumination on high and were pleased with the light output, we’d prefer an 8-hour run-time to avoid changing batteries mid-workday.

Corded or Cordless? – It’s your choice

The HILTI SL10-22 Light Tower can operate on either the DC batteries or by hooking up a 120v AC cord. The AC connector is behind a black service door at the unit’s base. While running on AC power, the Light Tower does not charge the battery. That is a feature we have seen on other manufacturers’ tower lights, and it would certainly be a great future feature for the SL 10-22.

Storage and Set-Up and Adjustability

We found that you can set the light up in seconds. You can extend the multi-directional light-head from 40” to 82”.  The unit weighs 20.8 lbs. It is not terribly heavy but takes up a 46” height x 11” width x 11” depth of storage space in the back of your pickup bed or trailer.

The SL 10-22 comes with a convenient carrying strap, and it is well-balanced to carry around.

HILTI SL 10-22 Price and Value

When you compare the HILTI Light Tower to other job site lighting solutions, it’s expensive, but I always consider tool purchases an investment.

We used to use Halogen lights for construction. I don’t even compare this ED Light Tower to an old-style Halogen light. Halogen work lights are outdated, they are cheaply made, and they don’t last; they run extremely hot, creating a fire hazard, and the bulbs break easily and are expensive to replace.

Today, there are a lot of cheap LED tripod options that typically sell on Amazon that cost $100  – $200 and put out 1000-2000 Lumens. I’ve used these lights, they need electric power to operate, and the first thing to break is the tripod stand and adjustment knobs. Within a year or two, one or both LEDs dim or stop working, indicating cheaper quality LEDs. High-quality LED temporary construction lighting solutions are supposed to be durable and last years and years.

The HILTI Light Tower costs 5 times or more than the cheap lights. But I put the comparison in the category of “you get what you pay for.” In the image, above, the temporary light in the corridor is a permanent light fixture that needs to be relocated and wired into a junction box every time you need the light repositioned. That is one very expensive way to provide light. But this is a common current practice. It costs nothing to relocate the HILTI Tower Light.

You get superior quality, significantly improved portability with the cordless options, better constructed LED diodes, a more durable, stable tripod platform, corded and cordless power options, and fast stow-able portability. Given reasonable care, this HILTI Light Tower should easily last you 8-10 years. When you amortize its cost over ten years, that’s a $120 per year investment.

The HILTI SL 10-22 Light/ Tower sells the way you buy it with an ala carte pricing structure. In my case, I got my system with the following components.”

• SL 10-22 Light Tower                       $ 548.00

• B 22 255 Batteries (2)                       $ 255.00 (ea.)
• C 6-22 115v Charger                          $ 128.00

Conclusion

We now look differently at LED job site lighting. What was once a luxury is now a necessity. LED lighting is a new industry standard for a good reason. It offers increased portability, functionality, and overall performance. And who doesn’t want improved job site safety while increasing overall efficiency and quality from vastly improved visibility.

HILTI 22v Tower Light Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack

Perfect Designs are hard to come by

Have you ever had a tool that fits your way of doing work so perfectly that you think the designer must have read your mind when creating it?

I can think of only a few tools that fit that bill.

And the most recent one is the Milwaukee 48-22-8205 travel backpack.

Introduction

I am a road warrior in my job as a Construction Project Executive. The job requires me to travel between multiple job sites and offices. That is where the Milwaukee 48-22-8205 travel backpack is my constant companion. My daily tools are mostly hi-tech but occasionally include hand tools and samples I need. This backpack is an essential part of my everyday work life.

Before getting the Milwaukee 48-22-8205 travel backpack, I spent several hundred dollars on a TUMI backpack. It lasted well over a decade of hard use. After a hard life of use and abuse, I finally wore holes in it, and the zippers were a pain to close due to missing zipper pulls. I also had missing and misaligned teeth, meaning some compartments were open. Even though it seemed like I was getting rid of my favorite old sweater, it was time to look at something different. And, yes, the price of getting the TUMI repaired/restored was more than the original price.

While I liked the TUMI bag for its high quality, I always felt like it was made for someone else with different needs than I. It is designed with a few oversized compartments and some undersized compartments. None were quite right for my gear. This made organizing things difficult as the things I wanted to go together were too large for a particular pocket and space. But I faithfully used and carried that backpack to job sites and on trips. It was my constant companion for ten years. TUMI made a very high-quality product that lasted me a long time.

That doesn’t mean the TUMI bag met my needs well.

Milwaukee 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack

I knew Milwaukee made several tool and job site backpacks. I knew the designers made them carry hand tools and other items efficiently. Those backpacks carry many hand tools and other things, but I need something else.

I oversee the design and construction of large-scale commercial offices, labs, and residential structures. I move between company offices, client offices, architects’ offices, and job sites. My daily tools are more like those of a high-tech road warrior. My everyday toolkit is a laptop computer, an iPad, a Rocket Notebook, a slew of accessories like portable scanners, laser measurers, a Walbot and power supplies, thumb drives, backup batteries with USB,  a cellular modem, backup hard drives, a gaggle of cables and adapters, coffee thermoses, files, and an occasional assortment of hand tools.

These are the contents that I haul around daily. I also need this assortment and more when traveling away from home.

When I first saw an advertisement for the new Milwaukee 48-22-8205 backpack, I was surprised to know that it was branded as a ‘travel backpack.’ I needed a new one, and I thought this one might be a good candidate for me.

Its feature list caught my eye as a good fit:

FEATURES

• 23 Total Pockets
• Tear-resistant 1680D ballistic material
• Attachment Sleeve to Securely Attach to Vertical Handles
• Quick-Access Magnetic Pocket
• Rugged metal zippers
• Load-Bearing Harness
• Lifting Handle
• 2 Water Bottle Pockets
• Padded and Breathable Straps
• Laptop Storage Fits up to a 15.6″ Laptop
• 5” High x 15.5” wide x 9.3” deep
• 5 lbs. unloaded.

In addition to these features, the quality of the backpack is excellent. I looked at the things that failed on my former bag and found that the 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack looked substantially heavy-duty. Of note, the zippers are a step up in size and heft. The bottom is made of the same tear-resistant ballistic material as the rest of the bag. In summary, this is a well-made, high-quality piece of kit.

Packing my Backpack for Daily Use

At least twice a day, my 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack is loaded up and unloaded. I carry the items I might need on a routine day. And it is a lot of gear. The following picture shows what I stuff into and take out of the 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack. Fully loaded, my backpack weighs over 30#.

My 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack goes out on the road with me and gets tossed around and dragged through the job sites. It lives on concrete floors and construction trailers and generally gets abused daily. It has been knocked off of plan tables and traveled in the holds and cabins of airplanes. I have yet to have anything sustain damage that is on the inside.

What I like about the 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack

It cleans up nicely

I could improve by ensuring the lids are closed on my thermos and travel mugs. As result, I often cleaned up coffee spills, and the black ballistic nylon is an excellent material for the occasional sponge bath. In over a year of use, the 48-22-8205 backpack looks brand new. The interior of the coffee compartment is a grey patterned material that also cleans up easily – although it will show the spills much more than the black outer shell material. Here is a recent spill I need to clean.

It has a well-designed handle and shoulder straps

Putting on and taking off the backpack is easy. I find the handle on the top of the bag is exceptionally well-placed, making it easy to unload from my back . When the backpack swings around, I can easily catch it. The handle is right where I need it, and I cannot recall when I had to unload using just the shoulder strap.

The shoulder straps are comfortable and easy to adjust. Using both straps distributes the weight well and is comfortable for long periods. I often use only one strap when g short distances. The single strap carries the load well and does not slip off one shoulder. The 48-22-8205 backpack fits me to a tee.

It has excellent zippers and zipper pulls

The zippers may seem like a small item, but that is where some backpacks have failed before. These zippers are heavy-duty. The zipper pulls are large, and they are one piece.  Many zipper pulls are cinched or formed around the zipper head; over time, that gap is where they fail. Milwaukee designed the zipper head to be formed around the zipper pull. One would have to break off the top of the zipper head to experience a failure.

I love the quick-access magnet pocket

Before I owned the 48-22-8205 backpack, I didn’t know I needed a quick-access magnet pocket. But now, I would not buy a backpack without this feature. I use this feature expressly for my iPhone. It is the last thing I pack up and the first thing I need to access or unload. During the course of a day, I cannot count the number of times that I reach for and extract my phone from that pocket. It is so convenient that I don’t have to unzip anything. The location is convenient to the point where I don’t have to fuss with anything to get my phone. The magnetic clasp also ensures that my phone won’t fall out.

When I travel, the quick access pocket is where my ID or passport, boarding pass, and phone go. I find this so convenient. I put my wallet into another zippered compartment, and I have to only go to the quick access magnet pocket for what I need to clear TAS security or customs.

Quick-access magnet pocket is a game changer for me.

Summary

I recommend the 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack for anyone with similar road-warrior needs. This is an investment at a typical retail price of $300. But my experience with this kit for over a year is that it is worth the investment for its comfort and convenience. I have used this backpack every day since I have had it and found nothing I would change. And I have seen so much that I like about this design.

So all you road warriors –arm yourself with a Milwaukee 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack. You will be glad you did!

Milwaukee 48-22-8205 Travel Backpack Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

ANNOYTOOLS 3018 plus CNC

Is there a place for the 3018 Plus CNC in my shop?

My workshop is more high-tech than most other ones. In addition to a large assortment of the usual woodworking stationery tools, I have two large format CNC machines, three 3D printers, and two laser engravers. My CNC machines can carve up to 30”x 60” pieces on one of the machines and a full 4’ x 88’ sheet of goods on the other one.

When I had the opportunity to review the ANNOYTOOLS 3018 Plus CNC desktop CNC, I knew its size would be better suited to make many of the smaller pieces I create. The ANNOYTOOLS 3018 PLUS CNC has a bed size of approximately 12” x 7.” It also comes with a collet sized to accept my 1/8” diameter engraving bits.

Due to its physical configuration, the 3018 Plus CNC can achieve a vertical stroke of 80 mm. At over 3 1/8” of vertical cut capability, the 3018 Plus CNC can cut some jobs that my larger CNC machines cannot perform without splitting the parts. I also like the idea of a machine that will process various materials, including wood, plastic, acrylic, PVC, PCB, and soft metals like aluminum and copper.

While the larger machines can cut small pieces with 1/8” bits, the hold-down jigs, and fixtures are better suited for larger-scale work. Using the larger machines also means reducing the ½” native collet size down to 1/8” with a series of bushing reducers. While I cannot prove it, I always feel using these bushings creates less accuracy and represents a less safe process.

The ANNOYTOOLS 3018 Plus CNC should fit nicely into my workflows and save time on the larger machines. As a result, I was looking forward to getting to know and use this desktop cnc machine.

ANNOYTOOLS 3018 Plus CNC Specifications

For the readers who may not be familiar with these types of CNC specifications, I will summarize the list below. The ANNOYTOOLS 3018 Plus CNC has:

• Lead screw-driven movement (a really good and accurate system)
• An industry standard GRBL computer (Means lots of ITO support and Users)
• Good-sized stepper motors to drive the X, Y, and Z axes
• A reasonably sized variable speed spindle at 500 Watts
• Fast Speed Capabilities for machine movements and production runs
• Very good machine accuracy (±About the thickness of 2 human hairs)
• Excellent safety switches for homing and machine/operator safety
• An Emergency Stop Button
• A probe for setting the vertical axis reference point after tool changes.
• Operating Software loaded on a Thumb Drive (Along with some trial files and documentation)

In summary, the specifications are perfect for a capable desktop cnc machine. The following image is the as-built machine.

Unpacking the ANNOY 3018 Plus CNC

One of the telltale signs of quality from a tool manufacturer is how they package and ship their products. Right after opening the shipping container, I was impressed with the care with which ANNOYTOOLS prepared the 3018 Plus CNC for shipping from Asia.

The equipment arrived without damage, and the parts were well-protected and well-organized. The following picture shows the sections that came out of the shipping box. You can see it is all intact.

I appreciated the initial parts of the manual that not only indicated what parts had been shipped and their location within the parcel. See a sample of the pages from the manual that tell the user ‘what’ and ‘where.’

The ANNOYTOOLS folks did a great job with the packing. Everything was named, easy to find, and included within the kit. This attention to detail certainly helps make the assembly of the machine much easier.

Assembly

I started in the CNC world when I designed and built my first CNC machine in 2013. Ten years later, the ANNOYTOOLS 3018 Plus CNC assembly was very straightforward. I assembled it as though I had never done one before.  The Instruction Manual was quite detailed and guided my efforts with no issues. I also appreciated the spacer they include so that the tee nuts can be spaced out accurately before you assemble the X-Z portion of the machine. Great attention to detail.

The only ‘glitch’ in the entire process was a mismatch between the space between the 20×20 aluminum rails on the X-Axis and the size of the plate that supports the controller board. I worked around the issue by only supporting the board with the bottom two screws. I will solve the issue by making a couple of simple 3D-printed brackets to make up the difference.

Other than that single issue, the build process was smooth and went according to the ANNOYTOOLS instructions. I give the manufacturer high marks for the assembly instructions and the fit and quality of the parts. The completed assembly picture follows.

It lives!

As good and complete as the machine assembly documentation is, the following steps are complicated for a layperson. Moreover, the steps are not evident if one has never gone through the process before. I wish that the initialization steps were given more attention. Here is what I did and may be helpful to to get a new user a roadmap to follow. My procedure is certainly not the only way to complete the installation. It is simply a script that I documented and the results worked for me..

Initialization

• Plug the Thumb Drive into your PC and explore the directory
• You will find and install a driver file for getting your 3018 to communicate through a serial port on your computer.
• Install the Universal GCode Sender software in the USG(CNC) directory.
• GO to YouTube and search for UGS Software on 3018 and select an appropriate video
• I found one titled UGS Complete Setup and Starting a Job
• Follow their detailed instructions and create a machine that works correctly.

Air Cutting

Now, you are ready to do some meaningful work with your machine. At this time, it should be set up and running in the correct directions and for the correct distances.

• I learned to Home my machine and reset the machine to an X=0, Y=0, and Z=0 point on the machine bed. I repeated this process with the spindle pulled up and no bit installed. That way, I could be sure I was not going to hurt myself or the machine. I did bottom out the machine a few times and learned to reset and reestablish the starting coordinates consistently.
• I learned that UGS has excellent tools for setting up a machine and that Candle may be a better “run-time” software. Since I had a few issues loading GCode files into UGS, I installed Candle and began to use that as my primary file processing and production software.
• I kept the spindle raised artificially high and “Air-Cut” a few of my standard GCode files. I developed these in Vectric VCarve Pro. In VCarve, I found a machine post-processor that read .nc files and worked well with the 3018 Plus CNC mine. The post-processor I selected is named “USBCNC (mm) (*.nc).”
• After running numerous gcode files. I decided to tighten up the leadscrew backlash nuts following the instructions in the installation manual. I finished my preparations by lubricating the three lead screws with the supplied lubrication and brush. I felt I was ready to tackle an actual production file.

Load the Bits

The cutters that come with the ANNOYTOOLS Plus CNC are single-fluted Vee Bits. These bits have an angle of 23.5 degrees and a cutting height of 5 mm at that angle. I needed to set this new tool type in my VCarve bit library to cut the first project accurately. I found a production job well suited for such a Vee bit.

In addition to these supplied bits, I also have several small bits that I have used on the larger cnc machines. As you can see in the picture, some of these bits are small and susceptible to breaking. I look forward to how well these will work in the 3018 Plus CNC machine. I hope to confidently dial in the new machine to enable these small bits to work effectively.

Production Runs

I was ready to cut my first job with the machine tweaked, the design set, and the right bit geometry in the post-processor. However, I had no idea how fast I should run the bit through the wood material. As a result, I chose a conservative group of settings for the first job. I decided to run the job at 200 mm/min for the bit advancement and a plunge rate into the material of 100 mm/min.

Step-over is another critical setting. This is a distance or a % of the bit diameter the subsequent toolpath moves into the material for the next pass. This setting often determines the apparent quality of the cut (especially for flat-bottomed tool paths). I chose a conservative setting of 9% of the bit’s diameter for this cut. That translates to (3.13mm x 9%) removal of .28 mm of stock for each subsequent pass. That seems small, and I believe the machine and the bit revolving at 12,000 rpm would have no issues handling the load.

Fine Tuning the Feed Speed

I was correct, and the machine produced an excellent cut on the first production piece. Looking at the time it took to process the work, I could increase the chip loading (the single-factor summation of all the speeds and settings I just discussed) by at least a factor of four. I can accomplish this by deepening the cuts, increasing the speed of the bit’s advancement, or increasing the step-over to take off more material. There are many variables in CNC work, and it takes time and repetition to adjust all of these parameters to get to your own “sweet spots.” The picture of the first cut, complete with the untouched cut edges, follows: This was a 4” x 4” approval proof for a set of several dozen coasters.

The following “job” I decided to cut was a larger format sign (12” x 5 1/8”). I used a 1.6 mm four-fluted bit (1/16”) and designed the sign to reduce the number of sharp corners. I increased the feed speed to 500 mm per minute and the stepover % to 25%. The ANNOYTOOLS 3018 Plus CNC had no issues plowing through this set of parameters. I routed the sign into a painted board, which produced extremely sharp edges.

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

The ANNOYTOOLS Plus CNC is a great entry-level machine. But it is also a capable production machine for more advanced users, too.  I will use the 3018 in my shop when I need to create finer or smaller scale work. The 3018 will free up the production of my larger format cnc machines by offloading appropriately sized work.

I looked up the price of the 3018 Plus CNC at www.gearberry .com, and it lists for a price of $389.00 plus taxes and shipping. That is an exceptional value for such a capable cnc machine. But do not forget that this package also has the bonus of an integrated laser head. So, for this low price, you can have a multi-function cnc router and laser engraver.  My book, this product offering equates to an exceptional value.

This link will connect you with the specifics of the product.

Annoytools 3018 plus CNC Router Machine

By the way, Gearberry’s Double Eleven (11.11) event is here with an array of exciting offers. Participate in the Wheel of Fortune Drawing for guaranteed free gifts and savings of up to $399. This promotion expires 12NOV23.

I have just begun to explore the capabilities of the ANNOYTOOLS Plus CNC. Here is what I want to cover in a future review.

• Adding in the Z-Probe function
• Fitting up the Laser Head and discovering its capabilities.
• Fitting up a dust control vacuum fixture to reduce dust migration.
• Exploring what other 1/8” bits are on the market to add to the production possibilities.
• True 3D carvings

Stay tuned for more reviews of the ANNOYTOOLS 3018 Plus CNC. It will be fun!

ANNOYTOOLS 3018 plus CNC Product Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower 2822HD Review

Milwaukee 21" Self-Propelled Dual M18 Battery Mower

4.5/5

Manufacturer: Milwaukee
Model number: 2822HD
Price: 999.00
Power source: M8 battery
Weight: 85

While the Milwaukee 21” mower is geared towards the professional landscaper it is worth a look for anyone who wants a very solidly built cordless battery-powered lawnmower, especially if they’re on the M18 battery platform.

Milwaukee introduced this mower with a high lift steel deck that mulches grass into finer pieces and provides a “Best-Cut” quality. In addition, they highlight a torque performance that is greater than a 200 cc gasoline mower. Since the 36v electric motor powers it, the blade reaches its full power and its top speed in under one second. So, we wanted to put this new equipment through its paces and see how it performed when pushed to the max.

TBB selected a lot that was overgrown with a combination of grasses, weeds, and whatever else nature grew in a plot of land at the front of one of our construction sites. We expect the Milwaukee 21” Self-Propelled mower will excel when mowing a well-manicured lawn. But how would it perform at an overgrown, rugged development parcel?

Milwaukee 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower 2822HD Kit with 2 Batteries 12.0 Ah

Specifications and Features

• Drive Type: – Rear-wheel drive self-propelled
• Deck size: 21″
• Commercial-grade steel deck
• Single point cut height adjustment delivers 1” – 4” deck height range in ½” increments
• No gas, emissions, oil mixing, or pull starts
• POWERSTATE Brushless motor delivers more torque than a 200-cc gas mower
• Self-propelled with variable speed adjustment wheel (0 MPH – 4 MPH)
• Variable Speed Selector and Active Speed Management Paddles to adjust walking speeds
• 2 bay battery compartment for 2 M18 Red Lithium High Output 12.0 Amp-hr. Batteries
• 3-in-1 design allows for mulching, bagging, or rear side discharge
• Front and Side LED lighting provides 180-degree visibility in low light
• 4 LED Battery fuel gauge faces operator during use
• Ergonomic Handle with recessed bail bar design
• Vertical storage capability
• Handle height adjusts to one of three handle heights
• Blade rotation speeds 2,800 – 3,300 RPM in High Lift Mode
• Grass catcher bag holds up to 2 bushels of grass
• Weight with supplied batteries – 85lbs
• Measured Noise level -77.9 dB no load on pavement 71.6 dB while mowing.

2823-22HD Kit Includes

•       M18 FUEL 21″ Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower (2823-20) (1)
•       REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT HD12.0 Battery Pack (48-11-1812) (2)
•       Dual Bay Simultaneous Rapid Charger(48-59-1802) (1)
•       Grass Bag (1)
•       Mulch Plug (1)
•       Rear Side Discharge Chute (1)

First Impressions | Milwaukee 21″ Battery Lawnmower

Unpacking and Assembly

Unpacking the mower and setting it up was extremely easy. The packing materials are top quality meaning that the shipping bumps and bruises did not reach the inner box and the mower arrived in perfect condition.

The assembly of the Milwaukee 2823-20 mower was simple. The instructions were clear and the entire process took less than 5 minutes from a loose set of parts to a finished and ready-to-go mower.

Manufactured Quality

While we were assembling the mower, we noted that the hardware and mower pieces were excellent in quality. The pieces fit together with no issues. We noted that even the bolts that hold the handle together showed a great deal of thought.

These bolts have a section of the threads machined out so that the user can know when the knob has been backed off a sufficient amount to enable the user to fold up the mower handle. The threads at the end capture the knob threads and ensure that the user can fold the handle and the knob does not fall off the end of \the bolt.

We tried the fit of the mulch plug, the rear side discharge chute, and the grass catcher. Each of these parts fit with no difficulty and we could easily install and remove.

We took a look at the underside of this mower and liked what we saw. First, we checked the wheels for run-out and felt no excess tolerances between the wheels and the axles. Unlike some of the competitors’ offerings, the Milwaukee precision is top-notch.

Another design element we liked was the front of the mower having what might best be described as a skid-plate-like design. The molded-in ridges should allow the mower to climb over debris and obstacles just like a skid plate works on a real off-the-road vehicle. Given that we were about to go mow down a rugged plot of land, we were glad to see this feature, knowing that the mower might have an easier time climbing over rough ground and over obstacles.

The Milwaukee has the look and feel of a mower that was built for daily nonstop use by professional landscapers In short, this high-quality Milwaukee mower is made for the long haul.

Controls and Adjustability

The Milwaukee 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery mower is clearly targeted for the professional landscaper or owner that needs a high-quality lawn care mower. The 2823-20 is fully featured with all the controls that these applications require. The features are detailed and keyed to the diagram, below.

1. Start Blade Button

   The switch is located on the operator’s right-hand side near the Safety bar. It is a large and well-positioned switch that stands out because of its size and white background. Users will get familiar with this control because the mower does no cutting until it is engaged. The bail bar must be held against the mower handle to keep the Start Switch depressed to start the blade motor. The Start Blade Button will remain locked inward as long as the Bail Bar is held down.

2. Safety Bail Bar

   The user must engage the Bail Bar before the mower self-propulsion or blade motor will work. Milwaukee did a nice design job with integrating the Safety Bar into a recess in the mower handle. We used the mower extensively and did not even feel the Safety Bar during that time.

3. Self-Propel Speed Dial

   This control sets the speed (from 1 – 5) that the mower will move. We recommend that the user set this at a relatively low setting and then increase the speed that is comfortable. The mower has a lot of torque and when the variable speed paddle is engaged, the mower will very quickly reach that speed and can startle a user or cause the user to lose control of the mower. The user can reset the Self-Propel Speed Dial while the mower is moving.

4. Variable Speed Self-Propel Paddle

   Users can vary the speed of the mower with this control on a proportional basis. When it is fully depressed, the mower will reach the maximum setting on the Speed Dial. Users can also modulate the position of this Paddle to throttle the mower speed slower for going around obstacles or other reasons. Milwaukee designed this Paddle to be used by either hand and it works well even when one thumb is used. One feature of the Paddle is that it is available whenever the mower is powered. The blade does not need to be spinning to use the self-propelled feature.

5. High Lift Selector

   High Lift mode increases the speed of the blade from 2800 rpm to 3300 rpm. Users may want to engage this mode for situations where Better bagging or finer mulching is needed. In the fall if the user wants to pick up leaves in the bag, the higher lift and faster blade speed will certainly assist in ensuring the lawn is clean after the mower makes a pass. Engaging the High Lift Mode will light up an LED next to the selector to remind the user that they selected this mode of operation.

6. LED Light Switch

   For low light operations, users can turn on the headlights and sidelights to illuminate the surface to the front and sides of the mower. Toggling this switch will turn on and turn off these lights.

7. Fuel Gauge LED

   Milwaukee put the LED Fuel Gauge for the battery status on the rear of the mower facing the operator. That way, they can see instantly the remaining amount of battery power. At full charge, all four LEDs illuminate. When the batteries reach one LED, the batteries are pretty well spent. However, When the juice is critically low, the remaining LED will flash. Shortly thereafter, under load, the mower will stop working. This LED cycle gives plenty of warning to prevent the user from being far away from the next set of charged batteries.

8. Blade Height Adjustment Lever

   Milwaukee designed a single lever height adjustment to raise and lower the whole mower deck. The lever is located on the right side from the operator’s point of view. This lever moves the deck elevation from 1” above grade to 4” above grade. It has stops at ½” increments between the highest and lowest adjustment. Users can easily change between these stops by moving the lever out of a detent and positioning the lever to a new location. While it takes a bit more force to move the deck higher, the amount of effort required is small and easily accomplished.

9. Handle Height Locking Pins

   Milwaukee’s designers provided three height positions for the mower handle. The lowest position places the heel of my hand at 36 ¼’ above ground. The middle adjustment puts my hand at 40 ½” above ground while the highest adjustment is 44 ¾”. I personally felt the highest setting is too tall for my comfort. I used the mower mostly at a medium height and was still comfortable on the lowest setting.

Getting lost in the weeds

During this first testing, we subjected this mower to conditions it may not have been designed to routinely undertake. Our test patch was on the other end of the spectrum from a finely manicured lawn and may have been better suited for a brush hog than a mower. We estimated that the grass was approximately 9” average height as gauged by the height when compared against a 5-gallon construction bucket.

When we used the side rear discharge chute, the mower resembled a hay bailer with the debris shooting out the side. Surprisingly, the mower did not bog down even when we cut down small bush-like growth and dense iron grass clumps.

The mower senses when the speed drops and almost instantly provides more power to compensate for the additional load. The user can hear the change in pitch when this happens. The mower recovery time to increase the speed is almost instantaneous.

First Cut

We started the test patch with the mower deck at 6 ½” high. That way, we could go through the highest grass and weeds and frankly miss anything that was concealed in the grass. We used the mulching plug for this cut to see if the mower would choke on the amount of material it was chewing up. It did not and cut through the materials with no trouble at a relatively high speed. Our typical speed on the first cut was between 3 ½ and 4. The first cut lasted ½ an hour and used one unit of power out of four

Second Cut

Once the initial cut was completed, we lowered the deck to a 2-inch height. We used the side rear discharge chute during the second cut and re-cut the plot of the ground. Again, the Milwaukee mower did not hesitate in slicing through the grasses.  We took 20 minutes to complete the second cut and had one unit of power remaining. This portion of the test really challenged the mower, and we moved an impressive and large mass of grass material. Near the end of the second cut, we took a couple of areas and lowered the deck down to the lowest deck setting.

The Milwaukee mower went through this material and the old clippings with no issues. The only thing we noticed was that at one point in this test, the clippings stopped coming out of the chute. When we turned the mower over, we found a stick that lodged itself across the discharge chute and built up a plug of grasses that stopped the grass clipping discharge. The mower did not show any issues with this instant conversion to a mulching process. It was only apparent that nothing was coming out of the chute.

Final Cut

The final portion of the test was taking the mower to another part of the site and cutting a more conventional grass lawn to see how much longer the battery would run on one LED’s worth of power and how the mower would behave when we exhausted the batteries.

The mower lasted another 15 minutes in the remaining lawn area. We continued to use the side rear discharge chute as this represented the lightest load for the mower. When the batteries are nearly depleted, the single LED on the fuel gauge starts to flash to indicate the end of the power. While it was in this flashing state, we hit a dense patch of grass and the mower simply stopped. Lights out and no power.

In total, we used the mower for 65 minutes of torture testing time. Throughout that time, the Milwaukee mower had no difficulties with anything we asked it to cut. In the easier grass areas, we felt like the Milwaukee mower clearly outperformed a gasoline mower. It was much quieter, creates no exhaust fumes, and was as agile and easy to use as any mower we have ever used. Quite an impressive first experience.

Noise

One of the biggest questions readers have asked about cordless mowers seems to be how much noise do they make?

We did a basic decibel test to measure the sound pressure of this mower to get an idea of how much noise it makes. The test consisted of running the mower with the deck raised to its midpoint level sitting on the asphalt slab in front of our construction trailer. We held the decibel meter at approximately user ear height. The decibel meter used an ITU-R 468 frequency rating.

We ran the test for thirty seconds – enough time to have the mower reach a maximum and stable rpm speed. The blade speed reaches a maximum rpm rate in less than one second. We extended the time to be consistent with the dB reading we took in our Cordless Mower Head-to-Head test in 2020. That way, we could see how Milwaukee stacked up.

Readings

The Milwaukee registered an average reading of only 77.9 dB on asphalt – about the same amount of noise as one experiences when a car passes at 65mph. The noise we measured while mowing averaged 71.6 dB which is a reduction of approximately 40% in noise energy from the reading on the asphalt. The Milwaukee mower was quieter than any of the mowers in our 2020 Cordless Mower Head-to-Head by2.5dB.

This mower is very quiet. Your neighbors may not even know you are cutting your lawn when they are inside their homes.

Note that both of these sound levels are well below the OSHA limit requiring hearing protection over a period of an 8-hour shift. That is one reason our operator did not wear any hearing protection.

Comparison

For reference, the average gas lawnmower produces approximately 95 – 100 dB. Compared to a 100 dB noise level, the Milwaukee 2823-20 mower at 78.9dB reduces the sound intensity energy you hear by over 100 times compared to a loud gas mower. (Decibels are a logarithmic scale, 14 decibels difference is approximately 20 times louder). Many communities in our area have adopted noise restrictions that limit the time that you can mow with a gas mower. Please note that the sound pressure value was measured while running on top of an asphalt slab. In practice, the Milwaukee mower was much quieter when used on a lawn.

Storage and Transport

Milwaukee’s engineers and designers produced a mower for the pro-market. To this end, Milwaukee’s handle stores best vertically with the handle in a straight configuration. Pro landscapers are all about efficiency and speed, so a folding handle is usually a negative feature as that keeps them from getting on and off the job more quickly. Homeowners may want to take the time to fully fold the handle as they typically have a good amount of space.  I personally don’t want to fiddle with a folding handle and would keep the handle straight.

One well-thought-out feature of this mower is the big handles on the front of the deck and the back of the mower. Allowing it to be easily picked up and put in the back of a truck or trailer. The Milwaukee mower is no lightweight piece of equipment, and the two handles make it much easier to lift.

Overall

This is a great mower designed and built with the professional in mind and the quality/price reflects an excellent value.  The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 21” Self-Propelled mower is an impressive OPE tool and will stack up well against its competition.

I was one of the leads in the Toolbox Buzz 2020 Cordless Mower Head-to-Heat that we published in June of 2020. In comparing this Milwaukee to the results I saw in that H-2-H, the Milwaukee 21” mower would have killed it in many of the critical categories we reviewed. I would stack this mower up against the top finishers from that comparison.

I am glad Milwaukee produced a compelling offering in this market. Great job.

Kit pricing will be $999.00 with a product availability of April 2022.

Milwaukee 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower 2822HD Video Review

Milwaukee 21″ Self-Propelled Dual M18 Battery Mower is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer:

Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer

4.5/5

Manufacturer: Milwaukee
Model number: 2828-21
Price: $423.00 Kit
Power source: Battery

When I heard about the Milwaukee 2828-21, I made a decision to consider it as I could utilize my existing Milwaukee platform batteries to refuel it. My needs are relatively small and infrequent. More along the lines of homeowner frequency of use vs a commercial landscaper. I compared the Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer to my experiences using mixed fuel gas trimmers in both the commercial landscape and golf course maintenance industries.

As every tool has its sweet spot, I found the 2828-21 String Trimmer to be ideal for anything a homeowner can throw its way. It is impressive for this application.

Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer Specifications

Price:

I was looking to spend $200+/- for something comparable to the Echo 21.2 CC sold at the home depot for $219. The Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer sells at the Home Depot with Charger for $249. It was a bit more than I wanted to pay but I do not mind paying more for good quality and reliability. The Milwaukee 2828-21 is comparable in price to the Toro 60-volt Model 51830 @$200 and the Greenworks 60 volt Model # ST60L413 @$254.

Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer Design:

The Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer design is similar to a commercial straight shaft trimmer and it does a better job than curved shaft trimmers for getting under obstacles. The weight distribution is heavier at the head compared to an engine-powered gas trimmer but was overall well balanced. I was able to keep good control of the trimmer at all times.. The handle and the trigger grip are comfortable and easy to hold onto.

Replacing the line in the Milwaukee head is much easier than on a commercial bump feed where you need to wind the string on the spool. In the case of 2828-21 you need only cut  6’ of replacement string and the head will feed and wind for you. This is much better and easier than removing and winding spools.

The electric motor is located above the cutting spool and its housing is made of plastic. I am concerned about the motor bumping into obstacles and wonder if the head design will hold up over time. I would sure like to see an aluminum housing similar to the Toro for better motor protection.

Could Do Without:

The switch for Hi/Low or Rabbit/Turtle to me was not useful. When trimming you want to run a trimmer at full throttle or full speed. If you run at low RPM’S you beat the grass blades to death as opposed to slicing through them. When you best them apart, the grass turns yellow and straw-like. It is a similar result when you cut grass with a dull blade – it just beats the grass not cut it. The trimmer cut extremely well on Hi-speed. I was really impressed with the smooth and constant power of the trimmer.

Assembly

The Milwaukee 2828-21 trimmer was very easy to assemble. Just a few screws and nuts and it goes together well.
Weight of the tool is 11.5lb or ½ lb. less than the Toro and 2 lb. less than the Greenworks. It felt well balanced.
The storage of the trimmer fit well on one of my rubber-made tool rack carriers and it took up less space than units having a gas engine.

Battery:

Having the battery fit my M18 charger base was nice. Battery life is 6.0 Ah which is 2/3 more than Greenworks and almost 3x more than Toro. I was able to cut my lawn 6 times or every month-and-a-half before the battery needed to be charged. This is easier than purchasing fuel, mixing, and pouring without spilling into the small tank mouth opening. Battery charge time was about 1 hr 45 minutes. Voltage is listed as 18V and the competition units list 60V batteries.

Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer Operation:

The tool was balanced in my hands. As noted, the head is a bit heavier than the battery end or handle end, but it balanced well as it cut. I keep the timer in the high RPM mode as it cuts best. The low RPM mode is not useful, and my turf stand is healthy and thick.

One note I saw in the manual for use was to not tip the trimmer to cut edges of walks and beds vertically. That makes no sense as this is one of the standard operations/tasks of a trimmer. I ignored that comment and the trimmer worked just fine cutting the grass along the cobbles stone and brick walkway and the edges of the plant beds.

Cutting string replacement was easy and well designed. Cutting weeds from a brick walk chewed up the line against the hard surface but this happens with any trimmer line. I wonder if a larger diameter line can be added to helps this? The cutting width at 16” was sufficient and worked well.

Warranty :

Milwaukee offers a 3yr. warranty.

Final Thoughts on the Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer:

The cordless battery-powered Milwaukee will fit the bill for maintaining my small suburban landscape and allow me to not have to deal with dealing with fuel and its inherent problems with high ethanol-gasoline fuels.

One other bonus of battery power over gas is the smell of the product. My clothes will not smell like two-stroke and my wife will be happier!

But perhaps the best feature of this tool is the ability to use it without the need for hearing protection. The only sound it makes is the string whizzing through the air. I can also use 2828-21 at times when a gas-powered string trimmer would be a nuisance to the neighbors.

The Milwaukee 2828-21 cuts well and is user-friendly. The charging is easy and the tool is easily cared for. The unit is well balanced. Considering a more durable head/motor material may offer better protection and the use of a low RPM option on the thumb switch vs variable speed with one throttle seams of no use.

The Milwaukee 2828-21 Fits My Needs:

Without a basis for comparison, I am not sure how the power of an 18V would compare to a 60V as far as cutting through thick grass and getting the job done but the 18V performed well for me. The product has a great benefit for single homeowner use. I would not consider it for commercial use as the time it takes me to trim my lawn after I mow is about 10-15 minutes or over six cuts or 1 – 1.5 hrs. of run time. It would take a few batteries for a commercial crew to get through a day.

I highly recommend the Milwaukee 2828-21 trimmer to any homeowner looking to jettison the gas or add to their outdoor power equipment (OPE). Milwaukee offers a very comprehensive lineup of OEP to keep platform compatibility. The 2828-21 is a great tool to begin your OPE tool inventory. In addition, Milwaukee is a great platform to be on for construction tools as well as OPE.

Milwaukee 2828-21 String Trimmer Kit Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

DEWALT XR Reciprocating Saw

DEWALT XR Reciprocating Saw DCS368

4/5

Manufacturer: dewalt
Model number: DCS368
Power source: 20 Volt
Weight: 8 lbs

I usually run a Milwaukee 2721 reciprocating saw. If you follow the Head to Head testing on Toolboxbuzz.com, you may recall that this saw performed quite well in the Head to Head published in December of 2017.  The Milwaukee 2721 bested a field of X cordless saws we tested at that time. So this cordless saw is a beast and was the leader of the pack at that time. I figured that it would be a good comparison saw against which to compare the DEWALT DCS368 XR.

Packing 44% more power than its predecessor, this DEWALT reciprocating saw is a substantial upgrade from previous DEWALT models. But how would it compare to the Milwaukee 2721?

Using the DEWALT DCS368 XR

The DEWALT DCS368 XR was very well balanced with a really smooth action. When we plunged the saw into work materials, we felt there was very little kickback. It had plenty of power to cut through a 10 x 10 old-growth oak and it did not bind at all. Additionally, it was able to plunge smoothly into a sill plate we recently replaced. The main reason for this smooth action is due to the new Power Detect^TM battery technology. During this fieldwork, we operated the DSC368 saw with an 8 Ah 20v battery and a 10-inch bi-metal DEWALT blade.

DEWALT Power Detect

DEWALT recently released 4 new tools that operate on the new Power Detect battery technology. Power Detect^TM battery technology recognizes the type of battery that is installed in the tool and adjusts the tool’s output to the battery in use. All tools with the Power Detect^TM technology are currently shipping as kits with the 8.0 amp-hr battery.

21700 Lithium-Ion Batteries

DEWALT is taking advantage of the benefits from going with the 21700 lithium-ion battery technology and coupling it with brushless motor technology and more efficient bus designs, and, yes, the Power Detect tools are compatible with the regular 20v batteries, but the performance will be about the same as the DEWALT XR tools.

Power Detect Tools Are FlexVolt Compatible

The Power Detect tools can also run the Flex Volt batteries. The tools will benefit from the power boost with the FlexVolt batteries. One thing users may notice is that the 8.0 amp-hr battery that came with their new tool is the same size as a 6.0 Amp-Hr Flex Volt one. I imagine that most users will select the same-sized larger power capacity and run the 8.0 amp-hr battery pack.

DEWALT DCS368 XR Reciprocating Saw Features

• Power Detect^TM battery technology
• Keyless lever-action blade clamp
• 1 -⅛ stroke length
• Variable speed trigger
• Brushless motor
• LED work light
• Strokes per minute 0-3000 strokes per minute (SPM)
• Tool weight 8 lbs
• Stroke length 1-⅛ in
• Variable Speed

DEWALT Reciprocating Saw Vs. Milwaukee Sawzall

I recently made a number of cuts in several 4” EMT conduits. I thought this would be a good opportunity to see how the DEWALT saw stacked up against the one I have been using for the past 30 months. Since I wanted to have a fair comparison, I set up a weighted pulley system to apply the downward force during the cut. My pulley system has an 11-pound weight that hangs down from a ceiling-mounted pulley. The paracord wraps around another floor-mounted pulley and is attached directly to the tool.

In this way, I held the tool horizontal and the weight of 11 pounds pulls the tool into the workpiece. This type of pulley system is the only way I can ensure that the comparison between the two tools is a level playing field.

Test Results

Both saws were outfitted with similar-sized batteries – 8.0 Amp-hr for the DEWALT saw and 9.0 Amp-hr for the Milwaukee. Since the test was going to be fairly short in duration, I thought the extra 1.0 Amp-hr would make no difference.

In addition, I had two new Diablo carbide blades. These new blades are specifically designed to cut thin wall conduits. In this way, I could be sure that the cutting blades contributed equally to the way the comparison was run. The only variable left in the test was the relative power and blade speed difference between the DEWALT DCS368 saw and the Milwaukee 2721 saw.

I used a video camera in slow motion mode to time the start of the blade moving and the time that the cut went through the conduit material. Using this slow-motion technique gave me the ability to review the film of each cut and know, with great accuracy, the duration for each cut I made.

I ran the cut test three times for each saw. At the end, I compiled the results and tabulated the results, below.

I felt the power of the DEWALT DCS368 XR the moment I started to cut the 4” EMT conduit. It chewed through the thin wall metallic tubing with little problem. The DSC368 is a simple tool and it is easy to use.

It was only after making all of the cuts that I knew the new DEWALT Power Detect was going to measure up well in this comparison. As you can see in the table and graph, the DEWALT saw was within 2.0% of the identical performance to the Milwaukee saw. The new battery technology and the other changes have made a substantial difference.

In the previous TBB test using similar test techniques, the DEWALT entrant took 38% longer than the top-rated Milwaukee saw in a similar type of conduit cutting test. Since that Head to Head, DEWALT closed the performance gap to only 2.0% difference in my comparison. That is a remarkable improvement.

It is all in the math

When comparing reciprocal saws, users can figure out the Total Stroke Length per Minute to get a sense of how saws might compare against each other. Typically, manufacturers publish the stroke length and Stroke speed of their saws. If the user multiplies these two numbers together, then it creates the Total Stroke Length per minute metric. This number should give an insight into how well the saws stack up to each other. In this case, I calculated the DEWALT DCS368 XR to have a Total Stroke Length per Minute of 3,375.

This figure is identical to the metric produced by the Milwaukee saw. No wonder these saws produce nearly identical performance numbers. One caution, however, is that this Stroke Speed is for a saw that is not under load and the multiplication produces a result that is under no-load conditions. So it is not an absolute comparison indicator.

Using the DEWALT DCS368 XR

It almost doesn’t matter what trade you’re in, you probably own a reciprocating saw. The reciprocating saw is my go-to tool for remodeling, special cuts, and demolition projects. 

Dewalt is no stranger to “user experience,” and “user experience design.” On its simplest level, user experience is how the user feels about every interaction you have with the tool in front of you.

Dewalt hit the user experience mark with the DSC368 saw. We immediately liked the look, feel, and size of this saw. Its compact and lightweight design was evident from first use until I later zipped it up in the tool bag. 

Compact Size

The compact size of the DEWALT DCS368 XR allows it to better fit between stud and joist bays as well as confined spaces. The tool weighs 5 lbs., [without battery], and measures 14.5” in length.

The shape and design makes the saw smaller and more compact, than traditional reciprocating saws, as well as allowed us more control and balance.

Blade Stroke

The DEWALT DCS368 XR gives the user a 1-1/8″ stroke length. The variable speed trigger allows this reciprocating saw to deliver from a stopped condition the full speed range up to 3,000 strokes per minute.

Blade Changing

The DEWALT DCS368 XR features a lever-action, 2-position, blade clamp for quick and easy blade changes in two directions for a variety of applications including flush cutting. At the end with the blade changing lever, a bright single LED light illuminates the blade area.

Rubberized Anti-Slip Grip

The DSC368 has a rubberized anti-slip grip [rubber boot] which helps increase safety around the front end of the tool to help absorb vibration and reduce hand fatigue.

At the other end of the saw, the tool’s trigger handle is amazingly comfortable. In fact, it may well be the best-fitting and comfortable tool handle among the manufacturers I have used. DEWALT really hit the mark with their handle design on the DSC368.

DEWALT DCS368 XR Improvements

There are two things on the DSC368 that I think need attention. Firstly, I’d like to see the addition of a rafter hook on this tool. While I may not always use one, The times when I am on a high-lift, I would like to hook this tool on the top rail, not set it onto the floor where I am sure to either kick it or trip over it.

Second, I think the lack of a shoe that adjusts outward from the nose of the saw is a real oversight. This feature, present on many other saws, allows me to get additional life out of a worn blade while also allowing me to have the shoe to press up against the material I’m cutting. With the current configuration of the DSC368, if a blade wears out next to the shoe, the user must replace the blade, even though there may be several inches of the blade that is still used.

What’s Included in the DEWALT DCS368 XR Kit

• DCS367 20V  Brushless XR Compact Reciprocating Saw
• DCB205 XR Li-Ion Battery (5.0 Ah)
• DCB115 Charger
• (1) Kit Bag

Cost

The DEWALT DCS368 XR With Power Detect Kit includes (1) saw, (1) battery charger, (1) 20v MAX Lithium-Ion 8.0 Ah battery, and (1) kit bag.

I found the DSC368 online as a kit for a price of $279.00 and $199.00 as a bare tool at Ohop Power Tools.

This tool comes with the DEWALT 3 year limited tool warranty, 1-year free service and, a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Final Thoughts On The DSC368 Saw

Overall, the DEWALT 20 Volt XR Reciprocating Saw With Power Detect is a powerful, well-balanced, and ergonomically comfortable tool. DEWALT has done an admirable job of increasing the tool performance with their Power Detect technology and other improvements. Clearly, the performance we saw, should warrant folks to give strong consideration to adding this reciprocating saw to their tool inventory

The DSC368 is a basic but full-featured saw. I only wish it had a rafter hook and an outwardly adjustable shoe. With those,  this saw would be close to becoming a leader in its category. As it is, I give this saw 4.7 stars out of 5.

DEWALT XR Reciprocating Saw DCS368 Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee MX FUEL Equipment On My Job (An Ongoing Series) -The 14″ Cut-Off Saw

MILWAUKEE MX FUEL 14" CUT-OFF SAW 2 BATTERY KIT W/ ONE-KEY MXF314-2XC

4.5/5

Manufacturer: Milwaukee
Price: 2,499.00
Power source: MX FUEL Battery
Motor size: 5350 RPMs
Weight: 32

In this review, I’m going to focus on my experience with the MX FUEL 14” Cut-Off Saw. But make sure you check out the article about my experience with the MX FUEL Core Drill as well!

A Monday Morning-Type Problem, Right?

“What do you mean you can’t get the concrete coring subcontractor out here until Thursday? I’m dead in the water until I have those cores drilled. And that’s four days from now!”

In the 2021 commercial construction environment where I operate, a real constraint is keeping up with changes and issues that mean getting a concrete slab cut or concrete cores done ASAP. Often, someone has dropped the ball or realized they need to react to the situation immediately. Mostly, these kinds of issues are not significant in scope but are undoubtedly large in impact. This is especially the case if the GC contract has Liquidated Damages or other punitive clauses for failing to meet the schedule. That is why getting these seemingly small items done right away can be critical to an organized and effective workflow.

Wishful Thinking

Certainly, I wish that people would plan better so that these kinds of issues do not pop up.  However, I think we will solve global warming or world peace long before getting people to plan proactively.

Bur rather than accept the time delays, I now have a great option with Milwaukee MX FUEL equipment. I can call on these battery-powered tools when I need some quick turnaround on concrete cutting and coring. The Milwaukee MX FUEL equipment are a key to solving such pressing job site problems.

First Call for the MXF314-2XC  Cut-Off Saw

Earlier this month, I received two Milwaukee MX FUEL  tools on my jobs to evaluate their use and performance. I had the equipment less than one week before I put them to productive use.

First, my crews used a 14″ cut-off saw to open up asphalt streets for digging test pits that the engineers recently requested. The engineers needed additional information to complete their work and the entire project was on hold until they had the test pit information.

With the MX 14″ cutoff saw, my crew was able to start cutting up the street within minutes of when the request came in. Most importantly, I did not have to wait the three days for a specialty subcontractor to get to the site. In addition, we did not have to run to the gas station or find the two-cycle oil to mix up the correct ratio of gas-to-oil. We plugged in a charged battery and started up the saw and a battery-operated Milwaukee tank and pump. The guys started cutting up the pavement right as our vac truck backed up to the site.

MXF314-2XC Features

• Fully Compatible with the MX FUEL Equipment System
• No Gas Headaches; Fastest Cuts From Start To Finish
• Push Button Activation
• 5″ Cut Depth
• Absolutely No Emissions
• No Mixing Gas & Oil
• Eliminates Engine Maintenance
• Onboard Water Connection
• 2 Year Warranty
• ONE-KEY Compatible

MXF314-2XC Specifications

• Battery Type Lithium-Ion
• Battery System MX FUEL
• Blade Diameter 14″
• Cut Depth 5″
• RPMS 5350
• Blade Arbor Size 1″/20 mm
• Length                         73″
• Width                           12″
• Height                         93″
• Weight                        32 lbs
• Equipment Warranty                  2 year
• Battery Warranty                         2 year
• Push Button Activation Yes
• One Key Compatible Yes

Milwaukee MX FUEL Cut-Off Saw Performance

The Milwaukee saw performance tracked the Milwaukee-suggested performance. It is as fast as a conventional gas-powered saw. This MX FUEL saw delivers the power to provide a best-in-class cutting solution. Milwaukee has a table of anticipated lineal feet to expect from a fully charged battery. I have copied the factory data in the table below:

A Great Solution for Confined or Interior Spaces

The battery-powered equipment does not have the run-time to match a gasoline-powered saw. But the crew remarked that they like the idea of a battery-powered saw in a confined space. These guys often work inside of manholes or in deep trenches. The same goes for cutting in an interior space. Also, one crew member said how much he liked the idea of 100% certainty that the saw will start, no matter what the temperature is at the site. There was no more pulling, choking, wasted time, and colorful language needed to start up the cutoff saw.

Our field experience tracked in agreement with the factory data. We had four fully charged batteries available, and we cut 28 linear feet of street asphalt with three batteries depleted fully and one battery with 50% charge remaining.  Each of the crew that used the saw was impressed with the electric motor’s torque and power. “This Thing is a Beast” one of the crew said multiple times (some language censored out of that quote).

The Milwaukee 2819-21WS  Water Supply Kit in a Remote Location

Part of the challenge with remotely located asphalt cutting is how to provide a consistent flow of water onto the blade. In our case, we had a great Milwaukee accessory to use with the saw. I own a 2820-21WS M18 Switch Tank Water Supply Kit. I used this tank during a Tool Box Buzz 9-inch cordless cutoff saw comparison. In our MX FUEL equipment use case, this tank came in very handy and married up to the MXF314-2XC saw with no issues.

This tank is a great solution. It holds 4 gallons of water and contains a battery-operated pump. The M18 XC3.0 battery can power the tank through 12 full tanks of water. Users can adjust the 2820-21WS pump through a range of 20 psi to 60 psi. The quick connector coupling on the end of the 10 feet of hose clipped onto the 14 “cutoff saw with no issues.

To cap off one of the most significant features of the 2820-21WS water supply kit, it helps users will comply with the OSHA Table 1 requirements for dust mitigation. For inside or confined space work, the 2810-21WS enhances safety and cleanliness.

Water Source

We had a very convenient source of water from the onboard water tank in the vac truck at the job site. That water source allowed the crew to refill our Milwaukee pump. The work crew usually splashes water from a 5-gallon bucket onto their cutoff saws in the past. In our setup, we had a tank/pump combination with a variable flow adjustment. Our equipment configuration meant a much more steady water source that flows water directly onto the cutting blade. The crew was impressed with the entire equipment setup.

MXF314-2XC Has Great Wheels – Way Easier on our Backs!

One of the best-liked features was the wheels on the bottom of the saw. That meant the crew did not need to support the saw’s weight as they would need to when they use their gas-powered equipment.

The pavement supports the weight of the saw. The crew used their efforts to control the plunge cut’s depth and the speed of advancement. They remarked about the lack of fatigue and strain on their backs. Even our safety personnel seconded that observation and noted the process improvement and potential reduction of lost-time back injuries using the Milwaukee MX saw.

The Milwaukee equipment allowed us to get a timely start on opening the roadway and start excavating the test pit with no delays. While the runtime of a battery-powered piece of equipment will not match up to that of a gas-powered cutoff saw, the MXF314-2CX goes toe-to-toe with power and torque. The added convenience of instant start and no exhaust fumes and engine noise put this saw way above the gas-powered equipment. Great engineering features like the wheels on the bottom and the accessory tank make the Milwaukee MX FUEL system a compelling investment. It is going to be my go-to equipment for light-duty quick turnaround projects.

Final Thoughts – Milwaukee MX FUEL Cut-Off Saw

An investment in Milwaukee MX FUEL equipment is a lot of money for any contractor. The MXF314-2XC cut-off saw with two of the XC406 batteries and charger will run online for around $2,500. Is this kind of investment justified for a commercial contractor? My personal answer is an unqualified – YES.

Here is why the MX Equipment is Worth the Investment.

In my company, we hit the start of a job very hard because our experience has shown that getting a job underway is often a slow ramp-up. But in my case, I push the job start as the most critical time in the job because it is the time where I can make up or better the time in the schedule at a minimal cost. Tell me which is easier. Saving (or not losing) time when you have about 12 guys and two subcontractors present, or scrambling to save time when you have 150 personnel and 15 subcontractors tripping all over themselves near the end of a job? At the end of jobs, I have seen contractors and owners throw barrels of money away just to save (or pick up) a few days on the schedule. Those dollars are often spent with questionable actual results.

But let me bring the discussion back to the case at hand. My current job has liquidated damages clause that would cost my company an amount that equates to $2,095/ workday.  With the Milwaukee MX FUEL equipment, I avoided wasting three days on the roadwork to start the test pits. I also avoided another three days of delay in starting  the electrical conduit work. Both of those delays would cost me valuable time at the critical start of the job. by my calculations, having the Milwaukee MX FUEL equipment available to go with minimal startup timing was worth $12,600 to me. That value is just shy of 2 times what the equipment initially cost.

Many Many More Uses

In the future of this project, I will guarantee that both of these pieces of equipment will be used repeatedly during the next 25 months. So right out of the box I saw that the investment was more than paid off and the rest of the use will be additional justification for having made the investment in this Milwaukee MX FUEL Equipment.

Both the MXF314-2XC 14″ cutoff saw and the MX301-2CP Core Drill saved us extremely valuable time in the critical start of the job. Also, the Milwaukee 2819-21WS  Water Supply Kit aided in delivering water supplies to both machines. Both of these use cases were in remote locations that did not have an external power sources or water feeds available. With this equipment system, the work proceeded as soon as we showed up with the equipment. These real examples are why the MX line of Milwaukee tools is an excellent investment to save time and money in the commercial contracting world.

Now if I only had gotten ahold of the Milwaukee MXF368-1xc Breaker, I would not have had to rent that jackhammer and air compressor…… Stay Tuned…

Check Back for More!

Like I mentioned, this is the first of two MX FUEL products I’ve gotten a chance to try. Hopefully, over time as the MX FUEL System grows, I can try out some more and report back!

Milwaukee MX FUEL 14″ Cut-Off Saw Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee MX Fuel Equipment on My Job (An Ongoing Series) – CORE DRILLING!

MILWAUKEE MX FUEL HANDHELD 6" CORE DRILL & RIG KIT W/ STAND ONE-KEY MXF301-2CXS

Manufacturer: Milwaukee
Model number: MXF301-2CXS
Price: 3,999.00
Power source: MX FUEL
Motor size: 790/1550 RPMs

This is the second article of the series – if you haven’t had a chance to read up on my experience with the Cut-Off Saw check it out here! This article is all about my experience with the Core Drill!

Milwaukee MX301-2CP Core Drill

Recently, our electrical subcontractor needed to core several 4-½” holes in a recently installed electrical manhole. While the structure came with cast-in-place openings for conduits, the job requirements called for six additional holes. We initially tried to schedule a concrete coring company to do this work. They were currently scheduled out a couple of days out and could not immediately core the additional holes. When I told the electrical subcontractor that I had the use of the Milwaukee MX Fuel Equipment  MX301-2CP core drill, they jumped at the chance to try it out and core those holes.

A Safety Consideration

I also acquired a drill stand in addition to the core drill, knowing I would use this for larger diameter wet coring operations. While the MXF301-2CP has compelling safety features like an advanced clutch design and AUTOSTOP, I wanted to use the core drill with the Milwaukee MX Fuel Core Drill Stand 3000. That way, whatever we were going to core could be accurately located and safely executed for large diameters.

MX301-2CP Features and Specifications

• Patented clutch design.
• Low speed: 790 RPM
• High speed: 1550 RPM
• Onboard LED level
• Onboard LED performance gauge
• Wet/dry coring
• 2-year warranty
• Push-button activation
• ONE-KEY compatible
• AUTOSTOP capabilities

Milwaukee 3000 Drill Stand Features

• For use with MX FUEL handheld core drill
• Delivers faster setup and more versatile coring
• Tool-free removable carrier
• Lightweight – 32 lbs.
• 2 handle positions on either side of the stand
• Tool-free removable wheels
• Tool-free angle adjustment
• Vacuum connection coupler
• The vacuum pressure gauge on base
• Quick-connect feed handle
• Measurement markings along the mast
• Bit center pointer
• MX FUEL battery storage location

Coupling the MXF301-2CP core drill with the 3000 Drill Stand made for a very effective core drilling system.

Using the MXF301-2CP Drill to Core the Manhole

The first task was to core two holes in the manhole that allowed two additional conduits to go from the transformer secondary feeder cubicle into the distribution manhole. We located the holes at the bottom of the excavation. I was curious to see how easily the crew set up the Milwaukee equipment in a  constrained space.

Vacuum Feature

It is interesting to note that the 3000 drill stand is equipped with a vacuum system to hold a position on a surface. We noticed the quick connect coupling right away, and we explored its use. The 3000 drill stand also has a vacuum gauge on the top side of the base. We did not have a vacuum pump and did not use this feature, but it is an option for mounting the drill stand. We often use such vacuum systems to lift and position large granite slabs so we know how effective an attachment like that can be. I took a picture of the vacuum system below.

Instead of the vacuum system, the electrician used a drilled-in concrete anchor with a threaded rod protruding out of the concrete. He then aligned the elongated hole in the center of the drill stand over the threaded rod. He used a small Uni-strut piece on top of the stand base to secure the equipment.  See the picture below for the mounting arrangement.

Milwaukee M18 Batteries Also Powered the Operation

We used a Milwaukee 4-1/2″ wet core bit to make the holes. We worked remotely from and building services, so the M18 Switch Tank provided the water service for the coring operation. Like the laborers at the road cutting site with the Cut-Off Saw, the electricians also loved the tank/pump equipment. The ability to adjust the flow rate to the correct amount meant that they would not have to fill the tank so often.  They also commented that if the M18 battery ran out, they could take one out of their nearby Milwaukee SDS drill used for the drilling in the inserts. That is why it is great to have a consistent platform – interoperability.

Using the MXF301-2CP in the Trenches

Once they positioned the equipment, the coring proceeded with no issues. During the operation, the electrician experienced two of the safety features of the core drill. First, the clutch disengaged the motor when the core occasionally bound up. The first time that happened, he looked up, smiled, and said, “That’s impressive!”

The AUTOSTOP was another feature that he liked. When the motor goes from a state of being loaded to a sudden unloaded condition, the motor shuts off. That way, coring blindly into a space means that the user knows the core drill will not be cutting cut into something unforeseen behind the wall.

It took only a couple of minutes to core the first hole. The setup time is about 5x-8x longer than the coring operation. In less than two hours, the electricians made the four cores on the south side of the manhole. The electrician started to lay in the conduits. Late in the afternoon, the work downstream of the manhole was ready for the electrical inspector.

Having the MXF301-2CP core drill and stand allowed this project to proceed immediately and do productive work the same day that the need arose. This Milwaukee equipment saved our project the delay in waiting two or three days for a specialty coring subcontractor to arrive on site.

Summary of the Milwaukee MX Fuel Equipment

An investment in Milwaukee MX Fuel equipment is a lot of money for any contractor. The MXF301-2CP with the drill stand is just shy of $4000. Is this kind of investment justified for a commercial contractor? My personal answer is an unqualified – YES. The bottom line is the new Milwaukee MX FUEL Core Drill offers a very versatile cordless option for concrete core drilling in remote locations. It won’t replace a corded core drill for high production use, but there are many situations where this unit will shine with no electricity needed.

Here is why the MX Equipment is Worth the Investment.

In my company, we hit the start of a job very hard because our experience has shown that getting a job underway is often a slow ramp-up. But in my case, I push the job start as the most critical time in the job because it is the time where I can make up or better the time in the schedule at a minimal cost. Tell me which is easier. Saving (or not losing) time when you have about 12 guys and two subcontractors present, or scrambling to save time when you have 150 personnel and 15 subcontractors tripping all over themselves near the end of a job? At the end of jobs, I have seen contractors and owners throw barrels of money away just to save (or pick up) a few days on the schedule. Those dollars are often spent with questionable actual results.

But let me bring the discussion back to the case at hand. My current job has a liquidated damages clause that would cost my company an amount that equates to $2,095/ workday.  With the Milwaukee MX Fuel equipment, I avoided wasting three days on the roadwork to start the test pits. I also avoided another three days of delay in starting the electrical conduit work. Both of those delays would cost me valuable time at the critical start of the job. by my calculations, having the Milwaukee MX Fuel equipment available to go with minimal startup timing was worth $12,600 to me. That value is just shy of 2 times what the equipment initially costs.

Many Many More Uses

In the future of this project, I will guarantee that both of these pieces of equipment will be used repeatedly during the next 25 months. So right out of the box, I saw that the investment was more than paid off and the rest of the use will be additional justification for having made the investment in this Milwaukee MX Fuel Equipment.

Both the MXF314-2XC 14″ cutoff saw and the MX301-2CP Core Drill saved us extremely valuable time in the critical start of the job. Also, the Milwaukee 2819-21WS  Water Supply Kit aided in delivering water supplies to both machines. Both of these use cases were in remote locations that did not have external power sources or water feeds available. With this equipment system, the work proceeded as soon as we showed up with the equipment. These real examples are why the MX line of Milwaukee tools is an excellent investment to save time and money in the commercial contracting world.

Check Back for More!

As I mentioned, this is the second of two MX FUEL products I’ve gotten a chance to try. Make sure you check out my experience with the Cut-Off Saw! Hopefully, over time as the MX FUEL System grows, I can try out some more and report back!

Milwaukee MX FUEL Core Drill Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee 2357-20 M18 PACKOUT Light with Built-In Charger Review

Milwaukee M18 PACKOUT 3000 Lumens LED Light

4/5

Manufacturer: Milwaukee
Model number: 2357-20
Power source: 18V Li-Ion

No longer. Now I transport the portable lighting I want into the Packout stack in a secure manner and still have a free hand. Also, I can turn the swivel lights to face outward on the Milwaukee PACKOUT Light/Charger 2357-20, turn them on and enter a dimly lit or dark space safely.

Product Overview

The M18 PACKOUT Light/Charger provides users with extended use, multi-directional lighting, and charging. This portable light delivers up to 3000 Lumens of TRUEVIEW High Definition quality light intensity.

TheMilwaukee PACKOUT Light/Charger 2357-20 is fully compatible with the PACKOUT Modular Storage System. The Light/Charger is the same stack thickness as two (2) 48-22-8435 pieces or four (4) 48-22-8436 storage modules

Three independent rotating light heads allow for complete control over lighting direction, whether using it on a PACKOUT stack or as a dedicated light independent of the PACKOUT stack. Users can manage the output and adjust the runtime on this portable work light with three modes (All Lights, Main Panel Light, or Back/Front Lights).

Also, Milwaukee provided three separate illumination settings, high, medium, and low for each of the three modes. The PACKOUT light/charger creates nine selectable lighting combinations. That way, the user can adjust the lighting for the specific task. Milwaukee indicates that the Milwaukee PACKOUT Light/Charger can run for up to 31 hours on one M18 REDLITHIUM XC 5.0 Battery.

There is an AC input for continuous runtime, and M18 Battery charging capability. Also, the AC capability allows the user to recharge devices with the 2.1AMP USB output. Milwaukee provides a storage compartment to store small items inside, or house the user’s phone while charging in the storage compartment. This compartment is protected with seals to prevent dust and dirt intrusion.

Milwaukee PACKOUT Light/Charger Features

• Three Independent Pivoting Light Heads Provide 3000 Lumens of TRUEVIEW High Definition Output.
• Integrated M18 battery charging.
• Back/Front Lights Provide Up to 31 Hours of Run-Time on an M18 REDLITHIUM XC5.0 Battery Pack.
• Low Battery Indicator.
• 2.1 AMP USB Output for USB Device Charging.
• Full System Compatibility with the PACKOUT Modular Storage System – Lighting On and Off the Stack.
• 9 Total selectable combinations to manage output or runtime.
• Powered by M18 REDLITHIUM Batteries or AC Power.
• Small Storage Compartment for Devices and Small items.
• Height of (2) 48-22-8435 or (4) 48-22-8436 storage modules.

Specifications:

Transporting the Milwaukee 2357-20 M18 PACKOUT Light/Charger

I find the PACKOUT Light/Charger fits a nice niche in transporting equipment to various project sites. Securing the 2357-20 into a PACKOUT stack is a key to its effectiveness and how often I will use it. I stack it and forget it until it is time to employ it on the job site. Frankly, I do not see this product staying home very much.

Not only is it a great lighting solution, I like having the battery charger available. Even the largest M18 batteries will fit into this product’s battery bay.

Milwaukee added the convenience of a USB charger for cell phones or other 5v rechargeable devices. Any USB device that uses more than 2.4A of DC electrical current will trip a self-resetting overload protector and disable the output. After tripping, the USB thermal breaker will cool down and be usable again in a short time.

Finally, I can use it with an a/c cord and not worry about the battery life.

Operating the Milwaukee 2357-20 M18 PACKOUT Light/Charger

Operation of this device is extremely simple:

1. Insert battery pack or plug into AC power.
2. Press the power button to turn on the light.
3. Select the brightness to cycle through High, Medium, and Low.
4. Choose the MODE button to select full lighting, main light, or front/back lights.
5. Press the power button to turn OFF the light.

NOTE: The light will default to the selected brightness and mode settings the next time it is turned on. On battery power, the light will flash to indicate the battery is reaching its end-of-charge.

What I Like about the Milwaukee PACKOUT Light/Charger 2357-20 

• I often take the 2357-20 off of the PACKOUT stack to use it as a standalone light source when entering dark or dim space. At 11.4 pounds, it is certainly heavier than a flashlight, but it is light enough to grab and go.
• The 3000 lumens are plenty of light for most of the lighting tasks that I have. I often use it on a workbench when I am looking for pinholes in epoxy inlays or for seeing where I have applied finishes. When I shine it obliquely on the drywall-taping job I thought was darn near perfect, it lets me know that I am far from perfect. Being able to line up the head on the wall surface is a real help for quality control observations.
• Having a USB charging compartment protected by a door lets me know that my phone or laser measurer is not being covered in dust and debris when it is charging.
• I routinely use the 2357-20 in the portion of my workshop that has the cnc machines. These operations need a lot of light for optimal performance, and the flexibility to move this light around is a great feature.

• If I am pulling an 8+ hr. shift at the CNC, I use the 2357-20 with an a/c extension cord. That way, I do not ever have to worry about when I need to change out the battery or keep a conga line of batteries going to and from a remote charger.
• I appreciate the value of the light output, “TRUEVIEW High Definition Output” may be a marketing phrase, but for trades that need true color rendition, this is an essential feature for accurate work.

What will I do to improve the effectiveness of the 2357-20 Light/Charger

• Manufacturers design almost every light cordless lighting tower product with a base that extends the lighting head to a high level for better light distribution. As part of the PACKOUT system, the 2357-20 relies on the height of the user’s PACKOUT stack for its vertical elevation. As a result, I will probably purchase or make a mounting plate for the Milwaukee PACKOUT Light/Charger so that I can mount the plate on a column or wall and then get the Light/Charger the height it needs for good area lighting.
• My iPhone 10 fits well within the USB charging compartment. But users with larger phones will have the outside door of the compartment open if their phones do not fit on the diagonal. A small increase to the compartment depth would be a great addition to this product.

Price

The 2357-20 Light /Charger is $199 online as a bare tool and can be found at our partner:

Summary

In closing, I consider this price a great value for a device with so many light level options, an M-18 battery charger and a USB charging capability. Importantly, I find the ease of transporting this light as a part of the PACKOUT system very compelling. By rights, the PACKOUT system will keep the Milwaukee PACKOUT Light/Charger protected when part of a large stack.

The three independent and adjustable lights provide the user with a flexible and adaptable lighting solution.

Finally, the TRUEVIEW light quality is an essential part of any lighting system I would consider having in my tool crib. I am very pleased with the Light/Charger and I am looking for ways to justify buying a second one to increase the flexibility of my job site portable lighting components.

#HomeDepotPartner

#THDProSpective

Milwaukee 2357-20 M18 PACKOUT Light/Charger – Video Review

Milwaukee 2357-20 M18 PACKOUT Light/Charger is a post from Tool Box Buzz

HART 36CH4XD and 36MWC5XD Tool Chest Combination Review

HART 36CH4XD and 36MWC5XD Tool Chest Combination Review

Manufacturer: HART
Model number: 36CH4XD and 36MWC5XD

In April and May of 2020, I moved into a new shop and I thought it was a great time to get started on the next steps to organize. A few months later, I found a cornerstone piece – the Hart upper and lower tool chests. Unfortunately, COVID, spinal issues, and the craziness of 2020 meant that I did not start the review process until very recently. To date, I have not yet started the process of loading this storage unit with tools. I hope the lull between Christmas and New Year will give me the time to outfit the HART Tool Storage units.

Historically, tool storage chests, rolling cabinets, carts, and specialty toolboxes have been making mechanics’ and technicians’ jobs easier for a long time. Today, contractors, woodworkers, and anyone who has countless tools to keep track of can appreciate the storage capability and organization that a large, high-capacity tool storage chest provides.

If you stroll in any of the home improvement centers near you, you will see a wide variety of tool storage chests and cabinets. They come in many different sizes and quality. This HART Mobile Chest and Base combination is on the very large end of the spectrum, represents a great value and is certainly worthy of your attention.

HART Tool Storage –  Tool Chest and Base Combination

HART fabricated their 36-inch wide steel tool chest top as an industrial-grade storage, organization, and mobile unit that will stand up to every day tough use. Coupled with the HART base, this combination rolling storage system is what most folks call a “mechanics tool chest. This is a huge piece of equipment that will no doubt help you keep your workshop or garage space clutter-free.

If you are looking for this exact configuration, I wanted to note that this particular base unit is a very popular and fast moving product, The link for it is https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hart-36-In-Wide-x-24-In-6-Drawer-Rolling-Tool-Caninet-HART36TR6XD/782856863. HART produces a slightly different model that you should consider.

If you are looking on line, you will see that HART offers a nearly identical unit with 5 drawers that has an integrates power strip and a wooden top for the base cabinet. The 5 drawer base unit is model 36MWC5XD. Again, the major difference between the two bases is that the newer version comes with a wooden removable top and an integrated power strip with six outlets and two USB ports.

The 36MWC5XD power strip is on the right side as you face the unit. You can see the convenient cord storage and the vertical orientation of the power strip.

HART Tool Storage – Drawers

Both the Upper and Lower components have soft-closing ball bearing slides that prevent them from slamming shut. The drawer slides are rated for 100 lb. capacity per drawer. The drawers have full-width light Blue colored drawer pulls. I tried to open each drawer using only the very end and the slides worked flawlessly. The drawers open with a bit of a pull, but I am ok with that. I am reminded when I open a drawer that I am using a very well-designed storage unit. The self-closing is a nice feature because there never will be a slammed drawer. A side benefit is that whatever you place in the drawers will remain in place when you shut any drawer.

The lower drawer in the lower unit is 10” deep and can accommodate larger tools.

The drawer area is really impressive in size. A full 36 in x 24  area is a lot of real estate. I expect that I will spread out my various collections of pliers or screwdrivers or sockets. That way, I will easily spot what I am looking for.

HART includes full-width foam drawer liners for each drawer and for the hutch top.

I think I will look into drawer organizational dividers so that I can use the drawers for more than one tool type if it works out that way. For example, I think I will take one half of a drawer and use it for ¼” drive sockets and the other half for my 3/8” drive tools. I can see another drawer divided in the exact same configuration for my metric sockets.

HART Tool Storage – Upper Tool Chest

The HART 36CH4XD tool chest is another impressive component. It has four sturdy soft-close drawers and a top hutch with a front opening lid. This unit has an enormous capacity of 7,559 cubic inches of storage space.

The same blue aluminum full-width drawer pulls come on the upper chest. These pulls operate with the same ease as the lower cabinet and can be opened using the far end of the pull on either side. Similarly, these drawers will not slam shut and that ensures that whatever is in the drawer stays in place.

The hutch door is full width and opens up to allows me to place large items on or take off the shelf. The weight of the hutch door is counter-balanced with two gas struts, one on each side. The top opens and closes effortlessly with the assist from these struts.

I like the power strip that comes with the unit and is located on the right-hand side of the shelf. The strip contains 5 outlets and two USB ports, One of the outlets is offset from the others and allows me to place a large power pack or adapter in that location and not lose an adjacent outlet location. That is a well thought out feature.

Durable

The HART constructed the mobile tool chest upper unit out of double-layered steel walls. The base frame has a heavy-duty, welded steel construction. In case the user dents the inside walls, The outside of the tool chest will remain intact. The entire unit has a black powder-coated finish. I expect that this finish will last for a long time under normal wear and tear in the shop. The bottom chest has the same powder coating.

Mobility

HART combination chest has 5-inch x 2-inch wide industrial-grade casters and easily glide along the floor. The set of wheels on the right side swivel to allow you to move the unit around the workshop. These casters will support 1,200 pounds of load. The swivel casters lock with a foot-operated lever and the cabinet will certainly stay in place while the wheel locks are engaged.

The combined empty weight of the two units is over 310 pounds, so along with the tool load; the casters need to support a heavy load.

The right end of the workbench has a full-size tubular side handle at the swivel-caster-end of the chest. I like the heft and diameter of this handle and it makes moving the unit around the shop a breeze.

I also find that I guide the combined unit with the handles that are located on the side of the upper chest. These handles are flush to the side when not pulled out. I find them a handy way to maneuver it around the shop.

HART Tool Storage – Capacity

The HART combined tool chest is a large unit. The upper component has a capacity of 13,987 cubic inches. The lower unit has a larger capacity of 17,014 cubic inches. Together, these two pieces provide the user with over 31,000 cubic inches of capacity.

Security

To keep the contents of the tool chests secure, you use the locks in the top drawer of the bottom unit and the lock in the bottom of the top unit. HART ships the workbench with a set of [2] keys for each lock. One key will lock all of the drawers for that particular unit.

36CH4XD Upper Cabinet Features and Specifications

• Welded Steel Construction with Black Powder Coat Finish
• Weight – 135.3 lbs.
• Full-width Blue aluminum Drawer Pulls
• 13,987 cubic inches of storage
• 100 lb. rated Soft-Closing Ball-Bearing Drawer Slides
• Gas Struts assist with opening and closing the top lid
• Integrated Power Strip with 4 Outlets and 2 USB Ports
• Drawer Liners and Top Mat included
• Coordinating Rolling Cabinet (Model HART36TR6XD) sold separately
• Product Dimensions: 35.8 inches Wide x 24.2 inches Deep x 25 inches High
• 3-year Limited Warranty

36TR6XD Lower Cabinet Features and Specifications

• Welded Steel Construction with Black Powder Coat Finish
• Weight – 163.5 lbs.
• Full-width Blue aluminum Drawer Pulls
• Soft Closing Ball-Bearing Drawer Slides support up to 100 pounds.
• 17,014 cubic inches of storage
• Double set of slides on the 9.75-inch deep bottom drawer
• Internal Locking Mechanism with two keys included
• Drawer Liners included
• 5-Inch x 2-Inch Casters support up to 1200 pounds.
• Product Dimensions: 36 inches Wide x 24.5 inches Deep x 37.1 inches High
• 3-year Limited Warranty

HART Tool Storage – Price

HART sells the tool chest components separately. The Upper unit 36CH4XD is priced at $282.00 at Walmart. The lower unit that I have is the 36TR6XD and it is priced at $ 332.00, again at Walmart. The wooden-topped 5-drawer base unit 36MWC5XD is priced at $367.00

Summary

Besides just being a place to store tools, tool chests provide two basic functions: organization and security. An organized toolbox makes it easier to find what you need, saving time and ultimately making you more productive

I am glad to say that long ago, I graduated from milk crates and mud buckets for organizing my tools. I currently have a number of smaller capacity tool chests and toolboxes.  While I am far from reaching the stage where everything has its designated place in the shop, no duplicates, and a shop floor devoid of temporary storage items. The size of this HART configuration will make a marked difference in my shop. The addition of this HART Combination Tool Chest will be a dramatic step along the way.

The HART Tool Storage 36CH4XD upper unit, 36TR6XD  and 36MWC5XD with their rugged design, heavy-duty construction, large capacity drawers, safe and accessible tool storage, have all of the features of a great tool chest solution. The care and quality that HART put into this tool storage system will not only make it functional, durable, and secure but also become a focal point piece in your shop or garage.

I have looked at a lot of tool chest and storage solutions and I rank these HART solutions as an excellent value for the money.

Start Getting Organized!!

HART Tool Storage is a post from Tool Box Buzz