Power Tools Reviews

I am a residential remodeling contractor, and as such have the need to cut all sorts of materials. In the past, I have relied on the ever present Sawzall (another great tool) for most utility cutting needs. Unfortunately, the one thing that the Sawzall cuts only marginally is metal. While it is possible, the Sawzall leaves a rough, ragged cut, and unless carefully controlled, never a nice straight line. None of this is meant to trash the Sawzall - I couldn't get along without it. However, the Portable Bandsaw adds a dimension to cutting that I never had before.

I have found the Milwaukee Portable Bandsaw to be a highly effective tool that not only cuts much faster than either a Sawzall or a hotsaw, but leaves a much cleaner cut. In use, there is almost no vibration, great ease of control, and with a deep capacity, there is little I can find that this saw can't handle. It also makes for a much safer situation in those instances where I would normally use an abrasive hotsaw - the bandsaw cuts without any sparks, the hotsaw shoots a rooster tail of sparks that will ignite any nearby flammable material. Since most of my work takes place outside a carefully controlled shop environment, no sparks equals greater safety.

The blase is inexpensive and easy to replace. Go get it!

I have used the Milwaukee model number 6256 jig saw for several years now. It is the best jig saw I have ever used. It is unbelievably smooth. It is so smooth it may be counter balanced as far as I know. The trigger speed control is excellent for precision work. The cutting portion of the blade is highly visibile for accurate cutting. It has plenty of power and is capable of making large thick fast cuts or small precision cuts. It is tough and dependable. I highly recommend this saw for any job requiring a jig saw.

I use this saw at my sign company to cut anything. I routinely cut .040 aluminum with no problem. I have also cut rebar with it and still no problem.

The only negative point is it likes to use batteries. I have two on hand because one is always in the charger. I have also cut fence posts with no problem too. Milwaukee makes great tools.
JD

This saw does exactly what it was born to do. Installed 24Ga 5v
crimp on my own home, now we're doing a buddies. Would recomend
finer tooth blade instead of the one that it comes with. Excellent tool almost as good as a cold or shear cut. Thanks Milwaukee.
C.J. Velek
Sebastian,Fl.

I have had this saw for 20 years and it is still running great. It will cut through 6x6's with only two passes, one from each side. It will cut 4x4's with a big overlap. I have a Jesada carbide blade in mine now that is a real smooth cutter. I have used lots of other blades over the years, even 7 1/4" in a pinch, but the Jesada is the best.

One caution - make sure you use an extension cord that is rated at or above 13 amps so you won't damage the saw motor. I have always taken this precaution and have never had to rebuild the motor. I use a 10-3 100' cord most of the time. The heavier cord costs less than one overhaul.

I have used DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee sawsalls and drills. I think all three make a good product. The thing I really liked about this sawsall and drill is they were easy to use and pakaged together so I only have one case for both of them. I really liked the quick change blade on the sawsall. Both have plenty of power and are comfortable to hold and use. I recomend these tools to anyone who likes a quality product.

Wow! I love this hammer drill and sawzall combo set. The hammer drill is machined perfectly and the power that the drill delivers is just fantastic. I usually believe in buying all American made products, but I will gladly grant an exception. Milwaukee has taken the best of all worlds and put them together. The hammer drill is made in Germany, the batteries are made in Japan, and the sawzall in the US. Put these components together and you've created some of the best tools available. The only downside is that the sawzall drains the battery pack fairly quickly, but the battery does charge in about an hour. So, I think I'll get another battery. Quality, you do get what you pay for... Good job Milwaukee

I just took delivery of the beauty pictured below. I'm not a professional, I'm just a tool-obsessed DIYer.

I have only used one other reciprocating saw -a Craftsman 2-speed unit. This Sawzall is, to say the least, a world apart from the Craftsman. First of all, some things I really like about it:

1. SMOOTH. The counterbalance on this thing is amazing. There is very little vibration when it's running free. In orbital mode you can feel a slight vibration owing to the fact that the vertical component of motion is not counterbalanced. Nevertheless, even in orbital mode this saw transmits less vibration into my hands than my truck does at 65 MPH on the highway.

2. The "Cord Lock" feature. I didn't really think this would be worth much, but it turns out its quite convenient. You insert and remove the cord by twisting it to lock/unlock it. Plus it comes with a 10' cord; much longer than most power tools.

3. 13 amps of destruction. That's a ton of power. Note that Makita makes a 15-amp model now, so it's only a matter of time before Milwaukee upgrades to 15 amp (probably about a month after I've had the one I just bought :rolleyes.

4. Clutch protection for the drivetrain. If you suddenly lock up the blade the clutch protects the innards from grenading.

Things I don't like (so far):
1. The plastic shoe adjustment lock (noted in the second picture). This is very thin plastic. Fortunately it's also very flexible, so it's not brittle at all. But I feel this part would be better in aluminum. I've written Milwaukee to suggest this.

Things I'm neutral about:

1. Extensive use of plastic. This thing only weighs about 10 lb, which is great. Unfortunately this weight savings is achieved mostly using plastic. The entire rotating handle is plastic. Don't get me wrong, this tool is metal in the most important parts (motor and gear case), but I'd like to see a nice aluminum or magnesium handle. I don't fault Milwaukee for this, because everyone's making their tools this way now. I don't think there are any all-metal tools left on the market.

2. The 360 degree rotating handle. This thing has the potential to be really convenient, but I haven't used the saw enough yet to form a worthwhile opinion on whether this feature is worth the additional cost (about $10 extra).

I'd like to note that when I first took it out the orbital selector was very difficult to operate. So difficult, in fact, I thought it was defective. It wouldn't be so bad if there was more than just a tiny nub to grab onto. After using the saw for a bit, it did loosen up and it's much easier to slide now.

Also, the saw is built very "tight" from the factory, and the speed variation through the trigger was a little "clunky" for the first 25% of trigger pull. I'm happy to report after using it for a bit that it breaks in nicely and things operate smoother now. It makes sense that it needs to be broken in; I don't think they run them very long at the factory.

Nowhere on this tool is it indicated where it's made. I did finally locate, in small text at the bottom of the cardboard packaging, a line that read "Made in USA". I discovered that Milwaukee was recently (2005) bought by a Chinese company, TTI (Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.) This brought on intense fear that my beloved Milwaukee might be [gulp] Made in China! I called Milwaukee and asked and they assured me the tool was made in Jackson, MI. It's amazing how rare it is for a power tool to be made in the US anymore.

Cutting performance is, as expected, stellar. Vibration level is very low. I tried the saw out by cutting up an old water heater. Sliced around the circumference with no effort. Then I cut vertically down the entire length of the heater in 2 places. "The Torch" blade that was included was dull 25% through the second vertical run, which really slowed progress. When those Milwaukee blades are sharp, though, look out!

I can't adequately describe how awesome it is to work with such a quality tool. I'm sure the offerings from Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, and Porter-Cable are also great saws, but there's a certain satisfaction in owning one made by the company that invented it.

This product meets all my expectations. Powerful, easy blade changes, and the rotating handle helps releave arm fatigue.

The power is more than adequate - the high speed being just perfect and the low speed providing enough torque to undo all but the most stubborn of screws and bolts.

The clutch is extremely handy because it prevents overtightening and breaking off screw heads.

About my only complaint would be that battery management isn't what I'd like. Not quite enough battery life on a charge - and batteries seem to wear out (as in become unuseable and won't take a charge) relatively quickly. However that is just my personal view - Perhaps my expectations are unreasonable. Conside that my experience is that the B&D Versapak battery system isn't as long lasting as this.

I do not recomend this as an all-day tool for someone who works on an assembly line, for example. But certainly it is a more than excellent device. Beautifully designed and built with real metal gears inside.

Great tool for driving,screws. You can tell this unit has lots of torque. Be careful,when first using it you can drive screws too far and split 2x4's. Wish it was made in U.S.A. but it is a power house.