Hitachi Reviews

One of my all-time favorite tools. The variable speed is perfect, as it always is on Hitachi tools. At slower speeds the unit will tighten precisely one click at a time, giving you perfect control over setting screw depth/torque. Hitachi cordless tools use rare-earth magnets in their motors giving them a performance advantage over the competition, more lightweight, quieter, and more powerful. It will easily break driver tips and screw heads! Plenty of power but if you want to drive 3"+ deck screws without drilling pilot holes (I ALWAYS drill pilot holes) then I would suggest the 18 volt model, it will really slam them in fast.
The convenient belt hook/light and the minimal weight of just over 3 pounds make this tool extremely portable and handy at your side.
The 2.0ah batteries, quick charger, exclusive belt hook/light, compact carrying case and overall quality product make this a steal at under $200. The carrying case is a great no-frustration rigid plastic case in which all items are easily retrieved and stored. You will really like it!

I have used several of these impacts on job sites and have been wanting one for some time. I have had it for about a month I guess and although I don't use it every day I am still useing the first battery I put in when it got here. That was kind of unexpected because the other ones I have used went through their charges a little quicker than this one, cool! I just can't say enough about this tool. Its the only thing I have found that does a nice job on tapcons into concrete, and does it without twisting your wrist off, try that with your 18 volt dewalt. It is light to work with so it doesn't wear out your arm, the hook is very handy especially when on a ladder, and the built in light is just as handy. I have had people come up to me to see what the noise is that they are hearing, ussually they want to try it out and are immediatly sold on it, which brings me to the only drawback that I have found with this tool, everybody is always borrowing it.

This is a great tool. It is compact, well balanced, powerful and long lasting. The light and the belt hook are great features. Works better than the other impact drivers that I have used.

hitachi apparently has two versions of this tool according to the model number wh12dm2. One has two gray colored grips on the handle. When reading specs on the gray handleled one it has 1500 pounds of torque. This model with the same model number has a black grip and has around 1100. I can't figure out why the confusion but regardless either of these tools once you use them will convince you that this is the way to go and forget the 18 volt behemouth you've been lugging around. Why break your wrist when you don't have to. I still want to try to drive a 3 inch screw through a 4x4, I think either one will do it if you had a long enough bit.
Here is the link to check out specs on the real wh12dm2. Now obviously the link is not amazon but after calling hitachi's 800 number and speaking with them, wh12dm2, is in fact the gray handled model number and they do still make it.

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go to the above link and you will see the gray handled model. Try to buy it and it will forward you to the black handled dmr model on amazon. That is the only reason this didn't get five stars. I don't want the black handled one I want the gray handled one with 1500 pounds of torque and a 1/4 inch hex drive thats rated for heavy industrial work. Can somebody help me out here? The only one I find similar on amazon is a 1/2 inch square drive and thats not what I want.

I use a lot of tools on a daily basis and I would have to say this baby is my favorite! I've had this for about a year and a half with no problems whatsoever. Prior to this I was using various non-impact drivers and it was like night and day when I bought this thing! You'll learn to love the "rat-a-tat-tat" sound it makes when it effortlessly powers screws into whatever material...this baby has lots of torque for only 12volts. If you've never owned an impact driver (and you have a need) then you'll be real happy with this one. One of the beauties of the impact is that you never strip screw heads which in itself makes it worthwhile to own! If I were in the market for another impact driver I would probably look into the new lithium ion versions just because they offer even more power and battery life. That said, I have always been happy with this hitachi's battery life. You'll never have a problem anyway because you get two batteries and a quick charger and a great carrying case I might add. Both my batteries still seem to have long lives and they've gotten quite a bit of use!

My dad got my drill in the mail before I could get it from him. he didn't want to give it back. Used with many project in building our home and on the farm. Battery pack lasts forever compared to other drivers. Thing is noisy as heck when the impact driver kicks in, but the power is amazing! Would recommend to anyone!

I bought this router to use in my cabinet shop as a dedicated setup to cut circles. The plunge base works smoothly and is accurate, however I have only been using it a short while, only time will tell if the mechanism works smoothly after serious dust buildup.
The look is very pleasing, for what thats worth, and the motor is very quiet for routers of this amperage. It has plenty of power for what I am using it for. I believe it has plenty of power for most routing applications other than large bit procedures.
The storage case is very nice and roomy and better than other brands I have bought.
Overall I am pleased with my purchase and do recommend it to others.
I also have a Hitachi M12V router and 2 14.4 volt cordless drills and have been very pleased with Hitachi products, currently no one makes a better product for the money.
Buy with confidence.

After having such a good experience over the past year with my M12V Hitachi, I ordered this one. My M12V sits solely in the table, so this router is for all my work out of the table. Just like the M12V, it works flawlessly. Hitachi just simply makes good routers, period.

Two big points to make. This thing is really about as powerful as the PorterCable 1.75HP, but lighter. It is also pretty quiet (though I still use ear plugs)........

It comes with about 5 different bushings. That's nice.

The 1/4 collet is solid.

This is a very good router.

I'll have to second the comments by other reviewers. For the money, this router combo-kit is hard to beat. The quality of the tool is excellent and the fact that Hitachi includes 7 template guides is a great bonus. The case is nice as well and is the right size to keep all the tool's equipment together without being too bulky to utilize.

Most routers with soft-start technology are priced significantly higher and do not come with as many accessories. The added sub-base is also a nice addition however, I would have liked to have seen Hitachi include a bit or 2 and an edge guide so that a first-time user would have a place to start from right out of the box. These issues are very minor and with the purchase of a starter bit set, this router will be ready to take on many of the tasks it is intended to do.

Operation wise, the power switch is easy to locate and the motor itself is one of the smoothest and most quiet I have used. I'm not sure if the router is actually putting out the listed 2 1/4 HP; however, I have not come across a single instance where it wasn't powerful enough to tackle the task at hand. I am planning to use this router in a table at some point and fully expect it to be able to handle that as well. As mentioned in a previous review, I wouldn't suggest using this or any other 2 HP single-speed router with raised-panel bits. That type of operation requires a slower speed since so much material is being removed at one time.

Overall, this is one hell of a bargain for a quality router and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it again.

I started my siding job with a Piranha carbide blade in my circular saw because the Hardiblade I ordered had not shown up.

After one afternoon of work I could see the blade was wearing out and was sparking on the cement board, indicating the carbide teeth were burning up.

When I got the Hardiblade I put it on and continued work. Noticed right away that it slings less dust and it lasts for a loooong time. I made quite a few long rips with it and it cut very easily.

Do I think these blades are worth the very high price? Nope, they can't cost that much to manufacture.

Do I regret buying it instead of trying to use carbide blades for the whole job? Nope.

It's a good blade.

This is the only blade specifically designed for cutting fiber cement siding and trim that has true lasting power. It cuts smooth and sharp. And, it LASTS and lasts! It is more than worth the higher price. You'll spend more using less expensive blades that go dull after short-term use.

I used a Hardiblade in my Radial Arm saw and another in my circular saw while installing Hardiplank siding on my daughters house. The cuts were straight and clean. This was the first time I have installed cement siding and I was a little apprehensive about cutting and nailing the siding. The blades cut much easier and with much less chipout and dust than the carbide blade I tried at first.

I would reccommend this blade for any cutting of cement siding.

I just bought this nailer and have found it to work well. To get an idea of its capabilities, I tried to sink 2 1/2 inch finish nails into a stack of solid quartersawn oak scraps. Air pressure was about 90 psi. It flush nailed one time, but the other three or four times about 1/4 inch of the nail remained exposed. There was also quite a bit of recoil. However, when I switched to 2 inch long nails, it counter sunk them effortlessly in the quartersawn oak with no recoil. I can't think of any situation when I'll be nailing against the grain of 2 1/2 inches of oak, so my test probably doesn't reflect real world situations. It can easily sink a 2 1/2 inch nail through 1 inch of oak with softwood lumber backing. Since the nailer is rated to 120 psi, it might have been able to countersink a 2 1/2 nail into 2 1/2 inches of solid oak if I had given it more than 90 psi, but I didn't test that.

I've used the Bostitch angled finish nailer at work and like it too. The Hitachi seems a little more powerful than the Bostitch though. The Bostitch flush fired a 2 inch nail into solid quartersawn oak whereas the Hitachi countersunk that nail. Since the Hitachi uses the same nails as Senco and Porter Cable, a greater selection of nails (both in terms of lengths and quantities) is available.

I don't mind lubricating the Hitachi with oil and haven't observed it sending any onto work surfaces. I'm in the habit of lubricating my nailers and staplers, but if you'd rather not bother with pneumatic oil, then the Bostitch may be a better fit for you. Either way, you probably can't go wrong.

Update (1 month later): Our Bostich finish nailer at work has been constantly misfeeding nails recently, so I've switched over to using my Hitachi in all situations, except when I don't have the right size nail on the jobsite for it. Then I resort to the Bostich and adjust the nail feeder before firing each nail: it's tedious.

I currently run four Hitachi, three Senco, and two Max finish nailers. The Hitachi NT65MA is the best nailer I have. It is very light with minimal recoil. It has enough power to sink nails in maple effortlessly. It is stone cold reliable- it has never broken a driver after four years of fulltime use. The safety works well without marring. It shoots the Senco DA series (also UA) nail which has become the defacto industry standard. Hitachi appears to have spared no effort in designing and building the best 2 1/2" finish nailer.

I PURCHASED THIS NAILER IN SEPTEMBER AND HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS SO FAR. WITH THE ANGLED HEAD YOU CAN GET INTO VERY TIGHT PLACES WITH EASE. THIS NAILER CAN BE USED FOR ANY TYPE OF TRIM( BASE, CASING, DOOR JAMBS, CROWN, ETC..). THIS IS A VERY REASONABLE PRICE FOR THE DUTIES IT CAN PERFORM!

I have been a general contractor for years. Gone are the days of leaving the job site and having the wind rip off my felt. I have spent nights wondering if my tarps or felt are going to blow off during a storm. This gun shoots down the buttons with great ease. The buttons seem at first to be expensive, but the time saved especially in windy areas makes it worth wild. The only recommendation is keep the gun clean and well lubricated. It has been my experience, you need to keep the buttons from getting damaged or wet. Furthermore, if the buttons get to hot, the tape holding them together tends to stick to the nose and inside track. All in All, I will buy another when needed.....

I have been a general contractor for years. Gone are the days of leaving the job site and having the wind rip off my felt. I have spent nights wondering if my tarps or felt are going to blow off during a storm. This gun shoots down the buttons with great ease. The buttons seem at first to be expensive, but the time saved especially in windy areas makes it worth wild. The only recommendation is keep the gun clean and well lubricated. It has been my experience, you need to keep the buttons from getting damaged or wet. Furthermore, if the buttons get to hot, the tape holding them together tends to stick to the nose and inside track. All in All, I will buy another when needed.....

This tool is a winner. I've installed 60 squares of 30 lb. roof felt with it and it has worked perfectly. It's easy to load, never jams, and saves a lot of time. The only thing that would make it better is if it were hoseless.

Unbelievable power!! Brought this little driver along for a big family project which required putting 4 inch screws through 4x4's and 2x6's. My in-laws were ridiculing the compact size of the driver wondering why I hadn't bought a 18V DeWalt, like they all had. I immediatly turned their smiles upside down when I drove a 4 inch screw halfway through a 4x4, and halfway into another 4x4. The only thing that stopped the driver from driving the screw all the way through was that I hadn't put a long enough bit on the end of the driver. This thing is seriously powerful and the batteries last surprising long for a tool that is driver and pounding at the same time. Surprisingly, the tip never slipped out of the screw, and it never slipped, just don't buy cheap screws. Also, don't be surprise if this tool is louder than your screwguns due to the hammer action of the tool, sort of has a machine gun sound to it. However, I doubt that the extra noise will dampen the smile on your face as you pound screws through wood, or if you can find a tough enough screw, through concrete.

this little tool is bad-A**. small and light enough to carry all day. powerful enough to run in 8 inch deck screws without slowing down. buy this one.

I'm in the military and stationed in Okinawa, Japan. When I first arrived in the Vertical Repair carpenter shop the local nationals were using these drills. I thought they were toys by the look of them... especially after using DeWalt 14.4's at my last base. When I got my hands on this impact driver, I was astounded! The power this tool has is amazing, and I have had no problem with it at all. This will be my first purchase when it comes to a cordless drill due to the durability, and construction of it. The fast charge time is also a plus as well, especially after a hard days use on the job. I give this impact driver a 5 star rating, but would easily give it 6 if Amazon allowed it!

When I recieved my "Router Workshop" I had to put it together. Well that took about 15 min. time. The kit includes everything you need to start making projects, it also includes two projects to work on (wood included). The projects are basic with the parts supplied.

The router table is well thought out. The system, and thats the proper term to use, is best for someone who has only a router because it is designed to work only with the components that are made by Oak Park Enterprises. Example: The router base plates are 11" X 11" and fit into the router table, other base plates are 9"X12" etc. and dont fit. The base plate comes with a 1 1/2" center hole, so if you have brass of other metel guide rings they won't fit, You have to use the Oak Park guide rings and so on.

Some of the other things they sell come in "system" form, so once your in, your in!

With all that they sell books, video tapes of shows that were or are on P.B.S. that provide information to get you through the projects,

I am having lots of fun and making projects I didn't think I could. Now if I could only find a place to put my finished projects?

This router table is a keeper.

Received the Router Workshop and within 20 minutes was into my first project. Literally assembles in a snap. Only complaint - cutout in the fence limits you to the straight bit that comes with the package. An additional fence with a larger cutout to accomodate a wider variety of bits would have been helpful.

I have owned an Oak Park Router Workshop for about three years now and it's one of the best setups I have ever used. The ease of setting up and tearing down takes very little time. There also is a good line of accessories that can be added to the basic unit for almost any routing job. I am very satisfied with my purchase of this unit. The instruction vidios are also very helpful.

Been using it for a few months now and am overall happy. The gun does fine for toenailing, subfloor/sheathing and with new doug fir. It is a bit underpowered for old wood and engineered lumber. The gun shines for doing some akward overhead work like drops, which is why I got it. If you are going to get one gun, get the 83, but the 75 is a nice gun to have if you are having more than one.

I bought this nailer to hang fiber cement lap siding on my home. This nailer is very easy to operate and comfortable all day in your hand. I've put about 2500 nails through it so far with only a few jambs, usually only when I come to the end of a coil of hit something underneath. Very easy depth adjustment and loading. Using this with the Malco FCG2 Fiber Cement Siding Plank Gauges for 4" exposure works like a charm. Easy guages lets you hang by yourself. Although I use them maily to hold the piece in place while I remove the guide and place a wood guide I make to ge the "exact" exposure. I'm very fussy on this.

I highly reccomend this nailer. It's also great for nailing exterior wood trim, lots of power.

This is an excellent siding and framing nailer, however it is not as powerful as a Hitachi NR83A framing nailer, which has a substantially larger air chamber for driving nails. In most cases this nailer is great for framing; its compact size allows you to face-nail and toe-nail easier in tight spaces. However, when nailing a .131 x 3" framing nail into two pieces of old growth fir 2x (not as common of scenario these days unless you reuse materials from demolitions on the West coast), the nail will often sit proud about an inch or more. The Hitachi NR83A will usually sink the nail in this scenario, albeit sometimes the nail may sit about a 1/4" proud.

Received this in time to use it on a small addition I'm currently building. Began to have some problems right off the bat with this gun. First off, it won't fire the last 5 nails without another strip of nails to back them up. Now this may not be Hitachi's fault, but I used the nails that Amazon advertised with the gun, and a second strip will not fit in. So you have to pull out the last few nails to proceed. Second, the safety probe slipped from the track it rides in and jammed, preventing the gun from shooting until you stop and replace the safety into position. This happened several times, slowing the process down immensely. Pretty costly considering the price of labor these days. I have to say I really expected a lot better engineering from Hitachi. They need to do some serious re-designing on this one.

I have had this tool for about a year now. It works excellent for all metal hardware. Would recomend to anyone in the framing industry. However for the general do-it-yourselfer, I would recommend just buying a palm nailer. As far as other hardware nailers are conserned, I belive this is the best. Paslode's version comes in second, but I like that the Hitachi uses the nail as a guide (unlike the paslode that uses a metal guide that sticks out then retracts, another part to worry about). I also recommend the short magazine, loading doesn't take long, and its worth the extra movement you have, being able to get it into tighter places.

I bought this gun about a year ago. It's great when you are fastening joist hangers on decks, truss ties, floor truss hangers. Man this kicks too. Careful when you use it cause it can shock your wrist. Makes my framing days alot faster when I am build a new home. It's very light and small enough to get into tight spots. I like how safety works on it. And loading is pretty nice too. This gun is worth having if you frame alot houses or build alot decks. Time it saves is worth the cost. Would buy again.