Milwaukee Reviews

I burned out Dad's old hammer drill, and I needed
one to finish my job and get him a replacement.
Unfortunately, Dad has not yet got ahold of this one.

In hindsight, I wish I had gotten the keyless chuck
version, but this is a rugged piece of equipment.
It has enough power to easily rip the drill from
your hand if the bit happens to grab ahold of something.
And dual variable speed is a nice touch.

What I dont like about it is that the collar to
switch from hammer to regular drill is easily
bumped and switched inadvertently.
Also, the power cable must be detached from the
drill before it will fit into its carrying case.
Attaching and removing the cord is relatively easy,
except in dark corners, but I wish the case
were just a bit bigger so that I wouldnt have to
attach and detach the cord everytime I get the
drill out and put it away.

I bought this drill because I needed to secure a few walls to the concrete floor of a basement. Okay, so it was overkill, but I'm not much on renting. Did the job, no problem. That was expected. I then used it to "cut" a large chunk out of the foundation so I could add a door to the outside from the basement. The foundation is 12" poured aggregrate, and here in Mass. (next to NH, the Granite State), the aggregate contains quite a bit of granite. Anyway, 150 or so holes later (1/2 holes, all the way through the 12" aggregate), the chunk is out and the door is in. In short, I don't believe a mickey-mouse drill would have drilled 1 of those holes, much less all of them.
Took quite a while (several evenings), mainly because bits don't do well when they hit granite. Nonetheless, the drill worked (and still does work) great. No problems recommending this one highly. Heavy duty? Without a doubt.

I bought this drill because I needed to drill some 1/2" holes in concrete. Before buying, I read a number of reviews of both this drill and others (by DeWalt, Bosch, etc.). This drill got the most favorable reviews, and after using it I can see why. It drilled the holes like it was drilling through warm butter. I didn't notice it heating up, but I only had to drill 25 such holes for this particular task. I did have the problem of the locking ring slipping from hammer to drill, but only once and that was while drilling the first hole. If it had happened again I'd blame the drill, but it didn't so I blame myself. I had no problems with the trigger hole pinching my finger, although ... the trigger lock is in an awkward position. Nonetheless, I give it five stars because it drills like five stars.

My dad uses this when he goes roofing, and he says that this is great! I've watched him use our old screw gun and new un reduces the rate or time used on the same job by half! Also good for getting the dog off the couch if you don't use any screws.

This is my first drywall screwdriver, and I researched alot of them before I chose the Milwaukee. In the end, it came down to Milwaukee's name, this driver having a hard nose (as opposed to soft plastic) and the torque of an electric tool. I've used it for a couple weeks now and don't know how I managed to hang drywall without it. After taking a few drives to set the depth, I haven't broken the paper once, haven't snapped the head off one screw, and have hung full sheets of drywall by myself without using nails. Now my only concern has been missing the stud.

Now the cons: I have big hands and cannot get the trigger lock engaged with the hand holding the grip. The only way I can get the trigger lock pushed in far enough is to use a finger on my "free" hand. If you have to angle the gun to get screws in tight corners sometimes requires a hand screwdriver to finish them after the gun has driven them as far as it can. And of course since it is electric there's an extension cord that follows you around.

I may consider purchasing a cordless screwdriver in the future to elminate the cords, but this tool is going to be in my arsenal for as long as I'm working.

Look no farther, this is the gun to buy. I bought this screw gun almost a year ago when I was going to have to drive a LOT of screw. I built 4 large decks this summer and it has saved me time beyond belief. The gun has enough torque to drive 3 inch screws through 2x cedar into pressure treated wood with no problem. The auto depth stop works flawlessly, and I can drive screws 40-50% faster than with a cordless drill. I also recently used it to put down a metal roof and it works great for that too. Before buying this model I had the opportunity to use a Dewalt gun (the kind they carry at the big home stores) and it's no comparison, this one wins hands down. More comfortable to hold and use and has more power for driving the screws.

Great for getting into tight spaces. Changing over from low to fast speed isn't that big of a deal. I've ditched all my spade bits for self-feeding auger bits once I tried this drill. Just brace yourself and hold on...it'll do the work.

**UPDATE: I can't seem to change the rating to 5 stars which is what it should be!

I added this to my arsenal when helping a buddy build a huge deck. This thing has loads of power and could not be bogged down. Used it with the right angle head on and off. Worked perfect for tieing the deck joist to the house floor joists. With a decent auger bit, drilling even big holes was effortless. My only issue with the tool is that switching out angle head is kind of a pain.

The Milwaukee Right Angle Drill 3107-6 applies allot of torque to spaces you otherwise would have trouble reaching with a regular drill. It is ideal for drilling holes between studs for electric, cabling or plumbing. The unit is basically their 7 amp variable speed D handle drill featuring triple gear reduction with a Right Angle Drive (RAD) unit attached that can be set in either low gear at 355rpm or high gear at750rpm. The D handle drill without the RAD will achieve 500 RPM. Changing chuck speed from high to low or visa-versa requires removing the chuck, reversing the RAD unit and then replacing the chuck on the other side. This is fairly easy but it takes about 2-4 minutes and requires a couple of tools that are provided. The Right Angle Drive (RAD) can be easily swiveled 360 degrees providing versatility to meet any drilling angle.

Using the drill is a pleasure as it has so much torque it just seems to eat the wood up. No standard hand drill I ever used has this kind of power. The build quality of the unit is of the highest standard and will likely last a lifetime of moderate to heavy use. This model is also fitted with Milwaukee's "quick lock" cord allowing easy replacement in the event the cord becomes damaged.

For remodeling, basement finishing, or extensions this drill really shines. Trying to accomplish drilling many holes in wall studs with a standard electric drill would be very time consuming if not impossible for simply not being able to fit one between the studs. If however you do this kind of work every day as a business I would consider either the Hole Hawg or the new Super Hole Hawg. These units are more expensive but feature higher chuck speeds and a transmission that allows you to select the high or low speed without the use of tools. This will allow you to get work done faster when on really big jobs. But for the home owner that enjoys remodeling this Right Angle Drill is really the best choice as it is two tools in one when you consider the D-handle alone with the RAD unit removed.

Built like a tank and as much power as you could ever need this drill definately delivers. The only variable will be your choice of bits, I have to place my vote on the Milwaukee self feed bits as they cut very fast and will last a long time between sharpening. So if you have some branch circuits to run or some plumbing to install go get this drill and some self feed bits. It will make the job go much easier.

The Milwaukee Rip Fence is well crafted of stamped steel. About the same as any other rip fence.

It comes with several thumb screws and fits several Milwaukee models.

I have found the ruler markings to be accurate and the fit and finish to the saw acceptable.

This rip fence fits great and is measured accurately for perfect cuts.

This will also work on Hitachi 7 1/4 saws except that the Milwaukee thumb screws does not fit on Hitachi saws which use a 6-mm metric fine-thread screw to hold the fence in place.

I have two professional Carpenter crews installing Hardie Siding 8 hours a day 5 days a week. I have used the Porter Cable and the Kett siding shears and these are a full step ahead of those. They are solid professoinal grade shears with full steel heads that don't break after one or two houses.

I gave up on a circular saw some time ago becasuse of the cost (2-3 blades per house at a minimium cost of $30 per blade). Save your lungs and stay away from the light duty shears. Even if you are only doing one house these are the shears for you.

My clients also appreciate the quiet work since we gave up the circular saws.

One note - they cut a much wider piece out of the plank than a circular saw and can leave a bit of a rough end. If you are butting the siding to the trim then have a wood rasp handy to clean the end. If you are overlapping the trim this is not a problem.

Only wish they had a shear that would cut the 3/4 inch trim!

I started a project to re-side my entire house about thwo months ago. Since I'm only working on the weekends, it's going to take me some time. I had never done this type of work before and purhcased a Hardi-Blade for my circular saw. It created an enormous amount of dust (that according to Hardie is toxic). After doing some research (including Hardie's site) I found out the tool of choice for most professionals is a fiber-cement shear. I found out the best product for that job is this Snapper Shear SS404.

The circ saw I used before was difficult to control, slow and inaccurate. This shear from Pacific Tool is the best thing for slicing Hardi-plank. It cuts more accurately, faster and can be done without someone else holding the board for you. It's awesome. Well every penny of the price I paid here at Amazon. I'll never go back to the "dust cloud" hardi-blade.

Should be part of the tools at your hardware local hardware store! Thanks P.I.T. for saving my lungs.
Spud

One of my guys has an old and I mean old version of this saw. It has no variable speed. No rubber grip. In fact the whole thing is metal, even the handle. The motor is only four amps but it still cuts like it did 40 years ago. Now you get the same exact mechanism with a more powerful motor, Variable speed, a rubber grip and quick loc blade clamp. I like the 10 amp super sawzall better ( It has a lot less vibration, a longer stroke and a lot more power and I like the orbital one even more.) But if you don't mind a cut taking a few extra minutes here and there, you can't go wrong with this saw. I beleive that it will outlast any other saw from any company including Milwaukee. It's nothing to see one that has been in daily service for 20 or 30 years. No other saw I know of has even been on the market that long. It must be a good tool or how could they give it a LIFETIME warranty. Where else are you going to get that?

You want a recipro saw that will work in restricted, confined areas. This is it. Shortest stroke in the industry, which means you don't bend blades and destroy things around it.

Dunno why the tool-makers went to longer stroke saws, but glad they still make this one. They last as long as you will, hold up in use. Friend of mine has a brand new Super Sawzall....and he uses an old standard model he inherited from his father; it works better.

I worked as an Electrician 25 years ago and our shop used Milwaukee tools exclusively for good reason. They took the lickin and kept on ticking.I use this saw for demolition and renovation work around the house and it handles any job with no problem. I definitely reccommend it for the average Joe. If your a contractor and would be using it commercially than go for the 11 Amp model.

I used this brand of drill for 10 years and use it mainly for door installations. It is a very heavy duty drill with alot of power. I actually burnt out one of these drills and another stopped working. I am on my third one. (I readily admit I abuse my tools so that why I don't hold it against milwaukee. I don't want a more powerful drill, I would probably break my wrist if it caught something)
Note: I had the drill twist out of my hands many times, that's why you have to use the side grip attachment.
The only reason I gave it four stars is because the motor burnt out on me once. I think the connection broke on the trigger the second time.

This drill worked great for me, until last weekend when it suddenly burst into flames. Yes, I was using it for a "tough" job -- 1" Forstner bit in hardwood -- but that's what a "heavy duty" drill is for, right? Anyway, after much argument with the local home improvement store where I bought it 6 months ago (they wanted me to send it back myself to Milwaukee for warranty) I got a replacement. I'm hoping I just got a lemon and this new one will live up to its reputation.

Also, I can say from first hand experience that this drill CAN hurt you if you don't hold the drill and the work piece very firmly. My injuries were very minor but it was a powerful lesson in how much torque this drill has.

I own five Milwaukee tools to date, various electric drills, sanders, and grinders. I have found them easy to repair, with parts readily available locally so that I have short downtime when repairs (mostly maintenance) need to be done. I have never had to replace any of the tools I own. Parts are never obsolete, at least in my experience. I recently replaced a variable speed switch on my electric drill which is over ten years old. It is the first repair I have had to make on the tool since I purchased it and it has had extensive use in my work as a professional. I would never think twice about purchasing another Milwaukee tool, they are worth every penny.

So far, this router meets all my expectations; it's precise, reasonably quiet, and particularly suited for use in a router table. The only thing that bugs me is the cutting depth adjustment screw: why 5 turns per inch? Either 4 or 8 turns would make a lot more sense, and make it much easier to set a specific cutting depth from a "zero" start. However, I like the tool well enough that I guess I'll learn to live with this quirk.

Great tool very powerful .A little heavy but very well made compared to other companies out there.Iwould highly recommend this tool to anyone who does a lot of router work.

I recently purchased the 5616-20 router. As I was waiting for it to be shipped I read some reviews that had me concerned. It seems that under the table mounting was not allowing room for the collect wrenches. When I received my router I proceeded with the task of mounting it to my table. Mine being a homemade table with a �" aluminum plate meant that it was necessary to drill mounting holes. Which interfered with the existing holes. So I rotated the mount by 90 degrees. This put the opening for the "T" wrench up front and allows me to utilize both front and back wrench openings from either side to change collects. Making it an easy job. I am 100% satisfied with the performance of this router.

Very comfortable could not bog it down with pressure when grinding. have owned several other top brand grinders and really liked the Dewalt. This has much more power and can be used for longer periods of time without hand fatigue. The power is impressive. It doesn't rev as quickly as the others though.

I like to take on projects as a reason to purchase a tool and have been wanting a grinder for a long time.

The reason I went with the Milwaukee (besides the reputation) is this had a lot of power and variable speed, not found in most grinders.

I was able to rig a hose and a table to this grinder and use it for wet polishing of granite with the harbor freight diamond wet polishing pads. worked great and did a good clean edge on our granite countertops. However since this is not designed for this task, it only worked well in the jig I had created (would not work for a regular polishing application since there is no way to deliver the water through the shaft ...)

but anyhow I got the grinder I wanted and its performed flawlessly, although with a tool like this be sure you always use hearing protection as it can be loud ...

The offroad club that I lead (Longhorn Offroad), has been building an RTI ramp recently out of 1/4" box steel. For the uninitiated, an RTI, or Rate of Travel Index ramp, measures how much wheel travel a particular vehicle has. We've been using a stick welder, chop saw, and two angle grinders to build this beast.

I'd been eyeing this grinder for quite awhile, and when we got sick of having to switch from grinding to polishing wheels on my friend's DeWalt, I picked one up. Milwaukee has a great tool in this little grinder. It can flatten down a weld in about half the time of the DeWalt. With the cutting wheel, I can cut through steel faster than the chop saw. It can also cut through automotive frame rails without a second thought.

My favorite thing about this grinder is the trigger action. The DeWalt's was slightly awkward and located a bit too near the wheel for my taste. The Milwaukee's is larger and easier to work with gloves. It also allowed for better balance and thus easier operation of the tool.

If you're doing woodwork or anything delicate, I'd steer clear of this machine. If you do regular automotive modification or any heavy metalwork, however, pick up one of these. It is a wonderful tool for everything from cutting off bolts, to grinding welds, to even cutting through fully boxed steel.

Out of the box Milwaukee quality is a joy to work with. Soft start motor is great. Adjustable fence is a great feature, though I use it very little. Miter adjustment is the best design I've seen. 2 x 2 x 1/4" walled tubing will put a strain on any cutoff saw and the Milwaukee motor did smoke up on the tail end of the cut. Motor must be given time to cool and cuts have to be done slowly. These saw are not replacements for horizontal band saws. The spark catcher is well designed. Vise has to be fully closed for saw to locked closed for transport. Generous sized based makes for easey positioning. Cutoff saws in general wear down the wheel diameter and limit the cut capacity adding expense to production work.

I ordered this saw from Amazon about Christmas time and actually received it after the holidays. Prompt delivery. Saw cuts well and is built very tough. So tough that moving it by hand is a bit of a work-out. It weighs a bunch.

If you are looking for an alternative to a bandsaw for average use; but need accuracy -this saw is it. A real Milwaukee....

Great machine, lots of power, I would say best in its class. I use this machine to cut 1/2" plates and 4" sch80 pipe and it cuts right through with no problem. Would recomend this product highly to serious metal worker