Milwaukee Reviews

This is a very nice polisher. Their is nothing wrong with it. The reason why I suggest the Milwaukee model 5540 polisher instead, even though it is a few more dollars, is because it polishes up to 2800 RPM's. 1750 is usable for a lot of purposes, but 2400 is where you want to be for the ultimate gloss in catalyzed urethanes or old world leaded lacquers. (They took the lead out years ago, and their went the glass like gloss, so next day polishing on catalyzed urethanes is the mile deep club)
I had a body shop for 20 years, did a lot of high-end cars. Spend a zillion hours behind a polisher. Had a multi step polishing procedure. First you wet sand the car with 600 grit or 800 grit wet dry sandpaper. Then you use a true silky smooth tie on lambs wool bonnet and Dupont 606 hand application compound. (The secret is after going over the car the first time with the 606S compound, put on a fresh lambs wool bonnet, and go over the car a second time. It is amazing how it improves the gloss. That way you have a true polished surface to build your protection on. Then use liquid ebony to eliminate the swirl marks, then Maguire's machine glaze, and then hand glaze. People couldn't help but come over and ask you about the finish on the car. Three new bonnets are required) Anyhow, 1750 rpm's didn't do something, like warm up the finish enough to give you mind blowing gloss. The 5540 gives you up to 2800 RPM's with a speed setting dial, so you can tweak it in to the desired speed, which is 2400 for, automotive.
By the way the owners manual, which is available here at Amazon at this listing, and the listing on the 5540 as well shows you that the hook and loop pad is available as an option, with several different types of pads, depending on the application you are using.

Milwaukee makes great equipment, and no matter which model you choose, it is a nice piece for your arsenal. I just think the 5540 is worth the extra money, because of the increased capacity into an area that includes automotive level of finishing. Hope this helps.

I compared this with the Makita 9227-c side by side. The Milwaukee is a good deal beefier and I'm confident it will run all day long if I ask it to. Note one difference is the Makita has a hook and loop (velcro) disk if you are for or against that. The Milwaukee has a plain rubber disk. I don't know if H&L is an option or not.

I use this for final buff-out of high gloss lacquer furniture finishes and it works great.

A nice feature is that the back has a "stand" of sorts, so you can lay the tool down securely without contaminating the bonnet. Also nice is the twist-lock cord that helps prevent breaking the conductors at the point where it leaves the tool. I have this problem with other tools that require a sharp bend to get them back in their cases.

This is variable speed, with a dial, so all you do is dial in the speed and pull the trigger switch. The speed dial is conveniently located at thumb-tip above the trigger.

When you what a polisher with some guts this is the one. Having been a Millwaukee fan since my first hole shooter drill, I expect a lot from each product I buy from them. This polisher is no exception. You can put a nice buff on a wax job with a light touch, or you can grind off 10 years of oxidation with rubbing compound and a firm application. The Millwaukee just keeps on working, staying cool in your hands and not bogging down. Costs a little more to buy this quality at first, but down the road these tools are always a bargin.

What an awesome review! Actually I was looking for a tool that did something else, however I ALMOST bought your saw just because you gave such a great description of what this could do. I had no idea of the complexity and techniques to cut pipe --- clear, practical advice. Thanks!!

You've probably seen one of these Milwaukee portable band saws around on various job sites for years. The 6232-6 is Milwaukee's kit number for the 6230 variable-speed, deep-cut band saw with a blow molded plastic storage case.
I bought the 6230 band saw for the same reasons that everbody else does, to cut steel strut, pipe and conduit. Although it doesn't cut nearly as fast as a chop saw, this tool does have certain advantages over and above even the best chop saws. The most obvious being that you can bring this tool to the work as opposed to bringing the work to the tool. It also doesn't require dedicated space and the ampere draw is much lower for generator-powered job sites.
It has the capacity to handle up to 4" heavy-wall rigid conduit or black iron pipe and it's heck of a lot faster than a hacksaw or pipe cutter. It also makes a much cleaner, straighter cut. The variable-speed switch makes it easier to start a cut and to control the saw throughout the entire cut than with the older style two-speed models, especially when cutting thin wall material like EMT or softer materials like brass.
The 44-7/8" X �" X .020 blade runs at up to 350 FPM, and good quality bi-metal blades are relatively inexpensive at a little under six dollars apiece. They do last a fairly long time when cutting mild steel, but for cutting thicker material, stainless steel or hardened tool steel, it makes sense to spend a little extra and get a true cobalt blade such as the Morse cobalt varied-pitch 10-14 TPI or else you'll be replacing bi-metal blades every few minutes. The saw comes with one 14 TPI bi-metal blade installed. I wouldn't recommend buying regular carbon steel blades because they don't last very long at all and the better bi-metal blades are usually only a few cents more in price anyway.
A good dark cutting oil will help keep blades alive when cutting steel, but you probably don't want to use a wax based stick lubricant on the edges of the blade if you can avoid it because the build up can cause the tools rubber edged drive wheel to loose it's grip, letting the blade slip off right in the middle of a cut. This usually causes the blade to become kinked, requiring it to be discarded. You won't find any reference to this in the owners manual, but it has happened to me a few times over the years.
Blade changes are fast and easy, just release the tensioning lever, remove the old blade, feed the new blade through the guide and rollers, then move the tensioning lever back to the lock position. There is also a storage space for a few spare blades in the tools plastic storage case. I'm not sure why, but for some reason Milwaukee hasn't added the quick-lock cord to their portable band saws.
Overall, the 6230 is very well made and has always proven to be very durable. If you have a need to cut various metal materials in the field frequently, I would say that this tool pretty much recommends itself.

My experience with portable band saws started with an earlier version of the Milwaukee 6230 (the 6230 and the 6232-6 are the same model) and it was the two speed model. That two speed model worked very well in cutting Uni-Strut and rigid conduit. My only problem with the saw was that it had two speeds, low and high. The low speed was ok, but you could not "ease" into the cut or switch into high while cutting.

When my electrical job was done I sold that saw and used an abrasive chop saw for a long time for cutting conduit and Uni-Strut. While at a job site I saw a guy with a Milwaukee 6230 Deep Cut Band Saw. It was a variable speed saw and what appeared to be a slightly larger capacity cut. I tried it and it would start at a crawl and go to full speed (and any speed in between) by pulling the trigger. I was hooked! I had to get one.

The chop saw was fine except that it was loud, threw sparks everywhere and the cut often left a large sharp burr that had to be filed or ground down. The portable band saw could do everything I needed to do and then some. It was also quiet, did not pull a lot of power (current out of an electrical outlet) when cutting, did not leave a large burr after cutting, and it sliced through Uni-Strut, conduit, re-bar, all thread rod, and anything else metal, like a hot knife through butter.

The Milwaukee 6230 quickly became my favorite cut off tool. The name plate on the tool says 6230. The kit I bought was called the 6232-6 and the saw came with a 14 TPI (teeth per inch) bi-metal blade and a plastic carry case. The cutting capacity for round stock is 4-3/4" and square stock of 4-3/4" x 4-3/4". It operates on 120 volts AC only and has a range of 0-350 feet per minute (no load speed) on the blade and the motor draws 6 amps. This saw uses a 44-7/8" x 0.020" x �" blade.

Blades: A discussion about them is in order. In general you should try to have 6 to 12 teeth in contact with the material when using a bi-metal blade and cutting metal. More teeth per inch is required for thin, hard or if the finish is important. Blades with more teeth per inch are required when cutting soft or thick material. These are rules of thumb and you'll have to experiment a little to see what works best in your job.

A variable pitch blade has teeth that vary from (let's use a 14-18 TPI blade) 14 teeth per inch to 18 teeth per inch. The varying tooth sizes and gullet depth changes over a predetermined distance and then repeats. Teeth are set left and right with a single straight tooth called a "raker" tooth used to help maintain a straight cut. The design of the variable tooth pitch cuts down (no pun intended) on the "harmonic" frequency of the cut. In other words, the variable tooth blade design does not vibrate or chatter as much (or at all) while cutting when compared to a fixed pitch blade. Since a variable tooth blade has teeth at 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 TPI, it can handle a larger range of material thicknesses without having to change blades.

Milwaukee makes several fine blades and the one I use the most is a variable tooth blade 14-18 TPI bi-metal blade. This blade will handle just about any sort of sawing job around whether it may be a solid or hollow stock, or a combination material such as bonded electrical conduit with a plastic outer jacket and a steel/copper spiral wound tube in the middle.

Using the saw is a breeze. Align the blade where you want to make your cut, taking care to put the saw rest against the work and then squeeze the trigger. As the cuts progresses you can increase the saw speed. Changing blades is about a one minute job. You unplug the saw, flip the tension handle, remove the old blade, install the new blade with the teeth pointed to the back of the saw, guide the blade into the grooves and then flip the tension lever back. It's as easy as that.

While this saw is meant to be used free hand, it's not a scroll saw to cut out intricate patterns. It's also not nearly powerful enough to cut through some of the heavy wall materials but... it does have a place at your home or the jobsite. If you are cutting �" and smaller re-bar, Uni-strut, conduit, copper or steel tubing or shapes, and the like, this is the saw. I have only made a few cuts on 3" solid steel and it cut through it pretty quickly all things considered. Would I want to do that all day long? No. You'll need a bigger saw. But this is the saw I'll reach for when I need to made overhead cuts as it is light enough to do that. I did not weight the saw but I'll guess it weighs around 15 pounds.

The speed control is a small knob located on the trigger of the saw. Turning it will make the saw run from the slowest speed to the maximum speed of that setting. This saw does not have a "lock-on" switch. It would be handy for the longer cuts but it is not much of an issue for me.

Also, Milwaukee makes a stand for this saw with a clamp to make precise cuts and it works very well.

Warranty. Milwaukee is offering a 5 year warranty on the saw so ownership costs should be very low.

What would I change? I wish Milwaukee would go back to the "Quick Loc" cord they have used on their many other corded tools such as their Sawzall or Right Angle Drills. My cord has become damaged and you have to take the handle apart to change out the cord. Again a minor gripe on my part.

Would I buy another 6230 again? Yes!

The worm drive saw is geared (no pun intended) to a very specific customer, the pro. I've used several different worm drives, including Black & Decker (now DeWalt), Skil, and of course Milwaukee. This model, while a very good model, has a few flaws. I've never used one that didn't leak a little around the spindle lock button. This is ok as long as you remember to check the oil level, but that doesn't happen often enough in the real world. The start-up torque is excessive, compared to other models. And the shoe does not run parallel to the blade, making it difficult to use an edge guide for straight rips. With proper care, it is a very good saw. The 15 amp motor gives you more than enough power to cut through almost anything. But I would not buy this one again, I'd go with the Skil HD77M.

Just pick this bad boy up and you know you've got something heavy duty. Even the cord is huge! Easily twice as thick as any other saw I've used. At fifteen amps we are maxed out on power input. All this beef comes at a price. It's pretty heavy. But some times the extra weight comes in handy , like when you are cutting off rafter tails from above.Or stand a 2x12 on edge and cut down through it. The saw just walks itself across the board. The tough fiberglass reinforced nylon body really takes the abuse . The warranty is like no other. LIFETIME baby! If you run over it, you pay for the repair. If it ever fails due to parts or workmanship , Milwaukee pays. No body stands behind their power tools like that. No body. Now to be fair I have to say that warranty aside ,I prefer the Skil mag 77. First, it's a few pounds lighter. The worm gear is a little smoother. At 13 amps it is rated at less power. BUT! In toolpigs tool test The skil Whooped everything else in time trial ripping in 2x douglas fir by a couple of seconds.(Tools tested; This Milwaukee ,Skil mag 77 13A , Dewalts 378g hypoid framing saw 15A, Porter Cable 843 blade left framers saw 15A, Makita 5277B hypoid saw 14A We used brand new Marathon blades in all saws. At the time we were sure that the Milwaukee would take top honors. We were disappointed. Time after time the skil came out on top. Even after changing blades around and changing operators. What's a second or two ? We just had to know. Still this is a mean saw. If you need something that is over built this is your saw. You will never wear this tool out. Sure you might drop it off a roof or smash it with a fork lift but you're not going to wear it out.

WHEN YOU SEE A TOOL THAT'S RED AND GRAY YOU AUTOMATICALLY KNOW IT'S THE BEST, IT'S A MILWAUKEE. THE MILWAUKEE TOOL WILL REGULARLY HAVE MORE POWER, BE MORE EVENLY BALANCED WHICH MAKES THE JOB EASIER, AND LAST LONGER THAN OTHER COMPARABLE TOOLS MADE BY OTHER COMPANIES. THE THING I LIKE THE MOST ABOUT THE MILWAUKEE WORM DRIVE CIRCULAR SAW, COMPARED TO OTHER BRAND NAMES, IS THAT IT DOESN'T JERK WHEN YOU FIRST START CUTTING. IT HAS GREAT BALANCE AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. IT MAKES A SMOOTHER, MORE EVEN STARTING CUT. THE MILWALKEE WORM DRIVE CIRCULAR SAW IS ALSO MORE DEPENDABLE. WE AVERAGE BUILDING 12 - 14 HOUSES A YEAR. WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BUYING A NEW SAW EVERY TWO OR THREE HOUSES WITH THIS ONE. BUYING DEPENDABILITY SEEMS A LITTLE HIGHER AT FIRST BUT REALLY ADDS UP TO BIG SAVINGS OVER THE YEAR. I'VE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION FROM AGE 17 TO 57. IN THESE 40 YEARS I'VE FOUND MOST UNION AND NON UNION WORKERS USE THE RED AND GRAY BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S THE BEST.

Once again, Milwaukee delivers a quality tool. This gun is a vast improvement over their older, less balanced screw guns. It fits the hand well, is not overly heavy, and runs screws into either wood or metal studs without hesitation. The only complaint I have about this one versus the older models is the trigger lock. It's now a recessed button, which is very awkward to operate with one hand. But even the DeWalt's isn't that convenient, so this is my screw gun of choice. Plus, it has a 5 year limited warranty, which none of the competition can touch.

This is a plain, bare bones screw gun for drywall installation.

It has a soft start feature that helps the motor last longer since some people rather pull the trigger for every screw they shoot.
People who do tons of drywall just lock the trigger and keep driving one screw after the other.

It's designed to shoot screws in all day. Nothing fancy, no clutch, just a depth stop.

I actually use my clutched cordless drill for most drilling and general screwing. I only break this out for drywall. It has the advantage of being lighter weight with pretty decent balance.

If you're going to screw into something that's maybe questionable in strength might benefit from a clutched drill or a clutched screw gun or just going slow with this. These screw guns are really fast and since they're foremost intent is screwing into wood or steel studs having that type of adjustability really isn't required.

This is about the least expensive, no frills way to go for a screwgun and a brand that's been making these for a very long time. It's a good dedicated drywall screw gun.

For decks I might use a clutched gun or just one of the slower rpm screw guns that are geared for more torque to drive longer, fatter screws.

The Milwaukee drywall screwdriver is a priceless tool if you've got a job bigger than 1 sheet. The depth settings are convienient and have good granularity of adjustment. You may have to try a couple of brands of bits however. I've found that the bits with ridges on the blade faces work best. They allow you to be slightly off 90 degress (perp. to the wall surface) without camming out. The rubber finger grips on the top of the Milwaukee make it comfortable to handle. It's well balanced and powerful. It takes a few practice screws to get the hang of it but it's by all means worth the (money). You'll use it every chance you get!

I've used this impact screwdriver for a year and a half daily. So it's tough enough. It drives big screws like butter. Amazing! It drives Phillips as nicely as Robertson without stripping, also amazing. It is very short, so it easily fits between joists. The NiMh batteries are better than NiCd: they carry more power for their weight, are less finicky about charging technique, stay charged longer when unused, and charge rapidly.

cons: Bits always get stuck in the hex chuck, requiring Visegrips to get them out. But I generally use a guide sleeve. Phillips bits sometimes shatter. Robertson bits sometimes jump out of the screwhead since virtually no force is needed to drive the screw. It is single-speed, so you have to be careful as the head sinks into the wood or sheetrock. Also, it's very very loud, requiring hearing protection.

My other impact screwdriver is a Makita. That version has external ports for the motor brushes, and a built-in worklight. But it's hex chuck jams just the same.

I guess everyone has already echoed my thoughts about this great product. Yes, it does drive large screws into hard wood, without stripping the heads or breaking the screws. It requires a lot less effort, so you don't get as tired at the end of the day. And yes it will be your most favorite tool of all.

There are however some shortcomings that should be mentioned. First, it works best with a full battery. By the time the battery is half discharged, it will no longer drive large screws. The work around to this problem is to invest in a couple of Panasonic 12V 3.5Ah NiMH Batteries. These babies provide plenty of long lasting power. The other is the bit holder. The bits get stuck inside and are difficult to remove. The work around is to get a MagZilla Mag Bit Holder from www.mcfeelys.com for $10 and leave it in permanently. This bit holder will accept any kind of 1/4 bit you insert into it (short or long etc.) and hold it securely, yet releases it easily. With a setup like this, you have a tool that is truly rated at five stars.

Big fan of panasonic cordless tools.. this is my 3rd. I was having a problem countersinking big screws into hardwood or cement board so based on some advice picked up this tool.. It took over where my very powerful 15.6 left off.. taking 3" screws that were stripped and wouldn't go in and countersinking them no problemo... the impact nature makes it less likely to break screws like the 15.6 does occasionally... I actually put a 3" screw about 1" countersunk into a FIR stud just testing out the capabilities. Quite literally it will keep driving most screws 'til you let go of the trigger, so better use a dimple bit on softer material.

caveat: i had a few minutes of buyers remorse when i first used it as it is QUITE loud.. make no mistake when this is working your house is 'under construction'.. however you do get quite used to it, it's definiately worse as a bystander.

I would rate it 4 1/2 stars for the one major problem: non standard chuck... argh on panasonic.. why why why? the solution to fix it is to put a slug of 1/4 hex cut off an old bit shank into the chuck or perhaps a couple #4 hex nuts (if that's what is 1/4"). .makes for easier removal if necessary... anyhow they did it so the double-headed bit that comes with fits nicer but makes NORMAL quick bits jam... and i have yet to find any bits whatsover including from panasonic that match the groove for the double headed quick bit that comes with.

The charger that comes with is awesome because it works up to 18V batts... i can bring one charger and all my tools someplace and can charge my drill, my impact or my saw no need for 3 chargers.

Until the torque load gets high enough it operates just like a drill, so small bits and small screws work great just like your drill and pretty much silent.

I'm thrilled with the driver it's possibly my favorite tool.. too bad it needs a hack to fix it, but with the fix it's flawless.

This driver drill is powerful, smooth and lightweight (3.8 lb). I can use the same battery charger as my other Milwaukee tools. The only flaw is that it is difficult to change the direction of the drill (forward/reverse) without using two hands. It can be done with one hand, but you have to shift your grip on the tool to do it.

A very good product at a reasonable price. I did a lot of research and decided that a 12v drill would be sufficient for the things I needed to do with it. It turns out that the 0502-26 offers more than enough power. The tool feels well built and the worklight that comes with it is also nice.

This is a very good cordless drill with plenty of torque. It
is however a bit on the hefty side and does not have an attachment location for keeping a screwdriver bit. This can be inconvenient for some applications. Overall a well made and reliable tool. It has come in handy for many jobs already, and I have only had it for a few months.

Being a Milwaukee you know it will be the best of quality. I replaced a Dewalt cordless hammer drill with this one. I bought it in conjunction with the 4 tool combo pack. Now I have to drills. This drill is identical to the 0522 with the hammer drill extra. It has excellent balance and conforms well to your hand. The hammering action is the best I have seen in a cordless. The torque the plentiful and more than enough for any job. I am not going to try and sell you on this item. The name Milwaukee should be enough. I will say this it is the best of the best and can't be beat, period.

I have milwaukee's 18v version for two years and then this saw for about 7 months, it is the best cordless circ saw on the market right now, for both power and endurance.

BUT: it is not a replacement for a corded saw as milwaukee advertises, it will do on 1 battery what the 18v's do on 2.
IT's fit and finish are very good and the tool is about the same weight as the 18v. this is a good buy.

This is an excellent outside job saw. The weight is perfectly balanced for me, allowing easy cutting in tight spaces or on the portable workbench. The stock blade is fine for general outdoor jobs. In the woodshop, it makes short work of 3/4" plywood.
This is the perfect example of why it's so important to check Amazon daily: At $263 including shipping (the saw, the charger and two batteries) plus a free mail-in tool body certificate (I selected the hammer drill) how can you go wrong? Two 28v LiOn Milwaukee tools w/ charger and 2 batteries for $263!?!?!? How can Home Depot compete with that?

These are very good professional tool bags. All the pockets are well thought out for your typical carpentry needs. I prefer my hammers on the side and tape in the back, so this was just what I was looking for. I wear them forty hours a week, and I've been happy so far. The one problem I've had is the belt isn't quiet small enought if you have a 32 inch waist. I had to punch new holes, and am right on the end, so hopefully it won't stretch any more.

I got this tool belt as a freebie for buying the Milwaukee tilt-lok circular saw and I am here to say that it is one quality product. I cannot imagine a job where the tools and supplies I needed to complete the work could not be held somewhere in the 33 pockets on this belt. The ripstop material is tough and impervious to water. The belt is comfortable even when the poches are loaded, and easily adjusts to nearly any waist size.

Bottom line: this is one excellent tool belt that holds ALOT of tools and supplies.

From the time I held this tool in my hand, I realised that it was well balanced, and felt much lighter than the stated weight of 10 pounds. The three (3)modes of operation, namely: 1.rotation only, 2.rotation with hammer and 3.hammer only, make this a very versatile tool, combining a rotary hammer with a light duty demolition hammer. I was impressed by the extensive use of metal in the construction of the body of this drill: it screams "heavy duty".

The hammering mechanism is brutally effective in drilling through concrete, delivering powerful blows that literalily destroys the concrete.

On the downside however, there are three (3) minor problems that I have encountered:

1. The trigger speed control is a bit tricky, i.e. there is considerable trigger travel before rotation starts, but from start to full speed there is little travel making control a bit difficult.

2. There is noticeable wobbling of the drill bit even when the 3-jaw chuck is employed, this tends to expand hole size.

3.The jaw chuck cannot be or is not recomended for use in hammering mode. This eliminates the use of straight shank hammer bits that the Bosch chuck allows.

However, I would recomend this tool based on its overall performance.

The previous reviewer is right ! This hammer is much more comfortable than others I have used and it does a good job as long as you do not go past the manufacturer's recommended hole size. To my knowledge it is the most powerful hammer that can do rotary only drilling. Since I may use it for everything from drilling a 1/4" hole in concrete, through making a 2 1/2" hole in wood to driving 10' ground rods in one day, it is perfect for my needs. I've used it with the optional SDS-Max chuck and a 1 1/8" Carbide bit through concrete and brick and it did a good job. Not as fast as some of the bigger hammers but my arms and wrist didn't hurt from hefting a big tool either! I have not noticed any bit wobble in any of the chucks (SDS +, SDS-Max or 3 Jaw) in using it for three months. By the way, I really like the quick change chuck system. It is really quick and easy. No trouble with a sloppy trigger either but the tool is fairly new. After prolonged use, almost 10 minutes continuously driving ground rods, I noticed the tool did get warm, but not hot. My point is this: I think this is a great tool for those, like me, that need a versatile rotary hammer but will not put it into all day,everyday use. If you are the local concrete drilling pro, you'll want a bigger, heavier(spelled alot more money) unit.