The JD Powers & Associates 2008 Cordless Drill/Driver Study is out and the results are in. This study measures customer satisfaction with cordless drills/drivers by examining six key factors (listed in order of importance): drill performance (including drilling and driving power, performance under heavy use and maneuverability in tight spaces); ease of use (including balance, weight and grip size and feel); battery performance; price; versatility of the battery platform in supporting other power tools; and warranty. The study is designed to provide information to help customers with purchase decisions, as well as to assist drill/driver manufacturers in their efforts to improve satisfaction. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: 2008, Green, performance, Power Tool
While everyone else out there is hocking 10.8v Batteries marketed as “12v Max” or just flat out 12v,

Milwaukee introduces their new TRUE 12v Lithium Sub-Compact Tools.
Milwaukee is coming out with a true 12v Sub-compact tool series. The series includes a Driver/Drill, Impact Driver, a handy little mini-Recip saw, Flashlight (Incandescent ugh, c’mon guys go LED), Inspection Camera, and probably the coolest new item the Copper Tubing Cutter. I got a hands on with all of these yesterday and I was pretty impressed. Assisted by a 4-pole frameless motor they have plenty of power, these are contractor grade tools. We put these to work and they do a good job. Now this new series uses the new M12 batteries and they are not compatible with the V12 series, this has something to do with the new motors. Not dealing with a can motor is a good enough reason to upgrade batteries to me so it is what it is. The Milwaukee M12 Batteries also feature a “fuel gauge”, since lithium batteries die so fast at the end of their cycle its good to know how much charge you have left before you strap on the stilts or climb the ladder. The best part is that most of these tools come with the red Milwaukee case, of course its plastic but the price point is low enough that I’m surprised they don’t give you a bag.
Tags: Green, Lithium Ion, Milwaukee, New Hotness, Power Tool, Sub-Compact

Porter Cables new Brushless ROS...A green tool?
A while back when I was at Black and Decker University for a Delta Woodworking class we got to tour the R&D areas. I asked them about brushless motors on tools, they told us something was in the works. And after they cleared it with the higher ups and made us all sign non-disclosure agreements they showed us a prototype sander with a yellow body and a brushless motor. (Since the item is now available I think its okay to talk about it, if its not I’m sure I’ll be getting a letter from their lawyers.) Now here it is a little more than a year later and I see that sander again. This time with a grey body, the Porter Cable 390 Series of 5″ Random Orbit Sanders. Now I wanted to verify that this was that same brushless sander that I had previously seen so I started reading through the marketing literature and they do not reference it as a brushless motor, they reference it as a Duratech Motor. A search of the schematic revealed that there were not brushes on the parts list or shown in the breakdown. So I called up our rep and asked him point blank. And he was able to verify that yes that tool in fact does have a brushless motor! Eureka I’d discovered the truth. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Brushless Motor, Green, Porter Cable, Power Tool, Woodworking
