Fein 18v ASCM

[johnleve]

I have been looking at getting the C-18, PDC-18, and TSC-55.  The only thing that did not really fit was the PDC, I have a corded Boschammer and don't need the percussion in my daily use drill.  I however need something that does both high torque and high speed and the PDC seemed to fit that need. 

I like having an impact from time to time but my current one is absurdly loud, not brushless, and runs hot.  I was debating on making the Festool purchase in the hopes that Festool would release a dedicated 18v impact in the near future.  Upon seeing the deal on the Fein drill (ASCM) I thought I would get the Fein impact (ASCD) to complement it but it turns out that it is just a re-branded tool and not made to the same standards as the ASCM.  The ASCD is not brushless and while it would be nice to have an impact on the same battery as the drill I don't think it makes sense to get the Fein impact that is currently available.

In the end I decided to get the ASCM, the deal was too good to pass up.  The quality seems to be there as well as it being current technology.  It is capable of greater torque and higher speeds than the PDC.

The downside is that now I have two battery systems to deal with and still plan on getting the C-18 and TSC-55 which will make it three battery systems; four if you include the CXS but that little bugger never seems to run out of batteries so I always leave my charger at home although I might get a couple of the higher capacity batteries should the originals start to fade on me.  On the plus side at some point either Festool or Fein should have an impact and then I can get whichever one comes here first, my bet is on the Fein although I hope it is Festool, and I will be back down to two battery systems.

In a perfect world the ASCM would be made by Festool, compatible with centrotec, and in a systainer but alas it isn't so.  I look forward to putting it through its paces- maybe it will impress me enough to change my hopes to Fein coming out with a current impact rather than Festool.

 

[fshanno]

I ordered one.  As Oscar Wilde said, "...I can resist anything but temptation."

No belt hook, that's a negative.  But I can live with it for a brushless with a four speed gearbox at this price.  I can use that speed.  It seems crazy.  If the drill is what it seems to be I don't see how that price can last.

I'm curious about the ASCM QXC.  What does the "C" mean?  The product pages seem to be showing essentially the same thing as the QX but with a 2 AH battery.  Some might like the lighter option.

 

[neeleman]

C stands for Compact (=lighter/smaller).
Like most other brands Fein offers drills with a 2.0 Ah battery instead of 4.0.
It's also cheaper this way, thus "lighter" for your wallet.

 

[Tayler_mann]

[member=163]vkumar[/member] [member=48572]Shane Holland[/member]

So most of the European made drills have a 43mm collar for attaching the auxiliary handle. Metabo makes one that clamps directly to where the collar attaches, as does Protool/Festool.

One of the users on the Mafell forums found that that the Protool one works on his Metabo drill, it's probably worth tracking down the Metabo to test on the Fein since I bet the Protool one is impossible to get over here:

http://mafellusersforum.com/thread/444/first-impressions-a18-bl?page=2

[member=38144]sae[/member]

I can't seem to find anyone in the US selling Mafell drills. Where do you buy their drills at?

 

[sae]

[member=38144]sae[/member]

I can't seem to find anyone in the US selling Mafell drills. Where do you buy their drills at?

[member=42383]Tayler_mann[/member]
There's only one US distributor for Mafell, it's Timberwolf Tools. They can import anything Mafell sells, but I'd advise you to get the Metabo version of the same drill since (a) Metabo manufactures this for Mafell and is identical, including the batteries, and (b) they actually have distributors here.

Not that Timberwolf does a bad job supporting, quite the opposite in fact, but the warranty is only 1 year. Metabo has a 3 year warranty on both tool and battery, and the price point likely much lower.

Metabo sells both brushed and brushless versions of the 18v drill, while the Mafell rebrand is only the brushless, so make sure you identify which is which when purchasing.

 

[teocaf]

[member=38144]sae[/member]
I can't seem to find anyone in the US selling Mafell drills. Where do you buy their drills at?

[member=42383]Tayler_mann[/member]
There's only one US distributor for Mafell, it's Timberwolf Tools. They can import anything Mafell sells, but I'd advise you to get the Metabo version of the same drill since (a) Metabo manufactures this for Mafell and is identical, including the batteries, and (b) they actually have distributors here.
Not that Timberwolf does a bad job supporting, quite the opposite in fact, but the warranty is only 1 year. Metabo has a 3 year warranty on both tool and battery, and the price point likely much lower.
Metabo sells both brushed and brushless versions of the 18v drill, while the Mafell rebrand is only the brushless, so make sure you identify which is which when purchasing.

I haven't checked about this particular drill that you're saying is equivalent to the Fein but I'll tell you about my last Metabo drill purchase a few months ago.  I compared among the usual euro suspects and decided on getting the metabo khe 3250 combo hammer drill.  when i checked where i could get it, there were about 10 distributor listings and going through all of them, 9 of them had to be discarded for various reasons:  jacked up price, tax/shipping charges, long delivery because not in stock, etc.  Only 1 out of the 10 (CPO) was able to ship right away, for the right price.  So in that respect for me, getting that particular item, it was the same as you indicate with mafell, where only one distributor was available.  Unfortunately they did not have the metabo consumables and options that i was looking to get for the drill.  So I was able to find some italian and german bosch stuff and started using it.  Great drill by the way:  power to weight, vibration dampening, etc.  The Bosch stuff is performing very nicely as well.

So what I'm saying is that Metabo also has some work to do to get all their great stuff out to the US consumers.  Not posting to complain--just hope that some dealers seeing this feedback will become full-line, stocking Metabo distributors in the near future.  Metabo has a lot of great stuff in their catalog and it would be nice not to hunt around for each item.  Does anyone on here know of such a dealer?  Btw,  I've also have a german metabo grinder for many years, and it's fantastic and so are the consumables when they can be sourced.

 

[vkumar]

[member=38144]sae[/member] do you think this will fit the fein drill

Amazon De link

 

[Holmz]

I was curious if anyone knows if the centrotec system fits into the new feins 18v drills quick release system? Toolnut has them on sale and I have contemplated buying one. If the centrotec system doesn't fit I don't think I will buy one though.

I have a little A10M, and the centrotec.
The green sleeved centrotec adapter fits on the the drill and takes the centrotec. It does add length, which is a problem if ones is in a toight spot... So generally it is not a problem.
The centrotec can also fit in the 1/4" but they are not snug, 1/4" does not fit in 6-mm though. It seems to work fine for general low torque stuff like the pointy Centrotec drills, and the T20 stuff. They also are not really held in securely then, so it is suboptimal... But it works.
So it generally works best with green sleeved adapter, you are going that route.
Whether it fits the Fein - I do not know...

I am awaiting trying a Milwaukee offset chuck to see if it might fit the A10M. So other than the lack of an offset chuck it is pretty complete... I have not needed one (yet)...

The small Milwaukee seems like it is another option in the miniature size (Metabo, Mafell, Milwaukee... Maybe more, but I dunno)

[member=58373]j3004[/member] - I think buying in Germany makes sense as the charger then works without any drama?

There are no really bad choices.
If one is dead set on using Centrotec then the FT drills seem like a good option, especially if one is mostly doing wood.
Which then begs the question as to why got the A10M... Which is mainly because I have a stack of 1/4" bits and wanted the smallest profile drill, with the highest torque, in order to fit in the toight spaces.
And I find that 99# of the time - I am not space limited. [embarassed]

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Just placed my order for this drill. I have been looking at these since they were first released and never pulled the trigger. This deal is just too good to pass up - do not need the hammer function and I figure for now if I need right angle I can use one of my Festool drills. The torque on this is what has sold me -- I think there is a Hilti and Metabo that are higher, but this will be plenty of torque for what I need.

 

[MrToolJunkie]

I also think that Metabo makes a couple of right angle attachments that fit a 43mm collar - so, in theory the two versions they sell would fit the Fein (if the Fein is 43mm). Trouble is that I have not found the attachments in NA - think that they have to be ordered from a Metabo dealer or shipped from the UK directly. I think Amazon has them listed with a UK seller.

 

[Holmz]

Where are you at [member=6605]ScotF[/member] ?

(I will be in LA in a few weeks then Denver.)

 

[richy3333]

I also think that Metabo makes a couple of right angle attachments that fit a 43mm collar - so, in theory the two versions they sell would fit the Fein (if the Fein is 43mm). Trouble is that I have not found the attachments in NA - think that they have to be ordered from a Metabo dealer or shipped from the UK directly. I think Amazon has them listed with a UK seller.

Don't know if it's any help but Toolstop in the UK ship to USA. They're a good reputable company to deal with and sell Metabo tools.

 

[Tayler_mann]

I have a really good solution to all these problems with certain tools not fitting certain tools. The U.S. needs to just suck it up and finally make the conversion to metric and all would be ok. Now that everyone has brought up all these different brands and made my drill buying excursion even harder...I thank you seriously. Just because now I am more intelligent on the situation and can help me make the right purchase. Which I think it is going to still be the PDC for the percussion mode.

 

[sae]

[member=38144]sae[/member] do you think this will fit the fein drill

Amazon De link

[member=163]vkumar[/member] You want the one that clamps onto where the auxiliary handle would clamp on to, that one you posted relies on a keyway on the nose of the drill that's only on the 10.8v models.

This is the one that would most likely work (no guarantees, but probably worth a try):
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B004IT18XW

 

[fshanno]

I'm seeing the right angle for the Metabo LTX Quick for $67.20 on Amazon US from Big Red Toolbox in the UK.  That's a bit of money for something that might not work but I bet it will.  Somebody needs to be the guinea pig.  Volunteers?

The jackpot would be an eccentric fitting.  Hey, it could happen.

 

[Holmz]

I'm seeing the right angle for the Metabo LTX Quick for $67.20 on Amazon US from Big Red Toolbox in the UK.  That's a bit of money for something that might not work but I bet it will.  Somebody needs to be the guinea pig.  Volunteers?

The jackpot would be an eccentric fitting.  Hey, it could happen.

It might be cheaper with the Metabo whole kit (inc drill)?

I can measure the male shaft that it slides onto. If the Fein was the same, one would assume that they would fit.

 

[sae]

[member=40772]Holmz[/member]  Yeah I'm not sure.

Someone has tested the other chucks from the Fein I believe, and they don't fit because the ball detents don't match up, but it's reasonable that this would fit if the only real constraints is the depth/length of the shaft and distance to the clamp.

[member=2018]fshanno[/member] I took some measurements for you.

Clamping diameter on the drill: 43mm
Depth of the clamp area: 19mm
Height of drill spindle off of the clamping area: 16mm

Distance from bottom of the adapter to the top of the hex shank: ~24mm
Length of hex shank on the adapter: ~17.31mm

 

[Shane Holland]

Quick update from our end. We've sold out of these drills.  [sad] But, we have more on the way!  [big grin] This next batch will be the last of what we can offer at this steal-of-a-price. Cards aren't charged until the drill ships. We hope to have these back in stock before the end of the week.

Thanks to everyone who ordered already.

 

[fshanno]

Quick update from our end. We've sold out of these drills.  [sad] But, we have more on the way!  [big grin] This next batch will be the last of what we can offer at this steal-of-a-price. Cards aren't charged until the drill ships. We hope to have these back in stock before the end of the week.

Thanks to everyone who ordered already.

That's all right, we forgive you.  But I am eager to see what that kind of speed feels like.  I've never used a drill that fast.

 

[johnleve]

I received the ASCM drill today and here are my first impressions.

The drill is very well made, it is heavy but not overly so.

The clutch selector is nice but the range is not exactly ideal as it seems to go from fairly high torque to extremely high torque.  I do like the electronic disengage, a nice little beep is preferential to the harsh clicking I am used to.  Tomorrow I have to drive about 30 lag screws and I am interested to see what setting is best, I suspect it will be on the lower half of the available settings.  The power this thing can put out is pretty crazy compared to what I am used to in a cordless drill.

The trigger is great, you can start really slow and the speed at which it ramps up makes sense to me.  I had heard that there was some sort of a safety feature that required a double pull but mine does not seem to do that or I did not understand what others were talking about.

The speed selector takes a little getting used to and is not all that easy to operate.  In some ways that is a good thing but there were times when I was unable to change speeds with one hand.  Perhaps it will loosen up over time.  When not properly engaged it does not cause an issue, there is a solid click to other speeds and until that is reached it seems like nothing changes.  I did not mess about with that much, it was only by accident that I realized this.  Maybe that is nothing new, I was just comparing it to when you don't properly engage the manual transmission in a car and are rewarded the grinding gears.  Speed 4 is impressive, it really cooks.  I drove a couple of screws at high speed and while it is impractical to do it regularly it was fun to do a couple- pull trigger, screw buried.

The case is nice and well thought out with plenty of room with sufficient foam padding to survive being run over by a truck, this was not tested...  The only thing I don't like is that you have to remove the side handle for storage but given the design of the handle there is no getting around that and there is plenty of room for it in the case.

The jacobs chuck is nice even if it is partially made of plastic.  I don't know that I did anything where the carbide tips would have made a difference but the grip on bits was solid.

The 1/4" bit holder is not my favorite and it is a single piece with the part that connects to the drill.  This really is unfortunate as I was expecting it to work like a centrotec chuck, I had no reason to think it was two pieces but I did because I am used to centrotec.

A centrotec adapter is so close to fitting it hurts deep down that it doesn't.

The side handle works but is a little difficult to put on, again that is something that will likely fix itself with use.

The charger is a little odd and I don't like how the battery sits on it but it works fine.  What I really don't like is that there are no holes to mount it to a wall.  Mine arrived with one battery nearly empty and it took a while to charge, I did not time it but it seemed reasonable for a 4ah pack.

Overall I like the drill and am happy I purchased two, at the price it is a really good deal in my opinion.  I was hesitant to add another type of battery to the mix but I think it will be worth it.