NEW Metabo LiHD batteries

[Kev]

It's going to be interesting to see players in the cordless tool/appliance space open up their standards in battery pack format and interface ... or if appliance manufacturers partner with other brands.

You tend to make a lot of compromises if you go with a "one brand" cordless tool provider and niche cordless tools tend to be very expensive.

There's likely be be more proliferation than standards, but it's going to be interesting to see how things play out.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

[member=2726]Tom Gensmer[/member]: is it this article? http://www.jlconline.com/article/the-year-in-power-tool-batteries_s

Yup, that's the one, thanks for sharing the link! I certainly don't begrudge advances in battery technology. If anything, I am most interested in advances as they relate to the slim line batteries. 90% of my work is performed with an impact driver and compact 18V drill. Those two tools perform great with slim lines. I have some of the "standard" Hilti battery packs as well, but I usually only bring those out for the heavy duty drill, impact wrench, collated drywall screw driver, rotary hammer, etc....

 

[Kev]

Seems the Metabo LiHD's and brushless, cordless angle grinders hit here in Oz in a couple of weeks (but Festool Australia still can get last years new batteries to us!!!)

This means I'll certainly be grabbing some Metabo cordless stuff and if you buy one .. you may as well buy a few [wink] though it seems they're gradually bringing out new brushless models, so it won't be a mindless leap. The 400Nm impact wrench and a sabre saw will be early items along with the paddle trigger angle grinder ... depending on how they go I may get a couple and play with some Arbortech stuff on them!

Oz catalog here ...

http://www.metabo.com.au/Promotions.4955.0.html

I picked a hard copy up today (with pricing) from Northern Abrasives.

 

[sae]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] Hopefully they redo the saber saw soon, it's not their best tool. The blade wanders a little (maybe mine has been used/abused and I don't recall what it was when new), and the ergonomics aren't great.

I still use it for demolition, but for cutting accurately (say for a roof vent or something), I'd use something else.

The new angle grinder should be interesting considering they dominate the cordless angle grinder market currently w/ their brushed version.

The 400Nm brushless impact wrench is easily one of my favorites, it's what got me to look at Metabo in the first place and a good compact impact tool is incredibly versatile. I use it for just about everything, from disassembling cars to driving lags/timberlocks, to even when my impact driver fails to drive a screw deep enough (just turn down from speed 12 so you don't destroy the fasteners). Festool is really missing out on a huge market here.

 

[Michael1960]

The Metabo 18V angle grinder looks good.  I like the idea of the braking system.  Has anyone used one? 

 

[sae]

[member=14084]Michael1960[/member] I have their WEPBA 14-125 (1400w, 125mm) braking grinder w/ paddle trigger, the braking is nice, no need to wait around for it to stop. I guess it's safer too, but I've never had a serious accident putting it down and having it catch something.

The autobalancer is really sublime, I wish they put it on their cordless ones. Not only is it less vibration, but also less disc chatter, which is nicer to use but also improves your disc life as well. The extra price difference will probably be made up in saved abrasive life if you use it a lot. That said, even their non-autobalanced ones are balanced pretty well from the factory, you'll be able to notice it immediately versus almost any other brand; grinders are Metabo's core market nowadays, they don't screw around when it comes to grinders.

 

[Kev]

[member=14084]Michael1960[/member] I have their WEPBA 14-125 (1400w, 125mm) braking grinder w/ paddle trigger, the braking is nice, no need to wait around for it to stop. I guess it's safer too, but I've never had a serious accident putting it down and having it catch something.

The autobalancer is really sublime, I wish they put it on their cordless ones. Not only is it less vibration, but also less disc chatter, which is nicer to use but also improves your disc life as well. The extra price difference will probably be made up in saved abrasive life if you use it a lot. That said, even their non-autobalanced ones are balanced pretty well from the factory, you'll be able to notice it immediately versus almost any other brand; grinders are Metabo's core market nowadays, they don't screw around when it comes to grinders.

It'd be really sad if that wasn't intentional [big grin]

I have Protool/Festool and Metabo mains 125's and I think they're on par, but I don't have any "torture test" applications. They're leagues ahead of the rest of the "common stuff" though. Another I'd rate highly is Flex, I only have a polisher of theirs, but as a quality statement it's great!

My Protool 230mm doesn't seem as scary as a Metabo 230mm I had years ago ... it was so scary that I found a new home for it [scared]

I can certainly see a little Metabo cordless SCMS in my future!

 

[DB10]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] I can't speak highly enough about that little Metabo mitre saw, best tool I have bought this year. My Kapex mostly stays in the workshop now.
I was cutting laminate flooring all day yesterday with the same 5.2 battery.
When the new Batteries come out I had already decided on getting the angle grinder but I shall get one of those portable Led lamps as well, although I like the Festool  syslite, the batteries don't seem to last very long.

 

[Kev]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] I can't speak highly enough about that little Metabo mitre saw, best tool I have bought this year. My Kapex mostly stays in the workshop now.
I was cutting laminate flooring all day yesterday with the same 5.2 battery.
When the new Batteries come out I had already decided on getting the angle grinder but I shall get one of those portable Led lamps as well, although I like the Festool  syslite, the batteries don't seem to last very long.

You're not wrong .. I've got 3x Syslites and 3x 3.0Ah 15V batteries to go with them. The onboard batteries are not great and charge way too slow.

 

[GhostFist]

For those who care, one thing I've noticed about metabo, certain tools are made in Germany others in the People's Republic of China. Keep an eye out.

 

[Michael1960]

Thanks for the feedback.  So far I've only bought one Metabo tool - a small 80mm sander.  I'll add a cordless Metabo 125mm grinder soon if it's made in Germany.

 

[#Tee]

kinda funny these presentations are like apple releasing iphones but in the tool world. this basically only appeals to guys.

 

[DB10]

I may be wrong, this has been known to happen before but I got a feeling that the new Metabo angle grinders will be made in China.
This won't put me off as I have other Metabo tools made in China and they have all been of good quality so far.
  I understand why Metabo manufacture in China, as it's the only way they can stay competitive with the likes of Makita and Bosch from a price point of view.
  But I also agree that Made in Germany stamped on the tool gives you a psychological feeling that you have bought into a quality product.

 

[sae]

My cordless grinder is made in Germany.

The only grinder they make in China is their cheapest corded one.

 

[sae]

Now shipping, for no more money than the standard 5.2Ah batteries.  [eek]

http://www.cpometabo.com/metabo-lihd/metabo-lihd,default,sc.html

I might get the BL grinder kit, and sell off some of my old batteries to finance.

 

[DB10]

I may be wrong, this has been known to happen before but I got a feeling that the new Metabo angle grinders will be made in China.
This won't put me off as I have other Metabo tools made in China and they have all been of good quality so far.
  I understand why Metabo manufacture in China, as it's the only way they can stay competitive with the likes of Makita and Bosch from a price point of view.
  But I also agree that Made in Germany stamped on the tool gives you a psychological feeling that you have bought into a quality product.

[member=13058]Kev[/member] popped into my local tool store today so I could finally get my hands on the new Metabo brushless angle grinder and too my horror as I was hoping to be wrong on this one but the new angle grinder has Made in China written on it.
Just so happens that the Metabo rep was in the store at the same time and he said it was a surprise to him when he found out as well, as they had also been told that the Ausie  production was going to be made in Germany but manufacturing had been switched over to China on a number of top line angle grinders now.

 

[Kev]

I may be wrong, this has been known to happen before but I got a feeling that the new Metabo angle grinders will be made in China.
This won't put me off as I have other Metabo tools made in China and they have all been of good quality so far.
  I understand why Metabo manufacture in China, as it's the only way they can stay competitive with the likes of Makita and Bosch from a price point of view.
  But I also agree that Made in Germany stamped on the tool gives you a psychological feeling that you have bought into a quality product.

[member=13058]Kev[/member] popped into my local tool store today so I could finally get my hands on the new Metabo brushless angle grinder and too my horror as I was hoping to be wrong on this one but the new angle grinder has Made in China written on it.
Just so happens that the Metabo rep was in the store at the same time and he said it was a surprise to him when he found out as well, as they had also been told that the Ausie  production was going to be made in Germany but manufacturing had been switched over to China on a number of top line angle grinders now. He tried justifying it by comparing it to the latest Milwaukee brushless grinder at the same price which is also made in China. I just mentioned that its inevitable but disappointing.

[member=42735]DB10[/member]

Metabo is more in line with Bosch than Festool ... a lot of their PRN tools seem a little dated in terms of design, but do seem solid.

There's obvious "cheap cuts" ... I buy Metabo when there isn't a significantly better tool in that category.

 

[Pykie]

Their cordless mitre saw interests me, so are these new batteries compatible with their old tools, or do we have to wait for them to update their tools to suit these new batteries?

 

[Kev]

Their cordless mitre saw interests me, so are these new batteries compatible with their old tools, or do we have to wait for them to update their tools to suit these new batteries?

[member=59019]Pykie[/member] 100% compatible.

 

[DB10]

The new Li HD batteries will not work with the Metabo 18v site radio.