Today's small shop project - M12 Drill/Driver Systainer

[rst]

I have seven of the M12s and have five of the M18s.  I just used the M18 portable vac to attach to my RO 90 for a small job.  The five year guarantee is great.  The M18 vac will  use both the older and new style batteries.  From rattling around in my van the old style battery would not work  the vac.  I took the vac to my local dealer who checked and the five warranty had just expired.  He contacted the local Milwaukee rep and they took it for repair.  A week later my dealer called me to come for the vac...Brand new replacement in box!!!  I had kept the old hose and so now have two...handy as they connect. [big grin]

 

[wow]

I have seven of the M12s and have five of the M18s.  I just used the M18 portable vac to attach to my RO 90 for a small job.  The five year guarantee is great.  The M18 vac will  use both the older and new style batteries.  From rattling around in my van the old style battery would not work  the vac.  I took the vac to my local dealer who checked and the five warranty had just expired.  He contacted the local Milwaukee rep and they took it for repair.  A week later my dealer called me to come for the vac...Brand new replacement in box!!!  I had kept the old hose and so now have two...handy as they connect. [big grin]

Great Milwaukee story - here's mine:

I have a number of their 28-volt tools. Although the new M18 Fuel is better in almost every way (lighter, more power, etc.) there are STILL things I like about the 28-volt line that are not duplicated anywhere else, like the Right Angle Drill and the BandSaw. Yes they have offerings in the 18-volt line, but go look at the 28-volt stuff before you say "they've got those". The M18 capacities are not there comparatively.

Anyway, the original 28-volt product was called the V28, and the original batteries were AWFUL! They wouldn't hold a charge even for a week. I'd charge them up and put them in a drawer, and  a week later they'd be at 2 bars out of 4. If you left them a month they were dead.

Unfortunately, due to health issues I didn't deal with them when I should have. Most of mine were manufactured back in 2006.
Last year I was at an open house and cornered the Milwaukee rep. I explained to him what had happened. We went 'round a little bit with him saying they were out of warranty and me saying yes, but this was a known problem that Milwaukee should have recalled or made right for the people who bought those (then) top-of-the-line tools. He agreed, and authorized replacements right on the spot.

Gotta love a company that stands behind their products like that. Since then I added a couple *more* M28 tools (one of them being the aforementioned band saw, and the 1/2" drill/driver that I got at the 7-corners sale for like $60). And I own more M12 tools than will fix in a drawer in my toolbox AND a couple Systainers.

 

[sae]

Great story, I've really heard nothing but good things about their support and service. People will ding them since Tectronic Industries is based in Hong Kong (acquired Milwaukee in 2005) and manufacture almost exclusively out of China, but honestly, they've turned themselves around pretty well since their sale, and they understand how much customer satisfaction really matters.

They just released an M18 Fuel bandsaw that's more powerful than their corded one, with the same 5x5" capacity. [blink]

I think that's my next M18 item to purchase, although that's taking a backseat to my need to pickup the RO 90 and CT 26.

 

[wow]

They just released an M18 Fuel bandsaw that's more powerful than their corded one, with the same 5x5" capacity. [blink]

I think that's my next M18 item to purchase, although that's taking a backseat to my need to pickup the RO 90 and CT 26.

I was not aware of that product. I haven't even had a chance to use my M28 band saw yet, so it might be going back. This might be the tool that finally pushes me into the M18 line.

Thanks for posting that - I think!

[big grin]